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As you may or may not know, I’m currently working on my MA in Critical Media and Cultural Studies at University of London, SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies). For my thesis, I’m delving into the question of how culture, one’s own, as well as that of the source material one is fanning on, affects how fans identify and interact with said media and the fandoms surrounding them.
I am very aware that academic scrutiny of fandom has at times been…less than pleasant, shall we say. With that in mind, I’d like to make clear that it is not my intent to place fen or fandom under the microscope, but rather to use them as one concrete example in the broader investigation of culture’s impact on the field of media studies.
The following questions I’ve split into two sections, one focused on the media itself, the other on fandom as a whole. These are just a jumping-off point; feel free to answer as many/as few of the questions as you’d like, in as much/little detail as you feel comfortable. If you’d prefer to comment anonymously or email me directly at gnine AT livejournal DOT com, that’s fine, too.
Media Questions:
How much of what you fan on is produced by your own culture/country?
How much of what you fan on is originally produced in your native language(s)?
Have either of the above changed over the course of your time in fandom?
If/When consuming material not originally produced in a language you are fluent in, how do you access it? (e.g., dubs, scanlations, muddle through the raws and just enjoy the pretty people/art/voices, etc.)
Are there any culture’s materials you particularly avoid or seek out? (e.g. you avoid anything Japanese, be it anime, manga, video games, etc.; you love anything British, TV, books, etc.)If so, why?
The first time you watched/read/listened to something produced by a culture whose material you had not previously fanned on, were there details you had to adjust to (e.g. narrative styles, character depictions, pacing, cultural references, etc.) ?
Are there any particular tropes/stereotypes/character traits/plot devices you particularly associate with a certain culture’s material?
Fandom Questions:
At a guess, are the majority of the people you regularly fan with your nationality?
Do you think this changes depending on what fandom you’re in?
If you go to live fan events/conventions/meet-ups, have you attended different fan events for media of different cultures? (E.g. have you gone to both conventions for an English-language series (such as Supernatural) and anime conventions?)If so, have you noticed any differences between such conventions?
Have you ever attended fan events/conventions/meet-ups in more than one country? If so, did you notice any differences?
Has fanning with people from various countries ever caused surprise/confusion/misunderstandings?
Do your expectations for the fandom and its fanwork change depending on the source culture?
Additionally, there are a few details that’d be helpful for everyone to include, if they could:
Nationality:
Native language(s):
Language(s) you most often fan in (e.g. write/read/discuss in):
Gender (that you're most comfortable identify yourself as):
Is it all right for me to reference you directly in the final paper:
If yes, how would you prefer to be called (e.g. LJ handle/name/nickname/anonymously, etc):
If needed, would it be alright for me to contact you for more questions/details via email/skype, etc.?
Beyond that, if there are any other details, personal experiences, general trends you’ve observed, feel free to expound. Further discussion/questions in the comments is also very welcome.
If anyone's willing to link this in their journals, I’d be grateful, as the more responses the more expansive the research.
Thanks for your help!
I am very aware that academic scrutiny of fandom has at times been…less than pleasant, shall we say. With that in mind, I’d like to make clear that it is not my intent to place fen or fandom under the microscope, but rather to use them as one concrete example in the broader investigation of culture’s impact on the field of media studies.
The following questions I’ve split into two sections, one focused on the media itself, the other on fandom as a whole. These are just a jumping-off point; feel free to answer as many/as few of the questions as you’d like, in as much/little detail as you feel comfortable. If you’d prefer to comment anonymously or email me directly at gnine AT livejournal DOT com, that’s fine, too.
Media Questions:
How much of what you fan on is produced by your own culture/country?
How much of what you fan on is originally produced in your native language(s)?
Have either of the above changed over the course of your time in fandom?
If/When consuming material not originally produced in a language you are fluent in, how do you access it? (e.g., dubs, scanlations, muddle through the raws and just enjoy the pretty people/art/voices, etc.)
Are there any culture’s materials you particularly avoid or seek out? (e.g. you avoid anything Japanese, be it anime, manga, video games, etc.; you love anything British, TV, books, etc.)If so, why?
The first time you watched/read/listened to something produced by a culture whose material you had not previously fanned on, were there details you had to adjust to (e.g. narrative styles, character depictions, pacing, cultural references, etc.) ?
Are there any particular tropes/stereotypes/character traits/plot devices you particularly associate with a certain culture’s material?
Fandom Questions:
At a guess, are the majority of the people you regularly fan with your nationality?
Do you think this changes depending on what fandom you’re in?
If you go to live fan events/conventions/meet-ups, have you attended different fan events for media of different cultures? (E.g. have you gone to both conventions for an English-language series (such as Supernatural) and anime conventions?)If so, have you noticed any differences between such conventions?
Have you ever attended fan events/conventions/meet-ups in more than one country? If so, did you notice any differences?
Has fanning with people from various countries ever caused surprise/confusion/misunderstandings?
Do your expectations for the fandom and its fanwork change depending on the source culture?
Additionally, there are a few details that’d be helpful for everyone to include, if they could:
Nationality:
Native language(s):
Language(s) you most often fan in (e.g. write/read/discuss in):
Gender (that you're most comfortable identify yourself as):
Is it all right for me to reference you directly in the final paper:
If yes, how would you prefer to be called (e.g. LJ handle/name/nickname/anonymously, etc):
If needed, would it be alright for me to contact you for more questions/details via email/skype, etc.?
Beyond that, if there are any other details, personal experiences, general trends you’ve observed, feel free to expound. Further discussion/questions in the comments is also very welcome.
If anyone's willing to link this in their journals, I’d be grateful, as the more responses the more expansive the research.
Thanks for your help!
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 12:35 am (UTC)On the other hand, I suspect my daughter might be more what you're looking for- she follows quite a bit of anime (and is off to RIT in the fall in hopes producing such things someday). If her input would be more valuable, I'll ask her.
Both, either or neither. Let me know.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 12:45 am (UTC)Thanks so much!
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 01:00 am (UTC)How much of what you fan on is produced by your own culture/country?
*about half
How much of what you fan on is originally produced in your native language(s)?
*everything I fan on has been translated to English, though it didn't necessarily start that way.
Have either of the above changed over the course of your time in fandom?
*I started out writing fanfic for books and progressed to Japanese anime, then to manga, on to television series...and it's a big circle!
If/When consuming material not originally produced in a language you are fluent in, how do you access it? (e.g., dubs, scanlations, muddle through the raws and just enjoy the pretty people/art/voices, etc.
*all of the above
Are there any culture’s materials you particularly avoid or seek out? (e.g. you avoid anything Japanese, be it anime, manga, video games, etc.; you love anything British, TV, books, etc.)If so, why?
*no, I'm open to it all
The first time you watched/read/listened to something produced by a culture whose material you had not previously fanned on, were there details you had to adjust to (e.g. narrative styles, character depictions, pacing, cultural references, etc.) ?
*pacing and cultural references
Are there any particular tropes/stereotypes/character traits/plot devices you particularly associate with a certain culture’s material?
*yes, in Japanese anime,manga, dōjinshi, one finds the seme/uki stereotypes.
Fandom Questions:
At a guess, are the majority of the people you regularly fan with your nationality?
*American or British
Do you think this changes depending on what fandom you’re in?
