Research tips about Japan.

[Funchal99]

Hi, I'm a newbie here and I'm currently trying to write a sci-fi story heavily inspired by the Infinity Series of VNs and I/O that's set in Japan. To be more precise, in the near future of 2019.

Since I never lived or visited Japan, I'm having a bit of a hard time on developing the actual setting since, well...I have to research. Somethings are a bit easier to find, like how the education system of Japan works, the meaning behind the Kanji of certain names, stuff like that. And I'm not even counting how much I'm searching for articles online and pestering my knowledgeble friends about all the science part I plan to apply on the story (cosmology, quantum physics, psychology concepts that are mostly Jungian, that sort of thing).

But I'm on a bit of a predictment when it comes to a more subjective issue: basically, I wish to write a story that deals with the modern world, the rate at which information is being shared and processed and how that affects the younger generation. I basically want to write a story that deals on how much the modern world's society and technologies are making people (especially the younger) frustrated with their lives, their expectations, how it all causes uncertainty and anxiety and all that stuff about what defines our identity, how the world is predominantly harsh and cold, etc. But that involves, I believe, a bit of a deeper knowledge of Japanese society as a whole, and that's been a tricky topic to find just by typing on google.

So I would like to ask for a bit of help from anyone here that's from Japan or has lived there long enough to have a valid impression of how people might feel and interact in there. Do any of you guys and girls from Lemmasoft have anything to say about it? Do people in Japan, especially the younger generations, that would fall under the label of "millenials" worry and go through the things I want to talk about?

I live in Brazil, and the last thing I want is to somehow portray Japan as if it was my own country with my own personal observations alone. I don't want to write blatant crap about Japanese society just because I really enjoy anime, manga and VNs in general.

If any of you know about books or articles that I may have not seen yet, that would also be neat.

Thanks in advance for anyone that could just waste their time for a bit in this thread helping me with this.


PS: Sorry if I made any significant mistake with the english language. I do consider myself quite good at it, but the way you guys use commas is a bit puzzling for me in particular.

[Holland]

Perhaps I'm missing something, but is it really vital to have the story take place in Japan? It's difficult writing about a real location from modern times outside of your own culture, especially when you've never visited the place. It seems to me that too many stories from the anime community jump on that Japanese bandwagon for concepts that'd make just as much sense, if not more, in their own countries.

That said, I commend you for actually looking for input from natives and people who live there :3 I hope you find the information you need~

[Funchal99]

Maybe I'm just simple-minded and/or stubborn, but I swear I can't really conceive the story taking place anywhere but there. And I'm mostly a big fan of Japanese visual novels anyway. Maybe that's also sort of a "colonized" way of thinking, but sci-fi storytelling in Brazil? I just can't picture it. Then again, Brazil is still taking baby steps when it comes to actually producing other genres of fiction besides soap-operas and the so-called "favela movies". We do have a lot of romantic comedies, though.

[sasquatchii]

I like the concept you've shared! I think the way how technology can cause change in humans (whether it be social, physical, or psychological) is fascinating and it's really cool to see certain genres of VN's start to delve into this.

Unfortunately I cannot be of much help, as I have never visited Japan myself.

Have you considered trying to find a Japanese pen pal to write to? There are tons of sites that you can connect to to find international pen pals. You could also try reaching out to certain professionals in Japan that might be able to help you. You'd be surprised at how nice people can be if you just express genuine interest in what they're doing (and let them know that you're writing a story about it!)

Also, what other methods of research have you been using other than Google? Libraries are one of my favorite places to go to for research.

If you are trying to research a place, then the best way to do it would to be to go to that place, if it is feasible. Although it may not be in your case.

You could also try to glean information & inspiration from movies, books (fiction & nonfiction) and comics.

[Lexer]

I go to Japan from time to time and have friends and colleagues there. I can also speak and read Japanese. I can probably answer a few questions and point you to some more information.

I've only been to the greater Tokyo area and Yokohama though. I haven't even seen Tochigi or Gunma.

