Inside Japan’s Chicano Subculture | NYT 

Recklessly Arrogant you are correct, we are a trip. I believe it’s due to the “grass is always greener” with us and that’s not always a bad thing. If you think about it in this case the world get a little smaller by appreciating other cultures.

It is funny. Car culture is a great example. Import car guys in the US are always hunting rare JDM (japanese domestic market) parts both OEM & aftermarket that weren't available for sale here. The opposite has become true in Japan, they started importing USDM parts to emulate the style of the American released models! Also a side note but did you know Lexus, Infiniti, and Acura do not exist in Japan. They are Toyota, Nissan, and Honda respectively. They only exist because in the 90s Japanese manufacturers didn't believe they could sell luxury cars under their own marquees here in north America. I've had a few people get outstandingly offended when I told them they're Lexus or Infiniti was actually a rebadged Toyota or Nissan! 🤣

@Kush & Hennessy Theres also villages full of genetically Roman people in China.

@Kush & Hennessy if your talking about south america ... 2nd largest Japanese population in Brazil

Dragon ball es sagrado en mexico y también hay gente de Arabia

Daniel Delgado 😂😂😂 stupid lol

Hey dude, did you see the Viva la Raza dictum written in Japanese? It looks cool.

🤣

😂 bruuuh 👌

😂😂😂 Then harakiri happens.

That goes for anything. Stop the segregation of people

No it's not 😂

​@@ClarkKent-tg6ls it is

@@ClarkKent-tg6lsnah i prefer japanese people rather than USA rednecks.

​@@ClarkKent-tg6ls hey what about all the mexicans appropriating anime

Yeah, in the US many people outside of the West Coast associate low riding with 90s gangsta rap and mistakenly believe it originated with the African American community. At least these Japanese people are aware of the roots.

@@jag5014 African Americans are very aware of that. Y'all just immediately hate us.

black people in america will say that you’re still culturally appropriating 😅

@@j4m3sii Black people know the difference between appreciation and appropriation. We’re not dumb… glad to know we’re living in your mind rent free though

@@sdawg4719 ahhhhh you’re enraged 😂

There's no Hispanic culture and if it existed it wouldn't look like this American made bs.

Were showing love not tearing it down 💋

El Moreno um hispanics do have culture

Indians don't get offended by cultural appropriation either. I feel only whites believe in this concept

What makes the Latino and Mexican people so beautiful is that we are not just one color. We are white, we are brown, we're black. We come in all forms and colors unlike any other race on the planet which makes us unique and that's why most Latinos won't hate on other cultures unlike most cultures we know.

Nerd

Weebs in Chicago? Now I’ve seen it all

Maybe both chicanos and weebs are hypocrites

Cultural appropriation is such a stupid concept. It would mean ur not allowed to speak English unless ur British. Same for using computers or the s bend toilet.

Certain people will try to stop any cultural interchange from happening because cultural and racial division is how you control populations (people are too busy having petty arguments to focus on the real issues). Therefore, they try to change the optics of appropriation into something 'bad' even though it's just mutual appreciation of different cultures. Appropriation is good, caricature not so much. There's some nuance to it but there's a distinct difference.

Me too! Half mex from my mom's side and half Japanese from my dad's side living in So. Cal too! xD

Me too! And in socal!

Mexicans and Asians unite ❤️‍🔥

You mean your Japanese AND Mexican? Because they're not races, Japanese is a ethnicity/nationality and Mexican is a nationality

Are you single??😎

That is beautiful. This is why we need to be a little looser with this "cultural appropriation" nonsense. Let people take up a culture that makes them "feel saved." A bit of freedom is all we're asking for (and I'm a liberal).

Lovely comment

Dont ever be ashamed of who you are. We are all people and we are all different. The world would be a boring place if everyone looked the same and liked the same stuff. Stay you

Rap / Hip hop is black American culture. In other words Mexicans express their culture through black music. It all comes from the black man at the end of the day.