*NO
If you go to live fan events/conventions/meet-ups, have you attended different fan events for media of different cultures? (E.g. have you gone to both conventions for an English-language series (such as Supernatural) and anime conventions?)If so, have you noticed any differences between such conventions?
*I don't attend cons or fan events
Have you ever attended fan events/conventions/meet-ups in more than one country? If so, did you notice any differences?
*N/A
Has fanning with people from various countries ever caused surprise/confusion/misunderstandings?
*on occasion, not often
Do your expectations for the fandom and its fanwork change depending on the source culture?
*yes
Additionally, there are a few details that’d be helpful for everyone to include, if they could:
Nationality:
*American
Native language(s):
Language(s) you most often fan in (e.g. write/read/discuss in):
Is it all right for me to reference you directly in the final paper:
If yes, how would you prefer to be called (e.g. LJ handle/name/nickname/anonymously, etc):
*English
If needed, would it be alright for me to contact you for more questions/details via email/skype, etc.?
*yes!
Beyond that, if there are any other details, personal experiences, general trends you’ve observed, feel free to expound. Further discussion/questions in the comments is also very welcome.
If people are willing to link this, I’d be grateful, as the more responses the more expansive the research.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 01:04 am (UTC)Sounds interesting. You might want to introduce yourself to [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com]. She's a longtime friend of mine from Buffalo who's now in the PhD program at Cardiff, and has been dissertating (or at least trying to) on the cultural influence of Doctor Who. She helped run the conference they held there last year, and also edited this little tome that might be relevant-
Impossible Worlds (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Impossible-Worlds-Things-Perspectives-Adventures/dp/1443819603)
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 01:05 am (UTC)I'm American, native English speaker, and that's the only language I usually fan in. These days most of the media I fan on seems to be English-language (American, Canadian, and British productions) but I've been into a lot of Japanese animanga and live-action dramas as well. In my experience, anime fandoms are quite a different beast from Western fandoms - for one, the fans tend to be significantly younger (at 20, I was fairly young for a Western fandom fan, fairly old for an anime fan). Possibly because America tends to view cartoons as "kid's stuff"? So some of the differences may be less cultural and more age-based. A lot of early anime fandoms also were more male than female, while as all the Western fandoms I've been in the vast majority of fans are female, so that makes a difference, too.
That being said, there's quite a lot of difference between fanworks for anime fandoms and English-language fandoms. Anime seems to inspire more fan art, and different kinds of fan art (e.g. manips are common for live-action series, never seen them for anime.) Fanfic especially is different - I tend to prefer Western-based fic, in no small part because h/c is one of my favorite genres, and it's a lot less common in anime fic. Character-centric gen fic, too, is harder to find in anime fic.
There's also certain things that only turn up in anime fic - "fangirl Japanese" isn't a problem in English-language fics; it can be awfully annoying in anime fic (at least when the Japanese is wrong...)
Then, my expectations for the series themselves will be different. Sometimes I'll be in the mood for English-language series, and sometimes more in the mood for something Japanese. Sometimes that's because I don't feel like reading subtitles/trying to translate, but it's often for other things. For instance, I like anime and American cartoons, but for somewhat different reasons. Shounen series tend to have certain themes and tropes I love (such as friendship and nakamaship and fighting for what you believe in) and I love superhero cartoons for a lot of the same stuff, but it's done differently. Anime tends to have more violence, brutalization of small children, etc; there's also certain character types I love, like fangboys and eternal rival characters, which are a staple in anime but less common in Western stuff. (Though superhero stories often have arch-nemeses...) And correspondingly there's some char types more common in Western series, like geeky supergeniuses.
Plus, some things are just easier in my native language - it's easier for me to quote funny lines when they're in English, so the vast majority of my favorite quotes come from English-language series...
(and obviously it's all right for you to reference me - you know how to contact me!)
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 02:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 04:10 am (UTC)I'm American and watch about 2/3 American-produced shows with the occasional British sit-com and mostly anime making up the rest.
Before I figured these things out, as a kid I thought most of what I watched originated in the good 'ol U.S., but then I learned that a lot of the shows I watched were just edited and dubbed Japanese cartoons or done by Japanese studios. I loved Robotech and Silverhawks, for example. First it was the art--WAY better than American-made cartoons--and then the type of stories that drew me in and seemed to be lacking at the time in other shows.
I got out of those when I got older and really only watched sci-fi on TV and the occasional anime movie, which I loved because they were like adult versions of the cartoons I'd watched when I was young. Then when anime hit the internet I got into it more--until recently it was just too difficult to find.
I watch a few anime shows now and prefer subtitles so that I hear the original voices and inflection (and have picked up on swear words and when they've changed/censored the dialogue). I was having a conversation with a 13 year-old camper the other day who watches a TON of anime but only ones that are English dubbed. She doesn't like subtitles as much, yet was way ahead of me on pronouncing the characters' names correctly and how the vowels and consonants should sound (though she hadn't picked up any vocabulary). I like the teamy adventure stuff; she is into the soap-opera type stories with complicated romances.
I wouldn't say that I particularly seek out ANYthing Japanese, because a lot of it can be really creepy or just bizarre. As for British stuff, I don't think of the origins of books much unless there's a lot of hoopla about it (like Harry Potter) so I can't say that I seek out that, either, though I do love a good Neil Gaiman. Though...I would say I do seek out Australian authors because finding them in a bookstore is rare so I'll tend to buy one when I see it if I notice it in the author blurb and not worry about the plot summary. Morris Gleitzman and John Marsden, notably!
I only run into a few references or jokes that I don't get (and picked up on a few running gags that are obviously very funny if you grew up with them). But then in the comments to one video, someone explained that a character looked happy at the end because a single cherry petal fell in his tea and that's a sign of good luck, and I realized I'm probably missing quite a few references like that.
Are there any particular tropes/stereotypes/character traits/plot devices you particularly associate with a certain culture’s material?
In anime I've noticed there are a lot of orphans with great destinies. Also that bad guys turn out to be good guys a lot. Way more than good guys turn out to be bad guys, which tends to happen in Western stories.
Fandom
I think about half the people I know in fandom are from the U.S. and about half are British, but I do know a few are from other European countries (non-English-speaking) and post in both English and their native language.
Do you think this changes depending on what fandom you’re in? I think most of the anime fans I've seen online are from the U.S. but I don't know as many of them.
Do your expectations for the fandom and its fanwork change depending on the source culture? Heck, yes. Both seem to be into slash but the anime crowd seems to be younger...I browse art at deviantArt as well, and there's definitely a growing crowd of beginners putting up a lot of fanart in the various animes I watch. Maybe because it's a cartoon to begin with, there seems to be much more in drawn fan work in anime and somewhat less in fanfiction and the reverse is true for Stargate and Sanctuary, Glee &etc.
Nationality: United States
Native language(s): English
Language(s) you most often fan in (e.g. write/read/discuss in): English
Is it all right for me to reference you directly in the final paper: Sure
If yes, how would you prefer to be called (e.g. LJ handle/name/nickname/anonymously, etc): Doesn't matter... Janet is fine
If needed, would it be alright for me to contact you for more questions/details via email/skype, etc.? Sure...buffalogirl @gmail.com
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 06:51 am (UTC)Little to none. Though for me there's a difference between fanning on books and fanning on tv-shows. My very first fandom was a book series for young adults. I got into it when I was 13 and at the time I read the books in my native language. A few years later, when I discovered the books had actually been translated from English, and there were many, many more books in the series that had never been translated into my native language, I started collecting and reading the books in English. That's when I discovered fandom (and fanfic!).
