Quirky video shows the 'real Japan'

[ane-san]

[youtube]WSch9y7erg4[/youtube]


A quirky 12-minute video titled “Japan The Strange Country” has been getting a lot of media attention. It was made by graphic designer Kenichi Tanaka and introduces precise details about Japan such as Japanese people’s characteristics, Tokyo, food culture, suicide, love and so on.

Tanaka says: “I created this information graphic motion piece as my final thesis project. My objective is to make Japanese people think about what is happening in their own country, and that some aspects of Japanese culture are not that normal. The English narration offers a point of view on Japan that isn’t usually considered by Japanese people, and therefore conveys a ‘foreign’ perspective. I hope audiences will learn about some of the weird aspects of Japanese culture.”

Some of the comments posted on YouTube by people who saw the video praise it for being the truth, very informative, an amazing insight into the world of Japan, and so on. Robert Hogan from Monterey Institute of International Studies said that “it’s a great project! I hope many people watch the movie.”



by Japan Today

 

[Aqua2213]

So I take it that you won't hear the moms telling their young-ins that there are people starving in Africa when they won't eat their peas.
I hate to see food wasted and after watching this video, I might spare myself the agony of seeing waste like that by not going there.

The video was well put together and I hope the Japanese people watch it to see the facts about themselves... a good wake up call. :sleeping:

 

[wirama]

this is the best video on YouTube about Japan I've ever seen in my life!!!
:grassdance::grassdance::grassdance:
:harp::harp::harp:
:cheer::cheer::cheer:

 

[spikier]

i usually do not express my negative feelings if i have any towards a particular subject but, THE PERSON WHO TRANSLATED THIS VIDEO CAN 'KISS MY ASS!!!!!!'.

 

[ane-san]

i usually do not express my negative feelings if i have any towards a particular subject but, THE PERSON WHO TRANSLATED THIS VIDEO CAN 'KISS MY ASS!!!!!!'.

please be careful before posting such things,that video was made by Japanese author for Japanese people, not for others, I merely wished to share this so that people can view this through eyes of japanese critic.English translation is correct,and it is done by authors co-worker,so don`t think of it as negative critic on Japan.
Please read what I qouted in my first post, thank you.

 

[spikier]

please be careful before posting such things,that video was made by Japanese author for Japanese people, not for others, I merely wished to share this so that people can view this through eyes of japanese critic.English translation is correct,and it is done by authors co-worker,so don`t think of it as negative critic on Japan.
Please read what I qouted in my first post, thank you.

you obviously missed my point!. i'm quite aware on where you said this video originated from; that's not the problem!!!. the problem at hand, lies with the translator.

if you still can't GRASP IT: THEN GET IT!!!!.


"so don`t think of it as negative critic on Japan.";

i perceive outside that seemingly blatant-context.


not trying to sound rude, but this is me when it comes down to japan.

 

[Arashi]

I wish I could speak to the son of a bitch who did this video... If he is not happy with Japan, than get out of there. So he thinks Japan needs to be the world's benefactor when every country goes along bashing Japan? And what is better? to have 49 people commit suicide or to have more than 100 being killed by criminals in the same time? And to compare a continental country like USA with an island nation about overpopulation? I have an idea to help solve the problem, get the Tanaka family out of there, send them to Brazil!:furious::furious::furious:

Go and try to help those poor countries, all the money goes to their leaders, and when you try to say something about it or simply demand your civil rights you hear: "shut up you damn jap, you are not even one of us and wants to talk about our nation? Go back to your monkey island!" Yes, I heard it a lot, but when the time comes, the same people say it is my duty, as a "proud citizen", to pay my taxes, help my neighbours, etc, etc.

Alas, the same goes to the rest of the world, if a japanese commit a crime or do something weird the news says his great-great-great-grandfather come from Japan, so he is japanese, blah, blah, blah..., but when he does something good, he is american, english, french, brazilian or whatever.

Aaaaaaarrrrrghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ceewan]

I enjoyed the video very much, thanks for the share.

Of interest:
At one time Tanaka, (who describes himself as "one of the short, small eye Japanese"), pulled the English version of the video because he was annoyed with the attention and being called a racist.

Here is his blog, (not a whole lot of english there for obvious reasons):
http://kenichi-design.blogspot.com/2010/03/yahoo-my-video-is-now-on-yahoo-japan.html

 

[testament101]

I remember seeing this vid in my Japanese class. Our teacher, who is Japanese btw, showed it to us.

As for those who think this vid is offensive or something. You're entitled to your opinion. But consider this. Is there something that makes it wrong for Japan to be the subject of criticism? Because if there is, I'd like to know about it and why.

Despite if all the things in this vid are true or not, Japan is no different from any other country in the world in the sense that they have problems. In fact, I'm almost certain that there's more stuff like this about the US than there is about Japan. Because I'm American, and I KNOW that America has problems.

Also, to Arashi...you said something about if somebody commits a crime, they're Japanese or related to Japan in some sort, some sort of racism. Try being Black and honest person.

 

[elgringo14]

Despite if all the things in this vid are true or not, Japan is no different from any other country in the world in the sense that they have problems.

