WHOA! Japanese Livejournal!?
Check out this article in the New York Times online about something called Channel 2... (Here) Call it a Livejournal in Japanese. Man oh man, this is one of those times I wish I had taken that Japanese class in my local anime store...
Random quotes:
In a society in which subtlety is prized above all, face-to-face confrontation is avoided, insults can be leveled with verbal nuances and hidden meanings are found everywhere, there is one place where the Japanese go to bare their souls and engage in verbal combat: Channel 2.
Insert Fandom Wank flashbacks here.
Unlike the real Japanese world, where language is calibrated according to one's social position, the wording on Channel 2 is often stripped of social indicators or purposefully manipulated to confuse readers. Language is also raw. "Die!" is a favorite insult - and the comments are blunt, often cruel and hurled with studied cynicism.
OMG STAB STAB DIE, anyone?
But Channel 2 is also a window into Japan's ugly side. Many of the contents tend to be nationalistic and xenophobic, especially toward Koreans. When Sony and Samsung recently announced a joint project, users attacked Sony for cooperating with the South Korean company. "Die, Sony!" read several comments. "Die, Koreans!" Many wrote that they hated Koreans, using a derogatory term to describe them.
My hed is pasteded on Sony?
And my personal favorite...
"Many people who write on Channel 2 are stupid," Mr. Nishimura [ED: the founder] said, making a statement that many Channel 2 regulars would agree with but one that will surely draw a flurry of attacks. "They cannot change the world by writing about it. If they really want to have an impact, there are other things they could be doing."
Hmm... that sounds eerily familiar...
Teh Stupid, it knows no bounds.