Do you think Japanese speaking VN players feel superior to non Japanese speakers?

[Zalor]

So around two years ago, (when I first started playing visual novels) I read this article.

My link

Recently I stumbled along this article again and would like to know other peoples opinions on this issue. I personally don't have much experience as an active participant in the western VN community so I wouldn't know. However, it seems to me that if their willing to spend years translating a game, they probably aren't that much of assholes. So, what are the opinions of people who have been involved far longer than I have?

Edit: Please read the article before replying! I don't want people responding to what I wrote, rather I want them to respond on their opinions of the article I linked.

[Mikel]

I don't think they are superior or anything, but I'm sure they feel better than non-Japanese speakers, getting to play VNs as soon as they go out, and not having to wait for translations and all that.

I know I would feel better if I could read VNs in Japanese, I could play any VN I wanted to.

[Demi_kon]

The same way I feel about people who aren't fluent in English. I have a Korean friend whose sister is bilingual. She would read the Harry Potter books in English when they came out and spoil everything for her friends.

It's basically like... "Sucks to be you, doesn't it?"

[Asaka66]

It is ALWAYS advantageous to know the native language of any book, VN, movie or whatever. But that isn't necessarily a reason for anyone to feel superior.

In the end you can't view Japanese speakers as a group for the question you're asking because feeling superior depends from an individual and his personality.

You just can't ask such things expecting people to answer.

//OK I don't know whether the phrase is "depend from , on , or of" but I think you'll get my point//

[Ryoji]

So around two years ago, (when I first started playing visual novels) I read this article.

My link

Recently I stumbled along this article again and would like to know other peoples opinions on this issue. I personally don't have much experience as an active participant in the western VN community so I wouldn't know. However, it seems to me that if their willing to spend years translating a game, they probably aren't that much of assholes. So, what are the opinions of people who have been involved far longer than I have?

Edit: I wasn't to sure where to put this topic, but I ended up feeling this was the best forum. If anyone with authority feels it deserves to be moved to another forum feel free to do so.

This is the right forum.

Every country has people who feel superior to others. Is there a group of Japanese VN fans that think they are superior to everyone?? oh yea for sure. alot of the people on /jp/ are like that. Not all but a bunch. Unfortunately there's assholes in every corner of society. Just like im sure there are American's who think there superior to everyone. it happens everywhere.

I haven't been in the VN community for long at all. I dont know very many Translators or anything. Im just saying that there are people like that everywhere. I just wish people would work together to make VN's more available for EVERYONE. (i know its crazy)

[Mephisto]

I believe that if one person has knowledge that another does not, then the one with more knowledge will naturally feel superior in that area.

I do not believe that this means that the two people can not get along, or that the one with more knowledge will strut and look down on the other person.

It's quite obvious that whoever wrote this blog had a serious grudge against certain translators, and not translators in general. Only a complete idiot would try to generalize an entire population based on a sample of one or two people from it. (That is not to say it doesn't happen)

[Clephas]

It is more frustrating at times than a matter of pride. There are so many games I'd love to addict other people to but can't because they haven't been translated. The times when I act superior are mostly attempts to needle others into learning enough Japanese to make the dive into untranslated games. It's more than a little lonely being unable to share game stories with those who might love them without spoiling them. Moreover, the VN-playing community in general is small and the Japanese-competent are an even smaller group within that community, which makes finding people who share your interests and tastes amongst your peers incredibly hard. Yes, I'm proud that I learned Japanese with the sole original motivation of playing video games and watching anime, because I actually managed to do it solely with that motivation. However, I don't consider myself superior to others... rather, in the sense that I am incapable of escaping my addictions, I'd say I'm probably a little less mentally stable than most...lol

[Zalor]

In the end you can't view Japanese speakers as a group for the question you're asking because feeling superior depends from an individual and his personality.

You just can't ask such things expecting people to answer.

I didn't intend to propose this as my own question, lol. I feel like people are responding to what I wrote, instead of the article. I'm more curious on whether people agree or disagree with what the author of the article I linked wrote. I would prefer for people to reply to their opinions of the article then they do of my poorly phrased question.

I just wish people would work together to make VN's more available for EVERYONE.

I do to man. I really feel VN's are an unappreciated emerging art form; and their never get the attention they deserve unless they become popular in countries other than Japan.

[Mephisto]

I didn't intend to propose this as my own question, lol. I feel like people are responding to what I wrote, instead of the article. I'm more curious on whether people agree or disagree with what the author of the article I linked wrote. I would prefer for people to reply to their opinions of the article then they do of my poorly phrased question.

If I'm reading it correctly, the article seems to believe that people who can read japanese look down on people who can't read japanese based on the fact that someone cancelled an english translation?

I think the entire argument is logically unsound.

