Do you listen to J-Pop music?

[katakori]

Sure. But I think if you eliminate the word "mainstream" from my original post, the statement would still hold true.

i couldn't agree more... let me rephrase, then :
"most (pretend to be art) is pure crap." (but )

[Andocrates]

The anime "freaks" with their "more Japanese than thou" attitude are pretty weird. They need to understand that they're white and that's not going to change, no matter how much of a Japonky they become. I wonder if they realize that Japan would never accept them....?

I know this is a bit late in the thread. But . . . I think those kind of people are lucky, they get the real world (USA) but also an imaginary world where all the girls are cute and want them, the people polite, everyone reads manga and anime, and life is perfect. It's sad to see someone who idolizes Japan go there and have their dreams dashed.

The happiest people in life are retarded people, they are always smiling and happy because they don't have to deal with the crap. A new pair of shoes keeps them in heaven for days. The unhappiest people are the intellects who can always see through the smoke and mirrors of life and realize there is no hope.

[katakori]

except, unlike retarded people who are "in their world" for ever, sometimes the anime fans manage to get to japan (lifelong dream) and suddenly face reality...

[Caustic Saint]

except, unlike retarded people who are "in their world" for ever, sometimes the anime fans manage to get to japan (lifelong dream) and suddenly face reality...

I have a friend back in the states who's a huge anime fan. He's also got some of the "culture obsession" (for lack of a better term), but I think he's into the anime more from a story and art angle than just sporting a woody for all things Japanese. He wants to come visit me in Korea, but I told him to just wait until I get to Japan, since he'd rather go there. Every now and then I have to remind him that it's not like the anime (no Gibson-esque sprawl, no megacity skyscrapers, etc.), just to keep him grounded.

Then sometimes it all goes wrong. When I was home this summer he brought some stuff over to watch and one of them had a scene that took place in Asakusa, not too far from where I stayed during my visit. Damn if it didn't look like the real thing. I was surprised (though I probably shouldn't be) at how well they captured the neighborhood, and told him so. Then I had to quickly point out that just because one anime is an accurate portrayal of Japan, not all of them are.

Fortunately he watches all kinds, and not just the super-glittery sci-fi ones. I wonder how most of these guys see Japan if they ever make the trip?

[Ptyx]

The last lp from Aco (Irony) is a really good piece of modern pop. Number Girl was an excellent j-rock band (until they split last year), Mo'some tonebender is an excellent garage band, and there are tons of other examples of good japanese "mainstream" bands that are great <namedropping>Tha Blue Herb, Dj Klock, Boat, Guitar Vader, Guitar Wolf, Buffalo Daughter, Seagull screaming kiss her kiss her...</namedropping>.

Ok these are not really "mainstream" bands like Puffy, Ayu or Hitomi (imho utter crap), but these are not really underground stuff either.

So, to make everyone happy, let's just say that middleground j-pop can be good sometimes.

[katakori]

Ok these are not really "mainstream" bands

in fact, the terms "mainstream" and "underground" don't apply in japan. they are used differently here, and a lot of people consume too much to stay within the boundaries of "mainstream" anymore.
beside, you can be listening to underground stuff and "mainstream" (yuki, southern all stars...) and still be "respectable", because mainstream is somehow impossible to escape, even if you really are not into it.

[EKen9]

I think Chemistry is pretty good. I like some Glay too

[kotatsuneko]

my bro who no doubt on first sight many posters here look like they would refer to as "retarded" (gee thanks nhs for using fcked drugs..) happens to be one of the best paid sysadmins in london..

he prefers juke and seikimatsu these days , i increasingly listen to more female singers like yaida hitomi and shiina ringo for some reason, maybe getting bored of the j rock scene for the mo..