23 Reasons Not To Wear a T-Shirt with Trendy Japanese Text
- Categories: Japan, News
- Date: Apr 13, 2011 16:37 JST
- Tags: Bizarre, Fashion, Gaikokujin, Image Gallery, Otaku, Translation
Japanese bemused by the often bizarre choice of text many barbarians select (knowingly or unknowingly) for their trendy Japanese language T-shirts provide what they consider 23 of the worst examples.
The shirts:
“Watashi hentai” – “I, hentai.”
“Kyokon” – “huge dick,” perhaps unintentionally accurate.
Literally meaning “huge root,” it is at least genuine slang.
“Super Top” – this is actually an advert for a brand of washing powder…
“Tokyo-na” – sufficiently meaningless as to elicit amusement from any Japanese speaker.
“Kono yarou, shiharae!” – “Pay up you bastard!”
“Aji no Moto” – Ajinomoto (“origin of taste”) is the brand and company name of the world’s first and leading producer of monosodium glutamate, actually invented in Japan in 1907.
“Kichiku Beihei” – “Brutal American soldier,” topping the list of what not to wear on a trip to Okinawa.
“Kichiku Beiei” – “Vicious Anglo-American brute.”
“Mainichi ga jigoku desu♥” – “Everyday is hell♥”
“Kyokudo kansou shinasai” – “Dry as much as possible!”
“… wa hentai de aru” – “… is a pervert.”
“Hentai” – “Pervert.”
“Otaku” – “Virgin.”
“Hakkaa” – “Poseur.”
“Jiko Ken’o” – “Self loathing.”
“Nihonjin kanojo boshuuchuu” – the famous “Seeking Japanese girlfriend” T-shirt.
“Fuhounyuukokusha” – “Illegal alien,” probably not a good choice for actual wear inside Japan.
“Watashi wa nihonjin desu” – “I am a Japanese person.”
“Ji” – “Haemorrhoids.”
Those looking to emulate these examples need look no further than J-List’s disturbingly extensive selection.
Whether any of this is actually worse than the notorious Engrish phrases plastered all over Japanese clothing is a matter of some debate – behold Aya Hirano’s own contribution to the discussion:
| 
Dead or Alive Ero-SFM Doubly Dirty
Flying Witch “Cute But Boring…”
Phantasy Star Online 2 Phantastic: “What About the West!?”
Shounen Maid “A Fujoshi Delight”
Terra Formars Live Action Web Drama Announced
Dragon Quest Heroes II Quite Monstrous
KumaMiko Lovingly Innocent
Aqua Onahole Parody Hopefully Moist
A-Size Classmate Profusely Petite
One Day With Maria Raunchy & Romantic
The Reject Demon: Toko Chapter 0 Raises Its Voice
Hai-Furi in Troubled Waters
Star Fox Zero “Pandering To Kids!”
Kiznaiver Shares Its Pain
Love Live’s Koi ni Naritai Aquarium PV “Will Sell Thousands!”
Skimpy Kataigou Figure
Ellen Baker’s Illustrator: “Keep It Clean!”
Bullet Girls 2 Goes At It From All Angles
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization A Real Grind
Koutetsujou no Kabaneri Immensely Gruesome
Goddess of 2ch “Another Bathing Beauty!”
Tantalizing Hestia Cosplay Busts Out
Kashiwazaki Sena Cosplay Pure & Innocent
Minami Kotori Casino Girl Cosplay Takes No Chances
Shimakaze Cosplay by Ema Sakura
Harley Quinn Cosplay by Miyuko Colorfully Crazy
Sonico Ero-Cosplay by Yuka Hoshikage Super Sexy
Kasugano Sora Bunny Girl Cosplay Absolutely Admirable
Goddess of 2ch: “Barely Legal Beauty!”
Highly Yuri Tenryuu & Tatsuta Cosplay by Garo & Usagi
Women in Japan would rather see this, regardless of race:
"I'll give you all my money if you be my girlfriend"
I'm bored, so:
Ore no kane subete o yare, kanojo ni natte kure
俺の金すべてを遣れ 彼女になってくれ
amidoinitrite? lol
Not quite, lol.
If you use 遣る as "give" in that context, it's a bit derogatory (disregard if that's intentional). It's also a bit messed up grammatically. You wrote "Give me all my money, become my girlfriend". Try
俺の金すべてを遣って、彼女になってくれ
I wonder what "hung like elephant" is in japanese...
巨根 kyokon, lit. "giant root." It's the top pic.
amazing... she japanese didn't know what english is written on her T-shirt Japanese learn English in school so they should at least know when some dirty word is on it...
You learn English in school too, but it's not helping much it seems.
I'd wear #7. Shit is pretty damm funny. #9? Unless you got balls of steel, or you have some hatred for the past still.
“Otaku” – “Virgin.”
Ohyou.jpg
It's funny because it's true
...that means that the guy in the picture are you?
under what analysis did you come to that conclusion?
Probably He has some empirical evidence. Maybe He's a monkey that lives in Your wardrobe.
