Discussion Do you know some differences between the Nintendo fanbase in Japan next to the west?

[ILovethegameAC]

I have been interested on how is the Nintendo fandom in Japan next to the west, because it's probably very different in many ways but I can't really know since I'm not from them and I have to use translations apps to understand it. There are differences in how much game series sell there, but other than that, there is the fact that a big part of the current Nintendo fandom in social media is very influenced by the N64 and GC, meanwhile those consoles didn't sell well in Japan at all, especially next to the US, and maybe Nintendo fans in Japan are way more centered on the handheld experiences and the games that were most popular on those. Plus there is the fact that the Wii while sold well in Japan, wasn't the massive hit that was in the US and Europe, so the influence and popularity of it is also way less in Japan than in the rest of the world.

Other thing I have noticed is that when it comes to older players, Nintendo fans seem to be kind of distanced to other gamers in Japan, since when I look for fan art of videogame characters is really rare to see artist who draw characters from Nintendo series as well as from third parties like Capcom or Square Enix, which is not really the case with western artists. Since Nintendo has been dominating the japanese market for like 5 years now this likely won't be the case witht younger gamers who maybe play third party games on Swich, but when it comes to people in their 30's or late 20's it seems to me many were either third party and Sony players on Playstation, or Nintendo players on Nintendo consoles, but rarely both.

Do you know more of these differences?

 

[paranoodle]

when I look for fan art of videogame characters is really rare to see artist who draw characters from Nintendo series as well as from third parties like Capcom or Square Enix, which is not really the case with western artists.

I can't really comment on the rest, but in my experience it's fairly common in Japanese fandom (and I assume probably some other countries but I'm not personally familiar) for artists to make different accounts for different fandoms - so it's not necessarily that artists don't draw for several series, it's that they don't do so under the same account/name. Whereas in English-speaking circles it's more common to have one account for everything.

That and also different hashtag use can make some easier or harder to find.

 

[boodream]

This thread is very interesting. I don't have enough knowledge to provide a useful commentary, but I look forward to reading those of others, better informed.

At first glance, however, I imagine that in Japan, on the forums, they don't spend as much time as some people do explaining that "Nintendo needs more Western developers". I also imagine that the way some people use "Because Nintendo" wouldn't make sense in Japan, since "because Nintendo" is often Western ethnocentrism in disguise.

 

[GamerJM]

From what I understand, due to stricter Japanese legal restrictions, Japanese Nintendo fans are much less likely to engage with fan-made products like fan games and emulation. There are still people who do but they have their own community and it doesn't come up as much for the average fan from what I know.

 

[Spyder]

Japanese Nintendo fans go by different name, Splatoon Fans

 

[damondamon]

The Western fanbase can be very obnoxious about almost anything it's unbearable. That's my impression as someone who regularly browses both Japanese and Western social media networks and sites like Youtube. You won't see Japanese players making posts cursing Nintendo for closing their online shop for old platforms, spouting nonsense like Nintendo is anti-customer for doing that. That said, I have my doubt if these people are even Nintendo fans. On the other hand, I feel like Japanese players mostly are just like "I see a game I like, I buy it, I play it, and maybe I'll go on Twitter to talk about it, and that's it. I won't engage in anything else much". My point is the Japanese/Eastern side just feels much more positive and relaxing than the Western side. I'm Asian myself and I think I'm kind of the same as most casual Japanse players. It wasn't until I joined this forum that I learned about how the Western fanbase think. At the end of the day, I know we all love their games and want them to do better, but some complaints can be weird.

 

[MondoMega]

The important part is that there's an endless supply of adorable Kirby fan art from Japanese artists.

 

[Clov]

My point is the Japanese/Eastern side just feels much more positive and relaxing than the Western side.

Perhaps in some respects, but in others they're remarkably similar. For example, when Nintendo tweeted about changing the Japanese name of Foreman Spike, I recall there being some Japanese tweets about how it was because of "political correctness" or some other nonsense. In that sense, we can see that gamers, regardless of country or nationality, are bad.

 

[Ramune]

In Japan, because they use the metric system Mario's 'Ground Pound' move is commonly referred to as 'Royale With Cheese'.