[Funchal99]

Have you considered trying to find a Japanese pen pal to write to? There are tons of sites that you can connect to to find international pen pals.

Huh, I didn't think of that. I'll start looking into it!

Also, what other methods of research have you been using other than Google? Libraries are one of my favorite places to go to for research.

I did try giving it a look at the library here in my colleage, but it doesn't have any book with that particular subject (which is understandable). I could try looking at big libraries here in São Paulo, but quite honestly, I don't have the time. During the morning I'm at colleage, and I work throughout the entire afternoon. When I know the bus ride home will be a lengthy (due to the traffic) and stuffed one, I just want to get home and rest. My work is fairly light (for an example, today I have absolutely nothing to do, as I've edited all the videos I had to during last week), but I still have to stay here and do my schedule. Though its useful to force me to work on my writing during the afternoon.

I go to Japan from time to time and have friends and colleagues there. I can also speak and read Japanese. I can probably answer a few questions and point you to some more information.

I've only been to the greater Tokyo area and Yokohama though. I haven't even seen Tochigi or Gunma.

That's great, actually! The story takes place in Tokyo, forgot to mention. So I'll probably be contacting you a lot to get references and ideas about certain locales. If that's alright with you, of course. Should I PM you or post whatever questions I already have here?

[Lexer]

Whichever is fine with you. I'll be happy to answer what I can.

[Funchal99]

Well then, I'll ask a few questions here:

1- What do you think of the concept I shared. Is that somewhat relatable to Japan, or is the themes I want to write about too far away from what a Japanese person would consider their reality.

2- one of the protagonists of the story is a young man that has actually left home to pursue his dreams of becoming an author. My main concern here is if such a thing would even occur in Japan. If so, what would be the implications? I hear his family would reject him entirely (which actually serves a purpose in my story), but would society as a whole treat him badly? I imagine him as a fairly upbeat, stubborn and idealist person that deep down suffers from rather severe anxiety disorders (due to uncertainty for his skills as a writer and his future). But from what I could gather from the one contact I have that has lived in Japan, this character would probably be one of those recluse, hikikomori-like characters, which is not what I imagine at all.
In short: would this type of character, an upbeat idealist struggling with the perceptions of others and himself by pursuing his dream, be acceptable for a story that takes place in Japan? This contact of mine said that "pursue your individual dreams" is actually a western value that's not really practiced in Japan, so I'm not sure if this character is just absurd from a Japanese perspective.

3- Aside from the concept I proposed, would you say Japanese youth is afflicted by more specific issues that also relate to what I want to write about?

4- This is sort of a big one: I plan to have a political party that's rising through the popularity ranks in Japan, slowly becoming bigger and stronger. Would you have anything to say about Japanese politics in general? I mean, how the country is run overall, its economics, main issues, how it could get popular among the younger generation, etc.

5- Minor question: how are schools in Japan usually named? I'm using Seika academy because that's a thing that just popped in my head, but I'm not sure if this is even an actual name.

6- what is the overall schedule in Japan? I mean, when do students and workers usually wake up and go to bed. I've read on wikipedia that school usually begins at 8:30 AM, but I'm not sure.

[Lexer]

1. I think it's pretty universal and relateable to most people living today. The uncertainty, anxiety, and frustration probably more so for Japan. Most young people today have parents that grew up into the old systems of education and guaranteed employment and they have little idea how to adapt to the changing times. Worse still, the educational system still runs as if the old system still works.

2. It's not impossible but I think such a person would stay home instead of moving out like that. I doubt his family would reject him entirely unless he was from a rich and/or traditional household. Maybe not even then. I actually asked one of my colleagues what he would do if his daughter suddenly eloped with someone and he said he'd probably end up drinking himself to death out of worry.

