About Ask John piece of _Is Japanese Pop Culture Aware of Religious Sensitivity?_

[Starchild]

The piece has given rise to very hot controversy in the comment-posting page of the Japanese translation blog of Ask John.
http://ask-john.cocolog-nifty.com/bl....html#comments

There are too many posts for me to translate and share them in English, but, to summarize them, they say, "We're wondering if uncivilized yankees could be qualified to condemn other people as if they're the ultimate justice."

[Victory]

without reading anything except the title I am almost certain the problem is "failure to contextualize"

EXAMPLE
Japanese studio makes EVA
Religious person in america says "they are insulting my religion"
Religious person fails to realize his religion isn't widespread in japan and the cross-shaped explosions are there to look cool
Religious person needs to broaden his world view and take into account cultural context and intent

now to read the article...

[John]

I do hope that I don't seem like I was taking a "high and mighty" approach because that certainly wasn't my intention. I do think that my observations are fair, and I also took special care to emphasize that American society has plenty of its own shortcomings.

[Twinbee]

You did what you could. Additionally, you aren't responsible for the Japanese translator of your articles and how Japanese readers may interpret the translations. Also, I think as human beings we recognize that we may become very nationalistic if our culture is compared to another culture.

But keep in mind that the Ask John Fan Club (Japanese) also exploded in controversy over whether the cosplayers John took photos with were beautiful or ugly, so I do not think the Fan Club is the apex of intelligent discussion.

[Starchild]

They mean, American pop culture also unconsciously plays with foreign religious symbols, such as Madonna's Geisha PV, where she is amusingly hanging down from a Japanese shrine's gate.

Ask John Fan Club (Japanese) also exploded in controversy over whether the

I hate to say this, but they would have fooled the girls even if the translator had not called them unsophisticated. In fact, they began fooling John, calling him as Johnda Mitsuo, as soon as John's photos were available on the Net.

Anyway, Japanese readers will certainly be cooling within 24 hours.

[ZeroRyoko1974]

they need to just take a trip to Akihabra and visit a maid cafe or something to cool off. Or hug their love pillows a little tighter or something

[rebekah1-anime]

now why does that say "yankees" the southerns are the ones in the bible belt

[greg]

Originally Posted by John

I do hope that I don't seem like I was taking a "high and mighty" approach because that certainly wasn't my intention. I do think that my observations are fair, and I also took special care to emphasize that American society has plenty of its own shortcomings.

I think you were more than fair. You even put a paragraph of disclaimer at the bottom of your essay.

It is true that at least in anime, religion is thrown around all the time in a haphazard way. I don't really care, because in America, Christianity is ridiculed on a consistent basis in the media. We can't really point any fingers.

I don't know how many different anime I've seen that have depicted sex in churches, deranged priests, and pseudo-Christian elements taken to bizarre lengths such as Evangelion and many video games such as Sakura Taisen and Xenogears. It's not always to the extent of the legendary "Santa Claus nailed to a cross" sort of thing, but it always shows ignorance. However, I'm probably more offended at how American movies always seem to use Chinese actors and actresses whenever there's a movie about Japan, such as Memoirs of a Geisha. Talk about showing a culture's ignorance about other cultures!!!!

Originally Posted by ZeroRyoko1974

Or hug their love pillows a little tighter or something

Zing!

[Starchild]

Originally Posted by rebekah1-anime

now why does that say "yankees" the southerns are the ones in the bible belt

To most Japanese, white Americans are yankees, like chinks, which sometimes cover East Asians.

[Noi]

Thank you John for answering my recent question in your article. I did not expect my question to appear in "Ask John," and I am pleased that you gave a fair response. Religion is one of my main interests, and a question relating it to Japanese pop culture is something I been thinking for some time.

For anyone who is interested in the controversies I referred in my question, here they are:

"In 2002, the Xbox fighting game Kakuto Chojin offended many Muslims with the use of religious chanting in background music. The Saudi Arabian government made a formal protest, and Microsoft pulled the game internationally in early 2003." (Source: Wikipedia)

* Note: this is the "fighting game" I was referring to in my question.

