Interesting how most of the characters who are acting rudely all seem to have a foreign look to them! Blonde or red hair, tall, etc! Japanese would never do these sorts of things on trains, would they!
The infantilization of Japanese society is one of the biggest cons for me about living in Japan. The entire notion of having common sense and being responsible for yourself and your own actions, and just having common courtesy is replaced with this idea that your actions and behavior have to be strictly regulated to make sure you do the "right" thing, and giving people freedom to behave the way they want is seen as almost obscene and obnoxious because if people aren't told what to do, then how are they supposed to know what to do? What if they do something that isn't correct "manner"??? We can't have it. Every action needs to be regulated to make sure it conforms to our "guidelines of life".
Regulating every aspect of somebody's life means you are depriving them of the opportunity to learn by trial and error. That's one of the reason Japanese and east Asians in general behave in a way many people would describe as childish and immature. They aren't given the opportunity to learn for themselves what is right and what is wrong.
The infantilization of Japanese society is one of the biggest cons for me about living in Japan. The entire notion of having common sense and being responsible for yourself and your own actions, and just having common courtesy is replaced with this idea that your actions and behavior have to be strictly regulated to make sure you do the "right" thing, and giving people freedom to behave the way they want is seen as almost obscene and obnoxious because if people aren't told what to do, then how are they supposed to know what to do? What if they do something that isn't correct "manner"??? We can't have it. Every action needs to be regulated to make sure it conforms to our "guidelines of life".
Regulating every aspect of somebody's life means you are depriving them of the opportunity to learn by trial and error. That's one of the reason Japanese and east Asians in general behave in a way many people would describe as childish and immature. They aren't given the opportunity to learn for themselves what is right and what is wrong.
No wonder many Japanese men and women are frustrated ( big ) babies. Which leads to abuse ( bullying ) and isolation. Two of the biggest problems in Japanese society.
Is people carrying lots of baggage an offense? I'm sure if they had the choice to ride a taxi they would. Anyone of us could be placed in this position, and we're not doing it on purpose. This nation is just becoming a place of disgruntled, angry people, and in a rush.
The drunken salarymen stumbling and falling on other people.
The giggling highschool students standing in front of the doors and not moving out of the way at the stops with their bags blocking the aisle.
The self empowered baba ordering everyone around and elbowing people out of her way to get the last seat while taking up seating with her rolling shopping cart.
No embellishment. A man on the subway dug out a booger, looked at it, and ate it. I told my Japanese friend about it, and he says it's impolite to flick it onto the floor and he probably did not have a tissue so he ate it. I was grossed out but am actually glad he ate it instead of flicking it or wiping it on the seat.
I once felt sick riding in the new car that my friend's dad had just bought in elementary school. The smell of the new upholstery made me dizzy and I "reversed" my lunch. I threw up.
I kept the mouthful of vomit in my mouth, didn't know what to do and ended up swallowing it. How could I ruin everything by puking all over the backseat of their new car? Next time you see a booger eating Oyaji maybe you can appreciate his self-sacrifice.
What a "coincidence" all the characters look foreign.
Well, except for maybe the little kid in the bottom left panel who is sandwiched between the two yapping adults because looks like he is wearing typical Japanese schoolboy attire.
Regarding the comments about Japanese common sense, the London Underground has many signs about not putting your feet on the seats. British people apparently need to be told this.
I do not think it is bad manners to carry large items on public transport. People who do so deserve sympathy and understanding, not disgust. In Japan, you even see negative comments about baggage on train lines that pass an airport, like that Kintetsu (Nankai?) line that goes past Kansai airport.
I wonder how they do these ranking and choose the character. I never got asked about it and looking at it, it look kind of orientated against women and young people.
For example there is 2 instance of spreading : one is about causal clothed lover (so potentially young as the other people in the carriage can be seen as wearing business like clothing) ; the other one about a lady having to carry lot of groceries ; but no instance of man spreading which I think is far more common to come across.
