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[mango drank]

In the last 40 years or so, Japan's entertainment exports (anime films + series, manga, video games) have rivaled the volume and influence of the US and UK's exports (TV shows, movies, music, video games). Japan's technological exports (computer tech, electronics, cars) have rivaled the US's. As far as exporters of those things go, Japan has been in the top 3 countries in the world for the last few decades. Not bad for a formerly-isolationist island nation that was devastated economically after WW2.

But how did this come to be? There are plenty of other first-world countries out there that had a shot at exporting the same things. Germany is nowhere near as large an exporter of cars as Japan, and they had a huge head start. France, a country renowned for its depth of culture, is nowhere near as big an exporter of cartoons, comics, or video games. Spain is bordered by a lot of water--why don't they have a thriving electronics industry feeding the rest of the world?

I don't know much about Japanese history, so I can only ask questions. Is there something special about the Japanese people or their culture? Did they re-focus their quashed pre-WW2 imperial jihad ambitions into some kind of economic jihad? Did the US encourage this kind of thing post-WW2, and tried to pimp Japan out to everyone, in order to keep its newly-domesticated stepchild busy and productive? Were all these Japanese exports built on the back of a servile population willing to work 7 days a week for low pay? Are all these exports popular because of their merit (reliable cars, etc), or was there shady behavior going on that allowed Japan to quash competing countries whose output was just as good? Is it something to do with being an island nation? All of the above?

tldr: why has Japan been such a huge influence in entertainment and technology since the war, while other non-US / non-UK countries haven't? What's the story here?

 

[M1chl]

They have their own shit, which does not play by western rules. Also weebs and shit brought this culture back home, so it's not exactly that much of Japan's achievement.

Also I don't get it at all. But that's just me. Pokemon was cool I guess...when I was 10 years old.

 

[DESTROYA]

Greece says hello.
Greeks made important contributions to philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, and medicine. Ģreeks were known for their sophisticated sculpture and architecture. Greek culture influenced the Roman Empire and many other civilization even to this day.
I would also argue made a much bigger impact in today's world.

 

[triplestation]

there are full blown adults who dress up to look like anime

 

[Coolwhhip]

Culture wise they are only big in the minds of dudes living in their parents basement. Tech wise, my guess is their work ethic. Don't they work insanely hard there? To the point of it being super unhealthy. But hard work pays off.

And you shouldn't underestimate the size of Japan. Germany is the biggest country in Europe with 80 million people, Japan has 120 million.

 

[mango drank]

Greece says hello.

Damn, I should've said entertainment, not culture. That's what I meant.

 

[Amory]

It's cultural I guess. I mean it has to be, right? They value art, industry, engineering, business, they educate their kids, they're creative, and they work their asses off.

But they really need to work on the whole "not fucking" thing. Shit is a full on crisis.

 

[diffusionx]

Japanese people are high IQ, industrious, efficient, and creative... and Japan is full of Japanese people.

 

[INC]

Because they have original ideas, instead of making fast and the furious 28

 

[MaestroMike]

They eat a lot of seafood.

 

[nush]

But they really need to work on the whole "not fucking" thing. Shit is a full on crisis.

Better immigration policy would sort that out sharpish.

 

[diffusionx]

Better immigration policy would sort that out sharpish.

Then it wouldn’t be Japan anymore. A person doesn’t become Japanese because the government says they are.

 

[Shadowplay1979]

Culture wise they are only big in the minds of dudes living in their parents basement. Tech wise, my guess is their work ethic. Don't they work insanely hard there? To the point of it being super unhealthy. But hard work pays off.

And you shouldn't underestimate the size of Japan. Germany is the biggest country in Europe with 80 million people, Japan has 120 million.

Its bigger land wise then most people think

 

[mango drank]

Korea's actually been catching up to Japan in terms of technology recently (cars and electronics), so Japan might not be top 3 for long, come to think of it. And entertainment-wise, K-pop might be as big as anime now. So another Asian country that the US influenced through war. How about that.

 

[RedVIper]

Culture wise they are only big in the minds of dudes living in their parents basement. Tech wise, my guess is their work ethic. Don't they work insanely hard there? To the point of it being super unhealthy. But hard work pays off.

And you shouldn't underestimate the size of Japan. Germany is the biggest country in Europe with 80 million people, Japan has 120 million.

And still, germany has like 0 cultural exports.

