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#7 Anime

Posted February 19th, 2008 by Peter · 40 Comments
24,350 views

You asked for it, and we delivered. This is a post all about Japan and Anime.

fullmetal Naruto, Rurouni Kenshin, Fullmetal Alchemist, the list goes on… All asians have a confession to make. I know.. it may be difficult, but:

WE LOVE ANIME! It is part of the asian culture. We embrace it. The multi-billion dollar industry has stretched from the minuscule islands of Japan all the way to the comic book shops of Europe, Asia, and the Americas. However, there are many types of anime lovers: those who try to be asian, and those who are full-blooded asians. Being white doesn’t make someone conservative. Being African American doesn’t make someone a professional basketball player. Likewise, being an anime lover does not automatically make you asian.

Here are the 3 main nuisances in the anime community:

1) Those who think that Anime is all Japan has to offer. Let’s get this straight. Japan has other things to offer? What about that Tiny MP3 Player with 40gb of storage. What about that cell phone that works all around the world or housemaid robot? What about those thousand-dollar DLP televisions, fuel-efficient cars, and electronics we could never dream of in our wildest imaginations? Let’s get one point across. Anime is not the only Japanese product.

2) Those who try to become Japanese. Asians are very envious of the Japanese race. They love the fact that it has progressed so immensely over the past hundred years. They love the fact that it is isolated from the communist corruption in China and Southeastern Asia. However, take a second to ponder your roots. If you are not asian, do not try to be asian just because you don’t fit in. Don’t say that you are going to become as “Japanese” as possible, and plan to move to Japan to escape the “freak moniker” because chances are, if you move to Japan to buy all the anime and manga you want, you will be considered a freak not only by the Japanese, but by people you know. Leave the “being asian” to the asians, and quit saying things like: “baka” and “sugoi“.

3) Those who think that reading Anime makes them know everything about Japan. This is the largest pet peeve. Now we all know that forlorn kid that sits in class reading their manga like they own it. They take the Japanese classes and are able to understand the language to the capacity-level of a 5 year old. What’s the point? They aren’t asian. Asians are asian. “they’ll translate idioms literally – like ‘kanazuchi’, meaning ‘bad swimmer’, they’ll call ‘iron hammer’, the literal translation. So you get nonsensical sentences like “Oh that girl, she’s an iron hammer”. They’ll also translate false cognates incorrectly – like ‘saabisu’ usually means ‘free’, not ‘service’. Anyway, everybody makes mistakes, but when these people make mistakes, their mistakes get taken as truth by hordes of other Japanophiles.” -Bitter Asian Men

There is a wonderful anime fanbase and following. There is also a not so pleasant sect. To avoid being “lumped” in with those crowds, some asians pretend not to like anime. These asians normally go home to youtube their favorite episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist, Gundam, Dragonball, or Doraemon. You’ll never know. It’s an asian secret. To see a list of popular anime series: click here.

Last 5 posts by Peter

Tags: Activities · Anime · Cartoons · Culture · Films and Movies · Japanese · Literature · People · Shows · T.V. · Technology · Work

40 responses so far ↓

  • 1 alex // Feb 19, 2008 at 5:53 pm

    My friend’s exactly like that white kid you describe.

  • 2 John Wang // Feb 19, 2008 at 6:20 pm

    So true. Hey , work faster , these articles are somewhat biased but funny.

    i have some suggestions

    Asians like :

    Techno Music

    Boba either smoothies or w/e

    Ap / Honors classes we are crazy for inflated GPA’s

  • 3 Peter // Feb 19, 2008 at 9:08 pm

    Sorry guys. To some, this may have been a racially charged post. If it was however, know what is was in the interest of fun. This is a satirical blog, meaning that it is just what it is.

    Peter.

  • 4 Justin // Feb 20, 2008 at 3:23 am

    No, I think think they’re great and hella funny!

  • 5 Dr. Chan // Feb 20, 2008 at 11:28 pm

    Why thank you for thinking so.

    But dont forget Bleach!
    And Death Note

  • 6 Chinkygirl // Feb 26, 2008 at 3:39 pm

    I love burin the piggy!!!

  • 7 Yoko // Mar 25, 2008 at 10:49 pm

    Are you kidding: “What’s the point? They aren’t asian. Asians are asian.” Who wrote this *jazz*?

  • 8 Steve // May 13, 2008 at 10:21 pm

    Eh. I’m ok with most Anime, not a huge fan.

  • 9 Ray // Jun 23, 2008 at 4:35 am

    This is another chink american stereotype. Just like the Honda CIvic. Most people here in JP don’t give a shit about anime unless you happen to be otaku. I’ve know more americans than locals who are fans of anime. So no this is bullshit…it’s all about manga actually :) go into a convenience store and relax next to the magazine stand.

  • 10 Ray // Jun 23, 2008 at 4:37 am

    To all american anime fans. If you want to see japan join the F*cking Marine Corp or the US navy you f*cking pussy college boys. Then see REAL japan.

