Usagi Yojimbo DojoBoard

Why is Japanese culture so facinating? Samurais, anime, shogun, ninja, kung fu...A samurai rabbit.

I've often wondered that myself (although Kung Fu is chinese and not japanese... you probably meant karate). It's quite infectious. I remember developing a fascination with Ninjas back when I was in elementary school (early 80s). Then I got into samurai and stuff when I saw Shogun. At the time I was a huge comic book fan and everything was slanted toward Japanese... Wolverine had ninja storylines, the TMNT came out... and of course Usagi. Then there's all the cool Samurai/Ninja manga and anime out there. That's what probably did it for me. But as far as WHY it's all so cool... that's hard to answer exactly. I mean, why aren't we all fascinated with Chinese or Korean stuff as we are with the Japanese?? It's all somewhat similar, at least superficially. Maybe it's all the bushido and the codes and stuff...or maybe it's as simple as the fact that Japan has ninjas and no one else does.

For what its worth, I'm far more interested in china's 3 kingdoms period then I am with anything in Japan. While Japan is amazing, dont get me wrong, nothing is as fascinating as the story of "Romance of the 3 Kingdoms." If you guys have never heard of it, I suggest you check it out. It is the most amazing story ever told, and about 60% to 70% of it is truth.

My reasons about why I find Japan (and Asian culture) so fascinating:

1) Exotic culture: I enjoy learning about cultures different than mine, specially when their philosophies, values, aesthetics, politics, economical system, etc... differ completely from the culture I live on (European / American culutre). I also enjoy learning ancient history (modern history is very interesting too, but it's not as appealing to me as ancient cultures). Japan is one of the most ancient civilitzations of the world, along with China and India. That's why I enjoy it so much, as well as old central and south American civilitzations, Egypt, Greece, Babylon, and ancient cultures in Africa.

2) Philosophy: Western religions (Judaism, Christianism, Islam) tend to focus on behavior codes dictated by a superior and all-mighty deity and the submission of men to this deity's will; and all derivated western ways of thinking derivate from those principles (even illustration and current scientific research are strongly influenced by those religions). Eastern religions tend to focus on the relationship of men with themselves and with the cosmos around them, and are usually based on non-dogmatic assumptions to some degree. Although I consider myself agnostic, learning about religions like Buddhism and Taoism made me think about certain issues and actually gave me one or two answers to some of my "important" questions. (NOTE: I'm not trying to say that these religions are "better" or "truer" than western religions; I'm not talking about faith, I'm talking about ways of approaching certain issues like death or relationship as a society that I did not find satisfying in western religions).

3) Videogames: I discovered videogames when I was 4 and have been in love with them ever since. They're one of the best ways of entertainment that I know, and their versatility is limitless: you can make a game just for playing (like "tetris"), you can make a plane simulator, or you can make a story that actually surrounds the spectator and allows him to interact with the story and participate on it: such degree of interactivity is impossible on any other medium. That's why I've decided to become a videogame programmer. And, like everyone knows, the best games are made in Japan.

4) Manga, Anime, and other forms of story-telling: most of prejudices that exist in both Europe and America do not exist at all in Japan or other Eastern countries. Movies like Battle Royale, Shaolin Soccer, Spirited Away , Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, or Ghost In The Shell, although being totally different one from another, all of them share the fact that they move around themes that would hardly be touched in the Western hemisphere, because they would seem either too complex for the spectator, too dumb or too strange. Of course, there's some really good movies made here, but my point is that their way of approaching things is very different from ours, and sometimes much better.

5) Aesthetics: I really like Japanese aesthetics: architecture, painting, ikebana (flower arrangement), and pretty much everything Japanese has a simplicity and elegance that is hardly matched. Straight lines and plain designs, without any kind of unnecessary stuffing, makes it very appealing for me.

6) Usagi Yojimbo: Usagi rocks. Stories like UY make you become interested in the culture that the story takes place on, because of their accurate research and autenticity. All characters are very charismatic, and you soon begin to appreciate their values and moral codes, and the reasons behind them (bushido is a good example). Usagi is also the reason why I have started to practice kendo. And I love it!

Well, that's my two cents.

P.S.: Did you notice? I didn't use a single smiley! I'm learning to moderate myself! . Well, perhaps not...

P.S.S.: Tounian:: I thought that the most amazing story ever written was the tale of Luthien and Beren from the Silmarillion by Tolkien . I haven't heard of the 3 kingdoms, I promise to check it out though.

Wow, thanks for your replies.

Personally, as a kid I bought this book called "Secrets of the Ninja" and it was so fascinating. I read about stealth, meditation and popular ninja moves...it could be pretty dangerous, I practiced a move that can help you get out of a headlock and I almost broke my friend's back!!!!

But I guess one of the qualities that fascinates me about Japanese culture is the importance of the Samaurai Honor. They were super respected, because of being an elite class, and were ment of integrity.

