I do sort of wish western anime fans would analyze anime and manga from a framework of japanese historical and cultural context. Specifically a lot of works from the 90s being influenced by the general aimlessness and ennui that a lot of people were experiencing due to the burst in the bubble economy and the national trauma caused by the sarin terrorist attack. I think in interacting with media that’s not local to our sociocultural/sociopolitical sphere it’s easy to forget that it’s influenced and shaped by the same kinds of factors that influence media within our own cultural dome and there ends up being this baseline misalignment of perception between the causative elements of a narrative and viewer interpretation of those elements. It’s a form of death of the author that i think, in some measure, hinders our ability to fully understand/come to terms with creator intent and the full scope of a work’s merits
Just a small detail that I wanted to highlight from Netflix’s One Piece. Even though this is clearly a Western production of a Japanese series, as you can tell from the more Hollywood-ish dialogue and action, the series isn’t completely divorced from its Japanese roots. For example, in the first episode, you can clearly tell Koby and Luffy are eating with chopsticks. And the little girl serves chocolate onigiri to Zoro.
It feels like the reverse of how anime used to be treated in the early 2000s. Remember when Pokémon had to change the name of the food to stuff like donuts and pizza? Now we have a Western show that’s based on an anime, and they’re making sure not to erase the Japanese influence in the series.
Harajuku Street Style Interview with Future Japanese Buddhist Monk Rei
Harajuku Street Style Interview with future Japanese Buddhist Monk Rei. Known in the Harajuku scene for mixing traditional Japanese fashion with modern elements, 19-year-old Rei comes from a family of generations of Buddhist priests. He's studying theology now, intending to become a monk and follow the path of his ancestors. Interview by Ticomeba.
How did Riku talking about Slapping Sora awake get translated to
It's my job to keep him on his toes
It's so funny that he talks about it casually with Donald Goofy and Mickey right before taking the dive a second time.
And the gestures look like ah yes he's showing how he might slap him, but in the English version THEY ACTUALLY EDITED SO HE DOESN'T SWUNG HIS HAND ALL THE WAY 😭😭
I'm sorry, this was bothering me enough to send in an ask.
The stupid question is: how strict is Earth-Kingdom-is-China vs Fire-Kingdom-is-Japan generally? I mostly ask because although none of the canon characters use real Japanese names, but it feels like everyone uses Japanese names for Fire Kingdom and Chinese for Earth, which makes Chinese Wanyi for Zuko's ship not fit in.
I mean, the waters are muddied from China's historical domination over the area, and it's a really great pun, but I woke up and my brain wouldn't let go of the entirely petty issue.
Ugh. Sorry for the stupid ask, especially since I don't come bearing any like funny trivia with to mitigate with. Please feel free to disregard as well, especially since I'm too cowardly to link to my actual tumblr account.
There's absolutely no strictness, because that's a fanon division anyway, and not one I adhere to. Fanon is fake and we can make of it what we want, and I want the pretty ship name!
The modern Japanese word for October is 十月 (literally "10th Month), however in the old-fashioned calendar is was known as 神無月, or "the month with no gods".
In October, all the gods in Japan (there are believed to be 8 million of them) go to Izumo Shrine in Shimane Prefecture for a meeting, thus leaving most of Japan with no gods.