  • 11 random guy // Jul 13, 2008 at 2:53 am

    well to be honest, i m somehow envy about japanese, but i dont like the fact that they are progressed so rapidly because i think that we’re a disgrace for being behind them in most of the things… for example, as you mentioned, when we talk about mangas and anime all we can think of is japanese… Even asian porn in american will make you think about japanese, i know i shouldn’t say that but honestly it is; however i don’t really care about this part… Also, i really don’t think that anime is that good because mostly all animes are in japanese language, and we, the other asians or american have to read the subtitles in order to follow the story line, which i find it less interesting… i find it hard for me to believe that soo much asains who are not japanese like anime…

  • 12 Amy // Aug 15, 2008 at 5:23 am

    “..and we, the other asians or american have to read the subtitles in order to follow the story line, which i find it less interesting”¦ i find it hard for me to believe that soo much asains who are not japanese like anime”¦”

    Uhh, isn’t there this thing called “ENGLISH VOICE-OVERS”?

    Besides, I’m sure there are probably anime for other parts of Asia as well though I can’t say for sure. :P

  • 13 anon. // Sep 9, 2008 at 1:36 am

    TOTORO!

  • 14 IchigoGirl // Oct 24, 2008 at 12:46 am

    Good anime and manga is all in the story. If you like it you like it, who the hell cares what gender or background you are?

    Where did this notion come from that if you are white and like anime you are a fat loser who doesn’t fit in at school? Anime and manga are just forms of illustration and comic art, which i’m pretty sure has a univerally huge fane base.

    One last thing:
    Japanese is a beautiful language
    F*CK ENGLISH SUBS!

  • 15 Random // Nov 24, 2008 at 11:43 pm

    Ummm, what if you are only half asian, like say, half Chinese Indonesian, are you considered asian, or white? Just curious. lol

  • 16 Random // Nov 24, 2008 at 11:44 pm

    Ummm, what if you are only half asian, like say, half Chinese Indonesian, half american. Then what are you? American, or Asian. Just curious.

  • 17 Random // Nov 25, 2008 at 1:46 pm

    oh, by the way, Boba rocks, so does Totoro.

  • 18 M // Feb 4, 2009 at 9:35 pm

    I enjoy anime on occasion, and I’m interested in Japanese and Japanese culture (as I am many other languages and cultures), but I am perfectly content with my ethnicity and location. White anime fans often seem to be stereotyped as obsessive losers who want to become Japanese, but I would say the majority of us are actually not like that at all. It’s a shame the few that are like that make the rest of us look bad.

  • 19 Anonymous // Mar 6, 2009 at 6:25 am

    Many other people loves Anime 2…

  • 20 tiffany // Jul 20, 2009 at 8:30 pm

    ummm no.
    i dont try to be Asian at all (although my nickname is Asian) but still i do want to learn japanese for the simple fact that i want to live in japan and i want to be as respectful and accurate as possible with their customs. But ya, im just trying to say that theres nothing wrong with wanting to be a part of a different culture.

  • 21 Pure // Sep 15, 2009 at 4:27 pm

    One day I went to lunch, and this girl sat beside me. She was obviously white, but her hair was dyed black and tied in a bun. She then turned to me and asked.
    “You’re Asian right?”
    In which I replied, ” yes”.
    The girl beamed and started talking in horribly bad Japanese, and was spitting out Kawaii like there’s no fricken tomorrow. Before she finished she said,
    ” I look Asian when I wake up!”
    At this I laughed as loud as I can and told her stop being a sheep and learn to love her self and her OWN culture. Instead of getting mad, this girl just laughed with me.
    ” No way! I hate being American. America is such a boring country and ugly country. I hate this place. When I grow up I’m moving to Japan! America sucks!”
    I just glared at her because I was so disgusted with her answer. So I packed up my bag and left. It’s sad how some people would stoop so low to become somebody that they could never be. I find it disgusting.

  • 22 Laptop Battery // Nov 19, 2009 at 10:58 pm

    These asians normally go home to youtube their favorite episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist, Gundam, Dragonball, or Doraemon. You’ll never know. It’s an asian secret.

  • 23 JTheGreat // Dec 23, 2009 at 3:01 pm

    I love Fullmetal Alchemist and Death Note. I do hate how people think they know everything about Japan from watching anime. I actually take the time to learn a little more about the country and its history, instead of flouncing around in a pair of cat ears calling myself a full-fledged Japanese.

    And that would be horribly politically incorrect, considering I’m Pinoy.

  • 24 WTH! // Dec 29, 2009 at 10:53 pm

    There are heaps other asian countries! It’s so disappointing only being able to read the chinese, japanese, korean and sometimes vietnamese cultures in your posts. It’s like they’re the most “asian” countries and the others (South East Asia to be specific) are disregarded! What the hell >.<

  • 25 DailyBento » Blog Archive » Stuff Asian People Like #7 – Anime // Jan 26, 2010 at 11:01 am

    [...] Source: Asian Central [...]

