Japanification - Is nothing sacred?

[Great Cartoonist]

Of course you know about the Japanese influence that has influenced our media and culture (http://ppg.snafu-comics.com/) here in the West.
And if you haven't heard already, there seems to be a western influence in Japan. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demashita%21_Powerpuff_Girls_Z)
I dunno. What will be next?

[Mirai Gen]

roughly "And They're Off! Powerpuff Girls Z") is the name for a Japanese anime based upon the American animated television series The Powerpuff Girls.
Fuck. Me.

That has got to be one of the fucking wierdest things I've ever seen.

Anyway.

The western culture being popular in japan is really more than Powerpuff Girls - If you have blonde hair and a guitar, play a few songs from Green Day and you're idolized. I've always looked down on the part of the culture that is, I suppose, irrationally in love with japanese influence, AKA teenie girls memorizing phrases in japanese.

I suppose at this point we'd eventually end up growing tired of the cross-culture influence and it'd become 'mainstream'. But that won't happen for a long time, I'd bet.

[Fifthfiend]

And They're Off! Powerpuff Girls Z

Kill it!

Kill it with fire!

[h4x.m4g3]

The western culture being popular in japan is really more than Powerpuff Girls - If you have blonde hair and a guitar, play a few songs from Green Day and you're idolized. I've always looked down on the part of the culture that is, I suppose, irrationally in love with japanese influence, AKA teenie girls memorizing phrases in japanese.
Meh I don't see what's wrong with that, what's wrong is the 500lb guy wearing a hello kitty shirt meant for little kids, just cause hello kitty is japanese.

This has been going on for a while now really, I don't see whats so wrong/scary about two cultures influencing eachother. I mean there was a Peterpan Anime made a long time ago, and The Grudge was based on an old Japanese legend.

[Fifthfiend]

By the way, does the 'Z' suffix actually carry some sort of meaningful interpretation, in Japan? Like does Z just happen to be the japanese word for "like the first one, except it's fucking stupid now"?

Cause that would've saved me a lot of bother, over the years.

[Intern Nin]

This has been going on for a while now really, I don't see whats so wrong/scary about two cultures influencing eachother. I mean there was a Peterpan Anime made a long time ago, and The Grudge was based on an old Japanese legend.
No, the Grudge was based off the second movie in a series called Ju-On. That's not cultures influencing each other, it's called "Hollywood being lazy and taking movie ideas from Japan. Also, why make Powerpuff girls into a magical girl anime? It was fine the way it was, why fuck with it? At what point in time did it seem like that was a good idea?

[Great Cartoonist]

I'm not firm about which side I'm on about this whole issue, so I'll just give you a link to a youtube video (http://youtube.com/watch?v=wpvQ9UdH0pc&search=powerpuff%20girls%20Z) for further examination.

[Angelfire Blackwolf]

I've actually seen the first episode of powerpuff girls Z when I was browsing online. Quite by accident and I was curious.... (not saying where as I don't want to break the rules)

To be honest it isn't as bad as you'd think.. it's got a few changed premises but overall it's very similar to what powerpuff girls are. I will admit the animation is far better, but that's just because the two styles of animation are different.

To be honest though, this is an example of how cultures can influence each other in a good way, rather than a negative way. Yes there's still a few clashes (mainly with the censoring) but that's not really too bad as far as things go. I'll gladly put up with the rabid fangirls/boys for this...

Anyway, those are my thoughts on the matter.

[Egmont]

:gonk:

I don't mind cross-cultural stuff, actually. The only thing I dislike is when the original is changed to "adapt" to the different culture (unless said adaption is done rather well). No, I'm not one of those "purists omglolz he said brother instead of older brother wtf," and indeed some things (jokes, puns, etc) have to be changed or explained, but I don't see any sense in completely ignoring the country of origin if it's obviously FROM that country.

[greed]

By the way, does the 'Z' suffix actually carry some sort of meaningful interpretation, in Japan? Like does Z just happen to be the japanese word for "like the first one, except it's fucking stupid now"?

Cause that would've saved me a lot of bother, over the years.

Sig'D for truth.