@@Joshtherealdeal just let them have this one

Y WOULD IT BE OFFENSIVE IT ONLY BE OFFENSIVE IF THEY MADE FUN OFF IT LIKE YG, BLUE FACE, OR AMJAY BUT THEY TRULY LOVE IT

@@Funkyouropinion I- why you yelling? 💀

xoxo Mia xoxo I TYPE & WRITE IN ALL CAPS LOL 🤷🏽‍♂️ IDK Y

As a Mexican you mean*

@@wlliamp4382 As chicana you mean

Cringe

He he he

Not cringe

Mexican here as well! I'm going to Japan this year for a lowrider carshow with my dad's car club ! First time going to Japan too 🎉🎉🎉

@@ricardorascon88 pretty awesome

Yes my lowrider club was invited out there for a car show this winter 🎉🤪I'm a Mexican born in the US so I'm super excited to see another culture experiencing it through anime cartoons wasn't enough for me 😂

Omar 123 ur cute too, can I have yo Instagram?

Cole Sprouse Yea i know, something about that letter “O”right? Lol

your hispanic but are u mexican tho ? 😭

Just don’t get dreadlocks or you’ll be in big trouble! Lol... and NEVER for gods sake, EVER dress up as an American Indian for any reason whatsoever!!

This only applies to chicanos not all Hispanics

I really felt the positive vibes from dude's artwork.

DonutKillAnthony Mexican culture is better Chicano culture is garbage

Was amazing.

Lemon26 shutup bruh just enjoy the video

Currently on deployment to Japan and it was interesting seeing 3 Japanese dudes dressed up like Cholos.

​@rusty7984 you a marine I'm guessing my friend was deployed there as well

Im going to go to Japan this year to experience the lowrider scene at this car show this upcoming winter 🎉my lowrider club was invited over there to experience it ! Absolutely love Japanese culture

Yes thank you! I'm not a Mexican American or someone who grew up in the Chicano culture I just like seeing that part of american culture. Anyway the tips you proved are helpful to anyone with anyone's culture too. I'm a black America btw, and I can help people understand how to appreciate my culture and others. Thank you again 😊

"muh white people bad Japanese good cultural apropiation everywhere"

@@DaddyGoogoo you... Youve heard of the american "wild west" right? Cattel ranching was not exclusive to mexico. We both did "cowboy/vaqueros" ranching simultaniously. Nobody stole anything from anybody else.

@@DaddyGoogoo But all cultures absorb parts of other cultures (language, fashion, food, music, religion) and most people eventually forget the real origin. It's a natural process, it happens everywhere and at anytime. I don't get this "cultural appropriation" outrage at all. It's like copyrighting history, it doesn't make any sense to me.

@@DaddyGoogoo Respect

No such thing as cultural appropriation. It’s just a divide and conquer technique

belieiving in cultural appropriation in the first place is a mistake

I'd say cultural appropriation is either using something in a way it wasn't meant to be used. Like if someone not apart of a religion were to wear something meant to be sacred just cause it looks cool, then that's appropriation. Now whatever you think is a appropriate reaction to it is what you think. This is just how I see it.

@@JibberJabJones I agree 💯

I have a problem with the idea of "appropriation" when the reason anyone is exposed to another culture these days is when it is SOLD through music, movies, fashion... If you are SELLING your culture, you can't complain about "appropriation"...

It's the attitude, mentality, outlook, mannerisms, language, etc. that goes with the style that is more frowned upon. That goes for all groups.

@@SoCalburro so... the whole thing then. . Which is exactly all the things they see and adopted.

I was thinkin the same thing! Its cultural appreciation not appropriation. I mean you probably know this already but to those who don't a lot of ignorant people label all latin americans as 'Mexicans' (as if that's the only country south of the border.) and we all get labeled as "border hoping, job stealing, gang members, criminals" and overall just treated as if were uneducated, speaking from personal experience as a chicana and the way I've seen my family members and friends get treat by non hispanics yelling "go back to your country" and all the other horrible things they do and say about us. My point is It's beautiful thing to see how those in the video celebrated and see the beauty of chicano culture while oftern times here in the U.S it's frowned upon.

@@SoCalburro you’re white + balding + L

Cause y’all murder our people and ruin the communities.

I’m surprised Japanese people don’t like foreign people

Same , I love the fashion over there

Have you ever watched anime?

