So, I was always surprised when this topic came up in anime:
foreigners in Japan!
How do the Japanese view us foreigners? What do we look like
when we show up in their pop culture? Let’s take a look!
Here’s a pair of clips from Azumanga Daioh:
Or maybe take a look at this guy from Yu Gi Oh:
Here’s a pair of foreigners from Hayate no Gotoku!:
Now, in America we certainly have plenty of stereotypes that
we pass out to tons of different people without really thinking about it. But
what happens when that is flipped and we are being stereotyped?
Here’s a small list of some stereotypes that are often given
to foreigners in anime:
- Blonde Hair
- White
- Blue eyes
- Tall
- Men: big and scary
- Women: big boobs and arrogant
- Clueless or ignorant
- Don’t speak a word of Japanese
- Actions very attention catching
- Greet each other with kisses
- Dirty habits and rude
- Crazy hard to pronounce names
- Horny or super casual about relationships
I was certainly surprised when I first started seeing these
things pop up. When I started to put the picture together that they were
stereotyping foreigners I was actually a bit perplexed thinking “Hey! We don’t
do that!” However, once I started to think about it (and compare it to how much
stereotyping and much worse things I have seen in some of the TV shows in the
US) I realized it was nothing to get all uppity about. Actually I started to
find it very hilarious! Looking at the crazy stereotypes of your own people –
weird, right?
So why are we seen as
such crazy people?
I’m going to start with the historical aspect. I’m pretty
sure everyone knows (from high school history classes) that Japan started off
as an isolated country. They weren’t open to trade with other countries and
they didn’t want other people to come into theirs. I’m going to say it is safe
to assume that when they were finally forced to start to be social with the
other countries they weren’t too happy about it. This probably led to some strong
distaste for foreigners, especially ones coming into their own country.
I’m also going to contest that trying to talk to someone
that doesn’t speak your language is SUPER intimidating. I mean, I still am
intimidated to talk to Japanese people and I’ve been studying the language for
years! But for Japanese people, who see foreigners as scary, big, and rude, I’m
sure trying to talk to them is extra intimidating!
Not to mention the fact that all of those stereotypes are
based off of real things that foreigners do. Granted, not to the same degree
and possibly not in such a negative light, but they have valid bases. Americans
especially are generally much more boisterous than the general reserved nature
of the Japanese. To us, we aren’t being outlandish or super crazy in regard to
the norm in America, but compared to the Japanese norm it is over the top.
My personal
experiences being a stereotypical looking foreigner in Japan!
Being the tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed American girl that
I am I was actually very pleasantly surprised with how I felt I was perceived
when I was in Japan. Granted I am kind of oblivious of people when they are not
right in my attention, so I could have been getting glares and I probably won’t
notice. (Hey! Look! I fit some of the stereotypes depicted in anime!) I feel
like every time I was just out and about talking to my friend in English someone
would walk up (usually a gentleman around 30 or groups of teenagers) and try
out their English on us! It was quite fun. We even encountered a class of
probably second or third graders that were encouraged by their teacher to give
us little origami pieces they had made and say “present for you” in their super
cute little shy voices. (Afterward the teacher herself asked to take a picture
with us because she was from a more rural area and didn’t get to see many
foreigners!) So all in all, I felt like the group I went with and I weren’t
treated with as many stereotypes as I had predicted.
Language corner!
外人 - がいじん – gaijin
Foreigner
(sometimes with negative connotation)
米人 - べいじん – beijin
An
American
馬鹿 - ばか – baka
Foolish; stupid; dull; absurd;
ridiculous
I agree that the stereotypes Americans project onto the Japanese are more harsh than vice versa.Do you think that the stereotypes you listed put all Caucasians (Europeans included) into one big group, or are there some specifically for Americans?
ReplyDeleteI would say in general they are lumped into a big group. The way they tend to act is very similar, usually just the language they speak is different. However, I would say that Americans are often portrayed as simply having more exaggerated versions of the same traits. For example, more ignorant, more flamboyant, more over-the-top, etc.