And on topic, as long as they keep making serious animation and we don't get their fascination with the rape of 13 year old girls I couldn't care less about cross-culturing, though the obese 45 year old men dressed as Sailor Moon have to stop.

[h4x.m4g3]

By the way, does the 'Z' suffix actually carry some sort of meaningful interpretation, in Japan? Like does Z just happen to be the japanese word for "like the first one, except it's fucking stupid now"?

Cause that would've saved me a lot of bother, over the years.
Nah cause Z Gundam didn't suck, perhaps its only when its just the Z all the time (instead of Z being short for Zeta), or only means crappy as a suffix, the prefix means something else.

And I was thinking about Ju-On (heck was thinking about watching it yesterday) I just had a stupidity lapse. But the thing is I would never have even thought about seeing Ju-On if The Grudge never came out, and I never saw the Grudge. Perhaps making these copy-cat for a different culture movie is a good thing, since it also spreads the original to a new culture. Even if most people watch the bastardization of it, some will be exposed to the original.

[Flarecobra]

Obviously you all wen't around in Chat when I found a bunch of animeized pics of American things.....like Charlie Brown.

[greed]

Post them please Flare, I'll give you a cookie.:D
I remember running into the Futurama cast animeized somehwere, but in the Astroboy/Speedracer style not the modern one. It was one of the wierdest things I've ever seen.


On the cross-culturalisation, I think The Boondocks cartoon is a good example of why this isn't really a bad thing.
On my side of the pacific the original Metal Gear (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid_Snake#On_the_MSX_and_NES) faces is a good argument for it as a bad thing. Uggh Solid Snake as Michael Beihn and then Mel Gibson.

[Dwarfburg citizen]

As for the whole "Z" thing its because the villains, like Mojo Jojo got mutated by the black chemical Z.

it said it on the wiki, I couldnt bear to finish watchin the first episode.

[ElfLad]

http://forum.nuklearpower.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=5477&stc=1&d=1154549085

Oh my god! They killed Kenny-san! I've never seen their power level so high!

[Flarecobra]

It's Chemical X you're thinking about Dwarfburg.

[Fifthfiend]

It's Chemical X you're thinking about Dwarfburg.

Much as it pains me to say it, no. No it isn't.

Just take my word on this, really, you'd rather just not know.

[Dwarfburg citizen]

Wasnt South Park japanized previously?

[PyrosNine]

Kill it!

Kill it with fire!

Gee, I suddenly like you a whole lot more! Like, doubly more! Maybe!

It's not really Japanification as PPG is mostly a spoof of Japan culture anyway, from the giant monsters, Mojo Jojo (making fun of american dubs of Japanese movies), the giant mech, and finally the really large eyes and superdeformed look.

So all they did was remove the "spoof" part. And they might as well make a series, as Cartoon Network certainly isn't going to make any more cartoons.

Also, Z is the new X for extreme. Z-treme yo. Otherwise it would have been Power Puff Girls Y, which is a question alot of you probably said when you saw PPG Z.

[h4x.m4g3]

Wasnt South Park japanized previously?
That was an episode of South Park that was spoofing fight anime (DBZ). The previous picture was something a fan did.

[+1 Name]

Egmont's picture: Amen.

Wasnt South Park japanized previously?
No, it was a joke. Like, a "So ludicrous it's funny" kind of joke. (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Yob2STvpha4)

[Mirai Gen]

Meh I don't see what's wrong with that, what's wrong is the 500lb guy wearing a hello kitty shirt meant for little kids, just cause hello kitty is japanese.

This has been going on for a while now really, I don't see whats so wrong/scary about two cultures influencing eachother. I mean there was a Peterpan Anime made a long time ago, and The Grudge was based on an old Japanese legend.
I dunno if there's anything 'wrong' with it; I think a casual or fierce love of anime is just fine. What I don't like is, as mentioned, the teenie-boppers using terms like "Kawaii!" constantly trying to, fuck, I dunno, be cool in front of all their friends. I've always looked down upon it because it seems like a very juvenile thing, where you're not actually trying to learn japanese culture and langauge and intermingle because you like their style, you're just a rabid anime fangirl with a drooling obsession over 'yaoi' and 'bishies'. Anything beats a half-assed attempt to learn a culture and language just to show off.