People who can read japanese want more people to learn japanese, because the entire purpose of learning a language is to be able to communicate with other people who know that language, and that is facilitated by having other people learn the language. That desire to have others know what you know may come off as "superiority complex", but I don't think it really is.

Also, the reason he gives for their cancelling of the project is paradoxical... Why would someone begin a translation if they want to glorify their own superiority over others? They would do something closer to the situation Demi-kon described.

[Wahfuu]

Oh my god, seeing this article again makes me feel old.

Anyways, I'd probably feel pretty damn good about myself if I didn't have to sit around and wait for translations all the time, but I don't think I'd actually hold it over anyones head. It's something you have, and it's awesome for sure, but it's definitely not something you can call foul on other people for not being able to do.

That being said, I wish my japanese wasn't so bad. I've only been able to get through Majikoi S, Harvest Festa and portions of D.C.III.

[Tay]

In my experience the superiority isn't Japanese speakers/readers vs. non-readers, but rather the old-guard vs. new players. If you look at the VNDB forums, TLwiki forums, and (unfortunately) even areas of major VN sites like eroguedownload (which, btw, is an amazing site) they are extremely toxic and abusive to newcomers. Around the site Aaeru describes this as an outgrowth of 4chan and /jp/ webculture, so when you see references to that, know that this topic is exactly why she created Fuwanovel. No matter what you call it, though, it's a toxic, condescending and extremely unwelcoming environment to VN newcomers and veterans alike. It's the people perpetuating those toxic and rude atmospheres which make the VN scene so dysfunctional.

Now, a lot of the people I'm talking about know Japanese and are actively translating games. I think that's where this article is coming from. My suggestion is that, contrary to the article, the dysfunction comes from certain web-circles, and not Japanese vs Non-Japanese outlooks.

(Just want to thank everyone, again, for being so friendly on Fuwa.)

[Zalor]

Which makes finding people who share your interests and tastes amongst your peers incredibly hard.

I understand that feeling. I remember in high school their was an anime club. I thought it would be filled with people who loved, and valued anime as an art form as I did. Instead it was filled with a bunch of people who only watched Naruto, One Piece and stuff alike. I never did join that club, but thankfully I did manage to find someone who I was capable of debating interpretations of Serial Experiments Lain, and Monster. Also just out of curiosity how long did it take you to learn Japanese, and when did you start learning?

People who can read japanese want more people to learn japanese, because the entire purpose of learning a language is to be able to communicate with other people who know that language, and that is facilitated by having other people learn the language. That desire to have others know what you know may come off as "superiority complex", but I don't think it really is.

Also, the reason he gives for their cancelling of the project is paradoxical... Why would someone begin a translation if they want to glorify their own superiority over others? They would do something closer to the situation Demi-kon described.

I do agree with you on the that his reason, "for their cancelling of the project is paradoxical." However, I also think the author brings up a good point when he says, "They think because you don’t want to learn the language, you don’t deserve their sacred ambrosia (which is visual novels." (I'm not saying the translators think this way, but I know their are people out their who do). For people to look down on others for not having the time to invest to learn a language, is a very arrogant thought process, and one that I think is heavily flawed.

(Just want to thank everyone, again, for being so friendly on Fuwa.)

I would like to thank everyone as well. I find the community here very nice and welcoming.

[InvertMouse]

I guess there'll be superior feeling people in any country. No doubt, this applies to Japan also. However, I am also certain that there are Japanese players who would be happy to hear people around the world want to be involved in their hobbies.

Wahfuu, yeah, I think I've read this article before also~ Hm, maybe we should feel superior for having read it first! Nah .

I too am glad that everyone is so friendly here B). That are a lot of nasty forums so this is something I appreciate.

[Metaler]

In my experience the superiority isn't Japanese speakers/readers vs. non-readers, but rather the old-guard vs. new players. If you look at the VNDB forums, TLwiki forums, and (unfortunately) even areas of major VN sites like eroguedownload (which, btw, is an amazing site) they are extremely toxic and abusive to newcomers. Around the site Aaeru describes this as an outgrowth of 4chan and /jp/ webculture, so when you see references to that, know that this topic is exactly why she created Fuwanovel. No matter what you call it, though, it's a toxic, condescending and extremely unwelcoming environment to VN newcomers and veterans alike. It's the people perpetuating those toxic and rude atmospheres which make the VN scene so dysfunctional.

Now, a lot of the people I'm talking about know Japanese and are actively translating games. I think that's where this article is coming from. My suggestion is that, contrary to the article, the dysfunction comes from certain web-circles, and not Japanese vs Non-Japanese outlooks.

(Just want to thank everyone, again, for being so friendly on Fuwa.)

This, so very much. 4chan is a product of a society which encourages hate and paranoia, when in reality we should be living on love and compassion. Feelings of superiority and pride will get us nowhere. We must realize that we are not separate entities from each other, and if we love others, then we will be loved in return. And even if we're not, we must forgive, as hatred will have no positive outcomes.