DeleteAlthough I'm not white, blond, or blue eyed, I am very obviously foreign (Because I'm not white, Japanese have trouble guessing where I'm from. I've been handed stuff in Korean instead of English). I do get a lot of stares here in Japan. Granted, I stood out in America too. But even more so here in Japan. I also get people who want to practice their English on me. To my surprise, it's more often older people that approach me. Usually they ask where I'm from, and how long I've been in Japan, and what I'm doing here. A lot of people are very interested in my beard. Several have asked if they could touch it (I let them of course), and some skipped the asking and just reached out and put their hand on it for a moment. Besides the older people, I usually just get a "Hello" from some students. As soon as I respond it breaks down into giggling.
ReplyDeleteSo far I haven't met anybody who particularly dislikes foreigners. But many Japanese just don't want anything to do with them. This problem comes up a lot with the international exchange students. One of the other guys here is pretty fluent in Japanese, yet he has approached people to ask questions (In Japanese mind you)and gets an instant response of ”英語が分かりません”. The fact that he speaks in Japanese doesn't always sink in, because all they see is a foreigner. Because we are foreign it's very difficult to get accepted into a Japanese group of people. We are never treated poorly. Quite the contrary, we are treated as honored guests. But it's very difficult to cross the barrier from guest to friend.
I think think there is hope though. I have met several Japanese who are genuinely interested in learning more about, and befriending foreigners. But there is still a long way to go. Actually I know a Japanese boy who's father was American. The father left before he was born, so he was raised by his mother and grandma here in Japan. He speaks only Japanese, and has never traveled outside the country as far as I know. But because of his American blood, he doesn't look fully Japanese and he is considered a foreigner by his classmates. Because of this he is often excluded from activities and has a lot of trouble making friends. He's not attacked or anything, He's just not included. Other kids won't play with him because He's "not Japanese".
The term they use for this kind of thing translates to "Island Minded" (Sorry I don't know the original Japanese term). But it basically describes how indifferent Japanese can be towards foreigners. Even though Japan's ports have been open for a long time now, It's still not really an "International" country. Lots of people still haven't had much interaction with foreigners. My Tutors family actually requested to meet me because they wanted a chance to talk to a foreigner. (Not many tourists in their little town in the mountains I guess.)
That is a very good point! That foreigners aren't treated badly, per se, but are avoided or treated in a higher (farther away) respect. I think that it is very true when you say that it is hard to get really accepted into Japanese groups and that there is a barrier stopping foreigners from being friends.
Delete"Dirty habits and rude" Say the ethnicity that sees one man fingering in open public one man's butt very normal and cultural treasure of Japanese superiority. Deep inside Japan is another Arab Emirates or more likely another Turkey. There are some bullies that may touch another's butt from the same age for fun because they think they can do that without being considered homosexual or bisexiual. Guess what NO. Seriously this is psycho-anomalous and gay. I love the dumbass logic of Japanese people. They take that as a prank. Maybe if I bite and have sex with your anonymous butt it's all fun and giggles. Logic...not found.
ReplyDelete"Greet each other with kisses"
Another stupid misconception about ALL foreigners. This happens only in Balkans, Cental Asia, Turkey and generally Oriental countries. Western nations don't do that. In fact they went through that bad misconception again. Asuka from EVA was supposed to be German while her behaviour, her way of talking and her personality seems from those narcissistic girls that brag about their supposed intelligence, dancing and singing skills from Serbian-Greek culture or folk music subculture. She has absolutely nothing German in her. Her bitchy personality was entirerly junk and raw like those girls in those cultures. Germans bitches have more aristocratic intelligent manner of being bitchy more like Azula from Avatar:The Last Airbender animate series. Japanese seem to be very ignorant about Western civilization and culture in general, but very knowledgeable about Balkans and Orientals.