There's something that's been bothering me for many years now. Weeaboos. No no, I'm not talking about a dislike of Japanophiles here, I'm talking about the way the internet itself behaves when it comes to people whom it believes to be a Japanophile, A.K.A a "Weeaboo".
I want you to all take part in a little scientific experiment (SCIENCE!). Go to Kotaku and find two non-gaming articles, one on Western geek culture (i.e Star Wars, comic books etc) and one on Japenese geek culture (i.e anime, cosplay etc). Now, compare the attitudes of the comments below the article. Let's start with the Western geek culture article. I think what you'll find is the comments are mostly positive, people are saying how cool this thing is and things like that. Nowhere will you find comments complaining about how the article isn't related to video games or accusations that the author is a fat nerd.
Now compare this to the Japanese geek culture article. Most of the comments will be complaints that the article isn't gaming-related, despite the fact that, as evidenced by the "Otaku" in the name, Kotaku isn't a gaming-only website. More comments will be accusations of the author being a Japanophile and comments of that nature. Only a few comments will actually be on topic. Why the huge difference in attutudes between two geek culture articles?
Have any of you watched Gaijin Goomba's YouTube videos? The comments on his videos are more of the same, they accuse him of being a Weeaboo, claiming that he thinks Japan is superior and can do no wrong. Which is kinda missing the point, since talking about Japanese gaming culture from a Western point of view is the entire premise of his series. In either case, he's had to release a few counter videos to show that, no he doesn't actually think that.
In my experience, the mythical "Weeaboo", the weirdo spouting broken Japanese and obsessed with Japan doesn't exist anymore than Big Foot or Nessie does. He's the witch of our little digital Salem (a cookie to you if you get that reference
), "appearing" when someone says something positive, or expresses an interest in Japan. But he never really existed in the first place, despite the townsfolk's cries of "WEEABOO! HE'S A WEABOO!"
In an earlier time, maybe he existed. I remember being young and just discovering anime for the first time, perhaps I was over-excited about this discovery and it's novelty and posted on the internet about it. Perhaps others were the same. These days? I haven't seen anything like that in years. I've even been to conventions and seen people shouting more Team Fortress 2 phrases than broken Japanese.
I think rise in popularity of the "Weeaboo" slur and the negativity towards being a fan of Japanese pop-culture in general has either: made people keep their fandom, no matter how reasonable and level-headed, closeted. Or for people who aren't fans, they avoid becoming fans because they "don't want to become one of those Weeaboos". Basically, "weeaboos" have replaced furries as the internet's favorite punching bag.
So my question to you, dear Escapist forums, is this: Why is being a fan of Western geek culture considered acceptable to the internet at large, but having the same level of fandom for Japanese geek culture not? Why does the internet automatically assume someone is a insane "Japan can do no wrong" Japanophile if someone expresses an interest in Japanese geek culture?
Because it'll probably come up, here's my attitude on Japan and Japanese pop-culture. Personally, I watch all kinds of media from many different countries, since I'm a total media whore (I'm totally into The Walking Dead at the moment). However, I do watch a lot of Japanese animation simply for the fact that I love animation, and Japan seems to be the only country making a large amount, and large varied amount of it (outside of France anyway). In general, I hate my fellow fans, since they often love complete tripe, which results in more complete tripe being produced, instead of anime with a focus on story and complex characters. So yes, I'm a bitter and jaded fan. There are things I like about the country (it's people are taught that being polite and not causing trouble to those around you are qualities to strive for) and things I don't like about the country (casual racism and the mind-boggling ways in which the country can be so backwards when it comes to certain technology).
Capcha: neckbeard (sorry Captcha, wrong slur)
I want you to all take part in a little scientific experiment (SCIENCE!). Go to Kotaku and find two non-gaming articles, one on Western geek culture (i.e Star Wars, comic books etc) and one on Japenese geek culture (i.e anime, cosplay etc). Now, compare the attitudes of the comments below the article. Let's start with the Western geek culture article. I think what you'll find is the comments are mostly positive, people are saying how cool this thing is and things like that. Nowhere will you find comments complaining about how the article isn't related to video games or accusations that the author is a fat nerd.
Now compare this to the Japanese geek culture article. Most of the comments will be complaints that the article isn't gaming-related, despite the fact that, as evidenced by the "Otaku" in the name, Kotaku isn't a gaming-only website. More comments will be accusations of the author being a Japanophile and comments of that nature. Only a few comments will actually be on topic. Why the huge difference in attutudes between two geek culture articles?
Have any of you watched Gaijin Goomba's YouTube videos? The comments on his videos are more of the same, they accuse him of being a Weeaboo, claiming that he thinks Japan is superior and can do no wrong. Which is kinda missing the point, since talking about Japanese gaming culture from a Western point of view is the entire premise of his series. In either case, he's had to release a few counter videos to show that, no he doesn't actually think that.
In my experience, the mythical "Weeaboo", the weirdo spouting broken Japanese and obsessed with Japan doesn't exist anymore than Big Foot or Nessie does. He's the witch of our little digital Salem (a cookie to you if you get that reference
), "appearing" when someone says something positive, or expresses an interest in Japan. But he never really existed in the first place, despite the townsfolk's cries of "WEEABOO! HE'S A WEABOO!"In an earlier time, maybe he existed. I remember being young and just discovering anime for the first time, perhaps I was over-excited about this discovery and it's novelty and posted on the internet about it. Perhaps others were the same. These days? I haven't seen anything like that in years. I've even been to conventions and seen people shouting more Team Fortress 2 phrases than broken Japanese.
I think rise in popularity of the "Weeaboo" slur and the negativity towards being a fan of Japanese pop-culture in general has either: made people keep their fandom, no matter how reasonable and level-headed, closeted. Or for people who aren't fans, they avoid becoming fans because they "don't want to become one of those Weeaboos". Basically, "weeaboos" have replaced furries as the internet's favorite punching bag.
So my question to you, dear Escapist forums, is this: Why is being a fan of Western geek culture considered acceptable to the internet at large, but having the same level of fandom for Japanese geek culture not? Why does the internet automatically assume someone is a insane "Japan can do no wrong" Japanophile if someone expresses an interest in Japanese geek culture?
Because it'll probably come up, here's my attitude on Japan and Japanese pop-culture. Personally, I watch all kinds of media from many different countries, since I'm a total media whore (I'm totally into The Walking Dead at the moment). However, I do watch a lot of Japanese animation simply for the fact that I love animation, and Japan seems to be the only country making a large amount, and large varied amount of it (outside of France anyway). In general, I hate my fellow fans, since they often love complete tripe, which results in more complete tripe being produced, instead of anime with a focus on story and complex characters. So yes, I'm a bitter and jaded fan. There are things I like about the country (it's people are taught that being polite and not causing trouble to those around you are qualities to strive for) and things I don't like about the country (casual racism and the mind-boggling ways in which the country can be so backwards when it comes to certain technology).
Capcha: neckbeard (sorry Captcha, wrong slur
)
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