Interesting Life in Japan article

Just wanted to plug this article I read.  It is a very interesting peice disguided as a rant.  Unusual to see it on a news blog when you would expect it in a glossy magazine like GQ.
 
 http://kotaku.com/5484581/japan-its-not-funny-anymore

Japan is awesome.  That article fails.  Also, anime doesn't suck.                       :(

" Japan is awesome.  That article fails.  Also, anime doesn't suck.                       :( "

" Japan is awesome.  That article fails.  Also, anime doesn't suck.                       :( "

" @JJOR64 said:

" Japan is awesome.  That article fails.  Also, anime doesn't suck.                       :( "

Anime is for jerks. "

Weird, I thought Brian Ashcraft would have written that.  He's in a better position to do so than Tim Rogers, by a long shot.

Well the article goes WAY beyond the anime-thing and it is actually a very funny read. I´ve always been interested in japanese culture and westeners trying to fit in and I LOVED reading through this. I´m calling it: This guy is going to be a GOLDEN GOD among writers- provided he doesn´t hang himself.

Anybody read Rising Sun by Michael Crichton? It brings up interesting things about Japan-US relations. Apparently, the Japanese are the most racist people on Earth, don't know if that is still or if it was ever true.

Oh gods, I made it to the "my favorite little organic vegetable cafe" part before not being able to continue any further, though I noticed that the next bullet point was about meat. 
 
Yeah... this guy has some very specific issues that don't pertain to the norm -- he's a vegetarian who buys into the organic movement, for example (not that that's bad, that's just not exactly typical of an average person in a metropolis). I'm sure there are some excellent points to be made about problems in japan -- the hyper-sexualization of women, for example, but then again a similar argument could be made of western culture so.... yeah. I guess the lesson to be learned from this is... life's a bitch? *shrugs*

It's funny.  This is one of the few articles by Tim Rogers that actually doesn't feel like it loses complete sight of the original topic.  Also, given how long the guy has lived in Japan, he probably has some legitimate opinions on the place.  Of course it'd be interesting to get Ashcraft's view on things, given he has actually made a life (a family) for himself in Japan while Rogers comes of as too giant of a narcissist to ever achieve that.

" I guess the lesson to be learned from this is... society's a bitch? *shrugs* "

Anime does suck, and their is no way I'm reading that. 
 
FrankCanada97 said:

" Anybody read Rising Sun by Michael Crichton? It brings up interesting things of Japan-US relations. Apparently, the Japanese are the most racist people on Earth, don't know if that is still or if it was ever true. "

That article is awesome.
 
Oh, and as someone who used to watch a lot of anime, most newer anime is down right terrible. I can't believe the quality has gone down to this level. I guess it's really the same thing we are seeing in the Japanese Video Game market.
 
Anyways, article gives a lot of insight into why things in Japan are the way they are. Also explains some cultural stuff I've seen in anime or video games I couldn't quite grasp.

" Japan is awesome.  That article fails.  Also, anime doesn't suck.                       :( "
 

" Anime does suck, and their is no way I'm reading that. 
 

" @Gabriel said:

" Anime does suck, and their is no way I'm reading that. 
 

What he actually says is Anime sucks now.  I bet - like say US TV - the best stuff gets exported and there is an awful lot of dross left for the home market. "

Tim Rodgers is a professional troll. He always pisses on everything because it does not conform to his own opinion of life. If he can't deal with the culture of Japan then he needs to leave. I mean he is an outsider looking in and even though he has lived there for a bit, it does not mean he has become tolerant of their different culture.
 
Also any shots against One Piece automatically means that the person has seen about 3 random episodes/chapters and have not gone back since. It is a pretty damn good experience that does draw on common Shonen ideas, but it also goes above and beyond almost all Shonen by keeping plot and characters interesting, constantly fleshing out characters, and always finishing subplots instead of leaving them to dry.

Oh look, more people jumping on the ANIME IS GAY train. Try and get it into your tiny fucking brains that people can like stuff (?!)

" Oh look, more people jumping on the ANIME IS GAY train. Try and get it into your tiny fucking brains that people can like stuff (?!) "

" @Fallen189 said:

" Oh look, more people jumping on the ANIME IS GAY train. Try and get it into your tiny fucking brains that people can like stuff (?!) "

People that zealously defend their interest against unfair overly broad generalized criticisms doing the same thing against other interests.  Ah, I'll never get tired of it. "

" Also any shots against One Piece automatically means that the person has seen about 3 random episodes/chapters and have not gone back since. "

I hate anime, the people that watch it are tards.
 
This is fact and not opinion.

" @Symphony:  You should really read all of it. Sure, he's one of those green eating freaks, but still.  He does bring up a lot of good points. Anime sucks, everybody smokes, Japanese film industry blows, pachinko machine take over, and Japanese mannerisms... "

" Tim Rodgers is a professional troll. He always pisses on everything because it does not conform to his own opinion of life. If he can't deal with the culture of Japan then he needs to leave. I mean he is an outsider looking in and even though he has lived there for a bit, it does not mean he has become tolerant of their different culture.  Also any shots against One Piece automatically means that the person has seen about 3 random episodes/chapters and have not gone back since. It is a pretty damn good experience that does draw on common Shonen ideas, but it also goes above and beyond almost all Shonen by keeping plot and characters interesting, constantly fleshing out characters, and always finishing subplots instead of leaving them to dry. "

" I hate anime, the people that watch it are tards.  This is fact and not opinion. "

There's good anime out there, I just wish I didn't see so many anime fans who also seems to be rabid japanophiles.