As pointed before there is not the drunk salarymen either.
The only instance of a salarymen is in the last panel thought he is paneled as not so bad since he have a natural body reaction : the train is crowded so he can not move thus can not cover, his nose is just up to ladies so he was potentially irritated by hair/perfume so he couldn't control himself any longer.
In the end that give kind of a bad impression of reality of misbehavior.
There's a reason why so many Japanese say that their commute is so stressful. After succumbing to strict manners and protocol in their offices on a daily basis, seems once they get on a train, some feel the need to act out and in a way rebel against office environments/society by being a jerk. The majority still try to be respectful of others but I've noticed a growing trend of not caring. Stretching/crossing their legs and refusing to make space for people, sticking out their elbows needlessly, and my pet peeve; people who smack their keyboards when using their laptop. I have to hear that sound all day in the office. Surely, you can type quietly and gently to spare us that racket on a train after a hard day. Then there's the ubiquitous man-spreading and holding your smartphone inches away from someone's face cause....gosh darn-it. I need to play my game!
However designed this looks like a fan of Archie or Blondie comics.
I totally see what you mean. Really reminds me of the master illustrator, Herge. Remember Tintin in the congo. Has a bit of that old european classic comic feel.
As for this
…Japanese would never do these sorts of things on trains, would they!
And that
First thing I saw was 1-5 is foreigners 6 is japanese.
Never forget - - they look animeand not of any race. Brighter colors probably to save on ink and create contrast, they don't really harp on being pc to purposefully do something for the sake of it. I mean c'mon. Obviously the artist is a big fan of the gaijin masters.
And - - character design is about ideals. So it reflects idealized beauty standards like big eyes, tiny mouth and nose, light skin, very thin long legs, etc. Background art and themes aside, it's not supposed to represent reality. Tell me I'm wrong.
The Japanese anime illustration trope of the only way to distinguish between characters is by improbable hair colors is lazy and tired. It has gotten worse and 80's and early 90's anime was much better.
Anywhere I lived in Europe or USA, if you would try to cram so many people in a train during the morning and evening commute, you would get daily casualties. Folks would punch, knife, shoot, pepper spray each other. In my opinion, considering the length of the daily commute in a packed train, manners on Japanese trains are great. Of course, with the occasional jerks.
But easy for me to say, I almost never use train for commuting...
When I first seen this It immediately reminded me of a school type comic I use to read when I was about 10, what the artist has missed off is the Henti or Chikan character haha.
That comic is soooooooo halarious wow!!! But you can't control people. Those train rules are not enforce my law. You can't control human behavior especially not in a train that resembles a " Can of squashed sardines"....
No. 1 is kind of inevitable when the trains have flat bench seats which have no or nearly no physical demarcation of personal space. The solution is up to the train operators, not users.
And it's an easy solution, practiced on every rail system I've ever used outside Japan: put physical boundary markers on the seats, like the horizontal armrests on the London Tube, or shape each seat into a distinct scoop, so that shifting your butt outside your space is highly uncomfortable. It ain't rocket science!
Interesting how most of the characters who are acting rudely all seem to have a foreign look to them! Blonde or red hair, tall, etc! Japanese would never do these sorts of things on trains, would they!
Bad bad gaijin
What a "coincidence" all the characters look foreign.
The characters don't even look Japanese. Subliminal messages?
Oh come on, how sensitive you have to be to assume the characters look foreign?
Never forget - - they look animeand not of any race
This! immediately assuming they look foreign because of wild hair color? have nobody seen any animated thing made in Japan?
A long trend of messages to Japanese commuters, written in Japanese, but featuring foreigners so as not to directly offend Japanese people... It needs to stop - the contact details are at the bottom of the image, so let's not hassle JT for bringing this to our attention: contact the racists directly.
37 Comments
Login to comment
David Varnes
Silly thing looks like it was designed by the people behind the 1960's Batman TV show.
Speed
I'm surprised the oyaji picking his nose didn't make it.