@@RandomSkyeRoses no stfu

@@senorandrade7568 Why would they?

Would be ok with white people doing it?

Gorilla UMP we should all move over there 😂

Same for African American

I'm from the UK and I love Hispanic and Chicano culture.

If white people in America did anything remotely close to this you would all riot and scream appropriation.

me thatguy I know plenty of white guys here In “el chuco” El Paso, Texas who own low riders, and dress like cholos. They have been embraced into the culture because of their love and respect . Then again white people in El Paso are the minority. The Military brings in a lot of good people from all over the country. I look at the heart of an individual, if they are good people I could careless what color they are. If you treat people with respect and stand by your word, and can eat menudo on Sunday! Your good in my book!

Don’t forget the tiger blanket that one’s essential

My pops do be wearing them guaraches doe😳🔥

Don't forget about the calendar from the market with pictures of La Virgen.

Dont forget those glass bowls

Bunch of BS

Same I'm Mexican too and my lowrider club was invited out there for a winter car show just 2 days ago in April 2024 🙃 🎉so I'm going to Japan this winter to experience the Chicano culture in Japan! Plus the regular Japanese culture 🙏🏽

Kev KK Last time I checked dressing/emulating a country’s culture doesn’t mean you want to _be_ from that country. It’s more of a “this looks so cool!” thing. I doubt these japanese people “want to be mexican” or something.

Guilty

I think im turning Japanese I think im turning Japanese I really think so

Kev KK me too lmao

Cheese I dress like a 70s rocker With the leather jacket and all

Chicanos are just copying the blacks culture. Lmao

@@pauljefferson9538 nice try troll go back to your cave

Paul Jefferson lmao chicanos did this before blacks do your research kid

@@pauljefferson9538 our cultures are just similar that's it

Paul Jefferson Don’t do that, we respect each other’s cultures down here in southern Cali

I agree

exactly

The Chican@ strugle is often revolving identity questions about belonging to one or the other ends of the spectrum, American or Mexican, but growing up with a Chican@ mom in the RGV I come to realize that our cultural existence is not strictly dichotomous and I think the cultural duality is the appeal in Japan..its the Japan culture "and" theChican@ influences.

LMAO

Maria Breniz 💯

How can one be Mexican American

@@qi6303 My father is from Mexico and I was born in America (:

@@getchills9550 EVERY MEXICAN IS AMERICAN! no one in mexico thinks that American is a u.s thing! It's ALL from Canada to Argentina and everything in between is america! But trumpists and others in u.s. want to call themselves American to disprove the fact that America is a continent and not just a country!

@@qi6303 Dual citizenship or having mexican parents

They respect the chicano culture like we respect the weeb culture. Win win. If we were black there be riots and talks of looks but not the struggle. We forget that japans counts as an ancient civilisation thats been around longer then america and mexico.

Would you be ok with white people doing it?

Perfectly said.

Best comment 💚

minyoongigenious jjangjangmanpoongpoong cultural appreciation! Thats the concept, well said!

But if they were white, you would say it is cultural appropriation so🤷

Obviously....Big difference...hard to explain to many

How do you know?

Why is it appreciation?

@dev0n james yup they don't

@jeremysev How is that relevant?

@@ithinkicanmakethat6294 How do you know?

Facts

The calavera version of La Virgen at that.

@@alchemistsanonymous6558 How dare you 'uh actually' me.

Hugh Manatee madara is that you? Lol.

CC Unless of course they are catholics living in Japan.

It's like how people of every race like dbz and every kid has liked Pokemon once no matter if they Japanese or not

Good on you brother! This 'appropriating' nonsense is just becoming a nonsensical buzzword. These people like the culture and , thereby, respect it. Wonderful to see so many like minded / level headed people in the comments

Only appropriating if they don't give a shout out to the OGs.

@@kenS87 or they're white

some mexican do martial arts that is invention of japan so same thing with the chicano.

Popeye Savedra blood in blood out.

