Japanese Politeness: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Japanese_politeness_5220.jpg|link=Axis Powers Hetalia ~~(Manga)~~|right]]

[[File:Japanese_politeness_5220.jpg|link=Axis Powers Hetalia|right]]

{{quote|How courteous is the Japanese:<br />

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== Anime & Manga ==

* Pictured above: Japan from ''[[~~Axis Powers Hetalia (Manga)|~~Axis Powers Hetalia]]'' acts like this, even at his rudest:

* Pictured above: Japan from ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia]]'' acts like this, even at his rudest:

{{quote| '''China:''' I'm China, aru! (...) Say, what's your name, aru?<br />

'''Child!Japan:''' ''(bows)'' Hello China, whom the sun sets upon. I am Japan...<br />

'''China:''' Wah! This kid is so ''rude'', aru! }}

** [[Truth in Television]], this is practically how Japan addressed itself at their first diplomatic document to China (''The Emperor of the Land of the Sunrise to the Emperor of the Land of the Sunset...''). The Chinese Emperor -- who considered himself the only person in the world entitled to call himself an emperor -- was of course pissed off, saying "bring not those impolite states before me." And when the messengers returned to Japan, they claimed that the Chinese reply was lost to pirates on the way, probably to avoid a [[Shoot the Messenger]] situation.

* On ''[[~~Neon Genesis Evangelion (Anime)|~~Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'', Asuka, who was raised in Germany and is only [[But Not Too Foreign|a quarter Japanese]], complains about Shinji and Rei being so polite.

* On ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'', Asuka, who was raised in Germany and is only [[But Not Too Foreign|a quarter Japanese]], complains about Shinji and Rei being so polite.

* In ''[[Ouran High School Host Club]]'', the fact that Tamaki was raised in France and still doesn't fully understand Japanese Politeness explains a lot about his personality -- he doesn't take hints, he's never learned to hide his emotions to avoid making a fuss the way many Japanese people do, and he's constantly suggesting harebrained schemes because he genuinely thinks people would just refuse if they didn't want to go along. This comes up most obviously in one of the last episodes, which flashes back to how he met his best friend Kyouya shortly after moving to Japan. His enthusiasm drove Kyouya nuts until he realized he could just tell Tamaki to shut up without having him take offense.

* In ''[[Welcome to The NHK]]'' a group of people who just barely avoided committing group suicide get a stern lecture from the local janitor -- for having been selfish and inconsiderate by not thinking of how much trouble they would have caused for those who would have had to investigate the deaths, clean up the mess, and fill in the paperwork.

* The manga ''[[Hana Kimi]]'' has the main character, who was raised in America, attempt to make friends at her new school in Japan by marching up to people and literally shouting "HI I LIKE YOU LET'S BE FRIENDS!" -- because that's pretty much how Americans' emotional expressiveness comes across by Japanese standards.

* ''[[Sayonara Zetsubou ~~Sensei~~]]'' parodies this with Kaere Kimura, a Japanese-born transfer student who spent much of her childhood in the West before returning to Japan, and has a [[Split Personality]] as a result. In Westerner mode, she's a brash, loudmouthed, selfish and arrogant [[Jerkass]]. In Japanese mode, she becomes an [[Extreme Doormat]] who's constantly contemplating suicide ''in order to avoid becoming a bother to anyone''.

* ''[[Sayonara, Zetsubou-sensei]]'' parodies this with Kaere Kimura, a Japanese-born transfer student who spent much of her childhood in the West before returning to Japan, and has a [[Split Personality]] as a result. In Westerner mode, she's a brash, loudmouthed, selfish and arrogant [[Jerkass]]. In Japanese mode, she becomes an [[Extreme Doormat]] who's constantly contemplating suicide ''in order to avoid becoming a bother to anyone''.

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'''Second Businessman:''' I should be put to death. }}

** In the same book he describes an incident when his wife was talking to a Japanese travel agent. She wanted to book a flight, but the agent kept pushing the idea of using a train instead. Dave remarks that had they had this conversation ''after'' the trip they would've picked up on the message that the agent was too polite to say: the fact that there ''wasn't'' a flight available where and when they wanted.

