Japanophilia
A Japanophile is any person with a strong interest in one or more aspects of Japan or Japanese culture. "Japanophile" can be used in a derogatory manner, but is generally seen as a positive comment on the interests of an individual.
It is commonly used to describe individuals who fall into one or more of the following categories:
- Japanese historians
- Japanese linguists
- Japanese sociologists
- Politicians seen as particularly favourable to Japanese interests
- Fans of a particular aspect of Japanese culture (such as anime, sumo wrestling, Japanese cuisine, and so forth)
- Anyone seen as (or believed to be) knowledgeable regarding a particular aspect of Japan, its culture or its influence.
Note that the use of "Japanese" in the descriptions above does not necessarily mean the individual is of Japanese descent, but rather someone with a particular interest in Japan.
Wapanese
Wapanese is a derogatory slang term used to describe a Caucasian person who either wishes s/he were of Japanese descent and/or who has an obsessive interest in Japan or Japanese culture. The term is derived from white and Japanese and inspired by the similar term wigger. It is most often used against manga and anime fans.
Natives to the English variant of 2chan, 4chan, use the term weeaboo to describe someone labelled "Wapanese" (though this is more a result of malicious wordfiltering).
Common examples on message boards:
- The bizarrely constructed names of certain Gundam characters are typically translated into more manageable spellings when introduced to the United States. Insisting on using the original names, especially some which seem rather incoherent to Western speakers, might have one labeled Wapanese.
- A reflexive dislike, sight unseen, of the amerime trend in the West. This also includes addition of themes commonly perceived as "anime"-ish in a Western animated cartoon, often the series' art style (for example, the animated series Teen Titans is commonly a candidate for automatic revulsion on some discussion boards.)
- Insistence on "proper" pronunciation of Japanese names or words, despite heavy accent