 

[BlueMango]

This is an interesting question but, now that you mention it, I realise my entire 'internet existence' is just hermetically sealed inside the anglo-phone web... so I'd be interested if anyone has a preferred way of checking the vibe in other regions. Once in a blue moon I go to Famitsu.com just to see what is the top selling games in that market. But I'm not really getting at what the 'discourse' is like there.

Also social media, I'm also only seeing English-language tweets, and if I searched words in other languages, I find I have, in a clunky way, to click on each tweet to translate (and sometimes the option doesn't even show up).

 

[damondamon]

Perhaps in some respects, but in others they're remarkably similar. For example, when Nintendo tweeted about changing the Japanese name of Foreman Spike, I recall there being some Japanese tweets about how it was because of "political correctness" or some other nonsense. In that sense, we can see that gamers, regardless of country or nationality, are bad.

That is true. I do see posts complaining about policore(how Japanese people call it) and feminism from time to time, but my impression is that they aren't directed at Nintendo themselves, just people using that as an excuse to complain. Do you remember when Nintendo Japan announced that they acknowledged same-sex marriage for their workers? Lots of people used that to support their agenda.

 

[Clov]

Do you remember when Nintendo Japan announced that they acknowledged same-sex marriage for their workers? Lots of people used that to support their agenda.

I'm curious about what you mean by this. Could you explain a bit more?

 

[Wockio]

Very little love for the GameCube and Paper Mario, F-Zero, Metroid and such I'd imagine

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

Japan has next to no interest in Metroid.

 

[Stopdoor]

The Western fanbase can be very obnoxious about almost anything it's unbearable. That's my impression as someone who regularly browses both Japanese and Western social media networks and sites like Youtube. You won't see Japanese players making posts cursing Nintendo for closing their online shop for old platforms, spouting nonsense like Nintendo is anti-customer for doing that. That said, I have my doubt if these people are even Nintendo fans. On the other hand, I feel like Japanese players mostly are just like "I see a game I like, I buy it, I play it, and maybe I'll go on Twitter to talk about it, and that's it. I won't engage in anything else much". My point is the Japanese/Eastern side just feels much more positive and relaxing than the Western side. I'm Asian myself and I think I'm kind of the same as most casual Japanse players. It wasn't until I joined this forum that I learned about how the Western fanbase think. At the end of the day, I know we all love their games and want them to do better, but some complaints can be weird.

I hate to be cherrypicking for bait but just, why at saying fans mad about Nintendo removing access to thousands of games makes you doubt they're a Nintendo fan? Kind of makes me doubt the objectivity of the analysis

 

[SiG]

Are console wars as obnoxious there is they are in America? I kind of blame the way ads in the United States work (allowing competitors to use their competition's products and brand names and put them in a bad light).

 

[komicer]

I am in opinion that the Japanese fanbase is probably not too different from the Western fanbase. However, simply because there's a language barrier, we don't actively and directly interact with the most toxic elements of that community. So in comparison, they seem nicer.

 

[damondamon]

I'm curious about what you mean by this. Could you explain a bit more?

it's basically just pro-LGBT, anti-LGBT people fighting each other. They're just random people I don't know, but those tweets did gain some attention, so they showed up while I was browing the site. It's just the impression I got at the time; theses people clearly don't care about Nintendo, something like that.

 

[Clov]

it's basically just pro-LGBT, anti-LGBT people fighting each other. They're just random people I don't know, but those tweets did gain some attention, so they showed up while I was browing the site. It's just the impression I got at the time; theses people clearly don't care about Nintendo, something like that.

So they don't care about Nintendo... because they are either pro or anti LGBT? Can the Nintendo Fan only be neutral regarding LGBT people? How is the Nintendo Fan supposed to react to the news that they recognize same-sex couples? With indifference?

 

[Johna X]

So they don't care about Nintendo... because they are either pro or anti LGBT? Can the Nintendo Fan only be neutral regarding LGBT people? How is the Nintendo Fan supposed to react to the news that they recognize same-sex couples? With indifference?