* In ''[[Discworld ~~(Literature)~~/Interesting Times|Interesting Times]]'', the [[Fantasy Counterpart Culture]] for the [[Far East]] use revolutionary protest signs that are incredibly polite.

* In ''[[Discworld/Interesting Times|Interesting Times]]'', the [[Fantasy Counterpart Culture]] for the [[Far East]] use revolutionary protest signs that are incredibly polite.

== Live-Action TV ==

* A similar scene to ''[[The Last Samurai]]'' above plays out in ''[[Shogun]]'', where Rodrigues points out to Anjin-san how the Japanese are all about ceremony, and how breaking it has serious consequences, as a samurai beheads a peasant right there on the beach as they stroll by.

* Hiro from ''[[Heroes (TV)|Heroes]]'' exhibits this. He actually apologized to Tracy Strauss before knocking her unconscious.

* Hiro from ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]'' exhibits this. He actually apologized to Tracy Strauss before knocking her unconscious.

* An episode of ''[[F Troop]]'' had the boys protect a Japanese woman from "honorable bad man". When she's told "dishonorable" is the better word, she replies, "Must be polite to everyone."

* An episode of ''[[Are You Being Served]]'' featured a broad parody of a "[[Japanese Ranguage|cledit]] [[Asian Speekee Engrish|caa]]"-wielding [[Japanese Tourist]] who bows deeply and says "soooooooooooooo" at the least provocation.

* An episode of ''[[Are You Being Served?]]'' featured a broad parody of a "[[Japanese Ranguage|cledit]] [[Asian Speekee Engrish|caa]]"-wielding [[Japanese Tourist]] who bows deeply and says "soooooooooooooo" at the least provocation.

== Mythology ==

* In Japanese folklore, many otherwise bloodthirsty monsters take politeness seriously, allowing humans to [[Beat It By Compulsion|beat them by compulsion]]. For instance, a [[Kappa]] will always return a bow, forcing them to spill the water stored on their head which weakens them. The [[wikipedia:Kuchisake-onna|Kuchisake-Onna]] is a scissor-wielding ghost that slices up children... but if you tell her that you have an appointment to get to, she'll apologize for having inconvenienced you and let you go freely.

* In Japanese folklore, many otherwise bloodthirsty monsters take politeness seriously, allowing humans to [[Beat It by Compulsion|beat them by compulsion]]. For instance, a [[Kappa]] will always return a bow, forcing them to spill the water stored on their head which weakens them. The [[wikipedia:Kuchisake-onna|Kuchisake-Onna]] is a scissor-wielding ghost that slices up children... but if you tell her that you have an appointment to get to, she'll apologize for having inconvenienced you and let you go freely.

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== Web Comics ==

* Parodied in ''[[~~Casey and Andy (Webcomic)|~~Casey and Andy]]'', where Lord Milligan manages to become Emperor of Japan through asking for it in the right way.

* Parodied in ''[[Casey and Andy]]'', where Lord Milligan manages to become Emperor of Japan through asking for it in the right way.

* In an early ''[[Starslip]]'' comic, Captain Vanderbeam and his crew visit 35th century [[Floating Continent|Space Japan]], which [http://starslip.com/2005/08/03/starslip-number-53/ still fits this trope perfectly].

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== Real Life ==

* Masi Oka appeared on ''Regis & Kelly''. He said that Japan has only just started watching ''[[Heroes (TV)|Heroes]]'' at season one. When he was there to promote the show, he said his fans would rush up to him, shout, "YATTA!" bow deeply, and then scurry off. (Those were his words, scurry off).

* Masi Oka appeared on ''Regis & Kelly''. He said that Japan has only just started watching ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]'' at season one. When he was there to promote the show, he said his fans would rush up to him, shout, "YATTA!" bow deeply, and then scurry off. (Those were his words, scurry off).

* After the largest bank robbery in Japan, at least up to that point, the crooks sent a thank you note to the bank. [http://www.snopes.com/crime/clever/thanks.asp Snopes has it right here].

* In the wake of the 2011 tsunami, Japanese politeness has been [http://www.chinasmack.com/2011/pictures/chinese-netizens-admire-japanese-post-earthquake-behavior.html cited] as a reason that the situation has remained relatively orderly. One news article mentions an injured woman who was rescued by paramedics apologizing for the trouble and asking if there were others who needed to be helped before her.