DC and culture

[scineram]

It's really cool to hear about how things are different in other countries and cultures.

Not really. You freak me out.

[Kodax]

Yeah DC has really got me interested in sort of the daily life of Japanese people. I haven't ever watched any other anime aside from Pokemon, which doesn't really count, and most American animated programs aren't based in any sort of real situations, they are mostly just silly.

So when I first got hooked on DC it was like I was watching an animated drama, which had never really crossed my mind of being possible, it would be like Law and Order in the US being an animated program and everybody would be fine with it.

Slowly I found myself interested in all the different mannerisms the characters display, how public transportation plays a big role in their lives, fashions, various innuendos, festivals, landmarks (osaka seems to have many great places to visit!), and so much more.

I'd love to visit Japan some day, if not live there for some time. But that is mostly a dream for the time being, I only hope I one day get the opportunity to go over there.

[Kor]

In Israel...there is no "tradition" regarding the shoes. If I think about it, the opposite of Japan's culture seem correct (to me at least). If one took his shoes inside my house, I'll feel like he has gotten comfortable...too comfortable, especially if he is only visiting for a few hours (I refer to teenagers/adults here). It goes in both directions though. The guest wouldn't normally take off his shoes because he wouldn't want me (for example) to think that he is feeling comfortable enough to do that.

Wow, that is neat.  It does sound like the exact opposite of the Japanese way.  It's really cool to hear about how things are different in other countries and cultures.

don't take what I say for granted. We have no real tradition but this is how I think, and once I was in a lesson of psychology and he said the same thing I did, so everyone else probably feels the same as well. plus, If someone ever takes off his shoes at my house, my dog eats them, so my dog feels that way too  8)

Regarding weddings, I was only at one wedding I can remember, and it was traditional jewish wedding. In our weddings, there are not bride maids. There are the groom, bride, and the groom's best man (and a rabi). So I don't really know ALL the details (since it's pretty boring). In the jewish wedding, only the groom is asked "Do you take X to be your wife" The bride is never asked that. (In the religious' people culture (which I'm not part of) the women has a lower status than the men, so that is why). Then the two drink wine from the same cup (I think) and then the groom breaks a perfectly good glass...by stomping on it with his foot. There are much more details, but I don't know all of them. I don't consider myself as jewish, I'm an atheist (I didn't do Bar-mizva) and I will DEFINTELY not marry in a jewish wedding but in a western style wedding. I don't like religious jews and I don't like their stupid laws - in Israel, if you don't marry in a jewish wedding, you aren't being considered to be married. What people who want to get married but not in a jewish wedding do? They fly to a country in europe and get married there, then the rabis can do nothing about it and have to acknowledge that the couple got married.

It's really cool to hear about how things are different in other countries and cultures.

Not really. You freak me out.

sounds like someone wants to stay inside his bubble forever and not acknowledge other cultures 

[mangaluva]

Traditional Japanese weddings are small events held at Shinto shrines.  The bride and groom dress up in kimono and the brides wear an elaborate headpiece.  Usually only family attends the wedding ceremony, and I'm told that drinking sake by both participants and guests is part of the ritual.

Whereas weddings may be small in Japan, wedding receptions are the exact opposite.  When someone gets married, they are expected to invite not only family and friends, but co-workers, bosses, neighbors, co-workers and bosses of the parents, etc...  Many receptions can have 200 or more people attending, at a significant expense to the couple's family.  The flip side is that all wedding presents are supposed to be in cash, given in special envelopes.  The amount expected is not small, averaging at around 30,000 yen ($300 USD) for a good friend and going up or down from there.  The reception is a long event for the couple, with there being many speeches and having to go around and formally thank people for coming.  I think dinner is served (someone correct me on this if I'm wrong), but there's no dancing as there might be in a western reception.  After everyone has left, then the couple can let their hair down with their close friends, usually hanging out at an after-party where they can kick back and really enjoy themselves.

The mother of the host family I stayed with while in Japan was a professional wedding reception emcee, hired to formally introduce and manage the events at receptions.  I can remember hearing her practice at night, using the most polite form of Japanese (keigo);  "Now, Mr. Nakamura, the honored boss of the respectful groom, will come and present a speech to the honored couple", or something like that.  Most of the language were words that you'd never use outside such a formal situation because they're just too formal.

I think that's right. I mean, the traditional wedding in Maison Ikkoku went into a lot of detail, and that's pretty much what happened. The sake thing is called san-san-something (can't remember the full name!) where you drink nine times from the cup during a purification ritual. It was only direct family in for that part. Then there was a huge reception (which Yotsuya couldn't get into because he wouldn't pay XD) and they ended up adjourning to the bar... I think the ceremony was in the morning, the reception in the afternoon (they didn't seem to eat, though- they were eating dinner at the bar) and the party in the evening. Kind of an all-day thing. I think it differs, though.

