I have a few theories as to why folks who have lived in sparse genetic gene pools seem to be a little bizarre. But let's address the cultural issue.

In the Japanese instance, you have a culture which is a total slave to conformity. Their industrial creativity consists of sending kids with cameras to every part of the world, photographing what's out there and remanufacturing it cheaper with government assistance. Even their animation looks like it was all penned by the same one or two artists!

I mean who wants an Acura NSX over a Ferrari or a Lamborghini?
A new Lexus modeled after a four year old Mercedes?

In such a culture, the secret desire of millions is to stand out apart from the crowd. This clip you linked to is an example of that desire for individuality - even if it means having a fishhead or a milk bottle (?) head. Much of their individual escapism also manifests in horrible violence. In the more antisocial, anti-women categories Japan has "Rapeman" as a comic antihero.

Yu-gi-oh!, a kids show and game is an appalling rip off of almost everything under the sun, yet millions of kids are throwing 8 bucks for a pack of a few cards. The main character Yugi is a surprisingly androgynous looking chap who, with a masculine US voice over, is probably a sponsor for future gender confused kids.

Yes all the Pokeman, Manga and Anime has its roots in Japanese repression and secret violent desires to be a crazed fighting person.

In the information industry I have come across some interesting and disturbing facts.

The Yakuza, a sort of Japanese mafia, tattoo their bodies as a sign of individuality. In Japanese prisons, they are isolated due to their violent and "unreformable" tendencies. For each year in prison, they ritually scar their genitalia. (perhaps more information than one needs to know - but a fascinating Trivial Pursuit answer ;-) Many young people who seek individuality are drawn into this criminal and violent underworld - and the Japanese violent animation fixation does nothing to help persuade young Japanese that violence is not rewarded, when some of the richest folks create shows or comics which are supremely violent. This creates an enormous problem for the Japanese, who are facing an increased criminal element and an increasing Yakuza population.

Yes, in a nutshell one can say the Japanese are "f----d", but it is a deep-seated cultural problem that is unlikely to go away soon.

Raoul's links to polls regarding foreign opinion of the US were very interesting in that the Japanese were the most likely to think the US ways of thinking were not harmful. This, again, in my opinion is due to their fondness of our individuality over the collective (Something the Holland candidate from Somalia has recognized is a very valuable and superior western trait).

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