Below refers to the controversies over "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time":

"Many Muslims were also offended by the Nintendo 64 game, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. In one of the game's dungeons, Muslim chanting can be heard in the background music. This was changed by Nintendo in later versions of the game, with to the older versions being discontinued." (Source: Wikipedia)

"The use of Islamic crescent moon and star used with the Gerudos (a tribe of theives), which was interpreted to show that Muslims were stereotypically portrayed as dark-skinned, thieves and murderers. Only the Nintendo 64 version used this symbol. The Gamecube collection changed it to an original design." (Source: Wikipedia)

* Note: I did not mention the reference to the Islamic crescent moon and star in my article because I forgot the details of the controversy.

Below is on the recently-released adventure game for the Nintendo Wii: "Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure":

"Japanese publisher removes allegedly controversial phrase from upcoming kids' adventure game after complaints from Islamic organization." (Source: Gamespot's blog entry)

http://www.gamespot.com/news/show_bl...ic_id=25817561

[Starchild]

Originally Posted by Noi

and I am pleased that you gave a fair response.

On the contrary, most Japanese readers seem to think that John went for wool and came home shorn.

[HelloWorld]

I translated comments.
There are many angriness, ironies and innuendoes, but they are not my opinion.

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Comment

In fact, I don't wanna be pointed out who is without nonchalance by a yankee of all men.

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 00:31


What is the difference of concepts between religion and vegees walking streets with wearing lettuce leafs on naked body for apealing his/her doctrine?

And John's knowledge and speculations about Japan are funny as jokes, so please don't let him stop and let him poke his way.

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 00:33


First of all, stop causing stinks after each swastika lol

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 00:33


It's not a line of a mad-christian resorting to employment against Muslim in cold blood.

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 00:33


Well, I think a point of view by John contains certain amount of truth. You know he came to Japan and felt it actually.
But many people know little of problems of themselves.
It can be hardly said that yankees have advantages over Japanese in understanding and obeisance of foreign culture.

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 00:44


How should I say? The president of your nation disserts "Shinto is fanatic", "Japan before WW2 was a terroristic nation just like al-Qaeda" and so on, so I would rather hear from anyone but you living in a nation that such a president rules over, you know?

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 00:45


Yankees characterize Japan as odd in Hollywood movies, what are you telling me for? lol

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 00:49


Well, probably he's fishing Japanese with this Q&A that is full of comeback points.

For example, even if there were data of poor security and high crime rate in the US, we commonly don't nitpick over, "A very large crime such as the US is blah blah", right?

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 00:50


You see, yankees are really dogmatic and barefaced gentry.
I have no idea why they can criticize others in an overconfident way.

And John-san,
>one of Japan's shortcomings is the limited scope of its civil progressiveness
>Sexual equality in Japan is not at the level it's attained in America
>Environmental consciousness seems to be less prominent in Japan than in many Western countries
Could you give me specific examples of these sentences?

By any chance, do you want to say that "public right for affluent life" of Japan is not guaranteed till a percentage of pathological obesity rises as high as a percentage of the US, 35%?

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 00:59

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To be continued.

[HelloWorld]

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I hope anything but that you don't get mad after illegal getting and watching factures in Japan alone with an eye toward world.

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 01:03


What's this f**king answer? When John came to Japan, photos are released and commented as "He is John-da Mitsuo cuz he resembles Senda Mitsuo", so did he revenge as this way?
This answer may be the biggest all-time reason that Japanese ridicule John.

>Environmental consciousness seems to be less prominent in Japan than in many Western countries

Yankees are the barbarian hordes who still can't separate trash. Also Frenchys basically leave dog's **** when they go walk the dog. Walking smokers are very natural too. John over-esteems Euro-American.

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 01:04


First of all, animes are not created for gaijins who watch animes as fansubs.
Criminals who cheat illegally have to stop bitching out, Okey?

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 01:09


This interpellator may be a Muslim couse s/he refers all this Islam. In contrast, John answered that Euro-American, killing Muslim without mercy, suppressing swastika misguidedly as Nazi's mark, is QL, huh? Yeah yankees are QL.

