Bento (box):
Bentou boxes are boxed lunches. Often seen in Ranma, Urusei Yatsura, the first episode of El Hazard: Wanderers TV, the first episode of El Hazard OAV and TV, the ending credits of Video Girl Ai, an episode of NieA_7, among other places.
Blood out of nose:
This is based on a superstition that guys' noses bleed when they get "excited". often when seeing a woman in any stage of undress, even when just seeing an exposed panty or any lewd thought. Too many sources to list.
Ferris Wheel:
With many people, a ride on a ferris wheel at sunset or night time is a romantic event. As seen on Hand Maid May and Sakura Diaries.
Okonomiyaki:
Roughly translates to "as you like it" it is something of a pancake-shaped flat bread in which bits of food can be put in the batter mix or put on top of cooked okonomiyaki. Plain okonomiyaki can taste much like soft tortilla shells or empty pita bread, the idea is to put your favorite toppings in it or on it. Seen in Ranma OAV episodes, Card Captor Sakura Episode 18 and a few other places. Recipies abound on the internet.
Red Thread of Fate:
This appears to be a belief that people fated to be together are somehow attached to each other with a red string on their "pinkie" finger. How people actually see such string is unclear. Seen in a Tenchi TV episode, the opening in Marriage, and is the title of the first episode, and is in the opening theme of Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi.
Sneezing:
This appears to be another superstition that people sneeze when other people are talking about them somewhere else. Too many sources to list. I remember it specifically in the the second episode of Trigun, Tylor TV, and at least a couple episodes of Urusei Yatsura.
Book recommendations:
Here are some books that can help you gain an insight to what is different about Japan and to an extent how it influences the anime.
Dave Barry Does Japan, by Dave Barry, Random House / Fawcett Publishing, 1992, $12.95 USA / $19.99 CDN. This book covers in a humorous way some of the cultural differences that a Westerner would stumble onto and possibly destroy without knowing the difference. Available in most libraries.
The Anime Companion, by Gilles Poitras, It covers the "Japan" in "Japanese Animation" in good detail so that the reader can easily recognize the cultural aspects that seep into anime, some of them obvious or confusing, others are very subtle or obscure. To be honest, I have only read the one chapter included as a sample in TRSI's 2001 catalog, but it read well. I want to get it but then I don't want to be accused of copying it either, so I make this site on my own.
All names and images are property of their owner, and only used as a reference. Layout ©2000-2004 Jeff DeMaagd.
Last Updated: 2004 September 3
Created: 2001 July 28