Getting a place to live in is really expensive in Tokyo and would be very hard for someone who is unemployed. I've heard of people who work nothing but part time jobs and only live out of internet and manga cafes. There are a lot of homeless in Tokyo and this fact surprises most people. Thing is, they're very polite and tend to not get in anyone's way. You'll see them in Shinjuku station at night when they assemble their makeshift cardboard houses. They dismantle and put away their cardboard shelters in the morning so as not to bother anyone.

I doubt society would treat him any worse for pursuing his dream of being a writer. What would determine that would be if he's a recluse without any friends and/or if he's a creep. He sounds like a fairly normal person with anxiety problems though so I don't think he'll have much trouble unless the anxiety is crippling and makes him act in unpredictable ways.

Now that I think about it, what do you mean by "society as a whole"? Do you mean social institutions? Government institutions? or his immediate circle of family and friends? I think your character would have very different experiences depending on who he's interacting with. The government takes the hikkikomori phenomenon seriously and there are organizations trying to help people who have shut themselves away from society.

3. High amounts of Uncertainty, anxiety, and frustration are the main problems facing Japanese youth today I think. The old corporate institutions of guaranteed life time work is pretty much gone and people are increasingly getting disillusioned about sacrificing themselves for their company. Yet the educational system is still geared towards feeding that old corporate way of hiring making a lot of college aged Japanese youth uncertain about their future. Although, They still go through the entire pre-hiring, company interview, internship, etc process that begins in their third year.

That sounds pretty normal but in Japan the guarantee of a company taking care of you til your retirement was true for a long time. It's mostly why there's such fierce competition to get into good schools. The adage "Good school, good job, good life" held true for several generations. So the changes affect Japan a bit more than it would other countries.

4. Getting popular among the younger generations is one of the goals of all the Japanese political parties right now. Most young people are pretty apathetic about politics in general. The loud ones are right wing extremists (netouyo) who are merely a loud minority but have a presence on the internet.

I say apathetic but I don't mean towards the entire government. People generally trust government institutions and respect them. They just don't want to have much to do with the politics.

I'm not really sure what they can do to become popular with the younger generation. Maybe by not acting like crotchety old men who bicker all the time.

5. I'm not really sure. They're mostly named after places. At least the ones I saw. Seika Academy sounds fine. I think it's an actual place too.

6. I'm not sure either but 8:30 am sounds correct. Most people are on their commute an hour before that. Except university students who aren't really that concerned about making it to class.

On that note, most university students treat their freshman and sophomore years like an extended vacation. They tend to work more on their circle's (clubs) projects than their classes. When their third year comes around, that changes because that's when they're supposed to start sending out resumes to their prospective companies. It's also when they attend these company hiring seminars.

As for everyone else's schedules: I know schoolkids have club til 5-6. For us working stiffs, it's pretty normal to get out at 6-7pm and if we're going out drinking we'll typically stagger back home around 11pm which is when the last train trips are. Fridays around Ginza are particularly hilarious with all the drunk people passed out on the street.

Edit: I thought I'd add that I mostly interact with lawyers and members of Japan's National Police Agency. Middle aged professionals. Some married with kids, some single.
The young people I interact with are college age who I used to play Magic the Gathering and Street Fighter with.
Just so you know from whose perspective I'm coming from.

[Jafs]

Maybe that's also sort of a "colonized" way of thinking, but sci-fi storytelling in Brazil? I just can't picture it.

There's a good area to explore for sci-fi storytelling in Brazil: Aliens.

Maybe you heard about the game "Incidente em Varginha" (also know as Alien Anarchy or Mission Alien). Quite old game, but is know for having some sucess on exterior.

If you search brazilian ufology, you will find a good amount of stories. Including the military sending jets to pursuit UFOs or people being fried by "strange lights" at night .

Sadly I can't help much about Japan, but I wish you good luck with your endeavour.

[Funchal99]

Now that I think about it, what do you mean by "society as a whole"? Do you mean social institutions? Government institutions? or his immediate circle of family and friends? I think your character would have very different experiences depending on who he's interacting with.

