Japanese Culture

[Kang Seung Jae]

Originally Posted by aohige

Untrue.

American drama shows such as "24", "Full House", "Friends", "ER", etc, are insanely popular in Japan (dubbed in Japanese), and have high ratings.

I don't consider that a high volume. Individual shows can be extremely popular, but the overall amount isn't that high.

[aohige]

Just what the heck do you consider "high volume"?
Unless Japanese watch more American show than Japanese, you consider it unpopular?
That's rather extreme.

"Americans eat more hamburgers than Chinese food. Therefore, Chinese food is unpopular in America"
Now, see how silly a statement that is?

Of-freakin-course we watch mostly Japanese shows.
But that doesn't change the fact that American shows are very well known and popular in Japan.

And for your information, Korean TV dramas are insanly popular too, especially among housewives.
Since it's less than 1% of what's on the TV (obviously, since JAPANESE shows are majority) you consider that a false statement too?
Heck, ANIME isn't a majority on TV. Neither is Sports, News, etc. No single genre is a majority. Duh.
Overseas Drama shows and movies are just as "high volume" syndication as any other genre, including, yes, anime.
If I told you that people watch just as much oversea TV shows as anime in Japan do you still consider it to be unpopular?

I guess unless every single American show airs in Japan, or Japanese watch more American shows than Japanese, you consider it unpopular.
Uh-huh.

[Vexx]

Heh, sometimes its wise to defer to people who actually *live* in the country being spoken of.

(though I know Aohige has lived in Japan, are you *still* in Japan these days?)

[Kang Seung Jae]

Originally Posted by aohige

I guess unless every single American show airs in Japan, or Japanese watch more American shows than Japanese, you consider it unpopular.
Uh-huh.

I would say if US shows makes more than 15% of all programs, then it's popular, volume-wise.

It's just a differenece in views, my friend.

[aohige]

Originally Posted by Kang Seung Jae

I would say if US shows makes more than 15% of all programs, then it's popular, volume-wise.

It's just a differenece in views, my friend.

No single genre covers 15% of all programs. Not even sports, news, variety shows.
Therefore, with your logic we can conclude that there are NO popular programs in Japan, in any form, period.

Originally Posted by Vexx

(though I know Aohige has lived in Japan, are you *still* in Japan these days?)

I've moved between US and Japan four times in my life. (And that's not counting traveling, just residential)
Currently, I reside on Mars. It's nice and cold up here.

[Rembr]

I thought I saw some Spongebob stuff while I was at department stores.
Also, the Simpsons.

I mean, if there are stores selling those goods, at least the shows have made it to some point of popularity.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by aohige

I've moved between US and Japan four times in my life. (And that's not counting traveling, just residential)
Currently, I reside on Mars. It's nice and cold up here.

That would explain the mutated orange head look and the large orifice/sensory areas

[Autumn Demon]

I'm watching Love Hina and am wondering how prestigious Toudai (Toukyou University) really is. Is it the prestige of Toudai equivalent to say, Harvard, Princeton, or Yale in the United States?

[Vexx]

Google is your friend but yes, its considered one of the (if not the) topline universities.
It is one of the toughest to get into.

Keep in mind that once one passes through the Gates of a japanese university, the next four years are actually kind of fluffy if you have any social skills and get along with your professors.

[Autumn Demon]

I know that it's hard to get into and a top uni, but i want to know of its prestige and how its graduates are regarded.
Like in America... People who graduate from Harvard, Princeton, or Yale are looked upon in much different light than other people, sometimes better and sometimes worse.
Is a Toudai grad given that kind of status in Japan?

Know that i'm not saying that Harvard, Princeton, and Yale are the best schools in the United States, just the most prestigious. There are tons of less well-known schools throughout the country that may provide better education than any of the Ivies, but they just don't have the same prestige so graduates aren't given the same status.

[Risaa]

Since it's the top school in Japan, any employer will hire the graduates. They are respected by people because of how difficult it is to get into the school... so to answer your question, they are looked upon with different light - a very positive light. (Unlike in America, people aren't hated for being uber intelligent or working hard in Japan.)

[Kang Seung Jae]

Originally Posted by Autumn Demon

I know that it's hard to get into and a top uni, but i want to know of its prestige and how its graduates are regarded.
Like in America... People who graduate from Harvard, Princeton, or Yale are looked upon in much different light than other people, sometimes better and sometimes worse.
Is a Toudai grad given that kind of status in Japan?

Know that i'm not saying that Harvard, Princeton, and Yale are the best schools in the United States, just the most prestigious. There are tons of less well-known schools throughout the country that may provide better education than any of the Ivies, but they just don't have the same prestige so graduates aren't given the same status.

Yes, but you have to know that it's a different kind of prestige: While the Ivy Leagues first got its reputation as a rich-kid's school, Tokyo was started as the elite imperial university for the Japanese Empire, where the future rulers would come out from.