I've been waiting for someone to say that. It's not because we are in a forum dedicated to medias produced mainly by a single country, that we have to idealize anything that happens there. Keep your hate comments in the locker-room.

 

[spikier]

It's not because we are in a forum dedicated to medias produced mainly by a single country, that we have to idealize anything that happens there.

how did that ridiculous assumption manifest?.

 

[Ceewan]

I've been waiting for someone to say that. It's not because we are in a forum dedicated to medias produced mainly by a single country, that we have to idealize anything that happens there. Keep your hate comments in the locker-room.

I have to admit, you lost me a little on that too. The only thing I found objectionable about testament101's post was the last sentence, (possibly because it was so badly worded). What did I miss?

 

[Britannica]

This is reallt informative, thx for sharing:tea:

 

[testament101]

I have to admit, you lost me a little on that too. The only thing I found objectionable about testament101's post was the last sentence, (possibly because it was so badly worded). What did I miss?

Yeah, I was kinda in a rush to finish it that I just typed it and left it the way it was. But I was just trying to point out to Arashi that being Japanese isn't anywhere near as bad on the genetic/world totem pole as other things. Alas, I guess it's just a matter of perception.

 

[Hojo01]

ahhh squating toilets takes me back to the summer of 2001 worst part is when your knees lock up.:exhausted:

 

[Arashi]

Also, to Arashi...you said something about if somebody commits a crime, they're Japanese or related to Japan in some sort, some sort of racism. Try being Black and honest person.

Try being a japanese in a western country and dare to think you are a citizen. At least they recognize that there are racism against black people. We can´t voice our opinion, we can´t go to the police, and whites and blacks hates us.

- People park at your garage, look down on you and threaten you.
- A burglar tries to enter your house, you can call the police, but they are not coming.
- People pee at your door and throw beer bottles at your dogs. The police says: "So what?"
- Customers says to you: "are you trying to gain money, jap?! Do you want to be rich?!! Heh?!!!!"
- Someone gets the wrong number and keeps threatening you. You go to the police and they say: Go buy another cellphone! You are a jap, so you must have money! and send you away.
- You suffer a hate crime and go to the police, you almost get jailed for "false charges".

Wow.... thanks God I'm not black....

 

[Ceewan]

Try being a japanese in a western country and dare to think you are a citizen. At least they recognize that there are racism against black people. We can´t voice our opinion, we can´t go to the police, and whites and blacks hates us.

I don't know what country you are talking about but it sounds like it is on Mars and not on Earth. I have never seen an Asian treated that way or in any way similar.

True people of all races are not immune to the prejudices of others. It is natural for people to fear what they do not understand and fear breeds anger which spawns resentments. This is not a rationalization it is the truth. We all must deal with our own prejudices as well as those of other people. It is a false assumption to think that others are capable of an undesirable emotional response while we are immune to that same fault. People are just people afterall, designed to be imperfect and riddled with faults. May your future dealings with others be guided with patience and understanding.

 

[testament101]

yeah...honestly, I could DEFINITELY think of way worse things about being black in America...or for that matter, many other places. You say that they recognize racism against black people. It's true, and still, there is racism against us. You have to realize, black people were considered 2nd class citizens for a LONG time. The fact that there was slavery and segregation is proof enough for that. However, those who came before me fought to get where we are today.

Trust me, I may not agree with the severity of your situation Arashi, but I do understand how it feels to be discriminated against/thought of differently for some factor that you have no control over. It's not great and it's demeaning at best. The only thing that bothers me more than anything else is when I'm considered "guilty by association". I'm not the entirety of black people nor you the entirety of Japanese people. We are individuals and deserve to be treated as such. The problem is that there's not much you can do. Hatred, racism, and bigotry lives and it always will. You just have to be the better person and not let you hatred consume you or else you're no better than them. I know it's hard and I understand that you need to vent a little from time to time.

Overall, just don't let it get to you. Keep your head up dood.

 

[Arashi]

Testament, I'm not angry with you or anyone here in AO, I'm angry at people like the one who did the video (not the one who posted). They are a kind of sellout who understand nothing of the World and thinks that it is alright to do things that further contributes to enhance the stereotype against their own race. Look at the sources of his "datas".

By international standards, japanese are arrogant and supremacists, but no one says that Japan was the first one to propose that all races are equal in the extinct League of Nations. Most of the delegates voted in favor, including France, but by sheer pressure of the "British Empire", it was overturned.

Ceewan, I believe you when you say you never saw it, but believe me, it is there. Here, people can still say out aloud "I didn't know japs were allowed in here, yuck!", and the police will say that it was a joke.

 

[Ceewan]

They are a kind of sellout who understand nothing of the World and thinks that it is alright to do things that further contributes to enhance the stereotype against their own race.

I understand that one might feel a strong desire to stick up for his country or even his race. People crap on my country and race all the time, even people from my country and of my race. I understand you more than you might think.

I don't think this video is an attack on the asian race. Pointing out what is, or what one believes to be, wrong with ones own country is not neccessarily un-patriotic. Sometimes it can be the most patriotic gesture available.

So try not to take this video as a personal affront. It was meant to address issues and bring them to others attention. Nothing more and nothing less.