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 01:18


Entries of this site are interesting, but comments are really bad.
They are caviling cliches of epoche, "gaijin is also yada yada" each time.
You are just like a balky child who only answer parents again with building on parents' behavior.

Posted by xo-jan | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 01:39


Are cross-shaped accessories also unreasonable?
Probably there are many people who get beaten up in the name of Christianity.
Churchs, priests, Sr.s and crossing heart are censored in Hollywood movies?
I probably have seen them before.

Posted by g | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 02:05


I can get it sucks that pointed out as being without callousness by callousness yankees who like pushing justice, but it's true that Japanese lack considerations for religion and all that.
Well, in comparison with games often based on the premise of sales all around the world, sales of animes overseas are not a big deal, so there's no need to strain to make considerations when developer has no mind to make a active sale overseas.

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 02:14


Well, Japanese are unenthusiastic about religion. For example, many Japanese celebrate although they are not Christians.

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 02:23


Many holy spirits is in Japan.
And even Christ is an one of them now.

Japanese can't get exclusiveness of monotheistic religion.

Permissiveness and openness of Japanese may look like ignorant from a point of view of some other country.

If Japan was a pigheaded religious nation, there's not Fate/stay night and so on lol

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 02:37


Religious symbols don't make a reminder to me something or other, and I sometimes feel they are unmeaning marks.
His adverting to civil progressiveness of Japan is simply a difference of existence or nonexistence of complaints. And there are annoying things about animes got watched all over the world (illegally).

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 02:39

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To be continued.

[HelloWorld]

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I have no clue about elements that make John feel to be disrespected in examples cited by him.

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 02:50


I don't care.
This is a typical (lol) impression of a yankee, right?
If once you read foreign anime forums,
you'll know that a normal yankee acts like this normally lol

Thinking being must keep smiling, right? lol Because there's no influence for Japanese, regardless of John's opinion.

But Japanese may be without nonchalance about religion in fact. Because Japanese don't have monotheistical and fierce beliefs for religion.

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 02:52


Well, I cannot understand this for my soul

>>Environmental consciousness seems to be less prominent in Japan than in many Western countries

other parts aside.
In this point, I think Japanese are nervously in high levels.
Actually, apart from conservation, improvement has already became stable at high levels,
and desire of improvement may be relatively lower.

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 02:58


It makes sense that sensible (lol) parents in the US vociferate "Japanese culture is blasphemy against religion!".
There is no religious consideration in Japanese anime, music etc lol
Some people treat cross as accessories, and a girl sings "God's not in his heaven" lol (PGSM)
Devout Christians probably feel ungraciousness more than Japanese feel ungraciousness when Japanese watch Madonna's PV containing hooking hands round torii...
Religion is hard to deal with as well as race issue... ;-)
This issue makes animes spoil like the anime of Emma...

Well, good or bad aside, do we have to reflect on being without nonchalance?
...But if sacrilege for religion (lol) was removed, Ali project shifts less enjoyable lol

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 03:03


In this respect, I think religious beliefs of Japanese is the issue and social awareness is not relate completely.
Japanese can't help thinking that a protester for a thing like this is mad.

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 03:12


We get rubbished about social awareness by fansub advocate.

Posted by | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 03:14

What a terrible statement that Japan is bastard because thoroughness of smokeout is slow... He probably has a point of view that he is "righteous", no less.
Japanese aren't interested in religion rather than being without nonchalance, right?
Japan is not a multiracial society too.

Posted by . | Oct. 25, 2007 Thu. 03:17

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To be continued.

[Sora Sol]

Based on what I've seen in my almost fourteen years of Japanese studies, I must say that, in my opinion, the Japanese are really only interested in Christianity because of all the trimmings, bells, and whistles, most notably "goth stuff". You'll see plenty of fans for Death Note, Trinity Blood, Hellsing, Devil May Cry, Maria-sama, etc. but you will see that the unbelievable over-whelming majority of japanese would not practice Christianity. I personally find this very irritating despite it being cool at times.

You can rip-off an entire religion you do not follow just for the fasion, and you're a trendy anime.
You do the same with Japanese culture, and you're labeld as "Wapanese"