[Kyuusai]

Originally Posted by Risaa

Since it's the top school in Japan, any employer will hire the graduates. They are respected by people because of how difficult it is to get into the school... so to answer your question, they are looked upon with different light - a very positive light. (Unlike in America, people aren't hated for being uber intelligent or working hard in Japan.)

Well, I think the difference isn't so much the (occasionally real) American distaste for intellectualism and work ethic, but that unlike Toudai, at Harvard, Princeton, or Yale and their ilk, despite being prestigious, it really doesn't require uber intelligent or hard working folk to pass muster there.

Toudai is more like, say, MIT, but with many more available courses of study and research.

[Tri-ring]

Hate to say this but Todai or any other Japanese Uni for that matter is not about intellectualism and/or intelligent it is more about how much you memorize and how good you are with quiz that has trick questions.

That is neither intellectualism or intelligent.
My PC hooked up to the internet will do better.

Is Todai a prestigious school?
Of course, 80~95% of the high ranking national bureaucrat are from Todai but then have ever heard of bureacrats being intelligent?

Consider it a rant but I think this nation's education system is going down the drain.

[Vexx]

Aye, but that's a problem with the whole japanese system -- its focus on being able to regurgitate data rather than process, integrate, and evaluate data. American schools have that problem to some extent but there are usually pathways for the critical thinker skills to survive. Japan's schools don't tend to encourage independent thinking as much though I'll repeat that American schools are quite mixed in that regard as well.

There are a number of really respected engineering and science schools in Japan as well. Todai simply puts out more graduates that tend to end up in management or political positions.

I understand that Japan is starting to reverse course on some of their "slackarama" changes that were experimented with over the last 10 or 15 years -- I find it amusing that the Japanese system which is considered more rigid than the US systems seems to be able to change course more quickly (while we continue to muddle in our "touchy-feely-everything-you-do-is-wonderful" educational malaise for over 25 years...)

[Tri-ring]

Originally Posted by Vexx

I understand that Japan is starting to reverse course on some of their "slackarama" changes that were experimented with over the last 10 or 15 years -- I find it amusing that the Japanese system which is considered more rigid than the US systems seems to be able to change course more quickly (while we continue to muddle in our "touchy-feely-everything-you-do-is-wonderful" educational malaise for over 25 years...)

Yup, there making kids regurgitate more and think less.
In grade school I understand but as you go higher into education you need to teach in how to process data into "Information" not spit out answers to a quiz.

Unfortunately most of the education criteria are drafted by bureacrats who has the least idea on what creative thinking is so I guess it is not going to change.

You know what's the worst thing that possibly be with a bunch of said to be smart Japanese guys is?
Have them sit into a brain storming session to come up with something new.
Urgh, I can't stand it any longer.

[aohige]

Originally Posted by Tri-ring

You know what's the worst thing that possibly be with a bunch of said to be smart Japanese guys is?
Have them sit into a brain storming session to come up with something new.
Urgh, I can't stand it any longer.

Yeah, becuase you know, nothing new ever comes out of Japan.
[/sarcasm]


At least it's better than having to sit with an American adult from south who can't even do simplest percentages in his head, think Indian and Arabs are the same people, cries "terrorist!" when he sees Tunak Tunak music video, and don't even know that China, Japan, and Korea are all diffrent countries with diffrent forms of governments.

That being said, I completely agree that top universities in US are miles better than those in Japan.
The problem is, the educational level of the rest of the population often tends to be disastrous.
Japanese education tends to pump out tons of decently educated "mold" citizen, instead of focusing on the few and the bright.
As for America... I think the stereotype joke you hear all the time " There are only two types of people in US. Idiots and geniuses." speaks for itself.

[Kang Seung Jae]

Originally Posted by aohige

At least it's better than having to sit with an average American adult from south who can't even do simplest percentages in his head, think Indian and Arabs are the same people, cries "terrorist!" when he sees Tunak Tunak video, and don't even know that China, Japan, and Korea are all diffrent countries.

True enough.

Say, I like your Seigoku Rance sig (and avatar, for that matter).

[Rembr]

Also, what's wrong with just learning how to process data? Not everyone has to be innovative. And even innovations can be produced by processing data.

[aohige]

EDIT: ZOMG double post... first time I've done that. o_O

Originally Posted by Rembr

Also, what's wrong with just learning how to process data? Not everyone has to be innovative. And even innovations can be produced by processing data.

True, and to be quite honest, majority of society doesn't need to be innovative.
I think, if it was possible to get the best of the both worlds, it would be the ideal form of education.
Japanese style of education for the masses, and selectively honing indivisual skills and knowledge in the top universities for the few elites.

Of course, ideal solution isn't always realistic.