It's like, "You just front'n," but only in Japanese.

Anyway, there's nothing 'wrong' with the two cultures intermingling. We've been doing it for a while. What's scary is companies thinking, "Shit, just add a Z on the end of something and make it all Japanified! And with it, we can rule the galaxy!" Add in your own favorite villain laugh here. I've been a lover of Beast Wars Megatron, myself.

EDIT: Oh, and more japanese influence. (http://www.weebls-stuff.com/wab/hentai/)

Kinda.

[Fifthfiend]

Do people actually really say things like 'bishie'?

Like, in not-on-the-internet, real life?

Cause if it does, I have a new reason to murder the world.

[greed]

Yes they do fifth, my sister's boyfriend's sister is a RAVING Sephiroth fangirl complete with plush Sephiroth doll she made in home ec she calls her bishie.

"This is the end, my friends...."

[h4x.m4g3]

I dunno if there's anything 'wrong' with it; I think a casual or fierce love of anime is just fine. What I don't like is, as mentioned, the teenie-boppers using terms like "Kawaii!" constantly trying to, fuck, I dunno, be cool in front of all their friends. I've always looked down upon it because it seems like a very juvenile thing, where you're not actually trying to learn japanese culture and langauge and intermingle because you like their style, you're just a rabid anime fangirl with a drooling obsession over 'yaoi' and 'bishies'. Anything beats a half-assed attempt to learn a culture and language just to show off.

It's like, "You just front'n," but only in Japanese.

Yeah that pretty much is annoying as hell. I thought you meant more along the lines of learning actual phrases/short sentances (Get away from me, back off, Whats up, You're an idiot, You have no ideal what I'm saying, What color are your panties?). I've been known to use phrases like that in other languages when I'm goofing off, after some of my international friends taught them to me.

[Aerozord]

wasn't alot of this mentioned on the witchblade anime thread?

Fact is American media is already mainstream in Japan. They have subbed movies in theaters, translated books and comics, heck some of the most popular shows in Japan are Simpsons and South Park. Most musicians also make english versions of their song, and the Japanese version have english words thrown in (meaningless and pointless ones I might add).

only difference in us copying them/them copying us thing is their's is more mainstream then ours.

[Elbodo]

Well when it comes to the cross-cultural sharing, I can see it two ways. If a thing is good because it's good then it should be shared. But I don't think a thing can be good "just because it's Japanese" or "Just because it's American" or "Just because it's any-culture-but-the-one-I-come-from." And I think the people who think a specific culture grants a cool-factor are really just trying to "be original" by borrowing from something far enough away that the people they're trying to persuade of their originality won't recognize it as borrowed.

As far as the PPG Anime: I'm not sure just where along the way I got lost, but it seems to me it's right around the time they started trying to tell a serious frelling story with the Powerpuff Girls!

My neices (7-year-old twins) love the PPG. Grew up with them. When I'm watching my nieces I often must watch (on TV) whatever keeps them comatose, and I've found that the PPG aren't too mind-numbing. This is, in part, because they aren't intended to be anything more than A.) something to entertain the little kids (say, around that Kindergarten age the characters are) and B.) Give the grownups who have to sit through the stuff their young charges watch something to chuckle about.

If this anime actually tries to develop a significant plot, or if, heaven forbid, the American version should begin trying to develop a plot, I will simply sit down in the floor and cry.

[Mirai Gen]

If this anime actually tries to develop a significant plot, or if, heaven forbid, the American version should begin trying to develop a plot, I will simply sit down in the floor and cry.
You will cry at such a thing? Well then, I heavily encourage you to go to the Wikipedia on it and read the whole thing on the Powerpuff Girls Z.

You see, I have a sadistic thing about seeing grown men cry.

[Chipper173]

Do people actually really say things like 'bishie'?

Like, in not-on-the-internet, real life?

Cause if it does, I have a new reason to murder the world.
I know a few people that do that. Do me a favor and take them out first.

[Mirai Gen]

I know a few people that do that. Do me a favor and take them out first.
Fuck, man, that simply cannot be at the top of Fifthfiend's list.

But, I digress.