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The Japanese Sneezing Superstition - A Superstition That Provides Benefits?
Who here believes in the power of superstitions? Here’s something that will get your mystical juices flowing. An interesting article about superstitions popped up in the New York Times. The article, entitled “In Defense of Superstition”, discussed how having superstitions can be beneficial to gain some sense of meaning in one’s life. They also give someone a big sense of self-confidence in doing certain tasks. One superstition came to my mind and one that is very relevant in anime and manga: sneezing.
In Asian culture, it is widely believed that someone who sneezes out of the blue is being talked about by other people not near them. If you sneeze once, someone is definitely saying something about you. If you sneeze twice, bad things are said about you. This superstition about sneezing has become a huge joke in anime and manga, where several characters talk about one character in one panel and then the next panel features the person being talked about sneezing (with some witty remarks and/or confusion). Sneezing blew its way through notable series such as Dragon Ball, Maison Ikkoku, InuYasha, Rurouni Kenshin, and Ranma 1/2.
Perhaps this superstition is helpful for others in terms of giving confidence that things are going to be just fine for them or an incentive to be more careful. Let’s say someone sneezes and he/she really believes that someone must be gossiping about them all of a sudden. That person can say to themselves, “Hmmm, maybe I should change my tune a bit.” or “Yes, someone’s talking about me! I feel important to someone!” That could give some meaning and motivation to alter their behaviors more positively. Of course, this can all backfire in a hurry, depending on the personality of the person sneezing. It is heavily argued that those who believe in superstitions tend to have a lack of control in their lives.
A great example of a “sneezing superstition” moment in anime/manga that stood out was in Rurouni Kenshin Volume 7, when the Kenshin-gumi spoke harshly about Saito Hajime. While at a soba stand, Saito sneezed repeatedly and even made a remark about how sudden sneezing is a result of ill will. He even goes on to say that it’s great that the Shinsengumi (his old troop) are still hated in the Meiji Era. You have to wonder if Saito’s comments were just a reassuring way of giving him more confidence to go and cause more mayhem since he doesn’t care what people think of him. The Wolf of Mibu’s mind is always a mysterious one, isn’t it?
So, what other Japanese superstitions do you think give people a sense of confidence? Feel free to share some crazy thoughts and let us have the wonderful moment of freaking out together.
Hope you didn’t just sneeze while reading this entry. :]
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My Little Sister Can’t Be This Popular! The Love for “Imoutos”
I present to you: Cafe Bar NAGOMI! Yes, this is an actual “imouto” cafe in Japan.
Ever had or wished you had a little sister that made you go D’AWWWW every time she tried to make you smile? Do you get giddy (or wish to gleefully experience the moments) when your little sister acts pretty mean towards you and later apologizes for her behavior with a sad, puppy face? If so, you might be having a case of “imouto love”.
A subject that continues to fascinate me is the otaku’s love for “imoutos” (Japanese for “little sisters”). Imouto characters are prevalent in Japanese pop culture and it makes you wonder why male otaku are quite drawn to them in droves. Do most of them wish they had a little sister that relied on them?
If you’re curious about how much “imouto love” there is out there, here are some examples. Besides the most prominent series that features an imouto lead, Ore no Imouto Konna ni Kawaii Wake Ga Nai (“My Little Sister Can’t Be This Cute”, also known as Oreimo), other titles include Imouto wa Shishunki (“Younger Sister Is In Puberty”), Koi Kaze, and Boku wa Imouto ni Koiwosuru (“I Love My Little Sister”). Imouto love is also implied in certain anime/manga series. There is currently a wide variety of adult-oriented material (a majority in the form of PC games) focusing on little sisters loving their precious oni-chan (“big brother” in Japanese) and/or vice versa. Japan sure has quite the sister complex, doesn’t it?
An article on Senile_Seinen talked about “imouto love” in a review for Oreimo and the author stated that the subject is becoming popular because of Japan’s low birth rate. He goes on to say that few Japanese people below the age of 30 have a sibling. They don’t know what it’s like to have one, so seeing media featuring siblings in wacky moments together fascinates them.
