has anyone else noticed the stereotype in mangas that americans use a kiss as a greeting? i have NEVER encountered this before in real life but is there anyone who has? i wanna hear you thoughts on this in general

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"I don't know everything, I'm just really good at explaining the past, so it seems like I know everything"

...I don't think it applies not so much to Americans as it does to people of various European countries. Some people probably group everyone together in a "Westerner" category, but in general it's just a misunderstanding. Also, in my experience, cheek kissing is more common a greeting.

Oh my gosh, i know! But it really is only "Americans." It happens in shoujo a lot- the guy suddenly sticks his tongue down the girls throat and is like, "that's an american greeting." (lol, what?!) I've never seen them attribute it to Europeans. Being American myself, I can say I have NEVER come across this type of thing... we call that stuff sexual harassment here. lol.

And what's with how we get represented? We kinda all seem like sluts... Maybe because we're more comfortable with PDA and causally touching each other? (not in a weird way, but you know- arm on shoulder, hand on arm, hug, etc). I've noticed that public hand holding is like a massive thing for Japanese people in mangas. And a hug is close to scandalous.

Also, Americans are usually blonde, blue-eyed and tall. With English last names. I always secretly applaud when authors try to get more creative and the last name is from a different nationality. ;P

Anyway, I mostly find it pretty funny. Though it confused the heck out of me when I first came across it, hahahaha.

Rychels same here it confused me too..lolz
I too come from America and agree with rychels on what was said.
I noticed the whole kissing greeting thing when I frist started to read manga

My family (aunts,uncles, cousins) greet each other by kissing on the cheek. Also I have met many people that greet each other by kissing on the cheek. Perhaps, it's something that is slightly more common in California? Either way I really don't like this type of greeting.

I noticed it a lot in shoujo manga, haven't come across any in shounen, I don't think. But since in shoujo manga it's the male lead that comes from America (or just "Western", sometimes) who kisses the female lead, I pretty much thought the guy was just using "that's an American greeting" as an excuse to kiss/flirt with the girl, seeing as in most of the situations that I've read [where the guy leaves for America and comes back] the guy has always loved the female lead, or [where the guy is originally from a western country] the guy takes a liking to the female lead and falls for her.

I'm Hispanic born in America, so I sometimes do the kiss-on-the-cheek motion right after/during a handshake, even with complete strangers. It's more of a gesture of courtesy, I think.

Ikr! XD That's more European than American... ): In America we tackle each other rather than kissing. [at least where I live...]

I have encountered people who do kiss as a greeting, but they only do that to close friends and family. o_o

My mexican relatives do this. Not liking being touched I found it uncomfortable and an invasion of my personal space.


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Sarcasm just doesn't work over the internet.

I live in Canada and I've never seen that. I mean I've seen the kiss on the cheek many times but full on lips not so much. Some of my friends do that but we are really close and it's mostly a joke. I have never seen the big deal with kissing like "OMG he stole my first kiss!" Its just a kiss no need to have an anerism over it. Same with holding hands.

Also to melon-remune-freak I also tackle my friends when we meet.... It cause I lurve them.

As someone who has lived in California all their life, I can say it's not particularly common. At least, not with strangers. But it really depends on what cultural background the person/family in question has. And I can promise I've never seen full on lip kisses used as a greeting here.

Anyway, I'm not sure how seriously anyone who writes manga with this type of line actually believe it. I recall once reading a manga where that line was spouted, and the reaction was complete disbelief. So maybe it's a cultural exaggeration of Westerners in general, but not really a widely believed stereotype.

Think about it for a moment, it's not like the Japanese haven't been exposed to American media. Have you ever seen Peter Parker greeting people with his lips?

I'm Asian American, and I have never seen a lip-to-lip kiss "greeting" all my life here.

I haven't even seen a cheek kiss greeting, not including watching Heidi Klum after each "Auf wiedersehen" to the out'd contestants on Project Runway.

I live in central US, btw.

In the more recent shoujo series I read, I don't see anymore instances of actual kiss "hello"s. Idk, maybe I'm just not reading the ones who still do this, but to me it seems like the Japanese have learned that this isn't true or something... but yeah, I could be totally wrong, hahaha. Sorry.

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I agree with imp4ever. I've lived here since I as born and I say even a kiss on the cheek as a greeting is rarely done, not to mention lip to lip greeting. Though some of us are a bit touchy-feely, most Californians are pretty stiff.

I think Japan sees Westerners as more vulgar, espically Americans, lol. I can't say I blame them with our popular media.

I remember this manga/manhua I read once with one of the characters who shrugged and this was thought of as a very American gesture lol. All I can say it is used a lot here

Foreigners in manga end up being fair haired and blue eyed. Often times wealthy. (Haha, quite the percentage of Americans are living in poverty; I don't know about Europe but I doubt it's too hot over there either.)


Last edited by CLouDFaeRie at 1:05 am, Oct 20 2011

I don't read much shoujo, but from the shounen/seinen versions of "American" it's almost always an old guy or some guy that actually has a pretty big nose in a manga where the Japanese guys have small/non-existant noses lol.

On that note, my favorite American interpretation comes from Gintama's Taka-tin LOL.


Last edited by Contently at 9:56 pm, Oct 19 2011

I've seen this in shoujo a lot and at first it didn't faze me, but when I thought about it was the strangest thing ever. In my experiences, kisses on the lips are very rare. I've only seen this between lovers (like my parents *shudders*). I only kiss my immediate family on the cheek as a good-bye every so often so it's not really a greeting. When I say immediate family I really only mean my parents. I don't kiss my siblings (that would be strange and unusual). So when I guy forces his tongue down the girls throat and calls it a greeting I'm amazed she isn't beating him off her with a stick. Overall, it would be very awkward if someone I barely knew did that and I would smack the shit out of him for it. Overall, I would have to say a peck on the lips is for lovers and a smooch on the cheek is among close family.

Even the peck on the cheek thing- we really just brush our cheeks together, there's not a lot of cheek to lip contact (at least from people i know, girl's gotta protect her lipstick and no one likes that granny stain on the cheek).

I'm still debating whether Japanese people really think we're that sexually carefree or if the mangakas just add it in for a convenient- he just stole my first kiss- thing. The only problem is that I've noticed it a lot... Although, personally those girls in the manga who "do it" in their first year of high school seem more like sluts. Anyone else notice that? I mean I live in New York and I can tell you we don't go around telling our girl friends that if they don't quickly do stuff with their boyfriends they'll be dumped...<.<