Why did you decide to move to Japan?

[Doctor]

Actually, I do recall seeing an extensive library of anime in your video collection and a large collection of ultraman toys on your shelf.

Caustic, that is pretty sad. I thought you were once a sargent or something in Korea. WTF happened?

[Caustic Saint]

Actually, I do recall seeing an extensive library of anime in your video collection and a large collection of ultraman toys on your shelf.

Caustic, that is pretty sad. I thought you were once a sargent or something in Korea. WTF happened?

I think Kamome was taking a jab at AK there, not talking to me.

For the record, I only have 11 pieces of anime in my movie collection (mostly Studio Ghibli work) and never liked Ultraman. And yes, I used to be in the army, and was a sergeant. 3 of the 5 years (non-consecutive) I've spent in Korea were with the Army.

[Doctor]

For the record, I only have 11 pieces of anime in my movie collection (mostly Studio Ghibli work) and never liked Ultraman. And yes, I used to be in the army, and was a sergeant. 3 of the 5 years (non-consecutive) I've spent in Korea were with the Army.

Ok, that`s not so bad. AK, if you have lots of anime, shame on you.

Caustic, stop at what you have---don`t get more!

[mercutio]

[dimwit]

For the record, I only have 11 pieces of anime in my movie collection (mostly Studio Ghibli work) and never liked Ultraman.

There is no shame in having Ultraman videos, I grew up on badly dubbed UM videos from the late sixties. I think they were my subconscious rational for coming to Japan. :P

[Caustic Saint]

For the record, I only have 11 pieces of anime in my movie collection (mostly Studio Ghibli work) and never liked Ultraman. And yes, I used to be in the army, and was a sergeant. 3 of the 5 years (non-consecutive) I've spent in Korea were with the Army.

Ok, that`s not so bad. AK, if you have lots of anime, shame on you.

Caustic, stop at what you have---don`t get more!

There's nothing wrong with anime - unless it takes over your life. Some of it's really good, and the films tend to be better than most American animated films. For series, I prefer the American stuff. No anime series tops (or will ever top) Futurama.

[Doctor]

Yeah, I was at a Lawson`s today and I saw the strangest J-comic. Outrageous porn etc. WTF! Pretty funny stuff, but also an eye-opener.


Got to go FG peeps, my beeper is going...

A little parting medical advice:

Caustic, stay off the fucking sugar or you`ll end up on my slab with a type 2 diabetes induced amputation in a few years! Really, you like it too much my son, but you can change.

See ya`ll later.......

[gomichild]

I ended up here on my way to somewhere else. I hadn't really decided where that somewhere else was, got into my groove here and seven and a half years later...I still haven't decided where that somewhere else should be

[sillygirl]

I ended up here on my way to somewhere else. I hadn't really decided where that somewhere else was, got into my groove here and seven and a half years later...I still haven't decided where that somewhere else should be

EXACTLY the same for me .....10 years later.

[Jushin-Thunder-Liger]

I came to save up some money and pay off student debts, but i havn't saved a penny, i spend everything i earn on what can only be described as "crap".
I spent 105,000 Yen on a video camera t'other day, to video what exactly?
I have only managed to break even, after stopping going out in Roppongi till 5:30, and instead drinking alone in my apartment, listening to the Smiths.
Which is nice
I might go home soon

[gomichild]

EXACTLY the same for me .....10 years later.

I think that's just the way life works.

So really the reason why you come here is not anywhere near as important as what you are doing being here.

I do think though that a number of people who come here not knowing too much beyond a particular aspect of Japan often find themselves deep in culture shock with the reality of it. Nothing can truly prepare you for living in a country other than your own until you do it.

Bit of a Catch 22 there - but hey what doesn't send you completely nuts will only make you stronger (?).

[jim katta]

While in "spirit" I agree that moving to japan because you like anime "sounds" lame, I think we're splitting hairs here.

Because:

When a guy meets a woman, he usually enters into that situation because she superficially looks good. THEN he's discovers the deeper treasure of her personality and knowledge.

I think the same goes for Japan, or most other countries. My first interest came from the amazing Japanese technology I was exposed to. If you met a guy who said he moved to japan because he loved the technology, would you call him lame? I don't think so. Is technology somehow a better reason than anime? I don't think so. We all have our entry points into different cultures, and relationships. I think the important thing is that once you enter, you don't hold on tight to your preconceived notions -- you open yourself up to the full experience of the person, or place (in this case, Japan).

[Taro Toporific]

... If you met a guy who said he moved to japan because he loved the technology, would you call him lame? I don't think so. ....

Hey, I'm lame and "Japanese technology" is something you do NOT want see first hand ...like sausage making.

[sillygirl]

EXACTLY the same for me .....10 years later.

So really the reason why you come here is not anywhere near as important as what you are doing being here.
.

Here's a valid point. What's interesting is how people change once they've been here a while. It's funny how fucked some gaijin get!!

By the way........sausage making???!! Should I ask?

[kamome]

[GomiGirl]

Sorry but there is an underlying snobbery in some of these posts.. How is one reason better than another?

If it is good enough for the individual concerned then live and let live I say..

But really, just because we are all FG's and living in Japan away from the places we were born, it doesn't mean we have to agree or even like each other in this little subculture.