I’m curious about the mindset of creators behind imouto material: is there anything super-special about having a little sister rather than a little brother and/or older sibling? Well, besides the fact that the little sister has tendencies to look up to the older brother and can be extremely adorable as hell. There have been studies floating around about how having a sister can be beneficial in one’s life. Having a sister (younger or older) can make you a kinder person. Sibling conflict provides great education as well. Fights between siblings usually teach them how to control their emotions in heated moments. Siblings will also stick by you even after when parents pass away. Some important factors to note are that girls like to listen and they are often more talkative than boys. This gives female siblings an edge, compared to male siblings, as you can confide in them emotionally. Older sisters can be bossy and start ranting about life though, which seems like something the otaku don’t like.
Regardless, if you have a female sibling, you’re in luck and have a good chance to turn out to be a emotionally healthy individual. I do believe that Japanese otaku (who may not have had experienced the joys of having a younger sibling) honestly want a real young, cute girl who looks up to them in all aspects of life and/or is willing to listen to them (like an imouto would). It seems that otaku want a sense of control over someone to give themselves a shot of confidence. Does anyone really give otaku a sense of hope at all? Perhaps the structure of Japanese society should be blamed for how their parents turned out, since their behavior does have huge effects on the children they raise.
A couple of final questions I would like to pose to everyone: how would you believe the otaku will react if they actually had a real little sister that matched their expectations? Will they believe that reality (in their eyes) isn’t as deceiving as they think it is? Let’s just hope that otaku don’t want too many little sisters. Then again, Japanese men haven’t had the greatest reputation as of late.
Now, if you excuse me, I must rescue my precious Nanako-chan from the evil Shadows.
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Japan Is Awesome, Sexism, Women In Power, and English Gintama - Fun Links To Check Out
Here are some goodies to read and share with friends.
Made Better in Japan - The Wall Street Journal takes a look at the rise of high-detail Japanese fashion, food, clothing, and service. Basically, Japan is incorporating many international styles and blending them into products that are just as good as the original source. It’s amazing to see how the country can make Brooklyn coffee better than (or just as good as) actual Brooklyn coffee. The part of the article where they go into jeans is very enlightening. Now whether that detail can succeed in the global world is a whole different story.
ANNCast #106: S-E-X-X-I-S-M - A controversial subject makes headwaves in the most recent ANNCast. A very lively discussion and the guests make a good point about how the anime community isn’t that bad in terms of sexism, when compared to the video game community. Funny how they also mentioned Bakuman. I definitely agree with how bad sexism is in video game fandom, as the fighting game community is VERY guilty of this.
A More Peaceful World If Women Were in Charge? - Networking is important. That’s the MO. Also, you need to be both aggressive and sympathetic at the same time. Man, we need Olivier Milla Armstrong to be the ruler of the world.
Sentai Filmworks Confirms English Dub of Gintama Movie - If you ask me, this movie is perfect for a dub. Why? The Benizakura arc doesn’t have too many crazy jokes. Plus, the movie introduces a majority of the main cast.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Street Fighter X Tekken - Send these cards to your special someone. Seriously. Just do it. Bear hugs are awesome.
Now, if you excuse me, I must go and be FOREVER ALONE.
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The Great Power of the Fujoshi
“Out of the otaku population, female otaku have the most spending power, which is one of the reasons why you see an increase of boy love publications and anime featuring good looking guys.” - Danny Choo on CNN GeekOut
Over the past couple of years, I have noticed that things were changing in the anime/manga world. There were more and more titles that seem to have attractive male characters. Even though “moe” series targeted towards males are still running rampant, the anime/manga world has been filled with titles (such as Blue Exorcist, Naruto, BLEACH, Gintama, Black Butler, Katekyo Hitman Reborn, Bakuman, Axis Powers Hetalia, and Tiger & Bunny) that have a variety of male characters for female fans to swoon over. Especially females who are into yaoi and boys’ love. This has led to the rise of the fujoshi, a community of fangirls that has the power to shift the gender balance for the better. Some male otaku have felt threatened and intimidated by the fujoshi, but this is just another example of how strong the purchasing power of women is despite the state of the global economy.
