Japanese Culture

[Sumeragi]

I'm not quite sure if I agree with you, especially about the "mature" couples. These days even among established and responsible couples tend to avoid using "aishiteru".

From my experience, this is how I would divide the strength of words in English, Japanese, and Korean, from weakest to strongest.


I-----------Like-----------I-------------Love------------I
I------Suki------I--------Daisuki--------I----Aishiteru----I
I--------------Jotta---------------I--------Sarang-------I


Basically, the English "love" has been relatively cheapened compared to the Japanese "aishiteru" and the Korean "sarang", with "daisuki" taking up much of the area where "love" would be used. This difference in strength is where we can see subs being "I love you" when "Daisuki" is used.


Anyway, that's my opinion based on my experience, which includes reading and writing romance stuff.

[risingstar3110]

You know that Japanese 'game' that we often see in anime/manga to decide on who to go first or who get what. The one that looks like ladder, and then you move from the top down to a list of name....

....hmm, it's getting really hard to describe now. It's the thing that Haruhi used to decide on battling order in that basketball episode.


Basically my question is: how does it work? I heard it was all based on luck, but can't understand how so. And is it from Japan or elsewhere?

[Sumeragi]

I think this picture should tell you all you need to know:



When you actually get to drawing the colored lines. you cover up the ladders with a sheet of paper and then have people choose the number. After the people memorize what number they chose, the paper is removed and the ladder is followed to the appropriate ending.

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by Sumeragi

I think this picture should tell you all you need to know:



When you actually get to drawing the colored lines. you cover up the ladders with a sheet of paper and then have people choose the number. After the people memorize what number they chose, the paper is removed and the ladder is followed to the appropriate ending.

who will design the ladder? Is there a certain design that everyone uses (because if it is, 1 will always go to F)? If it's drew randomly, is it possible for two numbers to "fall" down into the same alphabet?

[Sumeragi]

Originally Posted by risingstar3110

who will design the ladder? Is there a certain design that everyone uses (because if it is, 1 will always go to F)? If it's drew randomly, is it possible for two numbers to "fall" down into the same alphabet?

It's drawn randomly by someone or a group of people, and it's possible for two numbers to "fall" down into the same alphabet.

[Klashikari]

Actually no, it is not possible as long as there are equal number of top and bottom choices.

[GDB]

Originally Posted by Klashikari

Actually no, it is not possible as long as there are equal number of top and bottom choices.

*If the lines are all horizontal. If you introduce diagonals (even if they don't intersect), then it becomes possible.

[aohige]

It's. called amida-kuji, and sometimes just referred to as amida.

It's Japanese in origin, from the 14-15th century, but it's a simple enough concept that I wouldn't be surprised if similar concepts exist elsewhere.
The word amida comes from the buddhist deity of the same name (Amitabha in sanskrit)
kuji is just raffle.

[NoemiChan]

I often see that drawing... but I don't know how to used it...

[djmaca]

Originally Posted by GenjiChan

I often see that drawing... but I don't know how to used it...

You turn to the next line when you come across a line that connects them...

Ok that won't work.

From your starting point you either go up(if you start from below) or down(if you are from above), you cross to another vertical line when you come across a horizontal one that connects your original vertical line to another vertical line.

[Klashikari]

Originally Posted by GDB

*If the lines are all horizontal. If you introduce diagonals (even if they don't intersect), then it becomes possible.

Huh? To my understanding, if you make the path deviate whenever you get across any line, be it horizontal or diagonal, choosing a path A wouldn't end the same as any other path.
I really can't imagine any difference with diagonals. Any example?

[DarkyPwnz]

Is it possible to live there with English? Or do you need to learn Japanese eventually? Just curious.

[GDB]

Originally Posted by Klashikari

Huh? To my understanding, if you make the path deviate whenever you get across any line, be it horizontal or diagonal, choosing a path A wouldn't end the same as any other path.
I really can't imagine any difference with diagonals. Any example?

The way I've seen it done with diagonals was that you only traveled them when going down, not up. But yeah, if you always followed a path regardless of vertical direction, then you'd definitely never wind up in the same place.

(There was a mini-game based on this in Mario 64 DS.)

[Guernsey]

This may be a gaming stereotype but do Japanese gamers in general enjoy hard games or is it the same with the Western crowd where you got 'hardcore' gamers and 'casual gamers'?

[aohige]

In general. "youge-" (foreign games, usually refers to Euro/American) are considered very hard.
Stereotype Japanese gamers have are that youge- are unforgivingly hard, crudely made, focus more on player freedom, characters are ugly gorillas both male and female, and they are all about shooting people up.

Guys like us, that play mainly American and European PC games, are kinda disregarded as elitist jerks.
I find Japanese games at a roadblock of progression though, and in general find western games far, far ahead of the curve.

There are hardcore gamers looking for challenge, but they are few and far between.
That being said, I'm a casual gamer. I do raid end content in MMOs, but casually.

[Guernsey]

I fidn that odd as we Westerners have a similar thing to say about Japanese games, those bullet hell games seem to make me cry.

[NeoChan]

I'm asking how real Japanese Girls behave compared to what we often see in anime. The question includes.

1. What are the characteristics of Japanese girls in general?
2. Are attraction to sempai's alike for both male and female?
3. How does a foreign should behave if he likes a Japanese girl?

[LeoXiao]

RL Japanese are, well, a lot more normal than people in anime, but this should be obvious. In in my experience, Japanese people are quite varied in terms of personality and definitely don't fit into one group or another, beyond the fact that they are Japanese. Like people from any culture, they carry a Japanese bearing and have Japanese sensibilities, but it's up to you to sense what exactly this means, since the idea of how the spirit of one culture is different from another is highly nebulous.

Basically, on an individual level they are not drastically different from any other people and you shouldn't worry about facing a Japanese any more than you would a non-Japanese.

EDIT: I should probably address your questions huh.

1. What are the characteristics of Japanese girls in general?
2. Are attraction to sempai's alike for both male and female?
3. How does a foreign should behave if he likes a Japanese girl?

1. They are generally kind of short and quiet, but this is not always the case. Especially since Japan is a first world country I feel that Japanese women are more prone to sharing their personalities and opinions. But, like women anywhere, they may still be hard to understand. Add to this the fact that Japanese girls don't say as much as their Western counterparts, it might be so that they require even more effort to figure out. But this is speculation since I've never had intimate relationships with any girls, let alone Japanese.

2. I have no idea if Japanese are especially attracted to their elder peers any more than people in other parts of the world. I would guess it just depends on the person. Even in anime, not everyone is attracted to their senpai.

3. The same if he likes any other girl. Be nice to her, understand her and her personality, and make her feel good.

[Kirarakim]

Well since it's in so many anime series

Here is a look at an actual school festival

[Guernsey]

You know what exactly are those school festivals about? WE westerners only have pep ralies.