I guess I'm more concerned with his immediate circles. I mean, how would his family view his ambition of becoming an author? How would his friends, ex-classmates, or people he knows in general react? Would they think this "dreamer" atittude of his is just absurd or selfish? Would his parentes feel ashamed for him? Is such an attitude clear "breaking the norm" kind of thing in Japan? As far as I know, they take your professional future and "collective thinking" very seriously. In short: How would the average Japanese person view this character? Would it be like here in west, where such ambitions are quite common, or would he be seen like a hopeless, useless person that brings shame to his family, for an example? (of course, that's an exagerated stereotype I used for an example, but I think you get my point).

There's a good area to explore for sci-fi storytelling in Brazil: Aliens.

Maybe you heard about the game "Incidente em Varginha" (also know as Alien Anarchy or Mission Alien). Quite old game, but is know for having some sucess on exterior.

If you search brazilian ufology, you will find a good amount of stories. Including the military sending jets to pursuit UFOs or people being fried by "strange lights" at night .

Huh, never heard of it. Though it makes sense, the "E.T. De Varginha" cause quite a ruckus here.
Good to know, I'll give it a look. Though I tend to dislike sci-fis focused on mysterious aliens coming to Earth somehow.

[Lexer]

Now that I think about it, what do you mean by "society as a whole"? Do you mean social institutions? Government institutions? or his immediate circle of family and friends? I think your character would have very different experiences depending on who he's interacting with.

I guess I'm more concerned with his immediate circles. I mean, how would his family view his ambition of becoming an author? How would his friends, ex-classmates, or people he knows in general react? Would they think this "dreamer" atittude of his is just absurd or selfish? Would his parentes feel ashamed for him? Is such an attitude clear "breaking the norm" kind of thing in Japan? As far as I know, they take your professional future and "collective thinking" very seriously. In short: How would the average Japanese person view this character? Would it be like here in west, where such ambitions are quite common, or would he be seen like a hopeless, useless person that brings shame to his family, for an example? (of course, that's an exagerated stereotype I used for an example, but I think you get my point).

That depends a lot more on how his parents are as individuals rather than them being Japanese, same thing with his ex-classmates. That along with how good and dedicated he was with past projects and stuff. Though if he was a shut in for a time and he suddenly showed some interest in something other than surfing the net all day, his parents might actually see that ambition as a good thing. The shut-in part is the "breaking the norm" thing. Wanting to become an author is a lot more normal. Nowadays I mean, if it was like the 70s it'd be different and would indeed make most parents seriously concerned. That's assuming a relatively normal, middle-class family. I bet a rich family with a family business would protest more.

The collective thinking bit most people hear about isn't exactly like everyone does the same thing and if you deviate from that you get into heaps of trouble. It's more like people don't want to upset the immediate environment with conflicts and the like. In general, Japanese people are more polite about it instead of being right up in your face.

As an aside, I actually think getting published in Japan is easier than in the west. They still have lit mags that are in print , instead of just being online, that regular people buy instead of being mostly for literature majors. Not to mention the gigantic market for light novels and the regular contests magazines like Dengeki Bunko have to find new authors. Japan generally reads a hell of a lot more than other countries. Seems to be true with its neighbors, Korea and China too.

[Funchal99]

Just to give a reply, thank you very much!
I've finally began actually writing the first route. At a snail's pace since I tend to run out of fuel pretty fast, but still. Can't keep planning forever in fear of actually writing.
Your information has been very useful. I hope I can count on you if I have any other doubts.

[Funchal99]

Okay, Lexer, not sure if you'll know how to answer this one, but another question struck me today:
When a student dies, do schools usually hold some sort of tribute or funerals for them? I recall in some anime and games of something like that happening in the school auditorium, but I'm not sure if actual funerals take place in schools or if it's just some sort of tribute for the deceased. If so, how do such events usually go?

[Lexer]

Funerals are pretty private affairs. The most a school would do would be to have an announcement by the principal with everyone gathered in the auditorium and put a flower or something on the deceased's desk in the classroom.