Lmao

😂

😂😂😂 They cool tho I'm mexican n have plenty of asians friends Phillipines Japanese Vietnamese exc They nice ppl✌

La vida es un riesgo carnal

Es cierto, no me ofende soy de California pero no esta a la altura de la corriente original este es imitación y no lo puedes negar, en L.A esto es cosa seria no un paseo a un museo, entra al barrio equivocado y no sales

@@victorramz3652 No mms no pasa nada, my family was always moving, I've been to all the major cities in California walking through all the Mexican neighborhoods since I was a mocosillo y nunca he tenido pedos. It's all in the attitude, respeta y serás respetado.

Exactally bro

Bro is saying we as if he was mexican instead of chicano

@@xtyiu2017 chicano is mexican born in america

Or a Hispanic with the name Chino.

Dont matter if you Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian you still a chino to a Chicano in LA! LOL

that's weird. usually when people call me Chino it's usually an insulting and condescending way

Or Mexican too

Oh, so that’s why my Mexican homies growing up kept calling me chino

Thats true bro. U spkn facts

Japan honors us Cholos it shows appreciation not disrespect . this dude that made the interview was not from the streets and has zero zero to say about us "he disrespected our lifestyle by pretending he had some say in the matter even Mexican people dislike us only those of us chicanos with families and any one any race including Japanese that grew up with us and know about us . i love that they did there homwork and really got the good things and didnt put the bad things about our lifestyle on blast ....Japan We Love You Sincerely: Kilo V.N.E

what studies

@@MrAssassinscreed2fan Sorry, Japan WAS along with Mexico the country that worked the longest hours in the 80s 90s and until 2012 it seems, but because of Karoshi and many other issues they had to reduce the number of hours, productivity is another thing altogether, it seems that Japan is extremely productive in some companies but in others extremely under productive. Mexico is still up there though. There are more sources by the way. money.cnn.com/gallery/news/economy/2013/07/16/10-hardest-working-countries/9.html www.valuewalk.com/2019/01/top-10-hardest-working-countries-oecd/ www.theladders.com/career-advice/these-are-the-countries-and-cities-with-the-most-annual-and-weekly-working-hours

@@MrAssassinscreed2fan There's this too: www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/sep/20/which-is-the-worlds-hardest-working-city

🎀This was so beautifully said.🎀

Or that people hate their own culture

@cablecow15 Tbh there is no meaning nor hurtful ness when dressing as an ‘estadounidense’ because there is no meaning behind it, just fashion, which is why everyone dresses up like these mumble- rappers or anime etc. Chicano clothing isn’t to look badass (kinda) but to differentiate us from them, our white oppressors. Only some other people can feel the meaning behind DGA’s paintings, because they can relate to an extent. You don’t see me crying every time I see Black Art, can’t relate- it’s targeted to a specific audience. I hate my wording, starting to talk like them hipsters, if you know what I mean😂😂😂

Yes! Me too.

Awesome way of looking at things, beautiful.

Make one my dude :)

@@nate370 That would be kidnapping and human smuggling on my part. But if you know a guy...

Foo I'd be the first to sign up!

To the OP: The Korean wave is big in Mexico too

I've loved their culture since I was about 13 and almost took a japanese class but I had to take spanish instead, which I already knew being mexican

Facts

Stfu

But what if they do change it and add their own Japanese spin on it? Would that be a bad thing?

@Rosendo Martinez what do u mean?

why would you be offended?

@@dustin3596 i'm not

@@AdrianMendoza23 why did you have to establish that you were not offended?

@@dustin3596 there are some comments below that are offended. Also, the video questions these Japanese appropriating chicano culture, copying it but not fully understanding it. The video of course depicts these individuals seeing the chicano lowrider subculture three dimensionally.

Do you think it's OK when white people in America do it?

Same! as long as they respect it or like it it's fine with me

Great perspective, brother. If only more people saw it your way.. much love from Romania

yoo whats gud ‘ BLESS my new song “SPECIAL DELiVERY” Stay LITT ! soundcloud.com/danger-squad-records/king-kaseem-special-delivery-produced-by-jamesthadj-x-becky-g-2019

Culture should be preserved by its own people

Agree

😲😅😅

Oof

They hate being call that, is like calling a central american mexican .