This is nothing compared to one time when I was working at a hotel in Okinawa, Japan. There was a class trip down to there and I saw one girl wear a shirt in big letters saying "FUCK ME". She was cute too. No wonder the rape rate is so high in Japan.
It's no rape if she's asking for it.
21:26
No shit.
That's why I have such hard time finding clothes in Asia... its either broken Japanese (outside of Japan) or broken other foreign language (including in Japan)...
18:49
I went to Sweden a few years ago to visit my family and while I was up there, I saw a boy who looked like he was 10 years old. He was wearing a t-shirt which said: "Fuck you! I drive a Yamaha!" That was probably the funniest part of any vacation I ever went on.
There's something classy about the simplistic 'Ji' - 'Haemorrhoids'.
Straight to the point.
Is it ironic that the hoody is red?
Well, it's more of a warning then.
Possibly a reference to Azumanga, there was an arc about the "ji" kanji.
Anyone who uses the word otaku like it's cool is definitely a virgin for life.
No I'm not. I bet I got laid more times untill today than you will ever XD
omg, hilarious article! i wonder what would happen if the americans DID know what the words say..
Yeah. I wonder what would happen if the dirty, stinking europeans knew what they said, too.
Nice assumptions, asshole. Who said they're all American?
He never implied they are all americans.
Maybe he believes that non-americans would be aware of the meaning of the text before wearing one of those T-shirts.
i wouldnt mind wearing any of these as long as there is no one that knows what is written on it (myself might be included -.-)
Heimorrhoids LOL
This article should read 'reasons to wear a T-Shirt with trendy foreign text'.
And Tokyo-na sounds like some Osakan dialect hillbilly talking about Tokyo. XD
Sexy cool shirt on Aya Hirano!!
I still wanna know where Aya got that shirt.
I'd be hardpressed to believe that she understands what it means.
I'm sure Japanese women would still go up to them if they have on their shirts "I have a lot of money" in English
Tongue baths... the next evolution of the soapland?
Not
“… wa hentai de aru” – “… is a pervert.”
but
“wagahai wa hentai de aru” - “I am a pervert.”
It's は, not 我輩
I assumed it refers to the man pictured...
Seeing as the man pictured is Natsume Souseki and it HAPPENS TO BE FROM A BOOK OF HIS, I would agree.
I would like to know:
Doesn' t the japanese world " OTAKU " merely means " YOUR HOUSE " ?
So, why it has been translated as " VIRGIN " ? Translator's mistake, by accident ?
Please tell me, thank you !
@anon 06:51
I can't help but think this is a troll post, but お宅(Otaku) does mean house. It refers to someone Else's home, and not your own. People usually 家(Ie) or うち(Uchi) to refer to houses/homes.
オタク(Otaku), however, is also slang that refers to a, "maniac." Someone is basically obsessed with their hobby.
You're taking the meaning of "otaku" too literally.
In Japan, "otaku" = stereotypical anime nerd that prefers 2D over 3D = no girlfriend = virgin.
So to shorten the above, otaku = virgin.
actually in Japan Otaku is not directly related to Anime or video game "nerds". It refers to anyone who is an excessive fan (fanatic) of anything to the point that it interferes with in a negative way with their life. military otaku, gun otaku (yes different from military) car/bike otaku, sports otaku, etc. Other countries, most noticeably the US, has taken a negative word of shame from Japanese and use it in a positive way that has gained general acceptance and is used very successfully in marketing. I did my psych thesis on Fanaticism and the effects of culture on social acceptance. Even Spain has a National Geek Pride Day.
It's actually using the language from "I am a Cat" by Natsume Souseki. Kind of off color but it was funny enough.
Honestly, I would never dare wear a t-shirt with Japanese text on it IN Japan.
I wouldnt wear anything I cant understand anywhere. Someone gave me a shirt with Japanese writing on it (not anime related, if it was an anime logo itd be ok) but Im not wearing it until I learn enough to verify that it doesnt say something stupid on it.
1. Ask someone to translate it
2. Check dictionary
3. Wear
4. Profit
yes, it says 'wagahai wa hentai de aru,' a play on 'wagahai wa neko de aru.'
Peter you rule man! Hey can you bring back The Nice Boat Shirt PLEASE!!!!!!
With faces like that, it's probably true
Holy crap, is that Daniel Radcliffe?
HARRY POTTER!
Mr.Potter :D
Mr.Potthead
and the philosopher's stoned.
That Potter boy
Hewlett-Packard and the cartridge of death.
Vin Diesel is also in the foreground in one of the others if I'm not mistaken.
Yup, Vin Diesel is "the japanese person"
The guy with the MSG shirt appears to be next to Guy Fieri, too.
Harry Pothead and The Philosopher's Bong
in japan, it would be "SUPER MAHOU HAIRY FUN TIME LEAF" >.>
Yeah, apparently he's a pretty "Tokyoish" guy. :p
I saw him on a Japanese variety show one time and some super-fan Japanese girl got to meet him and freaked right out. It was pretty cute, but taken off Youtube in a hurry.