Now, English tv-shows are never dubbed in my country (with the exception of a number of cartoons/anime, unfortunately), always subbed, which is the way I watched them when I was younger.
- How much of what you fan on is originally produced in your native language(s)?
Nothing, pretty much. Although, wait. There was one book I ended up fanning on, but that lasted about a day since there wasn't actually a fandom for it.
- Have either of the above changed over the course of your time in fandom?
No, and I don't think it's likely to change in the future.
- If/When consuming material not originally produced in a language you are fluent in, how do you access it? (e.g., dubs, scanlations, muddle through the raws and just enjoy the pretty people/art/voices, etc.)
Well, since I have a MA in English language and culture, I consider myself pretty fluent in the language now, even though it's not my native language. So I have no problem following the material as it was originally produced. But when I was younger I had to watch my favourite tv-shows with subtitles and had to keep a dictionary handy when reading English books.
- Are there any culture’s materials you particularly avoid or seek out? (e.g. you avoid anything Japanese, be it anime, manga, video games, etc.; you love anything British, TV, books, etc.)If so, why?
I guess I mostly gravitate towards English language materials (be it American, British, Australian, etc.), simply because I understand it well and because I have a great affinity for the language. I like to watch anime dubbed in English for the same reason.
- The first time you watched/read/listened to something produced by a culture whose material you had not previously fanned on, were there details you had to adjust to (e.g. narrative styles, character depictions, pacing, cultural references, etc.) ?
Mostly cultural references. Sometimes I still have problems with those.
Fandom Questions:
- At a guess, are the majority of the people you regularly fan with your nationality?
No. I think the majority of people I fan with are either American or British.
- Do you think this changes depending on what fandom you’re in?
No, I don't think so.
- If you go to live fan events/conventions/meet-ups, have you attended different fan events for media of different cultures? (E.g. have you gone to both conventions for an English-language series (such as Supernatural) and anime conventions?)If so, have you noticed any differences between such conventions?
No, I've only been to one convention and it was in England, so I can't actually compare.
- Have you ever attended fan events/conventions/meet-ups in more than one country? If so, did you notice any differences?
See above.
- Has fanning with people from various countries ever caused surprise/confusion/misunderstandings?
No...at least, not on my end.
- Do your expectations for the fandom and its fanwork change depending on the source culture?
Well, I guess that if the source culture would be my own, my expectations for the fandom would be pretty low. But as I said before, I rarely, if ever, fan on something that's from my own culture.
Nationality: Dutch
Native language(s): Dutch
Language(s) you most often fan in (e.g. write/read/discuss in): English
Is it all right for me to reference you directly in the final paper: sure
If yes, how would you prefer to be called (e.g. LJ handle/name/nickname/anonymously, etc): Tristen
If needed, would it be alright for me to contact you for more questions/details via email/skype, etc.?
Sure: goldenslumbers1@hotmail.com
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 08:07 am (UTC)Merlin is the only British show I’m fannish about. In fact, it’s the only British show I watch. The reason for this is that a lot of the British shows are either a) not in my genre or b) if I’m honest have such lower production values than the US shows I’m used to that they make me wince. This may not be patriotic but it’s true.
How much of what you fan on is originally produced in your native language(s)?
Almost all of it. I do watch some anime, or subtitled foreign films. I’d say 95%.
Have either of the above changed over the course of your time in fandom?
In high school anime was my fandom – no Western media. Then when I started watching Stargate SG-1 (as a result of my friend constantly talking about it) I fell in love with American sci-fi.
If/When consuming material not originally produced in a language you are fluent in, how do you access it? (e.g., dubs, scanlations, muddle through the raws and just enjoy the pretty people/art/voices, etc.)
NEVER dubs! I would always watch it in subtitles or seek out scanlations. I’m not smart enough to learn to read a foreign language just for fandom.
Are there any culture’s materials you particularly avoid or seek out? (e.g. you avoid anything Japanese, be it anime, manga, video games, etc.; you love anything British, TV, books, etc.)If so, why?
I watch almost exclusively American TV shows. This is because the quality of production and writing is generally very good, and because of the variety.
The first time you watched/read/listened to something produced by a culture whose material you had not previously fanned on, were there details you had to adjust to (e.g. narrative styles, character depictions, pacing, cultural references, etc.) ?
Oh God, anime was a learning curve! Over time and exposure I started to learn the tropes and ideas behind a lot of the things I didn’t quite get, and started to pick up on a lot more. As well, their whole outlook on life and morality is subtly different to that of my own, which really influenced my thinking.
Are there any particular tropes/stereotypes/character traits/plot devices you particularly associate with a certain culture’s material?
I’m only really conscious of Japanese tropes, but those would include magical girls, extremely pretty boys, fan clubs for individual high school people(!), extremely humorous moments suddenly turning into revelations of deep internal angst, giant robots...
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 08:07 am (UTC)At a guess, are the majority of the people you regularly fan with your nationality?
I know a lot of them are, but quite a lot of my fandom friends are foreign but live/have lived in the UK, or are from countries where English is their first language, like the US.
Do you think this changes depending on what fandom you’re in?
Very much so, because of the awareness needed of the original media. But as most of my shows are US shows, my fandom friends stay very stable, as most British fans watch a lot of US shows due to the dearth of UK genre.
If you go to live fan events/conventions/meet-ups, have you attended different fan events for media of different cultures? (E.g. have you gone to both conventions for an English-language series (such as Supernatural) and anime conventions?)If so, have you noticed any differences between such conventions?
I used to attend anime cons, now I go to Western ones. Anime conventions, because we can’t get ‘guests’ in the way you can for a local, live-action show, tend to be more about watching shows on big screens and wandering around chatting to people. Western cons seem to be more about guests, and while I love that if that means discussion and panels and getting to really talk about a show, things like Collectormania – where it is all about the autographs – really bore me.
Have you ever attended fan events/conventions/meet-ups in more than one country? If so, did you notice any differences?
No, sorry. I’m due to go to ComicCon in a week’s time though, I’ll report back!
Has fanning with people from various countries ever caused surprise/confusion/misunderstandings?
Not especially, though I have had to explain British words sometimes.
Do your expectations for the fandom and its fanwork change depending on the source culture?
I think there’s a very different feel to shows made in, say, the UK compared to the US. A lot of US shows are very serious with humour thrown in, and are very ‘glossy’, if you know what I mean – all the characters are gorgeous and well-groomed and live beautiful lives in lovely houses there’s no way they could afford. In UK shows things seem to be more realism-based on that front, with more... I’m not sure how to describe it, self-deprecation of the characters? More humour-based with seriousness thrown in.