Reading Usagi brings those qualities. That's kinda why I read UY. It has ninjas, japanese terms and just an all out great storyline.

I pretty much read UY to help me on my passion for the Samauri.

Cheers!!

Same here dude. Gotta get my samurai fix and UY does the job nicely every time.

Tounian wrote:For what its worth, I'm far more interested in china's 3 kingdoms period then I am with anything in Japan. While Japan is amazing, dont get me wrong, nothing is as fascinating as the story of "Romance of the 3 Kingdoms." If you guys have never heard of it, I suggest you check it out. It is the most amazing story ever told, and about 60% to 70% of it is truth.

I tried. The only copy I could get was horribly translated.

I am just as much interested in Chinese as Japanese culture. I think it's mostly the martial arts, at least originally.

I guess the same question could apply to Egypt.

It's all probbably about how it differs from our culture.

I suppose any nation/country that was successfully ruled by a military dictatorship for over 200 years, can make for interesting historical observations. Makes the Meiji Restoration period that much more interesting for me nowadays...

Sundancer wrote: I am just as much interested in Chinese as Japanese culture. I think it's mostly the martial arts, at least originally.

I think that japanese culture is way more interesting than the chinese culture. I find it more complex and thus more interesting. Or maybe I'm just afraid of china people because of their number?

I agree... While I love the Bruce Lee movies and Jackie Chan stuff, nothing this side of the solar system has hit as hard as the whole Japanese thing...

It could be a lingering effect of the relative newness of Japan from a western point of view. China's been a proven fact since the 1200's when Marco Polo went there (since it was crammed with Mongols, they weren't advertising Japan much). While it was visited in the late 1500's by Europeans, once the Shogun closed things up it wasn't really present in the western imagination that much until the re-opening in the mid-1800s, and wasn't taken too seriously until they scared the juice out of the various colonial powers (US incl.) in the 1940's. Yes, they've been there since Amaterasu deposited the first Emperor, but they weren't well known outside their borders until, really, just now. New stuff is cool. Therefore, Japan is cool.

OK, the Chinese knew they were there the whole time, but the Chinese take was "ain't us so who cares?". (and of course, Korea: "Please stop burning our stuff")

Cool insight!

I venture to say that all cultures are interesting, in different ways of course.

I find japanese culture interesting due to it's size. It's really quite small compared to the other major places in the world, though they've managed to pack just as much stuff in.

The martial aspect of Japan is also very impressive. They've had more than their fair share of military genius and weapon skills are largely unrivaled for similar types of weapons in the world. Their empty handed disciplines are on par with the other cultures also.

Japan also has the ability to out-pace many other cultures at times. Japan didn't gain literature until they started having semi-regular contact with China around 300-700. It only took a few more hundred years for them to develop their own distinct literature and even the worlds first novel, The Tale of Genji.

Would it be presumptuos to say I have the soul of a samurai? It does not matter. I do.
Should have been born four hundred years ago in Japan... such is my karma... (of course, that may be exactly the right phrasing there... karma... reincarnation... who knows!)
At any rate, I have read Tom Cleary's translation of the Code of Bushido so many times. I follow the general spirit of samurai, not really the letter of the code. More like Usagi, I think. I do what I know is right. I be myself. I act honorably at all times (or try really, really hard to. It's not always easy...) I have recently taken up Jeet Kune Do (which, though a martial art, would probably be condemned by all of Japan save the ninja who just kill any way they can anyway).
I find Japan and everything about it fascinating. I set my novels in Fuedal Japan or worlds based on fuedal Japan. I draw samurai and ninja more often than anything else. I read any book with the word Samurai anywhere on the cover (well... almost every such book...). I read Usagi diligently. There's a story. Usagi Yojimbo was THE turning point in my life (don't freak out, Sakai-sensei!) It brought me to the recognition of my love of comics, my love of Japan, my love of Samurai, my love of anime/manga, my love of art (Your art is AWESOME, Sakai-sensei!), my love of folklore, my love of ninja, etc. etc. It brought me to my first encounter with the Code of Bushido, which radically changed my life (Yeah, i'm wierd ) Usagi Yojimbo made me the man I am today-- or at least made me realize who the man I am was. That last is probably more acurate.
Since then, all it takes to throw my concentration in any activity is one word-- "Japan"! Or "Samurai"! Or "ninja"! Or "Usagi"! Or...
I want to thank you, Sakai-sensei. I know it sounds strange and all, but Usagi Yojimbo really did touch my life in a way that is far too profound to be believed. It just opened so many doors. I am forever grateful to you for that.
And, for the record, I'd say our fascination with Japan is just the fact that, The culture of Japan is like NO OTHER on this earth. It is something we can all relate to, but something that is DISTINCTLY different from all that we take for granted.