KnowBetter
Has common sense become a rare commodity?
nintendogirl
Mostly of these bad manners really happen. It's a nuisance. Hope people follow the correct rules.
MarkX
Interesting how most of the characters who are acting rudely all seem to have a foreign look to them! Blonde or red hair, tall, etc! Japanese would never do these sorts of things on trains, would they!
DudeInJapan
First thing I saw was 1-5 is foreigners 6 is japanese
IloveCoffee
The infantilization of Japanese society is one of the biggest cons for me about living in Japan. The entire notion of having common sense and being responsible for yourself and your own actions, and just having common courtesy is replaced with this idea that your actions and behavior have to be strictly regulated to make sure you do the "right" thing, and giving people freedom to behave the way they want is seen as almost obscene and obnoxious because if people aren't told what to do, then how are they supposed to know what to do? What if they do something that isn't correct "manner"??? We can't have it. Every action needs to be regulated to make sure it conforms to our "guidelines of life".
Regulating every aspect of somebody's life means you are depriving them of the opportunity to learn by trial and error. That's one of the reason Japanese and east Asians in general behave in a way many people would describe as childish and immature. They aren't given the opportunity to learn for themselves what is right and what is wrong.
rcch
No wonder many Japanese men and women are frustrated ( big ) babies. Which leads to abuse ( bullying ) and isolation. Two of the biggest problems in Japanese society.
BackpackingNepal
Chikan is missing.
Chris
However designed this looks like a fan of Archie or Blondie comics.
Pukey2
Eating ramen right next to other people on a local train should be on the list. And women flicking their hair all over other people's face too.
greatyuito
Is people carrying lots of baggage an offense? I'm sure if they had the choice to ride a taxi they would. Anyone of us could be placed in this position, and we're not doing it on purpose. This nation is just becoming a place of disgruntled, angry people, and in a rush.
kyushubill
They forgot:
The drunken salarymen stumbling and falling on other people.
The giggling highschool students standing in front of the doors and not moving out of the way at the stops with their bags blocking the aisle.
The self empowered baba ordering everyone around and elbowing people out of her way to get the last seat while taking up seating with her rolling shopping cart.
quercetum
No embellishment. A man on the subway dug out a booger, looked at it, and ate it. I told my Japanese friend about it, and he says it's impolite to flick it onto the floor and he probably did not have a tissue so he ate it. I was grossed out but am actually glad he ate it instead of flicking it or wiping it on the seat.
I once felt sick riding in the new car that my friend's dad had just bought in elementary school. The smell of the new upholstery made me dizzy and I "reversed" my lunch. I threw up.
I kept the mouthful of vomit in my mouth, didn't know what to do and ended up swallowing it. How could I ruin everything by puking all over the backseat of their new car? Next time you see a booger eating Oyaji maybe you can appreciate his self-sacrifice.
robert maes
Bad bad gaijin
oldman_13
What a "coincidence" all the characters look foreign.
Well, except for maybe the little kid in the bottom left panel who is sandwiched between the two yapping adults because looks like he is wearing typical Japanese schoolboy attire.
kohakuebisu
Regarding the comments about Japanese common sense, the London Underground has many signs about not putting your feet on the seats. British people apparently need to be told this.
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-a-row-of-empty-seats-on-a-london-underground-tube-train-135196383.html
I do not think it is bad manners to carry large items on public transport. People who do so deserve sympathy and understanding, not disgust. In Japan, you even see negative comments about baggage on train lines that pass an airport, like that Kintetsu (Nankai?) line that goes past Kansai airport.
Flute
I wonder how they do these ranking and choose the character. I never got asked about it and looking at it, it look kind of orientated against women and young people.
For example there is 2 instance of spreading : one is about causal clothed lover (so potentially young as the other people in the carriage can be seen as wearing business like clothing) ; the other one about a lady having to carry lot of groceries ; but no instance of man spreading which I think is far more common to come across.
As pointed before there is not the drunk salarymen either.