Additionally, there are a few details that’d be helpful for everyone to include, if they could:
Nationality: English
Native language(s): English (UK)
Language(s) you most often fan in (e.g. write/read/discuss in): English
Is it all right for me to reference you directly in the final paper: Sure
If yes, how would you prefer to be called (e.g. LJ handle/name/nickname/anonymously, etc): Tahariel
If needed, would it be alright for me to contact you for more questions/details via email/skype, etc.? Sure Tahariel@luckymail.com
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 08:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 08:27 am (UTC)How much of what you fan on is originally produced in your native language(s)? 100%
Have either of the above changed over the course of your time in fandom? No
If/When consuming material not originally produced in a language you are fluent in, how do you access it? I watch foreign-language media (mostly German or French, but some Japanese) with subtitles rather than dubs because for me the original voice acting has more raw emotion
Are there any culture’s materials you particularly avoid or seek out? Not really, but generally I prefer British humour to American.
The first time you watched/read/listened to something produced by a culture whose material you had not previously fanned on, were there details you had to adjust to? Yes, not that I can remember the first time specifically. But I've gotten more into Japanese/Japan-influenced media over the last year, and enforces my vague sense that each culture has their own set of tropes/stereotypes that take some effort to wrap my head around. And there are always colloquialisms/obscure cultural references that are particular to a country/region/whatever. And even the way characters interact physically is markedly different depending on the people it was produced by/for.
Are there any particular tropes/stereotypes/character traits/plot devices you particularly associate with a certain culture’s material? Not really.
At a guess, are the majority of the people you regularly fan with your nationality? No; I've only made the effort to seek out local fen in the last 12 months, and even then the community I've found is so small it's pretty rare for all of us to be in the same fandom.
Do you think this changes depending on what fandom you’re in? No.
If you go to live fan events/conventions/meet-ups, have you attended different fan events for media of different cultures? No; the meet-ups I do attend generally focus on English-language media
Have you ever attended fan events/conventions/meet-ups in more than one country? If so, did you notice any differences? Yes, in both Australia and New Zealand (and both visiting and hosting Aussies). The Australian fen I've met tend to be more vocal and up-front than New Zealanders, enough that it feels a little like a culture clash at times.
Has fanning with people from various countries ever caused surprise/confusion/misunderstandings? Yes; there tend to be different expectations WRT communication, and sometimes it *feels* like people are being rude when I know that's not there intention.
Do your expectations for the fandom and its fanwork change depending on the source culture? Yes. New Zealand media is fairly self-deprecating and (sometimes deliberately) low-rate/faux-improvisational, I tend to expect British media to be cynical/genre-mashing, and American media to be more... earnest and self-examining.
Nationality: New Zealand European
Native language: English
Language you most often fan in: English
Is it all right for me to reference you directly in the final paper: Yes
If yes, how would you prefer to be called: ariadne83
If needed, would it be alright for me to contact you for more questions/details? Yes (email is listed on my profile page)
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 09:45 am (UTC)How much of what you fan on is produced by your own culture/country?
Most of it is from Western countries, none of it from my own.
How much of what you fan on is originally produced in your native language(s)?
Nothing.
Have either of the above changed over the course of your time in fandom?
As a child (up to about 13/14 years) I of course had no choice but to watch/read in my native language, but even then the things I consumed were probably 70% translated. As a teenager (14-18 years) roughly 80% of my fandoms were Asian, the rest Western, and while I consumed most of these fandom sources in English (as dubs, subs or translations) I related to other fans in German. I started writing in English when I was about 17, and now (at 24) I fan exclusively in English.
If/When consuming material not originally produced in a language you are fluent in, how do you access it? (e.g., dubs, scanlations, muddle through the raws and just enjoy the pretty people/art/voices, etc.)
I prefer subs, because I enjoy the sound of these languages and I tend to dislike dubs.
Are there any culture’s materials you particularly avoid or seek out? (e.g. you avoid anything Japanese, be it anime, manga, video games, etc.; you love anything British, TV, books, etc.)If so, why?
If anything, I avoid materials in my native language.
The first time you watched/read/listened to something produced by a culture whose material you had not previously fanned on, were there details you had to adjust to (e.g. narrative styles, character depictions, pacing, cultural references, etc.) ?
All of these when it came to anime/manga. I actually learned a fair few Japanese words by osmosis. I never quite learned to appreciate Japanese humour, but did for a time quite enjoy their character depictions and narrative styles.
With English-speaking fandoms, this was most extreme in the case of Smallville, because that fandom strongly emphasizes American culture.
Another sort of culture clash: fanning a source that is not only not from your country, but not from your time (for example old comics, or Doctor Who from the Sixties/Seventies). Here of course you have to adjust to attitudes towards gender and race, and to the fact that since the Eighties, pop media has become increasingly dark/realistic/violent.
Are there any particular tropes/stereotypes/character traits/plot devices you particularly associate with a certain culture’s material?
Two character stereotypes I associate with anime/manga in particular: girls who are extremely kind, naive, polite, girlish and vulnerable. Often these girls are also portrayed as quiet and not very smart compared to their peers, there's an element of strong self-depreciation (I recognize some of these traits in Twilight's Bella). The opposite is the tough, rude, loudmouthed tom-boy.
At a guess, are the majority of the people you regularly fan with your nationality?
No.
Do you think this changes depending on what fandom you’re in?
Not very much.
If you go to live fan events/conventions/meet-ups, have you attended different fan events for media of different cultures? (E.g. have you gone to both conventions for an English-language series (such as Supernatural) and anime conventions?)If so, have you noticed any differences between such conventions?
I haven't.
Have you ever attended fan events/conventions/meet-ups in more than one country? If so, did you notice any differences?
Haven't.
Has fanning with people from various countries ever caused surprise/confusion/misunderstandings?
I don't recall any extreme cases, but it still surprises me each time an American (usually they're Americans) says things like "darling" or "sweetie" to me.
Do your expectations for the fandom and its fanwork change depending on the source culture?
I expect anime/manga fans to be younger, to embrace slightly different gender stereotypes, to produce higher quality visual fanworks, but lower quality written fanworks.
Nationality: German
Native language(s): German
Language(s) you most often fan in : English
Is it all right for me to reference you directly in the final paper: yes
If yes, how would you prefer to be called: Bagheera / Nadja
If needed, would it be alright for me to contact you for more questions/details via email/skype, etc.? yes
part the first
Date: 2010-07-10 10:00 am (UTC)How much of what you fan on is produced by your own culture/country?
Nothing.
How much of what you fan on is originally produced in your native language(s)?
Nothing.
Have either of the above changed over the course of your time in fandom?
No.
If/When consuming material not originally produced in a language you are fluent in, how do you access it? (e.g., dubs, scanlations, muddle through the raws and just enjoy the pretty people/art/voices, etc.)
Mostly subtitles and a few scanlations. I do have a handful of Japanese-language manga, but since I can barely spell my own name in hiragana, I'm left marvelling at the pretty while trying to figure out what the heck is going on. Since Japanese logic doesn't always fit my Western experiences, that can be somewhat tricky. Or, you know. Impossible. ;)
Are there any culture’s materials you particularly avoid or seek out? (e.g. you avoid anything Japanese, be it anime, manga, video games, etc.; you love anything British, TV, books, etc.)If so, why?
No. If it sounds interesting, I'll check it out, though the way the media are structured here that means my source material is mostly North American, with some British, Japanese and Korean thrown in.
The first time you watched/read/listened to something produced by a culture whose material you had not previously fanned on, were there details you had to adjust to (e.g. narrative styles, character depictions, pacing, cultural references, etc.) ?
