A quirky 12-minute video titled “Japan The Strange Country” is getting a lot of media attention. It was made by graphic designer Kenichi Tanaka and introduces precise details about Japan such as Japanese people’s characteristics, Tokyo, food culture, suicide, love and so on.
Most viewers say that what impresses them is how it portrays Japanese modern culture HONESTLY.
Kenichi says: “I created this information graphic motion piece as my final thesis project. My objective is to make Japanese people think about what is happening in their own country, and that some aspects of Japanese culture are not that normal. The English narration offers a point of view on Japan that isn’t usually considered by Japanese people, and therefore conveys a ‘foreign’ perspective. I hope audiences will learn about some of the weird aspects of Japanese culture.”
Some of the comments posted on YouTube by people who saw the video praise it for being the truth, very informative, an amazing insight into the world of Japan, and so on. Robert Hogan from Monterey Institute of International Studies said that “it’s a great project! I hope many people watch the movie.”
Comments
IMHO, this video is a bit tendencious, focusing only in bad aspects. During my time in Japan I never saw people throwing food away. Furthermore, for a country which suffered a lot after II WW, I don’t think they waste food easily.
About be a normal country, as someone said above, every country has its own strange things. I’m Brazilian and here there is a lot of unacceptable things, like corruption.
i guess this is a video by the japanese and for the japanese alone.. ‘gaijins’ are nowhere in the equation
Too many numerals…
one thing that bothers me about this is the statement of all of the generalizations as matters of fact: folks in the know will be able to distinguish between the two, but newbies will not…
Well… I prefer “suica” is less tracking.
I saw it last year, when Mr. Kenichi was assaulted of bad comment and told to be racist toward Japanese especially by foreigners Japan admirers. Then he removed the English version from its web site tired to be called “racist”.
Over this cartoon there is nothing to agree or not, because it shows few reality of Japan also providing sources credits at the end.
Japan society has are many other important differences and issues with the rest of the civilized world, but are kept as open secrets…
As an example think about the word “kokumin” in the Japanese constitution and Japanese laws, if you know that does not mean “people” and excludes foreigners rights in Japan you may wonder why Japanese abroad should be welcomed.
The cartoon does not tell many important true stuffs about Japan, because in Japan everything is perfect according to Japanese and anyone is expected to say the same.
Despite the bad realities also also international organizations tend to fake… What about the latest OCSE annual report “How’s
Life”,”well-being in OECD
countries and other major economies, by looking at people’s material living
conditions and quality of life across the population”?
This year Japan is ranked the 3rd top country after Iceland and Denmark for better place to live…
Is it true? Probably yes according high-tech standards, and people that is not living here, but OECD forget to remind that Japan may be a good place “only for Japanese” citizens.
Every country has its weirdness, I want to see the other country’s
version too. I hope this video doesn’t amplify only the negative parts
but also appreciating creator of this great work.
Nothing I didn’t know already. It doesn’t really show the “truth” What about the ba ba’s and gi gi’s? What about the drivers who don’t stop at the red light, but as long as they don’t look at you it’s okay!! How about the utter rudeness to strangers and the silent revenge! There are many more things I could mention. I guess it’s an okay video to a newbie who thinks Japan is all sweet and cute and so polite. Give it a few years and you will find out the “true” Japan for yourself.
So much truth in there. I love how instead of drawing conclusions it tries to make viewers think.