The only instance of a salarymen is in the last panel thought he is paneled as not so bad since he have a natural body reaction : the train is crowded so he can not move thus can not cover, his nose is just up to ladies so he was potentially irritated by hair/perfume so he couldn't control himself any longer.
In the end that give kind of a bad impression of reality of misbehavior.
MilesTeg
There's a reason why so many Japanese say that their commute is so stressful. After succumbing to strict manners and protocol in their offices on a daily basis, seems once they get on a train, some feel the need to act out and in a way rebel against office environments/society by being a jerk. The majority still try to be respectful of others but I've noticed a growing trend of not caring. Stretching/crossing their legs and refusing to make space for people, sticking out their elbows needlessly, and my pet peeve; people who smack their keyboards when using their laptop. I have to hear that sound all day in the office. Surely, you can type quietly and gently to spare us that racket on a train after a hard day. Then there's the ubiquitous man-spreading and holding your smartphone inches away from someone's face cause....gosh darn-it. I need to play my game!
CKAI
I totally see what you mean. Really reminds me of the master illustrator, Herge. Remember Tintin in the congo. Has a bit of that old european classic comic feel.
As for this
And that
Never forget - - they look animeand not of any race. Brighter colors probably to save on ink and create contrast, they don't really harp on being pc to purposefully do something for the sake of it. I mean c'mon. Obviously the artist is a big fan of the gaijin masters.
And - - character design is about ideals. So it reflects idealized beauty standards like big eyes, tiny mouth and nose, light skin, very thin long legs, etc. Background art and themes aside, it's not supposed to represent reality. Tell me I'm wrong.
dagon
The Japanese anime illustration trope of the only way to distinguish between characters is by improbable hair colors is lazy and tired. It has gotten worse and 80's and early 90's anime was much better.
timeon
Anywhere I lived in Europe or USA, if you would try to cram so many people in a train during the morning and evening commute, you would get daily casualties. Folks would punch, knife, shoot, pepper spray each other. In my opinion, considering the length of the daily commute in a packed train, manners on Japanese trains are great. Of course, with the occasional jerks.
But easy for me to say, I almost never use train for commuting...
pepelepew
The subtle message is clear; The No. 1 problem is foreigners with bad manners.
Brian Wheway
When I first seen this It immediately reminded me of a school type comic I use to read when I was about 10, what the artist has missed off is the Henti or Chikan character haha.
Oxycodin
That comic is soooooooo halarious wow!!! But you can't control people. Those train rules are not enforce my law. You can't control human behavior especially not in a train that resembles a " Can of squashed sardines"....
Oxycodin
How come it say no FARTING on the train?
Rosalind Harris
It's cute. Pre-corona I always did number 3 though. I apologise for not owning a car. Ha.
JeffLee
No. 1 is kind of inevitable when the trains have flat bench seats which have no or nearly no physical demarcation of personal space. The solution is up to the train operators, not users.
And it's an easy solution, practiced on every rail system I've ever used outside Japan: put physical boundary markers on the seats, like the horizontal armrests on the London Tube, or shape each seat into a distinct scoop, so that shifting your butt outside your space is highly uncomfortable. It ain't rocket science!
Bernard Marx
This. So much. My company has freakin' bells for lunch and breaks, just like at school. Utterly ridiculous.
Pukey2
The characters don't even look Japanese. Subliminal messages?
NickPrime
Oh come on, how sensitive you have to be to assume the characters look foreign?
This! immediately assuming they look foreign because of wild hair color? have nobody seen any animated thing made in Japan?
AH
A long trend of messages to Japanese commuters, written in Japanese, but featuring foreigners so as not to directly offend Japanese people... It needs to stop - the contact details are at the bottom of the image, so let's not hassle JT for bringing this to our attention: contact the racists directly.
Rick Sanchez
Don't like Japan ??.. Easy, stay home, stop suffering..
Hey gaijins, cut the drama, it's just an ad, stop complainig about it, just follow the rules and be good kids, behave !!..