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How is the Anime/Manga/Vocaloid fandom treated?

hamano

ミクさんマジ天使
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Apr 8, 2018
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This questions is for Japanese pop culture fans of all kinds:
I was wondering how the people around you perceive your hobby/passion? How do you think Anime/Manga/Vocaloid/J-music fans are treated in general?

My family has a very neutral attitude towards my obsession for Miku. Same goes with my friends, they're not interested in knowing more, but no one has condemned my hobby either. I also don't like to bring out my love for Vocaloid too much, so most of my workmates and not-so-close friends don't even know.

In general, I think that being into J-culture is quite widely accepted among teens and young adults nowadays, although some still think that anime is for kids and stuff like that. Sure J-culture fandom is seen as nerdy, but at least nowadays it's not considered to be such as eccentric hobby as it used to be, and it's okay to like those things. Of course some people, especially among the older generations, seem to think it's weird if an adult likes those "childrens' cartoons", and see anime and manga fans as childish nerds or just plain weirdos.

The Vocaloid fandom in Finland exists, but it's relatively small and Finnish fans are either "silent" fans or active only in international online communities (such as me...) So I can't say anything about Vocaloid fans in particular.

Also you sometimes see this strange, unexplained hate towards J-culture fans online. Some of it is probably just trolling, but some seem serious, and I can't understand the reason behind such hate.
 

mobius017

Aspiring ∞ Creator
Apr 8, 2018
1,982
This post used to be a good bit longer, but I think it rambled off-topic a bit, and I'm not entirely sure I like everything it said, so I think I'll leave it as follows:

To speak of my own family, I think it's basically the same situation as yours. They don't condemn it, but they're not too interested in learning more.

In general, I think that being into J-culture is quite widely accepted among teens and young adults nowadays, although some still think that anime is for kids and stuff like that. Sure J-culture fandom is seen as nerdy, but at least nowadays it's not considered to be such as eccentric hobby as it used to be, and it's okay to like those things. Of course some people, especially among the older generations, seem to think it's weird if an adult likes those "childrens' cartoons", and see anime and manga fans as childish nerds or just plain weirdos.
In general, I think this is true.
 
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Gralydig

Just a chill dude, doing his thing.
Oct 8, 2018
40
23
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My family doesn't really care about my obsession with Miku and anime/manga, since my family has always told me, "As long as you don't hurt anybody it's alright with us." But my Dad kinda likes Miku, I've showed him some of her music and he mostly likes the rock themed songs. When it comes to Anime the case is the same. But when it comes to my friends it's a different story, some of my friends are accepting since most of them are weebs but the other half make fun of me about liking Miku saying I'm "gay" or something along those lines but I tend to ignore them. Other then that most people in my life are accepting of these things.
 
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Kona

Avanna's #1 Fan
Apr 8, 2018
813
USA
Where I live, it’s all pretty accepted. I’ve had large vroups of friends all anime fans, friends who liked Vocalid or at least took a listen to Miku, etc.

Outside of friends, it’s still very positive as just a “that’s your thing” situation. I hear random people around me talking about anime evert day when I’m in school, usually only the popular things like DBZ though.
Though I think the positive side of my little town comes from its conventions. We had two conventions, now only one every year and the one still going on yearly has had some big names in anime dub come around (including Goku’s English VA, Sean Schimmel)

Vocaloid is very neutral here, people let you have your taste really. K-Pop is extremely popular here, so it’s gotten to a point liking Vocaloid or J-Pop or anything is just whatever. I’ve even done projects on Vocaloid before and it go very positively.
 
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Blue Of Mind

The world that I do not know...
Apr 8, 2018
699
My family don't care about my interests in general (let alone Vocaloid and J-culture) so long as I still do well in both the education and looking-for-work sides of my life. They're not above making fun of it sometimes though. :rolleyes:

In general, J-culture is still obscure in the UK because we're a smaller country, though we do have cons and shops dedicated to it. The British mainstream never pays attention to anything more intelligent than Pokemon.
 

hamano

ミクさんマジ天使
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This post used to be a good bit longer, but I think it rambled off-topic a bit, and I'm not entirely sure I like everything it said, so I think I'll leave it as follows:

To speak of my own family, I think it's basically the same situation as yours. They don't condemn it, but they're not too interested in learning more.



In general, I think this is true.
I did catch a glimpse of your original post, and I agree with what you said.
Regarding the way I described the general public's or average Joe's view on anime in the OP, I did simplify and generalize stuff. There's tons of anime with deep and serious topics, but unfortunately the mainstream public usually only knows Pokemon.
...
But when it comes to my friends it's a different story, some of my friends are accepting since most of them are weebs but the other half make fun of me about liking Miku saying I'm "gay" or something along those lines but I tend to ignore them. Other then that most people in my life are accepting of these things.
I don't know how old your friends are, but making fun of your interests like that sounds immature and is best ignored, assuming they're not just trying to be funny by jokingly saying stuff like that.

Where I live, it’s all pretty accepted. I’ve had large vroups of friends all anime fans, friends who liked Vocalid or at least took a listen to Miku, etc.