  • 26 Anonymous // Jun 3, 2010 at 7:23 am

    @Ray, Just saying, but “otaku” means something totally different that what you said.

  • 27 ShizumaTaka // Jun 24, 2010 at 7:48 pm

    hmm what about the mixed people? My dad is 1/2 Japanese and my mom black… I don’t look anything Japanese at all and I sometimes don’t like to say I am mixed with Japanese because people just look at me like I’m some kind of idiot or something :(

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  • 29 Hugin // Aug 3, 2010 at 12:22 pm

    So. I’m just wondering – could the writer happen to be japanese? ..By any chance?
    Cause japanese people are _very_ nationalistic, to a point that to some almost seems like racism. And – sometimes – are.

  • 30 Roberto // Aug 12, 2010 at 4:48 am

    Aha, I will admit, sometimes the awesome-taciousness of some amines can make a person wanna be Japanese….I was that way. Until something magical happened. My teacher taught us about WORLD WAR II. Not to mention, while learning about WORLD WAR II I purchased and became obsessed with Call of Duty: World at War. Those two things woke me up to reality XD

  • 31 Random // Aug 17, 2010 at 6:44 am

    Who the heck is this written by? Does it ever occur that us “Wannabe Japanese” just like anime and speaking Japanese? People are not perfect, especially when trying to learn a language. How would you like it if everybody hated on you for speaking English improperly, even though it is clearly entirely different from Japanese or any other asian language. Keep your racist stereotyping to yourself and saying everybody who like anime by calling them a looser.

  • 32 amazon ghd // Sep 6, 2010 at 7:40 pm

    I love your websitae!

  • 33 FYOU // Nov 13, 2010 at 6:17 pm

    WOW this article is so stupid, your saying white people who like anime wanna be Asian? anime characters look WAY more like white people than Asians? infact its kinda creepy, its all this Asian crap in a cartoon but all the characters look white and you say white people who like anime wanna be asian? sounds like the other way around, i know that if anime characters actually looked asian i would not ever watch it.

  • 34 Gnattie // Jan 30, 2011 at 7:31 pm

    Oh my gosh, I SO know what you’re on about! I’m in a high school Japanese language class (I took the class instead of French or Spanish b/c I thought Japanese would be more useful to know if I ever went into business) and it’s absolutely filled with those psycho-weirdo anime-obsessed greasy teenagers. Not to be a hater or anything, but they annoy me so freakin’ much (the ones in my class). They run around wearing stupid cosplay stuff, acting immaturely, and saying Japanese words like “kawaii” and “sugoi” incorrectly and unneccessarily. And most of the kids in my Japanese language class don’t bathe. My cleanly friends and I don’t understand this. Why is it that most of the little anime-obsessed geeks are so unhygenic (spelled wrong?) when the Japanese are some of the most hygenic people in the world?

  • 35 Cheap Student Loans // Feb 2, 2011 at 4:23 am

    Asian people have the so many unique qualities and these people have unique choices. This post is showing a good stuff about Asian.

  • 36 asianpride!!!! // Mar 3, 2011 at 6:28 pm

    What about Azu Manga Diaoh?

  • 37 Rema // Mar 9, 2011 at 3:47 pm

    LOL~ AP and Honors classes…..I’m taking AP Chem and AP Physics…and AP Lit and AP US History….And I want to be a pharmacist…. I’m into the whole “Take as many AP Classes as possible” xDI’m falling into the sterotype!

  • 38 Honest // May 10, 2011 at 6:52 pm

    I agree with previous comments that stuffwhitepeoplelike.com
    is a lot funnier because it is self effacing.
    Furthermore, the writing is better quality. This site is too general. Stuffwhitepeople like focuses on “left-leaning, city-dwelling, white folk” in America. It clearly separates American Caucasians from Canadians, British, and Europeans.

    This site does not clear distinguish Asians. And clumping all Asians together in an overgeneralized manner makes it too bland.

    Where is the humor? In stuffwhitepeoplelike.com there are always the repetitive tips at the end of each post: “How to befriend a white person”.

    Inner psychological conflict.

    Better observations.

    These posts need to improve.

  • 39 Anonymous // Sep 18, 2012 at 5:49 pm

    What, you saying just because I’m white and love anime I can’t and shouldn’t try to learn Japanese or move to Japan? Just so you know, I understand you can’t learn everything from Japan from anime or manga; that’s why I read actual books about the culture as well. I dream of becoming a mangaka some day, and I don’t find this article funny at all. Don’t just go around crushing people’s dreams. If they respect and admire the Japanese culture, They should be able to express it. P.S.,I am perfectly aware that people unhealthily obsessed with anime are just as weird in Japan. I just don’t care. Anyway, I don’t mean to sound impolite, even though I obviusly failed. It’s just I was expecting a fun article about anime, not how anoying some kids are for enjoying it. Sorry for again for ranting.

  • 40 ilovehorseyrides // Sep 27, 2015 at 3:13 pm

    Hilarious Naruto parody!!!!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_TTiAO2LOM

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