@neoepoch said:

"Tim Rodgers is a professional troll. He always pisses on everything because it does not conform to his own opinion of life. If he can't deal with the culture of Japan then he needs to leave. I mean he is an outsider looking in and even though he has lived there for a bit, it does not mean he has become tolerant of their different culture.  Also any shots against One Piece automatically means that the person has seen about 3 random episodes/chapters and have not gone back since. It is a pretty damn good experience that does draw on common Shonen ideas, but it also goes above and beyond almost all Shonen by keeping plot and characters interesting, constantly fleshing out characters, and always finishing subplots instead of leaving them to dry. "

How are you a troll for simply dissagreeing with the way things work around you? How is it INTOLERANT to simply note why you dissagree with these workings? Just because he insulted your precious Anime series does not make him a bad person, as much as you might like to think that. 

Very intresting article. Some points he made seemed incredibly petty and whiny, like his neighbour smoking and staying out late, to witch he wrote a catty note for him, something I really cant stand. Or the amount of fat in bread, come on man,are these the great issues you deal with? You poor soul. 
 
But a lot of his points were also very valid. I didnt know that much about Japanese culture, and reading this kind of explains the high suicide rate number to me. That last paragraph I feel sums up really well how disturbing it is that everyone wants to be part of the   machine. I would like to think that most people go through life trying to find out who they really are, not trying get past college as fast as possible so you have a label for yourself. Here is a suit and a company, now follow all the rules and you too can lead a life in which you dont have to spend time actually thinking for yourself, just follow the motions and do as everyone else does. 

Also love that people here dismiss the erticle as garbage because 3% is about anime and how he doesnt like what is has become. People dont read it and still they immidiatly go THIS ARTICLE IS GAY TRAIN JAPAN IS GREAT, dispite the fact they probably havent spent 5 years living there.

" @Bucketdeth said:

" I hate anime, the people that watch it are tards.  This is fact and not opinion. "

Generalizing is fun isn't it? "

A lot of the stuff in the article I could see as being a concern, however it seems as a lot of little things really bother this dude. Really though anyone could write the same thing about any country/place/city. I know I have about my terrible state.

" Oh gods, I made it to the "my favorite little organic vegetable cafe" part before not being able to continue any further, though I noticed that the next bullet point was about meat.   Yeah... this guy has some very specific issues that don't pertain to the norm -- he's a vegetarian who buys into the organic movement, for example (not that that's bad, that's just not exactly typical of an average person in a metropolis). I'm sure there are some excellent points to be made about problems in japan -- the hyper-sexualization of women, for example, but then again a similar argument could be made of western culture so.... yeah. I guess the lesson to be learned from this is... life's a bitch? *shrugs* "

" @Symphony:  You should really read all of it. Sure, he's one of those green eating freaks, but still.  He does bring up a lot of good points. Anime sucks, everybody smokes, Japanese film industry blows, pachinko machine take over, and Japanese mannerisms... "

" @Bucketdeth: Yup! You're right! I came across a few minutes of Naruto on my TV. My brain is forever damaged. "

ANIME IS SUCK LOL

" @animateria:  "Post-Evangelion stereotype" seems an odd way of putting it though, particularly given it was the complete deconstruction of an existing genre and all the tropes and stereotypes that it held dear.   When GaoGaiGar and Mazinger Z still exist in a post-EVA world, I can't really agree with that sentiment. "

" I hate anime, the people that watch it are tards.  This is fact and not opinion. "

" @Bucketdeth said:

" I hate anime, the people that watch it are tards.  This is fact and not opinion. "

I like anime and I have all A's and two B's in school. So your fact is wrong. "

" Oh gods, I made it to the "my favorite little organic vegetable cafe" part before not being able to continue any further, though I noticed that the next bullet point was about meat.   Yeah... this guy has some very specific issues that don't pertain to the norm -- he's a vegetarian who buys into the organic movement, for example (not that that's bad, that's just not exactly typical of an average person in a metropolis). I'm sure there are some excellent points to be made about problems in japan -- the hyper-sexualization of women, for example, but then again a similar argument could be made of western culture so.... yeah. I guess the lesson to be learned from this is... life's a bitch? *shrugs* "

That was a really interesting read.

The problem with Tim Rogers is he thinks he's a rock star. If you enjoy his writing (Which I did), make sure you don't watch any videos of him, cause he sorta comes aross as a bit of an arrogant jerk. Now whenever I read his stuff I can imagine that inflection in his voice and it totally kills his writing.

Saying that, when he is actually writing about games, some of his stuff is pretty insightful.

Tim Rogers kinda reminds me of that Yahtzee guy, both really verbose and willing to be hyper critical, although when I hear Yahtzee talk normally he seems to have a lot more humility.

Could this guy possibly cry moar? The majority of his complaints boil down to culture shock, with a little bit of personal finickiness (i.e. the organic vegetarian thing) to boot. He should just move back to his own country, he says he's moved a lot from place to place, sounds like he has an identity crisis.

Tim Rogers is a terrible writer.  Sure, he has a good grasp of the English language, but he is verbose to an agonizing fault and horrendous at making his points succinct.  He rambles, rants, and essentially beats each individual point in his arguments beyond the point of demise.  The guy desperately needs an editor.  And yet, even his points are by and large invalid.  When you're complaining about the lack of organic vegetarian food as though it were some sort of cultural affront, you need to get out more and understand that the people of another culture are not, by nature, going to necessarily have the means or the desire to cater to your every whim.

lol I knew japan was bad...but not that bad....I really would never want to live there.