[kholoudsafir]

It's really cool to hear about how things are different in other countries and cultures.

agree , and once again, it looks like that I owe c-square another big thank you

[mangaluva]

Okay, I have a question: Are there major differences in the running of the Japanese court system to, say, the American or British systems? Because in a fic i've got on the back burner, Kaito ends up in court... I want to do those scenes fairly realistically, so I just want to know if I'll be making a major mistake by basing the process of American and British courtrooms. Also do they do the randomly-selected jury thing? Because I have a great sequence of jokes for those scenes based on Sonoko ending up on the jury... XDXDXD

[c-square]

Okay, I have a question: Are there major differences in the running of the Japanese court system to, say, the American or British systems? Because in a fic i've got on the back burner, Kaito ends up in court... I want to do those scenes fairly realistically, so I just want to know if I'll be making a major mistake by basing the process of American and British courtrooms. Also do they do the randomly-selected jury thing? Because I have a great sequence of jokes for those scenes based on Sonoko ending up on the jury... XDXDXD

I know the court system in Japan is definitely different from both the American and British systems (which in turn are different from each other), though how it's different I don't know much about.  Hopefully there are others here that know more about it, otherwise I'd suggest doing some research online or at your local library.  I'm sure the court scenes in DC with Eri just scratch the surface.

[Callid]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_l ... _procedure

Wikipedia knows everything 

[Chekhov MacGuffin]

While we are on the topic of Japanese courts, do Japanese defense lawyers and prosecutors really have those lapel pins? I thought the Phoenix Wright games were making them up until I saw them in DC... I guess I am wrong. Another non-exclusively japanese thing I learned about from DC was wine etiquette. It comes up a lot in the anime. Maybe the director likes wine or something...

[kaitoushinichi]

While we are on the topic of Japanese courts, do Japanese defense lawyers and prosecutors really have those lapel pins? I thought the Phoenix Wright games were making them up until I saw them in DC... I guess I am wrong. Another non-exclusively japanese thing I learned about from DC was wine etiquette. It comes up a lot in the anime. Maybe the director likes wine or something...

Yep, lawyers wear special pins... Lawyers are actually really highly respected in Japan. (It's really hard to be one in Japan, so if you do become one there, they pretty much consider you the "elite" type...)

[Sakina]

Glad to see I'm not the only one interested in this stuff.  I was always told not to mistake the way Japan appears in anime with the way Japan actually is so I've often been curious about what is true and what isn't.  Often times I will google things for myself to find out if something is true, but it's never quite the same as hearing the truth from someone who has actually lived in japan. 

[Conia]

After so many episodes, I started to understand a few things about japanese culture. I can't believe there's a train to get to almost every corner of the country  It would be so awesome to have that in my country 

[Abs.]

After so many episodes, I started to understand a few things about japanese culture. I can't believe there's a train to get to almost every corner of the country  It would be so awesome to have that in my country 

What you don't realize from DC is that the long-distance trains are DAMNED EXPENSIVE, and that most Japanese prefer to spend the same or less money on international travel instead of domestic travel.

Conan and company are often aided by either the client or Suzuki Corp. paying for the transportation.  Also, most of the travel episodes are AOs and so did not actually happen.

[c-square]

After so many episodes, I started to understand a few things about japanese culture. I can't believe there's a train to get to almost every corner of the country  It would be so awesome to have that in my country 

The train system in Japan is simply amazing.  Not only can you get to most places by train, but they almost always run exactly on time.  You can practically set your watch by them.  Of course, there are some places that are not accessible by train, and for those Kogoro usually rents a car.

Here's a map of the trains in Tokyo (every single line on that map is a different train line)

Spoiler:

Here's a map of the JR trains surrounding Tokyo (It doesn't show the many private lines that exist in the area)

Spoiler:

Here's a map of the train lines in eastern and northern Honshu

Spoiler:

And it's just as comprehensive throughout the rest of the country.

[Misztina]

What you don't realize from DC is that the long-distance trains are DAMNED EXPENSIVE, and that most Japanese prefer to spend the same or less money on international travel instead of domestic travel.

Conan and company are often aided by either the client or Suzuki Corp. paying for the transportation.  Also, most of the travel episodes are AOs and so did not actually happen.

While we are at it, Kogoro often rents a car, I wonder if owning a car is that expensive there? Maybe because environmental stuff (pollution) and lack of "space"? And probably high tax?