I think they mean they're just talking about whether LGBT rights are acceptable rather then the company policy in general but calling the argument as a whole "agenda" feels ridiculous. I'd hope most people on this site who are indeed "Nintendo Fan" are not simply neutral on the topic.

 

[wolftendo]

Are console wars as obnoxious there is they are in America? I kind of blame the way ads in the United States work (allowing competitors to use their competition's products and brand names and put them in a bad light).

Based on my extremely limited interactions on Japanese twitter, so take it with a grain of salt. It seems like less pronounced than on the western side of the internet. I wonder if it's the language barrier or if its because the Japanese market is way more lopsided towards Nintendo, but given that the main competitors are Nintendo and Sony I would assume that the rivalry is not as intense as for example PS vs Xbox like the west.

Some things do become controversies, like I remember the change of the X/O buttons in the PS5 did make a lot of people complain. Portbegging ironically it's seen on PS exclusive games, but only if they don't have a PC version. I remember seeing tweets of people requesting a PC or even a PS4 port of FF16, for example.

 

[damondamon]

I hate to be cherrypicking for bait but just, why at saying fans mad about Nintendo removing access to thousands of games makes you doubt they're a Nintendo fan? Kind of makes me doubt the objectivity of the analysis

Like I said it's all just my impression; what do you mean by objectivity? I'm new to social network sites and how they work; I only started using them to practice English and Japanese. I was just telling everyone what I felt, because sometimes I see complaints that seem to be people who don't care about Nintendo stuff jumping on the bandwagon. Isn't that common for pretty much everything?

 

[damondamon]

I think they mean they're just talking about whether LGBT rights are acceptable rather then the company policy in general but calling the argument as a whole "agenda" feels ridiculous. I'd hope most people on this site who are indeed "Nintendo Fan" are not simply neutral on the topic.

Maybe I used agenda correctly there. Please excuse me for that. What do you mean by "not simply neutral on the topic"? Isn't it just fine that some people don't think much about that kind of topic? I feel like I'm about to learn something new today. And sorry if my posts sound strange. I don't mean to be offensive or anything; I'm just trying to understand.
Edit: maybe it was a mistake to bring up a topic I don't know much about

 

[Clov]

Maybe I used agenda correctly there. Please excuse me for that. What do you mean by "not simply neutral on the topic"? Isn't it just fine that some people don't think much about that kind of topic? I feel like I'm about to learn something new today. And sorry if my posts sound strange. I don't mean to be offensive or anything; I'm just trying to understand.
Edit: maybe it was a mistake to bring up a topic I don't know much about

When it comes to LGBT people, the word "agenda" is often used in a negative sense. Most conservative (also called right wing) people who hate the LGBT community believe in a conspiracy, that all LGBT people are secretly enforcing an "agenda" on non-LGBT people by living their everyday lives. For example, any time a conservative person sees an LGBT person in media, or any time a company does something positive for LGBT people, they claim it is because of an "agenda". But none of them seem to know what that agenda is. It's very ridiculous, but people in English speaking communities feel apprehensive towards people who use that word in this context because of it.

As for why remaining neutral is not seen as good when it comes to LGBT people, that is fairly simple. Right now in many parts of the world, laws are being enacted against LGBT people for the purpose of increasing their suffering. LGBT people are being increasingly discriminated against in many countries. Being neutral means that they choose to allow these to happen, and choose not to support people affected by such discrimination. LGBT people, and people who chose to support them, tend not to like these kinds of people, who could help them, but choose to do nothing.

Anyone who is not hateful can see that Nintendo choosing to recognize same sex couples is only a positive thing. But beyond that, one can be a fan of Nintendo and hold any number of positions on LGBT issues. Many gamers are extremely conservative people, and hate LGBT people for existing, while loving Nintendo. But there are some good people, who are either LGBT or support them, and enjoy playing Nintendo games. As you can see, you can be more than neutral regarding the LGBT community and still be a "Nintendo Fan".

I understand that you are not trying to be offensive, and that perhaps you have simply been sheltered from learning about the many different kinds of people in the world. I hope that you continue to learn about them, and grow to appreciate the diverse societies we all live in.