When I first got into Anime, I understood little of the subtleties. Body language, shortcut references to well-known cultural phenomena, some of the character interaction – I had to access everything little by little. Manga were more helpful in that regard, as German translations often come with a little index that explains the more "outlandish" things, but way back when, the only manga available were Dragonball and Sailor Moon.
Are there any particular tropes/stereotypes/character traits/plot devices you particularly associate with a certain culture’s material?
I associate prank wars strongly with US-American and first-kiss-agonising with Japanese culture. The latter also gives me my beloved Valentine's-chocolate trope. I'm sure there's a lot more I just can't think of right now (so warm >.<).
part the second
Date: 2010-07-10 10:00 am (UTC)At a guess, are the majority of the people you regularly fan with your nationality?
Hahaha, no. of the 181 people I have friended, 19 are of the same nationality as me. Of those 19, maybe half are active in a fandom we share or at least used to share.
Do you think this changes depending on what fandom you’re in?
No. The Merlin fandom has a higher percentage British people than say, Stargate; alas, I'm not British.
If you go to live fan events/conventions/meet-ups, have you attended different fan events for media of different cultures? (E.g. have you gone to both conventions for an English-language series (such as Supernatural) and anime conventions?)If so, have you noticed any differences between such conventions?
Hahaha, yes! I've been to a Stargate convention and one that concentrated more on science fiction in general with emphasis on Star Trek (though again I went for the Stargate part). I've also been to several Animanga conventions, and although the general setup was the same (merchandising, panels, autograph sessions, cosplay), the audience made all the difference. In short, the animanga fans were generally younger, more exuberant, more noticeably trying to copy the source culture, and vastly more colourful.
Have you ever attended fan events/conventions/meet-ups in more than one country? If so, did you notice any differences?
Yes, I have, but no, I did not.
Has fanning with people from various countries ever caused surprise/confusion/misunderstandings?
Frequently. It's the vocabulary – the casual use of 'nazi' in whatever combination drives me up the wall, whereas I had no idea that there was anything offensive about fried chicken. Never mind that I'm still marvelling at the USA, land of air conditioning and bigger-is-better, not having embraced the continuous-flow water heaters as soon as they got on the market. ;)
Do your expectations for the fandom and its fanwork change depending on the source culture?
Hmm, yes and no. There is less subtlety in US-American material; sometimes I think North-American TV is mainly targeting stupid people. Sorry. British material, on the other hand, often employs a more biting humour you won't necessarily get the first time around. However, the quality of fanworks doesn't so much depend on the source culture, in my experience, as the average age of the target audience. I expect much higher quality and maturity from the Sherlock Holmes fandom than from BBC's Merlin. Both are British (if you ignore the Guy Ritchie movie for a moment), but the themes explored in their fanworks are very different. For example, the modern-day AU is very popular in Merlin fandom, but the Sherlock Holmes fen seem content with Victorian England.
Additionally:
Nationality: German
Native language(s): German
Language(s) you most often fan in (e.g. write/read/discuss in): English
Is it all right for me to reference you directly in the final paper: Yes
If yes, how would you prefer to be called (e.g. LJ handle/name/nickname/anonymously, etc): LJ handle is fine
If needed, would it be alright for me to contact you for more questions/details via email/skype, etc.? Sure
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 02:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 03:05 pm (UTC)Native language: Swedish (I learned English as a child, and Japanese as an adult).
Language I most often fan in: English.
Is it alright to reference me: Sure.
What would you like to be called: Real first name would do well.
Would it be alright to contact me: Of course!
How much of what you fan on is produced by your own culture/country?
Nothing.
How much of what you fan on is originally produced in your native language(s)?
Again, nothing.
Have either of the above changed over the course of your time in fandom?
No, though I've shifted from mostly American stuff to mostly Japanese stuff. I can't think of anything I've ever fanned on that was produced in Sweden, in Swedish.
If/When consuming material not originally produced in a language you are fluent in, how do you access it?
I'm not really counting English-language stuff here, though it's true than when I was a very tiny little proto-fan, I did read books in Swedish translation, and see TV-shows with Swedish subtitles (that's how they were broadcast on national TV). But as soon as I knew enough English to realize that everything is better in the original language I stopped getting translated stuff altogether.
As for Japanese, I did read a lot of manga officially translated into English, and I watched subtitled anime. Once I had the kind of internet connection that would support it, I downloaded fansubs. And I played both officially released English-language Japanese RPG video games, and some fantranslations. All of it in English. But from the very beginning when I first discovered the Japanese stuff and started fanning on it, I was stubbornly determined to learn the language. I always wanted to be able to enjoy the original without middle hands, and a few years later, I got there.
Are there any culture’s materials you particularly avoid or seek out? If so, why?
I'm kind of curious about Korean manhwa, but I've decided to avoid it, simply because I wouldn't be able to stand translations again, and I don't want to have to learn another language.
The first time you watched/read/listened to something produced by a culture whose material you had not previously fanned on, were there details you had to adjust to?
There were some things I had to adjust to when I first started getting into Japanese stuff. Right now I can barely remember exactly how it felt, or exactly what I reacted on. I remember that it felt fresh and interesting. More alive, less artificial (since then I've noticed that the clichés are just different, but when I first saw it, lacking the clichés I was used to, it really felt alive). There were different character types and different moral values than I was used to. I didn't have any negative reactions to it, but I do remember doing a double-take once in a while.
And, of course, the cultural references. But that's not just with the Japanese stuff, it goes for anything American or British as well. I think the in-jokes are actually the hardest part to adjust to - but it also means you get to learn new things.
Are there any particular tropes/stereotypes/character traits/plot devices you particularly associate with a certain culture’s material?
There's always the negative tropes... For example, the lonely hero and the annoying patriotism of American stuff, and the somewhat useless big-breasted mini-skirted women in Japanese works. But those are just stereotypes, and doesn't really say anything. It's hard to say something in general that encompasses for example all kinds of manga AND anime AND video games. But as for a trope I like, the focus on "nakamaship" is what's drawing me to shounen manga.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 03:05 pm (UTC)No. Some are, and sometimes I discover after knowing a person for a while that they're a Swede. Swedes seem to be a bit overrepresented on the internet considering our small population. But for the most part, no.
Do you think this changes depending on what fandom you’re in?
No, not really. The respective proportion of people from different countries might change (for examples, I know several people from the Philippines in the One Piece fandom, and I wouldn't have expected that in, say, SGA fandom. But I might be wrong), but the proportion of Swedes doesn't change much.
If you go to live fan events/conventions/meet-ups, have you attended different fan events for media of different cultures? If so, have you noticed any differences between such conventions?
The only fan events I've ever been to have been in Japan - several doujinshi events of different sizes as well as Jump Festa and one other seiyuu event. Needless to say, those where mainly for Japanese fandoms, although big doujinshi events like Comiket do have doujinshi for Western stuff as well.
Have you ever attended fan events/conventions/meet-ups in more than one country? If so, did you notice any differences?
Again, the only fan events I've ever been to have been in Japan. There are practically no fan events in Sweden, and I've never been to one in an English-speaking country. From what I hear, Western events (even in anime fandom) are very different from Japanese events, but I don't have the experience to make comparisons.
In any case, going to a Japanese event is an experience - not the least because you stand out a lot. But I've never met with any negativity. The Japanese fans are usually happy to meet foreign fangirls.