Outside of friends, it’s still very positive as just a “that’s your thing” situation. I hear random people around me talking about anime evert day when I’m in school, usually only the popular things like DBZ though.
Though I think the positive side of my little town comes from its conventions. We had two conventions, now only one every year and the one still going on yearly has had some big names in anime dub come around (including Goku’s English VA, Sean Schimmel)

Vocaloid is very neutral here, people let you have your taste really. K-Pop is extremely popular here, so it’s gotten to a point liking Vocaloid or J-Pop or anything is just whatever. I’ve even done projects on Vocaloid before and it go very positively.
That sounds good! So basically being a J-culture fan is nothing out of the ordinary, just a hobby among others? You're lucky to have friends who share the same kind of interests. I have just one friend who's an anime/manga fan, but she isn't interested in Vocaloid. I've tried to introduce Miku to her but she didn't take much interest. My other friends don't care for J-culture, but thankfully we have other common interests.

...
In general, J-culture is still obscure in the UK because we're a smaller country, though we do have cons and shops dedicated to it. The British mainstream never pays attention to anything more intelligent than Pokemon.
It's pretty much the same in Finland. J-culture is still somewhat an underground thing in a way. What I mean is that it's not mainstream, the fandom exists but it's not visible to your average citizen (apart from the few mangas they sell at supermarkets/bigger shops.

Overall, it seems that many of us have families and friends that don't view this hobby as weird and have no problem with it, which is a good thing.
 

Eviltreat16

Probably an Artist, Probably a Praying Mantis
Apr 8, 2018
169
My sister is also into Vocaloid/anime/all that nerd stuff so that's not an issue. My mom's pretty much 'eh it's what my kids like I'll support them' with us. She has picked up my preorder copies of Project Diva before from gamestop and she's actually bought me anime/vocaloid merch from online/stores on her own without me being like "i want this" though occasionally will ask my sister since I'm states away if I'd like what she found she actually showed me a miku themed hoodie she ordered online for xmas this year not long ago

I dragged my friends in college into it so, overall strangely positive.
 
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mobius017

Aspiring ∞ Creator
Apr 8, 2018
1,982
I don't know how old your friends are, but making fun of your interests like that sounds immature and is best ignored, assuming they're not just trying to be funny by jokingly saying stuff like that.
Agree with this.

It's pretty much the same in Finland. J-culture is still somewhat an underground thing in a way. What I mean is that it's not mainstream, the fandom exists but it's not visible to your average citizen (apart from the few mangas they sell at supermarkets/bigger shops.
Wow, you guys have some manga in your supermarkets? That's cool.
 
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hamano

ミクさんマジ天使
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...
Wow, you guys have some manga in your supermarkets? That's cool.
At least the bigger supermarkets carry some manga titles in the magazine/comic book shelf. Unfortunately they don't sell any manga I'd be interested in :/

I guess these are all titles they sell atm:
Manga - Sarjakuva-albumit - Kirjat

I would say in America, it just depends on your family/social circles. I'm also old so
True, it depends a lot on what kind of people you're interacting with. That's the same thing anywhere basically, though on a general level, the attitudes towards J-culture fans might differ from country to country.
 

mobius017

Aspiring ∞ Creator
Apr 8, 2018
1,982
At least the bigger supermarkets carry some manga titles in the magazine/comic book shelf. Unfortunately they don't sell any manga I'd be interested in :/

I guess these are all titles they sell atm:
Manga - Sarjakuva-albumit - Kirjat
Still cool anyway! Is the magazine/comic book shelf next to the checkout, or is it further back with books and things? (Just sort of curious, since I imagined them next to the candy bars where you check out for some reason. :) If they're up there, I guess it indicates better acceptance than if they're back in the dedicated book section, too.)
 

Gralydig

Just a chill dude, doing his thing.
Oct 8, 2018
40
23
Chicago
Still cool anyway! Is the magazine/comic book shelf next to the checkout, or is it further back with books and things? (Just sort of curious, since I imagined them next to the candy bars where you check out for some reason. :) If they're up there, I guess it indicates better acceptance than if they're back in the dedicated book section, too.)
Speaking of supermarkets and manga the area I live in has quite a bit of anime shops. Just 2 weeks ago I walked into an anime shop and it was heaven on earth, seeing people with the same interest as me. There even was a Hatsune Miku manga section, I didn’t even know there was such a thing.
 

hamano

ミクさんマジ天使
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Apr 8, 2018
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Still cool anyway! Is the magazine/comic book shelf next to the checkout, or is it further back with books and things? (Just sort of curious, since I imagined them next to the candy bars where you check out for some reason. :) If they're up there, I guess it indicates better acceptance than if they're back in the dedicated book section, too.)
Actually (from what I've seen) in most mid-size supermarket they're close to the cash registers, on the same aisle as candies. Bigger shops don't necessarily have the same kind of consistency. But basically manga tends to be placed next to magazines, Donald Duck comics etc.

@Gralydig A dedicated section for Hatsune Miku manga? Wow! Did they have a lot of different titles there?

@cafenurse You have such kind friends! I wish my friends would give me Miku stuff as gifts too...
 
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Gralydig

Just a chill dude, doing his thing.
Oct 8, 2018
40
23
Chicago
Actually (from what I've seen) in most mid-size supermarket they're close to the cash registers, on the same aisle as candies. Bigger shops don't necessarily have the same kind of consistency. But basically manga tends to be placed next to magazines, Donald Duck comics etc.

@Gralydig A dedicated section for Hatsune Miku manga? Wow! Did they have a lot of different titles there?

@cafenurse You have such kind friends! I wish my friends would give me Miku stuff as gifts too...
They had quite a bit I was very surprised a store like that exist. I even took a picture. Note, the section is not very big but to think this much manga let alone any published fan manga of voicaloid exists is just sooo cool. (It’s not only Miku there’s also Rin and even Luka and even more if I remember)
 

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