Italian vs Spanish culture

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by french user

It is interesting. I see you come from Japan, it is interesting to know how people in southern Europe are percieved in your country. In the case of Spain, is this expectation of "latin-American/mestizo" looks, or "dark" looks the common image Japanese have of southern Europeans? Or does it applies only to the image of Spain (and the confision maybe with images of mexico), or it does applies also to the way Italian people are seen? And what about how french people are seen by Japanese?

Do people in Japan tend to think that the "standard European" is supposed to look the same as the sterotypical northern Europeans look (such as tall/blond hair/blue eyed?)
I said this because I saw once a Japanese animation supposed to take place in France, and all the people supposed to be french were described as very nordic looking: tall/all blonds/blue eyed, when these features are actually quite rare in France and concerns ony a few people whose ancestry comes from the northernmost regions such as the Belgian border or Normandy (even there the majority is more brunette than nordic).

Do most people in Japan is aware of physical (and cultural) diversity in Europe, or do they think all of us are the same? Or do they think that all are about the same except the Spanish people (due to the "Flamenco/LatinAmerican" stereotypes?

Thank you

I'm actually a white European descent person who was born and raised in North America. 'Gaijin' in the title is the Japanese word for 'foreigner'. I'm a foreigner living in Japan

My general feeling is that most Asian people loosely associate all Americans and Australians and Europeans to be 'blue eyes and blue hair'....but at the same time, probably realize that isn't the case at all, but that'll probably be the first image that pops into their head. (Kind of like when I say the word 'dog', and most of us think of a generic dog, rather than visualize all the different breeds).

But, on the same note, I have a feeling that most Japanese probably associate Spain to have the flamenco look of Spain tourism promotional ads.

[montelatici]

What seems to be forgotten is that Italians colonized nearly all of Europe, including Spain as well as North Africa and the Middle East. So the question should be how much Italian do all these people have in their genes. You can see the classic Italian face when you go to museums in Italy and see the busts of Etruscans, Romans, Picenes etc. from all over Italy. Italians today look quite similar to the ancient Italians.

[Agnet_201195]

Originally Posted by pigeonhole

The sound of Italian language (it's worse when sung) gets fast on my nerves - and besides I find pure Spanish (when not tainted by local colloquialisms) a superb language -and, cherry on the cake, useful in half the world-, so for me, the choice is pretty easy!

You clearly don't know the beauty of Italian language because you are an idiot who hides in his hole knowing no ****!!! Italian sounds so sexy and gorgeous than Spanish...***** please!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

[farinello]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

I'm actually a white European descent person who was born and raised in North America. 'Gaijin' in the title is the Japanese word for 'foreigner'. I'm a foreigner living in Japan

My general feeling is that most Asian people loosely associate all Americans and Australians and Europeans to be 'blue eyes and blue hair'....but at the same time, probably realize that isn't the case at all, but that'll probably be the first image that pops into their head. (Kind of like when I say the word 'dog', and most of us think of a generic dog, rather than visualize all the different breeds).

But, on the same note, I have a feeling that most Japanese probably associate Spain to have the flamenco look of Spain tourism promotional ads.

Must be the media, as the first westeners they saw were Portuguese and Spanish, Jesuits,

[farinello]

Originally Posted by french user

It is interesting. I see you come from Japan, it is interesting to know how people in southern Europe are percieved in your country. In the case of Spain, is this expectation of "latin-American/mestizo" looks, or "dark" looks the common image Japanese have of southern Europeans? Or does it applies only to the image of Spain (and the confision maybe with images of mexico), or it does applies also to the way Italian people are seen? And what about how french people are seen by Japanese?

Do people in Japan tend to think that the "standard European" is supposed to look the same as the sterotypical northern Europeans look (such as tall/blond hair/blue eyed?)
I said this because I saw once a Japanese animation supposed to take place in France, and all the people supposed to be french were described as very nordic looking: tall/all blonds/blue eyed, when these features are actually quite rare in France and concerns ony a few people whose ancestry comes from the northernmost regions such as the Belgian border or Normandy (even there the majority is more brunette than nordic).

Do most people in Japan is aware of physical (and cultural) diversity in Europe, or do they think all of us are the same? Or do they think that all are about the same except the Spanish people (due to the "Flamenco/LatinAmerican" stereotypes?

Thank you

I find that Mexican actresses I see on many Mexican soap operas are stunning women that are clearly Asturian, Galician, Basque, Northeners. Superb bodies too. But Spanish women in Spanish TV do look thrashy, poligoneras and awful bodies. Not to talk about the actresses in Catalonian TV, they do look like squatters, they are alll LGTB . compulsory and have piercing and a poor hygiene and they have to look antimarket. I have channel.

The first ones that set foot in Japan were Portuguese and Spanish, Francisco Javier, they almost converted the entire island....as they cut their heads,,they must have forgotten them.