 

[nush]

Then it wouldn’t be Japan anymore. A person doesn’t become Japanese because the government says they are.

*Laughs in American*

 

[diffusionx]

And still, germany has like 0 cultural exports.

What do you have against 99 Luftballons?

 

[nush]

And still, germany has like 0 cultural exports.

Have you seen German porn?

 

[RedVIper]

Have you seen German porn?

No

 

[nush]

No

Well, go for it. ( Although you probably don't want too)

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

Japanese people are high IQ, industrious, efficient, and creative... and Japan is full of Japanese people.

thats why i admire a lot japanese people and their country

 

[Lupingosei]

Because art is a respected part of their culture.

In Germany for example as an artist, you are a little suspicious, it is not real work.

Since WW2 Germany somehow never got back to the glory days, when they influenced art and lifestyle across the world. At the beginning of the 20th century, Berlin was the cultural and scientific center of the world.

Also, Japan has a huge domestic market and usually creates it for themselves.

However so does France, but usually, you don't see french cinema in the US, because they rather remake their movies.

But France has also a huge influence, in wine, art, movies, food, games ... especially compared to present Germany for example.

 

[Lupingosei]

dp

 

[nush]

In Germany for example as an artist, you are a little suspicious, it is not real work.

and look where that got them

 

[mango drank]

Also, Japan has a huge domestic market and usually creates it for themselves.

That's a very good point. Others have brought up the population size of Japan too. Didn't think of that. They've got plenty of incentive to sell to themselves, so they try. Just like the US. And other countries pick up on their output.

edit: related, throughout the 90s, virtually all the people playing videogames around the world were playing them on a Japanese console: Nintendo, Sega, or Sony.

 

[Lupingosei]

and look where that got them

He was never creative enough to keep up with the cultural explosion in Berlin and Germany at the beginning of that last century and he destroyed their cultural progress maybe forever.

His lack of talent was the reason, not that he was also an artist.

I know it is hard for people to imagine how Berlin was before the nazis took over and after the Soviets killed the rest of it.

 

[K1Expwy]

In the 70s-80s a lot of countries were still recovering from WW2 or Cold War or other conflicts, and/or were tangled in communist or other destructive governments, while Japan worked overtime to emerge as a tourist destination and business rival. Japan has the culture and ethic to take advantage of the opportunity, but part of their influence came from the opportunity of being "first in and best dressed"

But plenty of European countries are major influences in automobiles, education, fashion, arts, food etc

 

[Deleted member 801069]

In the last 40 years or so, Japan's entertainment exports (anime films + series, manga, video games) have rivaled the volume and influence of the US

lol no

 

[Sakura]

Its bigger land wise then most people think

This is somewhat misleading. Japan has less land than France or Spain, and only slightly more than Germany.
Additionally, most of the land is mountainous and uninhabitable.

Korea's actually been catching up to Japan in terms of technology recently (cars and electronics), so Japan might not be top 3 for long, come to think of it. And entertainment-wise, K-pop might be as big as anime now. So another Asian country that the US influenced through war. How about that.

Korea will never catch up to Japan lol.
It is a poorer country with less than half the population and is ageing faster than Japan is.

 

[mango drank]

lol no

Quality is debatable, but in terms of volume of output and consumption by the rest of the world, Japan is up there. Tons of people around the world watch anime and play Japanese video games.

 

[nikolino840]

I think is explained well in the novel "rising sun" by crichton

 

[Cunth]

Kawaii and sugoi ne

 

[The Pleasure]

Because they have original ideas, instead of making fast and the furious 28

Dynasty warriors 10 xlt
Tekken 7
Street Fighter V championship edition
Fire emblem dating sim x
Guilty Gear XXX accent core r us reload 5
Super Mario New N Tasty

 

[cryptoadam]

Because they were basically like a US colony for a while and then went from there. Eventually they were getting to big for their britches.

Japan was the China of the late 80's early 90's.

 

[Jada]

Uh, compared to which countries? Because, the US - specifically, the black population - is still the most influential exporter of culture in the world. Hell, even Japan is one of the largest consumers of black culture. Streetwear and rap are huge in Japan. African Americans are pretty much the cultural gods on this planet. Don’t see that changing.

 

[West Texas CEO]

Relative to other countries? Is OP taking a shot at other Asian countries, specifically China?