Has fanning with people from various countries ever caused surprise/confusion/misunderstandings?
There has been a couple of occasions when a person's English has been so bad that I had to think twice before realizing what they meant. Usually on LJ fandom, I'm really happy to have come to know people from all sorts of nationalities all over the world. Getting to know people from a country you don't know a lot about widens your world in a way. I love how the internet brings people together.
When it comes to fanning on Japanese stuff, there are often misunderstandings about, because few people understand the original language, and the available translations can be differing and sometimes wrong. But that has more to do with the source material than fans from different countries.
As for Japanese fandom in Japan, though, it's a bit more difficult. Even their internet fandom culture is different than what we do on LJ. And there is practically no overlap, since English fandom and Japanese fandom in general don't speak each other's languages. Also, although many are nice and squeeful when you meet them at events, as a Westerner it's hard to approach Japanese fandom even if you do speak the language.
Do your expectations for the fandom and its fanwork change depending on the source culture?
I have to say no, but only because I tend to not dive too deep into fandom. I tend to stay on my LJ and my F-list, and not go to the forums and communities where fans gather. I've heard that there are general differences between anime/Western fandoms, but I have a low tolerance for wank, so I'd rather avoid it altogether and focus on the squee with a limited number of people.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 04:20 pm (UTC)How much of what you fan on is produced by your own culture/country?
I'd say it's about half and half. And it's very skewed depending on what type of media. For TV, I hardly watch *any* American shows at all, there's really just one or two that I follow, but I watch a lot of anime and a fair amount of British TV. Plus I read lots of manga, but no American comic books/graphic novels at all. For movies and books, however, it's heavily skewed towards American stuff; I may occasionally watch a foreign film but that's fairly rare.
How much of what you fan on is originally produced in your native language(s)?
Again, about half and half, with the same skew as above.
Have either of the above changed over the course of your time in fandom?
Yeah, definitely. When I was first introduced to anime, I only watched a little, but over time I've started to watch more and more. I was never a big fan of American TV, though. Also, I didn't read manga for my first several years in fandom, only watching anime, but gradually got into it and now I probably read just as much manga as I watch anime.
If/When consuming material not originally produced in a language you are fluent in, how do you access it? (e.g., dubs, scanlations, muddle through the raws and just enjoy the pretty people/art/voices, etc.)
For anime, fansubs when available, official subs when not. There are a few decent dubs out there - Trigun leaps to mind - but they're the exception rather than the rule, so I prefer to avoid them when at all possible. I would get more in the way of official subs if buying anime wasn't so prohibitively expensive. For manga, I actually prefer to buy the official volumes released in America - greater image quality and consistency of translations, plus I prefer reading an actual book to reading on my computer - but since there's such a great delay in release time I'll typically read scanlations online while I wait for the volumes to come out.
Are there any culture’s materials you particularly avoid or seek out? (e.g. you avoid anything Japanese, be it anime, manga, video games, etc.; you love anything British, TV, books, etc.)If so, why?
Well, I tend to avoid Japanese porn, because it's scary. Heh. But I can't think of anything else I particularly avoid. I don't really seek out stuff, either, I tend to watch/read stuff on recommendation from others.
The first time you watched/read/listened to something produced by a culture whose material you had not previously fanned on, were there details you had to adjust to (e.g. narrative styles, character depictions, pacing, cultural references, etc.) ?
The first anime I ever watched was Fushigi Yuugi and I thought it was the weirdest thing I had ever seen. It grew on me, but it was the character designs that first threw me for a loop. That still happens sometimes when I pick up a new series with a unique style - One Piece's art took a while to adjust to, for example - but for the most part I'm used to it now. I'm aware that there are probably some cultural references/language jokes that go over my head, but most of the time I don't worry about that.
I got into anime a long time ago, but the one thing I do remember finding confusing was all the honorifics and the different versions of "I" and "you" which of course heavily flavor dialogue and can tell you a lot about a character's personality. I still, to this day, *hate* it when a fansubber omits or changes the honorifics to "mister" or whatever. Just leave them in! We know what they mean!
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 04:20 pm (UTC)Shonen anime/manga is one of the most predictable things I have ever read. 1) They fight a guy. 2) They level up. 3) A stronger guy comes along. 4) He kicks their asses. 5) Commence training sequence. 6) They fight the guy again. 7) They level up and kick his ass. Wash, rinse, repeat. Some series I don't mind it in - One Piece has endless creativity of villains - and some are more subtle about it - FMA was shonen and it sort of had that flavor, but it was much more mellow - but in some it bores the hell out of me, like Bleach.
Plus anime/manga has a strong tendency to have weak female characters, which drives me bonkers and is why I really like it when a strong female comes along in manga. Of course, with the Twilight craze going full force here, I expect most American female characters to be pathetic for a while, too.
At a guess, are the majority of the people you regularly fan with your nationality?
I'd say probably about three quarters, maybe even less. But I don't ask a lot of them about it, heh.
Do you think this changes depending on what fandom you’re in?
Absolutely. When it comes to manga/anime, I'm a foreigner to begin with and I think a lot of other people fanning it are as well, or are from Japan where it originated. But the American stuff I like - the Dresden Files (books, not TV), Chuck (TV), et cetera, I think most of the fans are American.
If you go to live fan events/conventions/meet-ups, have you attended different fan events for media of different cultures? (E.g. have you gone to both conventions for an English-language series (such as Supernatural) and anime conventions?)If so, have you noticed any differences between such conventions?
I've only gone to anime cons, so I really don't know, but every con is very unique (I've been to Otakon, Anime Boston, YaoiCon, and one small con in New Hampshire and Arizona, both of which are now defunct, I believe), so it wouldn't surprise me at all. A loooooooong time ago I went to Arisia, a sci-fi con in Boston, and it had a *very* different flavor to it, but that was so long ago that it's hard for me to pin down what the difference was.
Have you ever attended fan events/conventions/meet-ups in more than one country? If so, did you notice any differences?
Nope, just America.
Has fanning with people from various countries ever caused surprise/confusion/misunderstandings?
I honestly don't think so. I mean, sure, I've had surprise/confusion/etc with other fans, but I think that's just because we're all people and sometimes communication is hard over the internet. I don't think it was a cultural thing.
Do your expectations for the fandom and its fanwork change depending on the source culture?
This is hard to answer because I don't really get into American fandoms. I'm sure there *is* a Chuck fandom or one for the Dresden Files, but I've never sought it out. Karasu is into the How to Train your Dragon fandom right now, and she says that it's much more cheerful, open, and inclusive than some of the other fandoms she associates with, but that may just be because of the source material. She's been in Supernatural and Dark Angel fandoms as well and never mentioned the change until HTTYD. (Objection! Hearsay! Sustained!)
Nationality: American
Native language(s): English
Language(s) you most often fan in (e.g. write/read/discuss in): Source material is Japanese, but my own fannings are in English.
Is it all right for me to reference you directly in the final paper: Sure, though I can't imagine anything I said was that scintillating.
If yes, how would you prefer to be called (e.g. LJ handle/name/nickname/anonymously, etc): Kouri is fine.
If needed, would it be alright for me to contact you for more questions/details via email/skype, etc.? Sure again. ^^
Hope this helped!
