Japanese Cultural Fetish

[Ecco]

I don't know a lot of people who are obsessed with Japanese culture, but I think the anime obsession is bc there is no equivalent to anime, it stands alone with its unique detailed artwork, and crazy storylines. That said, the stuff on TV always seems childish, so I really have no idea where people find anime that is not geared toward small kids... Adult Swim line-up always seemed childish, but haven't seen it for a couple years... I liked Inuyasha but that was also too childish, despite awesome artwork, and crazy plot involving feudal Japan, which was also nice...

[NeoZeedeater]

What extreme revisionist history. First and foremost, Sega always had strong western software. Remember games like Toejam & Earl? Ecco the Dolphin? The Genesis version of Michael Jackson's moonwalker? Not to mention that, in 1992, the Sonic series moved from japan to the US.

Genesis Moonwalker was made in Japan (unless you're counting Jackson's involvement as making it Western) but you're point still stands.

[retrospiel]

What extreme revisionist history.

My thoughts exactly. ;-P

First and foremost, Sega always had strong western software. Remember games like Toejam & Earl? Ecco the Dolphin? The Genesis version of Michael Jackson's moonwalker? Not to mention that, in 1992, the Sonic series moved from japan to the US.

Moonwalker is a Japanese game. Same for Sonic. Search the forums or simply check the credits of Sonic 2 and 3. Only Spinball was developed by SOA, and it's hard not to notice.

Again, I am well aware that there were some great Western developed games, and I am also aware that some of them pre-date 1992.

in no way could 1992 be considered sega's financial peak - that would be 1994, the year they overtook nintendo in the global market.

We're both wrong: 1993 was the year of their largest profit. Market share is a poor indicator for financial wealth, see prime example number one: Sega in 1994.

Either way, I think this misses the point. All in all they were doing pretty good in 1991 to 1994, no doubt about that. If anything was to have a noticeable impact financially (aside of an over saturated market and other external factors) it would come with a slight delay. And that's my point basically. I think it happened even before 1992: Sometime in 1991 and coinciding with Sonic the Hedgehog's success there was a shift in management at SOA (namely Katz being replaced by Kalinske) and following that there was a noticeable change in direction at how things were handled at SOA (and subsequently: SOE) with less Japanese software being localized and much more US/EU software being released instead, resulting in a noticeable drop in quality in Sega's first party software in comparison to previous years. It did not help that Sega's advertisement money was focused on these games, instead of what did get localized of the Japanese games.

[synbiosfan]

Like I'm a "fan" of the Godzilla movies, but I found the last movie (godzilla final wars) hard to watch because of all the damn emo aliens!

Name another film whose villian you wanted to see utterly destroyed worse I thought it was the perfect choice!

Where's Tasuke when you need him?

LOL

[Phosis]

By the way, why is this thread in Insert Coin?

And why is it so hard to accept that people just happen to like Japanese culture? You seem to be more intent on criticizing then actually looking for a legitimate discussion here. People like stuff, so what is the problem exactly?

[Hidden_Darkness]

By the way, why is this thread in Insert Coin?

And why is it so hard to accept that people just happen to like Japanese culture? You seem to be more intent on criticizing then actually looking for a legitimate discussion here. People like stuff, so what is the problem exactly?

I thought the same question when I saw the title of this thread. who cares if someone is into a hobby that someone else doesn't like, it doesn't make it okay to bash people just because of their interests.

[j_factor]

I fail to see the need for this dichotomy where one must either have a fascination with Japanese culture and games, or reject all things Japanese. I like a lot of games. Lots of them are Japanese; lots of them are not. What's the big deal? I don't mentally separate games by country of origin. Games are games. Same goes for anime. I like some anime series/movies for the same reason I like any other series/movie. You don't have to be an otaku to watch Cowboy Bebop.

Giant fighting robots are almost as much of an American thing as a Japanese thing: see Transformers, Go Bots, MechWarrior, Battletech, Robotech, etc.

[tz101]

This thread is in insert coin because, if you read the OP, I referenced video games that are too "Japanese" and anime related for my taste.

[TrekkiesUnite118]

I think the rise in people liking things like Anime can be related to the decline in US created entertainment. Look at whats on US TV these days. It's all cop shows and reality TV. There's no interesting shows like we used to have in the 90s. There's no shows that follow a unique story where you follow it because you like the characters and the plot. Anime tends to fill this void. If there was a new Star Trek series I'd stop watching anime in a heartbeat and watch it instead. But there's not. So I've found myself over the years watching things like Initial D, Wangan Midnight One Piece, InuYasha, Full Metal Alchemist, Full Metal Panic, Neon Genesis Evangelion, etc. simply because those shows are more like the TV shows I used to watch and enjoyed.

[Tasuke]

I, for one, cannot get into Japan-centric gaming fare, especially pseudo anime stuff that comes from the far side of the Pacific ocean. I have to say that some game systems have seemed to be too "Japanese" to me over the years, and that I was somewhat turned off by these. The whole Transformers and Gundam series never struck a chord with me as I just could not get into the Japanese fascination with giant fighting robots. Also, I don't get the whole over-sized rounded eye look of anime, or the myriad of video games that copy that style.

Having said that, it seems to me that there is a portion of western people who seem enamored with everything Japanese, including video games. There seems to be a popular notion that Toyota, Honda, and Sony only manufacture the highest quality goods, and so why even look at American alternatives. Fuji or Hitachi cameras will only do for these Japan fetishists, and no automobile besides the aforementioned "quality" makes will ever sit in these people's driveways.

I have to say that much of this is so much hogwash, and purely perception. Maybe some will call me old-fashioned, but I fail to see the fascination with Japanese culture and its supposedly superior manufactured goods. Probably for these reasons, I cannot get into importing games for the Mega Drive, Super Famicom, or other game systems. For starters, I do not read the Japanese text and menu titles, and secondly, many of the games do not appeal to my interests. Tell me how the whole Pikachu series ever hit it off in the US?

Anyone with thoughts on the whole western fascination with Japanese culture and games?

Personally, what's -not- to like?

here's just a small smattering of examples of exactly the sort of Japanese technical and pop-cultural works of obsessive, meticulously crafted fine-art
that got me aboard the "OTAKU/Japan Fetishist" type of mindset a long time ago;

[Kamahl]

Welcome back Tasuke.

[kokujin]

Personally, what's -not- to like?

Pretty much the first 4 pictures of your post.

[Tasuke]

I fail to see the need for this dichotomy where one must either have a fascination with Japanese culture and games, or reject all things Japanese. I like a lot of games. Lots of them are Japanese; lots of them are not. What's the big deal? I don't mentally separate games by country of origin. Games are games. Same goes for anime. I like some anime series/movies for the same reason I like any other series/movie. You don't have to be an otaku to watch Cowboy Bebop.

Giant fighting robots are almost as much of an American thing as a Japanese thing: see Transformers, Go Bots, MechWarrior, Battletech, Robotech, etc.

ummm, you DO know that every last one of those series has/had their roots quite deeply buried in aping directly off of Japanese-originated source materials, don't you?

[Gogogadget]

Thats gorgeous.

Not the girl, ew. Your pioneer equipment though? Yumyum.

[kokujin]

ummm, you DO know that every last one of those series has/had their roots quite deeply buried in aping directly off of Japanese-originated source materials, don't you?

I think he's saying americans have been exposed to some stuff for a good while.

Thats gorgeous.

Not the girl, ew. Your pioneer equipment though? Yumyum.

Yeah, 80's Japanese audio equipment are stuff of legends.I have a few Nakamichis, Pioneers and others still around myself.