 

[mango drank]

Uh, compared to which countries? Because, the US - specifically, the black population - is still the most influential exporter of culture in the world. Hell, even Japan is one of the largest consumers of black culture. Streetwear and rap are huge in Japan. African Americans are pretty much the cultural gods on this planet. Don’t see that changing.

Not the US. See the OP.

Relative to other countries? Is OP taking a shot at other Asian countries, specifically China?

Maybe I am, what of it? Stop slacking, Chuyna.

 

[Papa]

They're a creative culture with a respect for individualism

 

[Scotty W]

Japan has had a very active artistic culture stretching back a thousand years to Genji and before. Similar to Singapore, they have embraced Modernization, and have welcomed Western culture into their country, while continuing to produce in the way they always have. This is not true of every culture. Thailand for example seems to have used all its artistic energy creating Buddhas.

Modern methods of distribution as well as cultural exchange has brought this tsunami of content to the rest of the world.

 

[GreyHorace]

It's kind of upsetting that Japan has such a thriving local entertainment industry that can produce a ton of anime and manga. And a number of those are sometimes imported overseas and can find success, sometimes even more than the local brands (in the US alone manga far outsells local comics). Aside from Korea, no other country in Asia can match them in exporting pop culture.

Aside from US TV and movies, Japan has been the Philippine's biggest importer of our pop culture needs. Hell, one of the most popular shows in my country is a fucking giant robot cartoon from the 70's up to this day:

Meanwhile, our local creative industry is wasted on garbage like daytime soap operas and stupid comedies. Comics? Our local comic industry died when publishers found out that romance novels was where the money was at. And we don't have a videogame industry either.

 

[rorepmE]

Japan hasn't lead in technology for a couple decades now.

We're still living off the nostalgia of 1980/1990s Japan when the dominated electronics and videogames.

And I'd take a BMW over any Japanese car today. They had a heydey in the 90s with a plethora of sports cars but now they only care about making boring ass commuter cars.

 

[HoodWinked]

Expansionist nations seem to have more cultural exports, nations that are ambitious and competitive just seem to have more cultural exports probably as a function of the productivity of their populace. Productive people get bored easily so they need culture to prevent themselves from going mad. Japan, UK, Germany are all countries that were never content with their plots of land. Then compare to other nations like China and India these countries have always just stayed within their borders probably as a function of these two countries having the largest plots of arable land making food plentiful and easy relative to other nations thus there was no reason to expand. It's only recently China has become a global power and now looking to expand and export their culture and influence.

 

[Stiflers Mom]

Well, go for it. ( Although you probably don't want too)

German porn is a weird one.

Everybody who has been to a bigger german city can attest there are many classy beautiful ladies here, yet in german porn you usually only see vile looking grannies shitting on each others heads.

I don't have any idea how this happened.

 

[teezzy]

German porn is a weird one.

Everybody who has been to a bigger german city can attest there are many classy beautiful ladies here, yet in german porn you usually only see vile looking grannies shitting on each others heads.

I don't have any idea how this happened.

I stan for Volkswagen, schnitzel, and currywurst. While not America, you guys are dope. Preferable to Japan. Dont tell video games plz.

 

[Hugare]

Better immigration policy would sort that out sharpish.

It has been working pretty well in Europe, huh?

 

[Stiflers Mom]

I stan for Volkswagen, schnitzel, and currywurst. While not America, you guys are dope. Preferable to Japan. Dont tell video games plz.

And don't forget our best export:

 

[West Texas CEO]

And don't forget our best export:

Aye, you guys do export some great beers.

 

[Stiflers Mom]

This is somewhat misleading. Japan has less land than France or Spain, and only slightly more than Germany.
Additionally, most of the land is mountainous and uninhabitable.

Korea will never catch up to Japan lol.
It is a poorer country with less than half the population and is ageing faster than Japan is.

And they have that North Korea problem looming over them massively.

 

[AJUMP23]

With the exception of video games I would think Japanese influence on entertainment has been niche. Anime is a pretty niche market in the west. I like it, but most people don't care for it. It gets conflated because I run in circles with people that do enjoy it.

Technology wise, Japan after reconstruction was no longer able to focus on military advancement. They took western tech and improved it reduced production cost and made it smaller. They have put efforts into technology and business since WW2. IMO Toyota is a better car company than any current western car manufacturer.

 

[rorepmE]

IMO Toyota is a better car company than any current western car manufacturer.

Yeah but their cars are so boring. You're spending 30-35k on a boring car.