The Japanese fascination with English-speaking fans...

[Icarus451]

Why are Japanese fans so fascinated with what anime fans in the West (or any country outside of Japan) think about anime or its culture?

For those of you who understand a little Japanese and have scoured the Japanese web, you may have stumbled upon one of the following sites or something similar:

http://japancool.sblo.jp/ (Via the dated links at the top.)
http://animeng.blog5.fc2.com/
http://asnyaro.blog129.fc2.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YV4PNVpJCg (From Niconico Douga.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYRAe87L_DI
(Or do a Google search with the kanji "海外の反応".)

What they all seem to do is translate comments of English-speaking users from various sites/forums on the net (Animesuki being one of them), and basically comment on our comments.

I just find it interesting that they would take the time to do something like this, especially since the majority of their topics focus on anime culture. Sad that there aren't many resources that lets the English-speaking world know what the Japanese think of our stuff.

[cyth]

It's not nearly as fascinating if you stop to think that we have sites that do just the same.

[Icy.Tear]

I'm not sure whether the comments or the fact that they translated a joke article, was funnier.

Well, they don't seem to be taking it seriously, at any rate.

[Midonin]

Now I want to see if I'm on there. It's the overseas equivalent of Googling myself.

[RWBladewing]

I actually saw a screenshot of one of my posts from this forum on one of those sites a couple years ago. Was pretty surreal. Not sure exactly what the comments about it were but I think it was being used to promote a character in one of those moe tournaments.

[Mr Hat and Clogs]

What would be really amusing would be commenting on other peoples comments about your comments.

Really go full circle.

[Ash Falls Town]

I think we're more interested in what Japanese fans think than what Japanese fans think we think.

Although some of that is admittedly because only shows that do well in Japan get continuations.

[Akito Kinomoto]

Originally Posted by cyth

It's not nearly as fascinating if you stop to think that we have sites that do just the same.

This. When were you under the impression Otaku-like fascination couldn't happen the other way around?

What would be really amusing would be commenting on other peoples comments about your comments.

Really go full circle.

We have entered an endless recursion of comments?

[Kagayaki]

Oh my god it really is like googling yourself.

http://blog.livedoor.jp/anime_trans/search?q=animesuki
http://shirouto.seesaa.net/pages/use...e_id=170694346

There are a whole bunch of us on here.

[Kyuu]

Originally Posted by Icarus451

Why are Japanese fans so fascinated with what anime fans in the West (or any country outside of Japan) think about anime or its culture?

'cause White People have been so obsessed with Japan such that "Japanophile" is a word. As an Asian, I ask: WTF is wrong with you people. Lolololol.

No other country in the world (except America) gets this kind of attention.

Plus, here's the thing. Think about how far anime has gone to becoming a cultural export. And look at the history of discussion - particularly in Sub vs Dub threads.

[FatPianoBoy]

I remember hearing Japanese otaku developed a mild fascination with the western fanbase of Madoka because we predicted the entire plot up to episode ten almost perfectly. Although in that case, an accurate prediction was often like hitting a bullseye with a shotgun, but whatever. Seeing that they go through the trouble of translating entire conversations on here is pretty surprising whether they take us seriously or not.

[totoum]

Originally Posted by FatPianoBoy

I remember hearing Japanese otaku developed a mild fascination with the western fanbase of Madoka because we predicted the entire plot up to episode ten almost perfectly. Although in that case, an accurate prediction was often like hitting a bullseye with a shotgun, but whatever

I remember 2chan actualy being impressed by 4chan after the runes were translated,then it wen't full circle when 4chaners started translating threads where 2chaners were translating speculations from 4chan

[Kamui4356]

Originally Posted by totoum

I remember 2chan actualy being impressed by 4chan after the runes were translated,then it wen't full circle when 4chaners started translating threads where 2chaners were translating speculations from 4chan

A German anon recognized the Faust quotes in episode 2 from their form, and with that, everything fell into place. 4chan deciphering the runes first was due to the international nature of the board bringing their cultural views. While I'm sure some posters on 2chan or 2ch were familiar with Faust, it would likely be a Japanese translation, not the original German. That would also explain why Japanese fans may take an interest in western fans. We have different cultural views, so we may have a different take on anime or notice what to them are obscure references and they want to see it. Of course I'm sure there are also some that don't care what we think at all.

Originally Posted by FatPianoBoy

I remember hearing Japanese otaku developed a mild fascination with the western fanbase of Madoka because we predicted the entire plot up to episode ten almost perfectly. Although in that case, an accurate prediction was often like hitting a bullseye with a shotgun, but whatever. Seeing that they go through the trouble of translating entire conversations on here is pretty surprising whether they take us seriously or not.

Really the Madoka threads on 4chan were great for speculation. The main things they got wrong was insisting Homura was the cat in the OP and the Homura teleports/timestops argument. Oh and insisting Charlotte's grief seed was really Mami's soul gem because of the lighting in the scene.

[Archon_Wing]

I demand someone translate their translations of us.

And comments, of course.

LOL they took the AS poll of Hana Saku episode 6. And the whole thread, lmao

Wait a second how does my post get translated from:

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

OMFGGGGGGGGGGG. Raging like those Downfall parodies.
afk going Higurashi on something.

to
あああああああああ！ふざけんな！


Translation of "favorite tsundere" thread
http://blog.livedoor.jp/anime_trans/...s/2679710.html
A bit more fun than usual.

[DonQuigleone]

Oh wow. So what do they think of us exactly?

Even with the internationalization of the internet, the language barrier still divides us all.

Also, I have to confess that I don't know of any Japanese fansites other then 2chan, and niconicodouga. For instance, is there an equivalent of ANN, or Animesuki?

[Kyuu]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

Oh wow. So what do they think of us exactly?

I'm well aware they keep track of MyAnimeList's forums, with blogs having entries consisting of translated threads.

[Icy.Tear]

Well, looking at the favorite Tsundere thread and their translation, they're quite liberal with 't.
Not saying that the point doesn't get across, but a lot of wording etc. is changed.

[Leo Keichi]

Originally Posted by FatPianoBoy

Seeing that they go through the trouble of translating entire conversations on here is pretty surprising whether they take us seriously or not.

Being curious is different from taking someone seriously. But the translations mean they give some importance.

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

Also, I have to confess that I don't know of any Japanese fansites other then 2chan, and niconicodouga. For instance, is there an equivalent of ANN, or Animesuki?

There must be a ton of sites like ANN in Japanese. But they don't need an Animesuki. They already have all the anime passing on TV anyway.

[ninryu]

Originally Posted by Kagayaki

Oh my god it really is like googling yourself.

http://blog.livedoor.jp/anime_trans/search?q=animesuki

There are a whole bunch of us on here.

UGH! My Nichijou mot is there!

[cyth]

Originally Posted by Leo Keichi

But they don't need an Animesuki. They already have all the anime passing on TV anyway.

They do use sites like it, at least people outside of Kanto and Kansai regions. Connect to any torrent and mark the high percentage of Japanese users active in the swarm.