@Larry PARISH you mean wong

Erik Loko that's funny bro lol

Japanese deeply admire hispanic culture....that part i know from living in tokyo..

@@thiccfriedokra9189 heck yea 💪🏽

@Lykn Del Toro why u gotta hate on the mane he can talk all he wants lmao

Lykn Del Toro don’t be rude he just saying how we both get along and appreciate eachother cultures

@Lykn Del Toro no empiezas con esas mamadas. Ve y compra te un abrazó por se nota que lo necesitas

I know like jrpg games and fantasy anime or pretty much all of anime heavily influenced by the west. Edit: for example medieval fantasy and western cowboys like cowboy bebop and trigun as well as vampires.

Most first worlds have a subculture for "everything". Particularly when you've got a population of 100 million+. Just look at America.

Mr. Smith let me know if you find the answer.... uh i have a friend who wants to know too...

@@mentoshoarder5175 Yea in Uganda they have a heavy metal sub culture.

Western games and cartoons are also heavily influenced by Japanese styles now.

Yes, the Japanese people in this video look like all my relatives on my dad's side of our Mexican family. much of my dad's side looks asian. My sister's nickname when she was a kid was "China doll," because of her almond eyes. Her daughter is a miniature replica of her.

Lmao, that girl looks almost exactly like my oldest sister, in her younger days. I almost denied she was Japanese lolol

Burbank primero gang has japanese members

LIA MINELLI true. It’s because of our Aztec ancestry

So so true.

RIGHT!!!!

in a way being on the other side of the world, they're able to remove the negative things out of the chicano and hip hop culture and only spread what's positive. If we look at it with the appropriate lens, we can actually grow ourselves here in the US.

Your comment is so beautiful, I feel the same way!😊

Princessxleia I agree, Chicano culture is Awesome!

In this case it is cultural appreciation. They dont claim the culture as their own, rather they admire the culture.

I know Just look at Pearl Harbor🤨

@@benjaminzepeda3703 Nah, I think Americans takes the trophy when it come to that type of dedication, they still do it to this day.

When Americans eat something they get fat 😂😟🤨

@@AMM0beatz Id rather be with the americans than WW2 japan

@@Jess-737 Um? There’s no such thing of being racist to Americans and I was making a joke🙁

Love it Cultural appropriation...so what? So what indeed lol

@68Camaro RS/SS how do you dress up, and live as Asians?

Is there a Nazi subculture?

And at the same time being very xenophobic

the difference is that americans feel so superior that they think they would offend other cultures by adopting their styles. Tell me about something more offensive than that thought. @@krisklev

Appreciate don't replicate, I say

beautifully put.

Not as respectful. I watched another documentary and some of them wear jail jumpsuits since they think Chicanos are criminals. That type of behavior is problematic and feeds into stereotypes.

Let me fucc

@@montse4690 it's not necessarily harmful. it's fashion to them. just like gyarus wearing their make in a certain way that could be considered a form of black face.

@@Hal_142 Without bad intentions it can still be harmful, ignorance is bliss. Using the fashions and acting a stereotypical way can be harmful and can give out a bad image to people that have never had contact with chicanos. They should realize that being chicano is not only fashion, cool tattos and carne asada. Being chicano in america can make you a target for police brutality and most chicanos grow up in problematic neighbourhoods with little chances of education and high risk of crimes. So no, its not just fashion.

@@montse4690 that's just your assumptions. according to you all Chicanos are poor, live in poor neighborhoods and are prosecuted by law enforcement. yet we all know that everyone in the chicano community is different and there are good and bad people no matter where you go. that being said the Japanese are only doing this as a fashion trend. as you saw only a few of them actually care about the culture. that and Japanese in general are some of the most hospitable people on the planet. you may say you're afraid of ignorance yet you display it by assuming all Japanese who take part in this fashion see Chicanos as a delinquent culture. which by the way from a fashion standpoint it is. that what defines the clothes we wear. you are an ignorant keyboard warrior and you have no say in what culture is expressed or taken as inspiration. go crawl back into your basement and reflect on yourself until you realize it's ok to borrow from other cultures.

you kinda cute

Teresa Chen Baby let’s cruise away from here, Don’t be confused the way is clear, And if you want it you got it forever this is not a one night stand, Let the music take your mind,. Ooh just release and you will find, You are going to fly away , glad you’re going my way, I love it when we are cruising together , 🎼💐💝. Cruising. Smokey Robinson ✌🏾

Chicano culture is dope. A lot of the times though its just about having principles, being a chicano doesnt mean one has to be involved with guns.