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 08:07 pm (UTC)How much of what you fan on is produced by your own culture/country? Country wise very little, there are some bands that I follow and a couple of tv shows but that's about it. Culturally most of it.
How much of what you fan on is originally produced in your native language(s)? Nearly all of it.
Have either of the above changed over the course of your time in fandom? No, not really.
If/When consuming material not originally produced in a language you are fluent in, how do you access it? (e.g., dubs, scanlations, muddle through the raws and just enjoy the pretty people/art/voices, etc.) Usually, if film or tv - with subtitles. But music or anime, manga, yaoi etc I'll attempt to follow without translations unless I get really, really stuck.
Are there any culture’s materials you particularly avoid or seek out? (e.g. you avoid anything Japanese, be it anime, manga, video games, etc.; you love anything British, TV, books, etc.)If so, why? No, not really - it might take me a little longer to get something that isn't in my native language - but usually I've followed on from something I'm a fan of anyway. Best example of that is moving from watching WWF as it was then, to watch both Mexican and Japanese pro-wrestling and finally on to following Sumo.
The first time you watched/read/listened to something produced by a culture whose material you had not previously fanned on, were there details you had to adjust to (e.g. narrative styles, character depictions, pacing, cultural references, etc.) ? Yes totally. Taking the above as an obvious example you go from something that's mostly ridiculed in the US and the UK, to something that has a lot of respect, to something that comes from traditions that aren't my own and as a result takes some learning and understanding.
Are there any particular tropes/stereotypes/character traits/plot devices you particularly associate with a certain culture’s material? Not particularly, though with the US and to a point with UK material too in certain areas black and white/good and bad is more clearly defined or seems to be to my eyes than in certain areas of Japanese material for example. But then again I don't have the same references when watching Japanese film as I would watching American or UK film
Fandom Questions:
At a guess, are the majority of the people you regularly fan with your nationality? No, but only so much as I'm English and most of the people I fan with regularly, on the internet certainly, are American.
Do you think this changes depending on what fandom you’re in? Oh yes, very much.
If you go to live fan events/conventions/meet-ups, have you attended different fan events for media of different cultures? (E.g. have you gone to both conventions for an English-language series (such as Supernatural) and anime conventions?)If so, have you noticed any differences between such conventions? I do ie the meet ups etc. But I've not done fan events for media of different cultures.
Have you ever attended fan events/conventions/meet-ups in more than one country? If so, did you notice any differences? On one occasion I've been to a convention in the US, but it was very small and very specific and also sports based so I don't really think that counts.
Has fanning with people from various countries ever caused surprise/confusion/misunderstandings? Oh yes. And ummm... I'll take the high road on anything else here *g*.
Do your expectations for the fandom and its fanwork change depending on the source culture? No, not really. My expectations do change though depending on the size of the fandom/fan base and how main stream it is or isn't.
Additionally, there are a few details that’d be helpful for everyone to include, if they could:
Nationality: English
Native language(s): English
Language(s) you most often fan in (e.g. write/read/discuss in): English
Is it all right for me to reference you directly in the final paper: Yes, please do.
If yes, how would you prefer to be called (e.g. LJ handle/name/nickname/anonymously, etc): Caroline
If needed, would it be alright for me to contact you for more questions/details via email/skype, etc.? Yes. But please note, I'm away from the 16th until the 30th and will be without internets.
Hope to help a little. Also have pimped.
Date: 2010-07-10 08:27 pm (UTC)How much of what you fan on is produced by your own culture/country?
About 30% Roughly.
How much of what you fan on is originally produced in your native language(s)?
100%.
Have either of the above changed over the course of your time in fandom?
Umm... I think there's more English in it now. So increased in my country's output.
If/When consuming material not originally produced in a language you are fluent in, how do you access it? (e.g., dubs, scanlations, muddle through the raws and just enjoy the pretty people/art/voices, etc.)
With great difficulty. Mainly dubs.
Are there any culture’s materials you particularly avoid or seek out? (e.g. you avoid anything Japanese, be it anime, manga, video games, etc.; you love anything British, TV, books, etc.)If so, why?
I try and support British culture because I like my country to produce quality (at times!) materials. Everywhere else I don't judge it by where it's from, though my linguistic ability is terrible so it needs to be available in English somewhere.
The first time you watched/read/listened to something produced by a culture whose material you had not previously fanned on, were there details you had to adjust to (e.g. narrative styles, character depictions, pacing, cultural references, etc.) ?
Not particularly. There's such a wide range even within a single country's output.
Are there any particular tropes/stereotypes/character traits/plot devices you particularly associate with a certain culture’s material?
Mostly the stereotypes of other cultures. Eg. Americans (in British films) are loud and uncouth, in American culture Brits tend to be uptight and drink a lot of tea.
Fandom Questions:
At a guess, are the majority of the people you regularly fan with your nationality?
Predominantly yes.
Do you think this changes depending on what fandom you’re in?
I fan with the same group of people regardless so no!
If you go to live fan events/conventions/meet-ups, have you attended different fan events for media of different cultures? (E.g. have you gone to both conventions for an English-language series (such as Supernatural) and anime conventions?)If so, have you noticed any differences between such conventions?
Nope.
Have you ever attended fan events/conventions/meet-ups in more than one country? If so, did you notice any differences?
Attended a meetup in the States, no difference. Ask me again in November when I've helped at an event in Denmark!
Has fanning with people from various countries ever caused surprise/confusion/misunderstandings?
No more than any normal conversation would!
Do your expectations for the fandom and its fanwork change depending on the source culture?
Nope.
Additionally, there are a few details that’d be helpful for everyone to include, if they could:
Nationality: English
Native language(s): English
Language(s) you most often fan in (e.g. write/read/discuss in): English
Is it all right for me to reference you directly in the final paper: Of course!
If yes, how would you prefer to be called (e.g. LJ handle/name/nickname/anonymously, etc): LJ name, nickname, anon is fine. Would prefer not to have my real name.
If needed, would it be alright for me to contact you for more questions/details via email/skype, etc.? No. You clearly may never contact me again! :)
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 10:36 pm (UTC)Media Questions:
How much of what you fan on is produced by your own culture/country?
If you class my own country as the uk in general then half. If not then about 25%. I am in England and A quarter of my active fandoms are made in wales, a quarter was very much English and the other half are from across the pond as it is.
How much of what you fan on is originally produced in your native language(s)?
All of it. Apart from the odd alien word here and there.
Have either of the above changed over the course of your time in fandom? Yes. I used to be in fandoms that were exclusively American.
If/When consuming material not originally produced in a language you are fluent in, how do you access it? (e.g., dubs, scanlations, muddle through the raws and just enjoy the pretty people/art/voices, etc.)
If I was ever in that situation it would either be dubbed or translated, however I have not gained interest in a fandom yet were this has been needed.
Are there any culture’s materials you particularly avoid or seek out? (e.g. you avoid anything Japanese, be it anime, manga, video games, etc.; you love anything British, TV, books, etc.)If so, why? Not to date there is not.
The first time you watched/read/listened to something produced by a culture whose material you had not previously fanned on, were there details you had to adjust to (e.g. narrative styles, character depictions, pacing, cultural references, etc.) ?
I am not sure this is relevant but to give an example as it is the best way I can describe this, when I first encounter the MASH fandom I had to adjust to historical and cultural references. Such as I did not know a lot about what war MASH was based on or about Korean culture. That did require an adjustment as in actively having to research things for me to understand jokes made or phrases used.