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Fighting Depression With Manga - Tenten Hosokawa’s “Tsure Utsu”
This is a story that I feel should be shared to everyone who’s been through or going through depression. I recently read an article on the Japan Times about a manga artist who published a series of comics in Japan about a married couple combating depression. Her name is Tenten Hosokawa and her series, “Tsure ga Utsu ni Narimashite” (My Partner Has Depression) or simply known as “Tsure Utsu”, has become a smash hit in a country that has mostly looked down at those with mental illnesses. As someone who’s been through clinical depression, I find it inspirational that a manga artist has put this subject into the spotlight as we all need to take mental health seriously more than ever.
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The Superhero Donor, Tiger Mask
(A better role model than Tiger Woods.)
For those who remembered late last year, many donations were made to various Japanese children-focused charities by someone under the guise of the professional wrestler anime/manga hero, Naoto Date, aka Tiger Mask. The donations would later spawn a huge movement of donations (some anonymous) from other people to Japanese charities as well. Just this past November, Tiger Mask struck again as an anonymous donor, using the Tiger Mask name, donated school bags and stationery sets to a city at the Gunma Prefecture in Japan. He also helped quake victims as well. The return of Tiger Mask poses some interesting thoughts about the nature of tigers, people, and anonymity.
Tigers are known to be solitary, yet social creatures. All they want to do is hunt and eat. They will not fight unless threatened. In Japan and other parts of Asia, tigers are represented as beings of great power, passion, beauty, and wrath. There is also a belief that when a tiger appears in your dreams, a great power and/or passion is about to awaken inside you.
An article in the Hiragana Times suggests that the Tiger Mask movement was moved by modesty. Once people saw that someone was donating anonymously, they had a lot of incentive to do the same. Japanese people are taught not to show off good deeds in front of the public. In some ways, tigers represent hidden strength waiting to be unlocked. Perhaps the movement motivated others to unleash their inner tigers.
Which goes back to the one who started it all. What motivated him to go under the name Tiger Mask specifically? Why last year? Was it because of the story of Tiger Mask? Did he want to bring some change for once? It is possible that this person believes the world is still just, despite what others might think. Maybe a tiger appeared in his dreams and convinced him to be philanthropic.
A final issue is to look at anonymity and its pros. While most people look at anonymity with a certain level of disdain, there are some benefits to being anonymous. One is that you won’t be bothered by companies that constantly try to promote products/services to you. You will also be protected from any unjust backlash from others. Most importantly, you get privacy which is something that everyone needs from time-to-time. I do believe that our Tiger Mask donor wants to highlight the power and potential that anonymous people can have on society.
Tigers are truly great creatures that many of us love. I think it’s perhaps that we are like them: fierce on the outside, loving on the inside. In this rough world we’re living in, some of us just got to put on that tiger face and keep on going (which I believe that Tiger Mask is trying to convince children to do).
Let the eye of the tiger show you the way!
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GTO Creator Takes On Shinigami & Hostess Clubs
If there’s one thing Japan seems to love, it’s Shinigami (death gods). Tohru Fujisawa, the mangaka of Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO), looks to bring his crazy, wild storytelling into the world of Shinigami with Soul Reviver, which is going to be serialized in Shogakukan’s Monthly Hero magazine this January. This is also on the eve of another title that Fujisawa is launching in January, Shibuya Hachiko-Mae ~another side~, which will be published in ASCII Media Works’ Degenki Comic Japan.
Soul Reviver will be about a half-human, half-Shinigami woman who brings souls to the world of the dead. Shibuya Hachiko-Mae will be about a scout named Aoyama and his adventures in picking up girls to work at a hostess club in Shibuya. Great, another thing Japan loves.
There are some concerns about Soul Reviver. Mostly due to the fact that the plot sounds very similar to BLEACH. About Shibuya Hachiko-Mae, I think that it will be a very unique title that explores the psychology of cabaret clubs and the women who join them. Knowing Fujisawa, I expect both titles to be full of hard-hit EMOTION.
Titles that are about love & death seem to be quite popular in Japan in this day and age, huh?
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A Manga That Reflects Troubling Financial Times - Yamikin Ushijima-Kun
Our world is faced with debt. We owe somebody something. Hell, our lives almost involve some level of debt. The important thing is to not let that debt spiral out of control. However, what if your financial situation got so bad that you have to resort to the shady world of loan sharks & the black market? This scenario is explored in the critically-acclaimed seinen manga by Shohei Manabe, Yamikin Ushijima-Kun (also known as “Ushijima the Loan Shark”). If you think your debt situation is bad, wait until you check out this series.