If you don't like eikawa teachers, nigerian touters, anime otakus or keitai nerds, nobody is forcing you to be friends with them or even agree with their choices.

And just because you don't want to be tarred with the same brush as eikawa teachers, nigerian touts, anime otakus, keitai nerds or chinese mafia bosses this is just a part of the FG condition.. so deal...

Sure most of us like living here because we are a bit different and a bit special and we do get attention.. but you cannot keep the whole spotlight to yourselves - mainly because you have to share it with ME, ME, ME!!!!!

[GomiGirl]

oh and p.s.

I came here for the PDA's and the Keitais.. (asif you didn't already know)

[cstaylor]

On topic with the title of the post: I followed my love home.

Biggest shock: that learning Japanese wasn't like learning French.

Biggest thing I miss from home: wide open roads, near-perfect weather conditions, uncrowded beaches, sourdough bread.

If I moved back home, what would be the first thing I'd install at my house: Japanese toilet and bath

[Taro Toporific]

[Big Booger]

On topic with the title of the post: I followed my love home.

Same here. Though I had an interest in Kabuki and Noh as well. It was from some research I did in my university days..

Biggest thing I miss from home: Taco Bell, and women with big tata's, hoots, teets, melons, bazookas, jugs, etc.., and clean air/cleaner air.

Biggest Shock: Different accepted personal hygiene standards.

[gomichild]

oh and p.s.

I came here for the PDA's and the Keitais.. (asif you didn't already know)

You did not you bloody fibber - it was the umeshu wasn't it?

[djgizmoe]

Sorry but there is an underlying snobbery in some of these posts.. How is one reason better than another?

If it is good enough for the individual concerned then live and let live I say..
!

Here, here. I mean, I came to Japan just so I could fit in here at FuckedGaijin. I mean, gosh everyone here seemed to be having SOOO much fun, talking about credit card problems and Japan's new Zeppelin fleet and such...

But semi-seriously, maybe because my decision to come here could probably be traced back to me seeing AKIRA in 1989 or seeing the Boredoms live in LA (circa Pop Tatari), but I have a lot of sympathy for soon-to-be-ex-otaku. And I have to admit, if I couldn't go and see Denki Groove play live with Orbital, if I couldn't see the new Takeshi Miike film, if I wasn't able to pick up the new Buffalo Daughter at Shibuya Tower or sit on the filthy floor of Bears for a noise concert once in a while, hell it'd be no different than living in...Korea, I guess. And the "average" people who look down on "maniaku"? Well, they can have their Ayumi Hamasaki listening, brand goods worshipping, hostess bar cruising, passionless, hobby-free lives and good riddance! But if Hirai Ken and Pocky are the reasons you came here, good luck anyway!

Biggest thing I miss from home: Comedy Central, cheap pizza and burritos. Seeing euro films with English subtitles.

Biggest shocks: Hot canned coffee vending machines; Roppongi (nuff said)

[Caustic Saint]

hell it'd be no different than living in...Korea, I guess.

Biggest thing I miss from home: Comedy Central, cheap pizza and burritos. Seeing euro films with English subtitles.

You're SOL on the other stuff, but you can get cheap (and damned good!) pizza in Korea. My local shop serves up a large, any style with ham & cheese rolled into the crust (best pizza dough I've had in Korea or Japan) for only 1,400 yen.

Just don't go to Pizza Hut or Domino's in Korea. They're good, but not as good as the independants and cost about 50-80% more.

[kamome]

The top three things I miss from home? At this moment, it's whole wheat bagels and bread--I hate that white bread stuff, the clean air, and the ability to hop in a car and go anywhere at any time. Oh yeah, and if I can add a fourth, it's the ability to do comparison shopping--since almost everything costs the same no matter where you shop for it.

[kamome]

oh and p.s.

I came here for the PDA's and the Keitais.. (asif you didn't already know)

You did not you bloody fibber - it was the umeshu wasn't it?

I thought it was all those studly Japanese dudes walking around

[djgizmoe]

My local shop serves up a large, any style with ham & cheese rolled into the crust (best pizza dough I've had in Korea or Japan) for only 1,400 yen.

Just don't go to Pizza Hut or Domino's in Korea. They're good, but not as good as the independants and cost about 50-80% more.

Well damnit, if that don't give me a reason to hop over to Seoul. Sorry about the Korea-bashing; I had a terrible time on a visa-visit there, where my bag got snatched while noshing on a fish sandwich at Burger King in Itaewon, and I ended up spending the next 4 hours in a police station where nobody spoke English and then had to fight tooth and nail to get a new pair of Korean Air tickets issued (thank god another American at the guest house lent me her credit card, or I'd still be there...).

Anyone know any really good pizza or Mexican places worth checking out in Japan? I've yet to be totally satisfied on those two accounts...

[GomiGirl]

My local shop serves up a large, any style with ham & cheese rolled into the crust (best pizza dough I've had in Korea or Japan) for only 1,400 yen.

Just don't go to Pizza Hut or Domino's in Korea. They're good, but not as good as the independants and cost about 50-80% more.

Well damnit, if that don't give me a reason to hop over to Seoul.

I have a much better reason.... and it has nothing to do with pizza..

[gomichild]

I thought it was all those studly Japanese dudes walking around

Keep up kamome honey, that's the reason why I stayed in Japan.