Mario Sanchez Well said homie ✊🏾

"Simon"

The Japanese are embracing the Chicano culture instead of mocking it...which, unfortunately, happens too often here...

It's just whites who care about cultural appropriation

@You Mad? I mean... You seem pretty triggered yourself

@@eldirtyfaygo5395 　The concept of cultural appropriation seems to be supported only by blacks and some white folks full of guilt or something.

@@deadby15 honestly it's only poor people who cry about it. Andrew Shultz gave a small convo about the whole topic of Drake "culture vulturing" and he said that it's only the poor that care about this and that it's just people liking something cause it's popular. As long as they are respectful do what you want.

suzyblue28 right on. All day.

Exactly i hate that our generation is sensitive asf. It's weird seeing people freak out over people of other cultures liking things outside of their culture

Thanks to the liberal snowflakes who treat everything as harrasment.

yessss i totally agree! except we all have a right.

preach.

I felt the same way. That was deep man!

I think one of the biggest honors a group can have is knowing their culture saved the life of another human being.

No mames guey 😂😂😂😂😂

Stay Lucky ME PASE 😂😂

El Coralichi chicano es para todos ❤️☝🏾

in what way????

i think he meant jalapenos, because they are on fire. :-)

I agree! As a Mexican American woman. I can honestly say I'm super flattered! I grew up loving Asian culture especially Japanese culture. I was made fun of、kids bullied me and called me "wanna be Asian". And now I have two Japanese Mexican boys! So I cant wait to show them this amazing celebration of cultures 🌙😍😍 It's hard enough being a Mexican growing up in LA but then you have this amazing mix of cultures. What can be done but just love and respect everyone! Moooore videos like this please. Next will be on AMLW couples😍😁💕💕💕

Lokes This is what Japan does. They take something they think is cool/trendy that they don't really understand and copy it. But its mostly at the superficial level. They don't know why they have the imagery or why chicacos dress that way. They'll put the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe everywhere but wouldn't know what it means. They just put it because it looks cool. That culture they're adapting is never internalized. As a Filipina there is a lot of nuances that I can understand from chicano culture or Mexican culture (mostly because our two countries were tied for hundreds of years by Spain). Did you know that 10% of the Filipino language is Nahuatl? With Japan, there is no internalization. Its merely a copy. Japan is the most homogenous society in the world and these subcultures are a form of rebellion to not blend in with the others.

Well it's Japan. When they do something they'll do it right.

❣

Yes they did it in an awesome way and they clearly and explicitly say it's from Chicano culture they're not trying to appropriate anything so it's really awesome they're just sharing and appreciating other cultures really awesome

Jose Dolores how can someone love and truly embrace a culture if a person doesn’t even know the history of a culture? Do they known the true meaning of a Xicano? Do they know this was all started as political activism? Do they know who Corky Gonzales, Cesar Chaves and Dr. Hector P. Garcia were? Yes it’s copying of a culture and I don’t have any issues with it and it’s cool but they will never understand what it is to be Xicano.

@@victorsr6708 well, your asking me questions that should be directed at someone else. when i was growing up Chicano was spelled the way it is read. you can understand something and not be or go through it. i understand the civil rights movement yet i was not alive nor did i go through it. My opinion stated that they did nothing wrong nor did they copy.

you dont have to be Mexican american to understand a culture and embrace and respect a style, a movement, an idea that becomes as strong as a revolution. Revolution begins in the mind. My previous opinion about them stands. You have questions i cannot answer.

@@victorsr6708 I'm mexican and i dont even know who those guys are lmao

Jose Dolores my statements were thought provoking meaning in today’s day and age all you would have to do would be to google the names and find out what actually happened historically. If you are too lazy to educate yourself Jose then what does that say about you?