This is why I like this place so much and why I left VNDB: everyone here is very friendly. This is simply a community for people who enjoy the same thing. For me, Fuwanovel is like The Dude's and Walter's bowling alley. A cozy little place for us to sit back and relax. The world has enough hatred as it is, so we must do our best to cultivate the idea of love.

[InvertMouse]

The world has enough hatred as it is, so we must do our best to cultivate the idea of love.

(^-^)<3~

[zoom909]

It's easier for me to communicate with 2D girls in a foreign language than it is for me to communicate with real girls in my own language.

Now you tell me, what exactly am I supposed to feel superior about?

[Zalor]

It's easier for me to communicate with 2D girls in a foreign language than it is for me to communicate with real girls in my own language. '

Now you tell me, what exactly am I supposed to feel superior about?

You say that like it's a bad thing, man. You get a higher variety of poontang by sticking to 2D, than the amount people would normally get by sticking to real girls. Anyway, I'm not saying anything; theoretically the author of the article might be but that's totally up to your interpretation.

[Tief Blau]

In my experience the superiority isn't Japanese speakers/readers vs. non-readers, but rather the old-guard vs. new players. If you look at the VNDB forums, TLwiki forums, and (unfortunately) even areas of major VN sites like eroguedownload (which, btw, is an amazing site) they are extremely toxic and abusive to newcomers. Around the site Aaeru describes this as an outgrowth of 4chan and /jp/ webculture, so when you see references to that, know that this topic is exactly why she created Fuwanovel. No matter what you call it, though, it's a toxic, condescending and extremely unwelcoming environment to VN newcomers and veterans alike. It's the people perpetuating those toxic and rude atmospheres which make the VN scene so dysfunctional.

Now, a lot of the people I'm talking about know Japanese and are actively translating games. I think that's where this article is coming from. My suggestion is that, contrary to the article, the dysfunction comes from certain web-circles, and not Japanese vs Non-Japanese outlooks.

(Just want to thank everyone, again, for being so friendly on Fuwa.)

Tay, making good points as usual

I understand that feeling. I remember in high school their was an anime club. I thought it would be filled with people who loved, and valued anime as an art form as I did. Instead it was filled with a bunch of people who only watched Naruto, One Piece and stuff alike. I never did join that club, but thankfully I did manage to find someone who I was capable of debating interpretations of Serial Experiments Lain, and Monster. Also just out of curiosity how long did it take you to learn Japanese, and when did you start learning?

Started 2.5 years ago, and still going. Though to be realistic, of those 2.5 I've only actually spent around 1 year seriously studying Japanese.

Would like to echo my request for a Japanese forum.

[Tay]

It's easier for me to communicate with 2D girls in a foreign language than it is for me to communicate with real girls in my own language.

Now you tell me, what exactly am I supposed to feel superior about?

This is one of the greatest quotes in Fuwanovel history on so many levels.

Tay, making good points as usual

Wow, thanks! Made me feel happy.

[Steve]

2d for the win xD nice quote

Anyway a Japanese friend from pso2 plays VNs and when I talk to her about them, she often tells me how she wants me to play them and she is glad I'm playing what she likes.

So ofc this depends on individual people but I would say they don't really feel superior, they often feel proud that you enjoy something from their country

Just like I feel proud being Czech because of the best review ever written in the world, here is translation: http://arellanes.com...-pravoi-review/

jk xD

Anyway there always are people who will think they are superior and they don't even want foreigners to get into "their hobby", but those are as mentioned often those 2ch guys and such, its the same terrible community in JP just like we have 4ch people xD

But if you avoid those, Japanese people who are into VNs are actually pretty nice, judging also from some people on pixiv. The ones I talk about at least often feel proud that someone from the other side of the universe can enjoy their products.

[Metaler]

2d for the win xD nice quote

Anyway a Japanese friend from pso2 plays VNs and when I talk to her about them, she often tells me how she wants me to play them and she is glad I'm playing what she likes.

So ofc this depends on individual people but I would say they don't really feel superior, they often feel proud that you enjoy something from their country

Just like I feel proud being Czech because of the best review ever written in the world, here is translation: http://arellanes.com...-pravoi-review/

jk xD

Anyway there always are people who will think they are superior and they don't even want foreigners to get into "their hobby", but those are as mentioned often those 2ch guys and such, its the same terrible community in JP just like we have 4ch people xD

But if you avoid those, Japanese people who are into VNs are actually pretty nice, judging also from some people on pixiv. The ones I talk about at least often feel proud that someone from the other side of the universe can enjoy their products.

I follow some Japanese folks on twitter too, and they're all a really nice bunch. Swell fellas.