Understanding "Cultural Differences" between US and Japan

[PRFAN1]

Since the last time I was here, I've talked about how I'm developing my bi-weekly review webseries dedicated to the Toku genre.

However, since the last time I logged in, the Nostalgia Critic had reviewed the anime "Sailor Moon" and...boooy did I hear some controversy on that one! A lot of people said that due to only going off mostly of the U.S. version he got some things wrong and how things are different between the U.S. and Japan save for one part. Now, in my webseries(I know I keep talking about it too much but hey I'm still in development for the show to come in 2015), I want to make sure I'm factual by attempting to completely understand Japanese culture and what's the difference between the United States.

So, my question is: How can I learn and fully understand the ways of the Japanese? Are there any websites and/or books you'd guys recommend for me?

 

[MechaGolem]

So, my question is: How can I learn and fully understand the ways of the Japanese? Are there any websites and/or books you'd guys recommend for me?

You're not going to be able to "fully understand the ways of the Japanese" via books and websites alone. Even if you moved there and became a permanent resident chances are you would never fully "understand" that culture, because it's not your culture.

But if you are doing a web series about Japanese pop-culture and you want to fact check yourself my best advise would be to look up books by qualified experts on whatever topic you are interested in and see what they have to say.

Because of Doug Walker's Sailor Moon review this same question came up in a different forum I frequent. A member wanted to know how he could brush up on Japanese sexual mores and norms, and thus put things that he'd seen in various animes and shows into their proper cultural context.

I recommended he read the book Pink Samurai: The Pursuit and Politics of Sex in Japan (2nd Edition, 2001) by Nicholas Bornoff, who prior to his death a few years ago was one of the leading non-Japanese experts on Japan, and Japanese sexual culture in particular.

So that could be one place for you to start.

 

[Dessa]

Here's a few books that I personally own as resources:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Anime-Companion-Whats-Japanese-Animation/dp/1880656329/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376919907&sr=1-1&keywords=anime+companion]The Anime Companion[/ame] by Gilles Poitras
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Anime-Companion-Whats-Japanese-Animation/dp/1880656965/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376919907&sr=1-2&keywords=anime+companion]The Anime Companion 2[/ame] by Gilles Poitras
These two books are basically mini-encyclopedias, that list Japanese culture-specific things that you'll run into in anime (and, by extent, tokusatsu). Many entries also have pictures to help illustrate the entries.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Anime-Explosion-What-Japanese-Animation/dp/1880656728/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376919969&sr=1-1&keywords=anime+explosion]Anime Explosion! The What? Why? & Wow! of Japanese Animation[/ame] by Patrick Drazen
This one is more a collection of essay-like chapters, each one looking at an aspect of anime and how it relates to Japanese culture. It's been a while since I've read it, but off the top of my head I remember there are chapters about sexuality, the magical girl genre, Gods and mythology, science fiction, and nature. Moreso than the previous two, this one is also written with clear examples, where he'll bring up specific examples from specific shows.


There's another one that I don't own, but I've read, and if I can remember what it was I'll let you know.

 

[PRFAN1]

^

Thanks! Say, I was looking at those books and I noticed other ones too that deal with Japanese pop culture. What do you guys think of these?

Japan Pop!: Inside the World of Japanese Popular Culture [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Japan-Pop-Japanese-Popular-Culture/dp/0765605619/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376994923&sr=1-1&keywords=Japan+Pop%21"]Amazon.com: Japan Pop!: Inside the World of Japanese Popular Culture (9780765605610): Timothy J. Craig: Books[/ame]

The Encyclopedia of Japanese Pop Culture [ame="http://www.amazon.com/The-Encyclopedia-Japanese-Pop-Culture/dp/0834803801/ref=pd_sim_b_1"]The Encyclopedia of Japanese Pop Culture: Mark Schilling: 9780834803800: Amazon.com: Books[/ame]

The Worlds of Japanese Popular Culture: Gender, Shifting Boundaries, and Global Cultures [ame="http://www.amazon.com/The-Worlds-Japanese-Popular-Culture/dp/0521637295/ref=pd_sim_b_2"]The Worlds of Japanese Popular Culture: Gender, Shifting Boundaries and Global Cultures (Contemporary Japanese Society): Dolores Martinez: 9780521637299: Amazon.com: Books[/ame]

 

[Dessa]

Japan Pop! sounds kinda familiar, like I might have read it before, but looking at the "also bought" lists found a few more for you:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Japanamerica-Japanese-Culture-Invaded-U-S/dp/140398476X/ref=pd_sim_b_5]Japanamerica: How Japanese Culture has Invaded the US[/ame] by Roland Kelts
I don't think I've read this one myself, but the Kelts is a really good author on the subject.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Manga-The-World-Japanese-Comics/dp/1568364768/ref=pd_sim_b_7]Manga! Manga!: The World of Japanese Comics[/ame] by Frederik L. Schodt
Schodt is considered one of the experts on the subject of manga, and while this book is incredibly dry, it's a good resource.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Anime-Moving-Castle-Updated-Edition/dp/1403970521/ref=pd_sim_b_4]Anime from Akira to Howls' Moving Castle, Updated Edition: Experiencing Contemporary Japanese Animation[/ame] by Susan J. Napier
I know I've read this one (not sure if it was the updated one or not), and it's another good one.


Haha, remembered the author of the other one I'd tried thinking of before!
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Samurai-Outer-Space-Understanding-Animation/dp/0812693329/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377050297&sr=1-1]Samurai from Outer Space: Understanding Japanese Animation[/ame] by Antonia Levi
Levi's another highly-respected author on the subject, and this book was a good read.

 

[Ivanhobe]

To add my two scents, i think the issue here is not the understanding of japanese culture, but rather how to approach your subject with a clear perspective.

In the case of the Nostalgia Critic´s Sailor Moon Review, the real problem there was that Doug/NC simply didn´t grew with the show and even though he had watched some episodes, he really didn´t knew the material well enough to make an informed review of it, so at the end he came up like someone who only watched a couple of episodes and tried to review it by focusing on the most superficial elements. The fact that he tried to justify some of this using the excuse of "cultural differences" only made it worse.

So basically, if you are trying to make a Toku web series, it is important that you do it from your own perspective as a Fan. You don´t need to be an expert on japanese culture but you do need to keep an open mind and when something comes up that you don´t know or understand, be ready to make your research so at the very least you can make an informed opinion and don´t be afraid to ask other people about the things you don´t know.

In a nutshell, you don´t need to be an erudite of Japanese Culture to produce a toku web series, but you do need to keep an open mind and be ready to make some research to at the very least give an informed opinion and avoid talking out of your ass.

 

[Shynilyte]

Yeah, it's probably more important to pay attention to the shows you're reviewing than to know about Japanese culture.

 

[knightphoenix2]

I'll have to check out these books, they sound like good resources!