I have to say, I really dislike things like this where they portray the foreigner otaku as some culture-shocked, presumptions, and immature person who’s completely dumbstruck by the fact Japan isn’t “Anime land”
They never learn anything, they never make a statement about anything. I just comes off similar to those web comics where one character, the cool and collected one, represents the artist’s opinion and another character, the outlandish yelling one, represents the opposing point of view.
Never once do you see these gaijin characters learning anything, interacting with actual Japanese people, and hell, maybe having both of them learn a bit about each-others cultures and how poorly they are portrayed in the media. Instead it’s always “What do you mean this isn’t Otaku-Paradise?! No my expectations are crushed!” and then “let’s all laugh at the idiot!”
This portrayal is also overlooking the fact that there’s many people who are well aware of Japanese History and culture extending far beyond Otaku Culture, but are most interested in Otaku Culture. These are the people in the majority. If I ever were able to visit Japan, you bet your ass I’d hit up the Akihabara district. Hell, if that was the ONLY place I could go I’d be fine with that too. I know there’s much more to Japan than that, but much like the character in this comic, that’s where my interests lie. It’s what I’d want to see above all else, because it’s part of what my interests are.
If someone were to take the reverse, have a Japanese character who visits America dressed up as a cowboy and carrying on like “HOTTO DOGGU ANDO HAMBAAGAA! FUCK YOU BITCH! I AM ELVIS CHRIST! FREEDOM!” who was completely oblivious to the fact that America is NOTHING like that it would be massively offensive.
I guess what I’m saying is I dislike broad generalizations like this. Not everyone in Japan is an Otaku. That’s fine and is an understandable statement. However you have to realize all foreign Otaku aren’t presumptuous idiots. A lot of them just want to see Japanese Otaku culture first-hand.
(Source: dawindupbird)
Student artist/animator aspiring to be Mangaka and if possible, become an animator for RoosterTeeth Productions d(^_^o) Also a freelance artist. Message me for more info. Sean M.
