Otaku going to Japan?

[Keaton421]

Originally Posted by emmygirl121

Im going there next summer, :] exciting i know,

But it was not fueled by my love of anime, I am going because the culture,
and there is a USA deaf program going :]

A deaf program, huh? That's really cool, I hope y'all have fun!

[Sinestra]

I think i mention this to MMM before.

Although I love all things Otaku-like i actually went to Japan before i got into the Otaku world and mainly went because i admired the history of Japan it was later that i went back to Japan because of the Otaku lifestyle even now i dont consider myself an Otaku. Im just someone who appreciates Japanese culture like i would appreciate Chinese or Russian culture.

[ThirdSight]

Originally Posted by Keaton421

My prediction is that the overwhelming majority of people who have been to Japan, or who have firm, realistic plans to visit in the future won't be otaku. They either realize that pursuing anime and pocky is no way to live, they're 12 year old fanboys/girls without the means to do so (and lose interest when they're of age), or content to stay in the basement subbing Naruto Shippuden and dreaming about kawaii ramen pockyland.

I think young adults (18+) with a casual, but true, interest in Japan will be the ones who make it. So far, we've been the only ones to post in this thread :P An otaku who did make it to Japan would be too shocked and on the first plane home

I realize I'm tough on the otaku. This is Japan forum after all, but Japan is not about those trivial things, just like my country isn't about baseball or apple pie - it just says that on wikipedia. I believe we can turn this place into a mature discussion about Japan for those who have genuine interests grounded in reality.

^This.

Though I still find it a tad frustrating that everything I'm learning about Japan that I thought I knew realistically is either completly wrong or tweaked just a bit.

Damn you Wikipedia.

[Sinestra]

Originally Posted by Keaton421

My prediction is that the overwhelming majority of people who have been to Japan, or who have firm, realistic plans to visit in the future won't be otaku. They either realize that pursuing anime and pocky is no way to live, they're 12 year old fanboys/girls without the means to do so (and lose interest when they're of age), or content to stay in the basement subbing Naruto Shippuden and dreaming about kawaii ramen pockyland.

I think young adults (18+) with a casual, but true, interest in Japan will be the ones who make it. So far, we've been the only ones to post in this thread :P An otaku who did make it to Japan would be too shocked and on the first plane home

I realize I'm tough on the otaku. This is Japan forum after all, but Japan is not about those trivial things, just like my country isn't about baseball or apple pie - it just says that on wikipedia. I believe we can turn this place into a mature discussion about Japan for those who have genuine interests grounded in reality.

I agree with you Keaton and i hope this thread does degenerate in the nonsense that most of the threads seem to do nowadays. Realistically those people who think Japan is all anime and pockey will either never go there or go and have such a culture shock it destroy their image of Japan and they will never return. Having an interest in Japan needs to go beyond anime and i think the older crowd around here especially the ones that have been there frequently like MMM and those who live there currently like Nyororin would agree. People have this misconception about Japan like many have about the U.S. or any other country and when it does not live up to their dreams they write it off.

I prefer to talk to the people who go to Japan for other reasons like History, food, education or just a general love for the culture or those who want to understand the culture better or get back to their roots. Majority of forum members here will never make it to Japan and if they do have their lil dream world shattered and or no nothing about it and pretend they do its very frustrating, sad yet funny at times.

[Keaton421]

Yeah, you're exactly right. When Nyoro and MMM post, how often is it about cosplay, ramune, manga, or how amazing Tokyo is? Do they ever talk about the anime boys that belong to them, or tack on cutesy faces and "ne?" at the end of sentences? If they have, I've never seen it

Lesson to be learned for the Japan hopefuls out there. If you go in thinking and acting like you're in an anime fantasyworld, you'll be so disappointed and shocked that you'll spend most of your trip crying in the bathtub.

No offense to the people I'm singling out thought! Just be aware that y'all and I are talking about completely different countries; one is real, the other not so much :3 But that's not to say you can't enjoy the nerdy pleasures of life - I do it every day! - even in another country

[godwine]

Originally Posted by Keaton421

Yeah, you're exactly right. When Nyoro and MMM post, how often is it about cosplay, ramune, manga, or how amazing Tokyo is? Do they ever talk about the anime boys that belong to them, or tack on cutesy faces and "ne?" at the end of sentences? If they have, I've never seen it

Lesson to be learned for the Japan hopefuls out there. If you go in thinking and acting like you're in an anime fantasyworld, you'll be so disappointed and shocked that you'll spend most of your trip crying in the bathtub.

No offense to the people I'm singling out thought! Just be aware that y'all and I are talking about completely different countries; one is real, the other not so much :3 But that's not to say you can't enjoy the nerdy pleasures of life - I do it every day! - even in another country

Nice.. I can't agree more... We actually touched on similar subjects in other threads, many people are still living in a bubble that was created by various manga and animate... the interest lies in all the wrong reasons.

Though, there are those who really are into its history and culture, so no offense to those people...

[allie2590]

I wouldn't call myself an otaku, but I am interested in a lot of things that otakus are... Too bad I don't have the time or money to go to Japan at this time.

[Sinestra]

Originally Posted by allie2590

I wouldn't call myself an otaku, but I am interested in a lot of things that otakus are... Too bad I don't have the time or money to go to Japan at this time.

Sucks you dont have the time or money to go. But at least you want to visit Japan other than for anime. I had to cancel my trip this year because the economy need to save money. But i was really disappointed i wanted to go visit some other cities besides Tokyo like Nyororin suggested.

[MMM]

Keaton I think you are seeing the thoughts behind my original post.

[Haggis]

I think Tokyo's quite 'cute' compared to other places I've been. At the main tourist sites you'll often see dorameon or hello kitty merchandise about. In Rippongi you can pick up the Murakami monopoly set and there's lots of anime posters about (even if they are in pachinko parlours). And as for people doing song and dance routines on the streets of Akihabara, well that came as a bit of a surprise...

I admit you're not going to be constantly flooded with anime on tv and you rarely see people reading manga on the subway, but I think the otaku appeal is much stronger than places like China (where they just don't do cute at all)