Are there any particular tropes/stereotypes/character traits/plot devices you particularly associate with a certain culture’s material?
Their probably is but I have not made the connection as of yet.
Fandom Questions:
At a guess, are the majority of the people you regularly fan with your nationality? Online no, in person yes. However I have limited opportunities to be actively fannish in a face to face situation.
Do you think this changes depending on what fandom you’re in?
Actually no but it may change with which website I use, for example in the past BBc message boards by the very nature tend to have UK based fans but sites like Live journal are much more global.
If you go to live fan events/conventions/meet-ups, have you attended different fan events for media of different cultures? (E.g. have you gone to both conventions for an English-language series (such as Supernatural) and anime conventions?)If so, have you noticed any differences between such conventions?
I have not been to this type of convention so am unable to answer this.
Have you ever attended fan events/conventions/meet-ups in more than one country? If so, did you notice any differences?
I have only attended conventions in England.
Has fanning with people from various countries ever caused surprise/confusion/misunderstandings?
N/A
Do your expectations for the fandom and its fanwork change depending on the source culture?
Yes. I find that it also depends on the source itself though, a show like torchwood is naturally going to produce more graphic pieces both in terms of Gore and description of sex than a family show such as whose the boss? However I also notice changes of language used to.
Additionally, there are a few details that’d be helpful for everyone to include, if they could:
Nationality: I class myself as English
Native language(s): English
Language(s) you most often fan in (e.g. write/read/discuss in): English (again)
Is it all right for me to reference you directly in the final paper:
If yes, how would you prefer to be called (e.g. LJ handle/name/nickname/anonymously, etc): Off course, feel free to use whatever way is most sutable.
If needed, would it be alright for me to contact you for more questions/details via email/skype, etc.? yes, I would be happy to be contacted via lj mail.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 10:39 pm (UTC)How much of what you fan on is produced by your own culture/country?
Very little since most of the things I really get into are crime/drama/sci-fi/suspense shows and in Mexico, they don't have a lot of those that don't deal heavily with sex, women portrayed as sex objects (most women on tv have huge breasts and wear very tight and/or skimpy clothing so I don't relate to them at all and the men in the shows are either sexest, elitest pigs, weaklings that any women can trample all over them, or evil guys).
How much of what you fan on is originally produced in your native language(s)?
Well, I was born in the US but I grew up speaking spanish and went to schools in Mexico, so I don't know which would be considered my native language. Most of the shows I watch are in English (not translated or dubbed) but I watch a lot of anime in spanish since their translations are more exact to Japanese. Also the voice actors are a hundred times better. I also watch Anime in Japanese with spanish subtitles. I would say if it's english, about 80% and if we're taking spanish as my native language about 20%, including soccer games, telenovelas and shows about women :-).
Have either of the above changed over the course of your time in fandom?
yes, when I was young I would watch exclusively american programs, as I grew older, I started watching some telenovelas (soap operas)and anime dubbed in spanish. Now I watch anime in it's original Japanese with spanish subtitles, mexican dramas, and other countries' shows movies.
If/When consuming material not originally produced in a language you are fluent in, how do you access it? (e.g., dubs, scanlations, muddle through the raws and just enjoy the pretty people/art/voices, etc.)
I usually look for fansubs online. Since I'm both fluent in Spanish and English, it gives me a broader search spectrum.
Are there any culture’s materials you particularly avoid or seek out? (e.g. you avoid anything Japanese, be it anime, manga, video games, etc.; you love anything British, TV, books, etc.)If so, why?
I love anime, though they're some that I avoid because it's very . . . well it deals with things like demigods, angles and such. Mexico is a largely catholic country and my parents were protestant, so I guess anything that doesn't deal with one God is hard for me to not cringe when seeing. I can tolerate reencarnation if it's not put to much emphasis on it. Though sometimes if it's not to in your face of the anime (demigods, several gods, angels, etc) I can watch it. I guess in anything I watch or read I tend to avoid the whole there's no hope themes. Because I grew up with the belief that there's a God and that He's watching out for us. The idea that there's nothing to look forward to or a reason to exist, it just not something I would consider.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 10:39 pm (UTC)Yes, the lack of God as part of their lives. And also the coldness. In Mexican culture, you talk to people in the streets, buses, gas stations, everywhere. It doesn't matter if you don't know them you just do. In Japanese culture, and in English culture everything is so orderly, crip, cool. There's this immidiate distance between everyone. You don't touch people. And I'm not talking in a sexual way. But here we hug, and kiss each others cheek in greeting. If there's someone stranded on the side of the road, you can bet that there will be people that will stop or come to help. Here in the US it's so . . . you don't *expect* it. I guess that's the thing I was a little weirded out. Also this whole fate thing, predestined and such. It was weird to me, though not as much as the whole not one God thing in Japanese culture.
Are there any particular tropes/stereotypes/character traits/plot devices you particularly associate with a certain culture’s material?
Well, I like strong women as long as they're not the typical b*****. I like characters that have something in their pasts that hurts them. I like so many different characters for different reasons. But I guess socially awkward, smart characters with painful pasts and also for them to have some kind of insecurity. As for plots, well I always know that in anime, it will be over the top antics or heartwrenching stories where characters die and stay dead, unlike american television. In Mexican stories I know there's always going to be something tragic. I love stories about friendship, brother/sisterhood. People coming together in a crisis. I don't mind if the good guys don't win. I also look for something with a splash of dark/sarcastic humor.
Fandom Questions:
At a guess, are the majority of the people you regularly fan with your nationality?
Strangely yeah, most are american.
Do you think this changes depending on what fandom you’re in?
Well, in anime is very variety of nationalities but I mostly expect to find either americans or japanese.
If you go to live fan events/conventions/meet-ups, have you attended different fan events for media of different cultures? (E.g. have you gone to both conventions for an English-language series (such as Supernatural) and anime conventions?)If so, have you noticed any differences between such conventions?
I haven't gone to any.
Have you ever attended fan events/conventions/meet-ups in more than one country? If so, did you notice any differences?
No
Has fanning with people from various countries ever caused surprise/confusion/misunderstandings?
Yes, I lost a friendship because of it. It was a little thing that was blown out of proportion, but the person seemed fine after I explained it. She stopped talking to me afterwards.
Do your expectations for the fandom and its fanwork change depending on the source culture?
Not really, I don't pay attention. I guess I just forget the internet is a large place. I tend to assume that most people are american ^_^;
Additionally, there are a few details that’d be helpful for everyone to include, if they could:
Nationality: American but raised in Mexico
Native language(s): Spanish
Language(s) you most often fan in (e.g. write/read/discuss in): English
Is it all right for me to reference you directly in the final paper: sure, no prob
If yes, how would you prefer to be called (e.g. LJ handle/name/nickname/anonymously, etc): Water-Soter is fine
If needed, would it be alright for me to contact you for more questions/details via email/skype, etc.? Yeah, anything I can do to help
Beyond that, if there are any other details, personal experiences, general trends you’ve observed, feel free to expound. Further discussion/questions in the comments is also very welcome.
I have something interesting when going from one fandom to another. In anime/manga, people tend to mix in japanese a lot. It's almost expected.