The story revolves around the lower class of Japan and their struggles to survive. The main character, Ushijima Kaoru, is a loan shark who is the head of Kaukau Finance, a black market group that lends money to those struggling & charges high interest on its loans. Although Ushijima is the protagonist, he is not a good guy. He is very ruthless when it comes to money and will resort to tricks to get what he wants. Even most, if not all, of his clients aren’t the greatest of people. They all have some sort of vice (gambling, drugs, etc.) that they want to feed. Yamikin Ushijima-Kun is arguably one of the most realistic depictions of Japanese society today. The series has gone on to have a TV drama adaptation in 2010 and will have a live-action movie in 2012.
I remember someone wrote about how debt is considered to be a “rite of passage” in order to become an adult. Having debt teaches responsibility, enables you to create a credit score, & forces you to make wise decisions. You can’t succeed without some sort of debt. At the same time, things can go horribly wrong & people end up borrowing more than they can chew. In Ushijima, our “hero” wants to put an end to those who decide to keep fooling around with money by charging insane interest rates (as much as 50% every 10 days) & forcing people to do unpleasant things for money.
Why does the lower class of society tend to be the ones in debt the most? It could come down to the belief that money is the source of all happiness. Those on the lower end may believe that having money makes themselves worthy of praise. They can’t seem to see past that belief. Those individuals tend to have low self-esteem. Money, in their eyes, determines what kind of person they really are. Another big issue is that they simply do not know how to deal with debt when they take it. Sometimes, people underestimate making payments and rather deal with them when the time comes. By not planning now, they end up kicking themselves even more than they need to.
The manga also presents an interesting dilemma: can a loan shark be a blessing in disguise? Loan sharks are technically terrible people to deal with and you really don’t want to be caught under their web. They will give money to ANYONE, including criminals if need be. The protagonist, Ushijima, says that those in debt are complete morons and need to be taught a lesson. That is his reasoning for being extremely evil towards his clients and have them perform unfavorable jobs to come up with cash. Ushijima is quite the character and he really makes you question whether we should be sympathetic to those in debt. The manga also makes you think about how we need to deal with a bigger issue: poverty. What changes do societies need to take in order to ensure that the poor don’t stay that way forever? How do we prevent those who are financially stable from falling down to poverty levels?
Yamikin Ushijima-Kun is truly a thought-provoking manga that gets you thinking about the power & temptation of money. It also could be telling us that we should have some responsibility in educating others that money isn’t the true source of happiness.
This is a title that is worthy of being put on JManga (which the manga should be on). If you want a hard-nosed, gritty, no-nonsense, & realistic manga, Ushijima’s tense adventures will beat their way into your brain and leave you floored. Who ever thought evil can actually do some good?
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Why Girls Are Liking Shonen Manga
Hey, girls like battles as much as boys do.
According to the “wonderful” site that is Sankaku Complex, more and more girls in Japan are interested in reading shonen manga than shoujo manga. This relates to what I discussed in an interview by Fanboy.com.
I spoke about how there are series like Katekyo Hitman Reborn! & Kuroshitsuji filled with very attractive-looking male characters. There’s also the fact that shonen manga seems to have a fair share of teenage characters that appeal to a wide audience. Another supposed reason for girls reading shonen manga are that they are less concerned about being feminine when compared to boys trying to be manly.
Though it could just come down to this: shonen plots are just plain better than shoujo plots. Most shojou manga these days typically seems to be all the same: high school girls trying to date a guy they like & the emotional drama that ensues. Shonen plots can be pretty diverse compared to shoujo plots. At times, there may be TOO MUCH fighting in shonen manga, but they’re usually more exciting to most fans. Look at a series like BLEACH, which has a huge number of both male & female fans. Shoujo JUMP, here we come!
To female shonen readers, why do you read shonen manga?
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Japan’s Love of Baseball
(The final volume in Takuya Mistuda’s epic baseball drama, MAJOR.)
Recently, I was reading the first omnibus of Mitsuru Adachi’s Cross Game and thinking about the appeal of baseball in Japan. Baseball is considered to be one of top 3 spectator sports, if not the number 1 spectator sport in Japan. Is it perhaps of the clubhouse environment and the team spirit that emphasizes Japanese culture?
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