Pressure.Point asked:


I have had a HUGE interest in Japanese culture throughout my high school years, and I have taken the language for 4 years, been there twice (once on a homestay where I went to school), and I have started to primarily listen to J-Rock, love the art/architecture, and the list goes on and on. (Oddly, I really don’t read much manga and watch much anime, though that seems to be what everybody thinks when they hear about a kid that loves Japan). I try to study Japanese daily so I may become fluent someday.

I have enough appreciation and determination to learn about every facet of their society and adhere to it to the best of my ability. I know I will always be thought of as a gaijin while I am over there, but I almost like being the minority, for I am able to be part American and Japanese.

However, I am concerned, if I choose to pursue Japanese in college and in life, will I always be thought of as just a “wannabe?” I am a Caucasian kid with a little Italian heritage from the midwest…
I want to major in Japanese language and literature in college and eventually work in a field that involves interaction with the people and the culture.

I have really tried to educate myself as much as I can about Japanese culture so I can closely follow their age-old (and modern) traditions, but it is so difficult to break out of the stereotype of “all kids that love japanese are asian wannabes that watch anime all day.”

I guess whatever choices you make will make someone lose respect for you, but is there any way I can balance my American heritage and my Japanese interest so I am not simply a wannabe, but instead I am an American who is fascinated by Japan and its culture?
Sonny, thank you for your analysis, it really got me thinking and seriously considering backing down on what I had planned so far…however, it has just made me even more determined. I do not want to become Japanese, I want to enjoy Japan and its culture while still retaining my American heritage. I understand how I may not get respect from some, but no matter what you do, life is going to throw you some challenges, and this would be one I can endure, I’ll just take the initiative and show them that my love of Japanese culture is much more well-rounded and deep then most who only want to come there for one or two reasons. You are making it sound like they care little about you, but I humbly beg to differ, when I lived there I was well received and cared for by a large group of Japanese people, and I know they are much more warm and accepting than you are trying to make them seem.

If you don’t mind me asking, why do you still live there if you paint such a negative picture?
xdegrass, thank you for your advice.

I just have to disagree with your statement that i am not unique in my Japanese interest. While i do know many who like certain aspects of Japan, I realy find few that appreciate their culture as a whole like I do.

It almost seems that more than 1/2 with a big interest are obsessed with anime/video games/harajuku-esque clothing, and in the remaining half, some people just like the food, others just like the language, some want to go because they think the guys and girls are attractive….in my experience, its hard finding people who have a genuine interest in more than a few aspects of Japanese culture.

This is why I think I am (relatively) unique. We all have interests to accomplish different goals, and since I like so much about the country as a whole (I also know the darker side, but I will cope), its not like the “magic” will just “shake off.”