This week's poll was suggested by -shiratori-. Assuming language was not a barrier, would you choose to live in Japan? Uhh, in terms of money, assume your standard of living is similar in Japan as it currently is for you right now. And imagine any region of Japan that you like.

You can submit poll ideas here (and try to keep them manga/anime-related)
http://www.mangaupdates.com/showtopic.php?tid=3903

Previous Poll Results:
Question: Would you want to go through a gender-bender (gender-swap) experience?
Choices:
I'm a girl, yes - votes: 6320 (35.1%)
I'm a girl, no - votes: 3037 (16.9%)
I'm a guy, yes - votes: 4240 (23.5%)
I'm a guy, no - votes: 4421 (24.5%)
There were 18018 total votes.
The poll ended: April 5th 2013

Slightly more girls than guys. And apparently more people favor being male. I guess historically, it's better to be male anyways

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A just ruler amongst tyrants

Hm maybe I would go there first and see what it's actually like...

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"I'll shut your mouth~~~~~ with mine~~~"

二息歩行

That's the best thing, but even then, people will still treat you different knowing you're just a tourist compared to if you were planning to live.

Main thing to remember: Anime and manga is NOT the ideal medium to learn about Japan. Do real research.

As for me, if I knew how to read, write, and speak Japanese I would buy as much anime, manga, and games as I could possibly afford and rub it in my friends' faces! As for places to live, though, I'm happy enough in the US.

I would love to live for few days to understand whether I can live there forever or not. Surely, the earthquakes there is a huge turn off ~_~

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No way; it's too expensive to live in Japan. Not to mention they have some of the most retarded internet policies I have ever seen. The most I would do is go there to visit my aunt and her family, but I definitely won't stay there for an extended amount of time.

Personally, I find the results of the this poll hilarious considering the fact that in the last poll the results had "Guy turning into a girl" win 3X more.

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Yes. Just to aggravate the locals. Before I get asked to kindly but sternly to leave. That's my imaginary scenario at least.

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Sarcasm just doesn't work over the internet.

I already live in Japan. I've been here 3 years and I love it. I came without speaking any Japanese at all, and live in the inaka, so there is little reason for people here to learn English. Still, everyone is really patient with me, really understanding, and very very kind!

The one thing I really hate is the lack of animal rights in Japan. I'm a vegetarian, and it is almost impossible to get vegetarian food anywhere, however when I explain my requirements, restaurant staff are usually very accommodating. Animals rights here is much worse than the UK though, and that makes me sad. I would rather stay here and try to change things, however, than leave and just pretend it isn't a problem.

Last edited by CuthienSilmeriel at 12:53 am, Apr 6 2013

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The pen is mightier than the sword...and considerably easier to write with.

Well doesn't living in japan defeat the purpose of knowing japanese? If you know japanese in another country, you'll be special and thus you can gloat about your japanese to others. However in japan, you'll just be treated as a japanese-wannabe if you don't look japanese. It'll be easier finding a job in anywhere else but japan as well since you're competing against not many people that know japanese whereas every single last person (cept tourists or something) knows japanese.

No way, I do not like earthquakes.
Their are also a couple of things in Japan that are taboo in my country (child abandonment, rarely any help for the poor, lack of social security, etc.) Off course their are a lot of positive points in Japan (manga, clubs in school(it's integrated in our school system), their is a lot on TV ( in my country their are mostly old hag programs), manga availability, cool country, nice culture, etc.)
I did not notice any positive and negative points that are the same in my country and Japan.

I'm also surprised that only 1.1% of mangaupdates visitors live in Japan.


Last edited by chomio at 4:23 am, Apr 6 2013

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Even after dead, we raise from the ashes for the sake of manga.

I live in Japan now, and there are good an bad points. I certainly wouldn't say my Japanese is perfect but it's advanced level, better than 80% of the foreign people I've met here but not nearly the best. I get by fine, and there are a lot of things I like better about life here than America. However some of the things I don't like (parts of Japanese values that I disagree with, some aspects of racial discrimination, social problems) I think would be a lot more of a problem for me than they are now if I was planning to live here forever. I might very well end up returning and living here permanently but right now I'm on study abroad and have a set 'return home' date.

Also, life in Japan is much cheaper than it is where I live in the US. It all depends on where you live in Japan and where you live in your home country, whether or not Japan is more expensive.

For anyone that currently lives in Japan, can you comment on the work culture? I've heard that very long hours and fusing work life with life outside of work are often expected, but I'd like to hear what people have to say (e.g. is it easy to find exceptions?). I ask because those two things aren't very appealing to me.

I would certainly visit Japan often, but I'm satisfied with life in Canada... And I know that tourism and living permanently is very different things...

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I am envoy from nowhere in nowhere. Nobody and nothing have sent me. And though it is impossible I exist. © Trimutius

I'm planning on moving to japan after finishing up my education in Norway and possibly working a year. Finding a job can be a problem for everyone moving there, but I'm taking education in a rather specialized field (satellite technology) and as such that will not be a problem

Also the reason for me moving to Japan is because I'm sick and tired of Norway and I want to move somewhere else, and then Japan is the easy option. To top it of I love cars and especially the Japanese kind, not giant engines like in U.S.A, but small engines on high revs while going around the corners at insane speed. (I hate drag racing btw, drifting for fun and rally for the kicks)

If I was rich I'd love to live off in the country away from everyone, and go up to Tokyo once a week or something. But living in one of the busy cities would not be fun.