Quote from: caldrail on August 17, 2022, 03:37:21 AM
During my longest running D&D campaign I used japanese inspiration for elven culture. No linguistic stuff and I had them using 'moon-swords' (similar to Klingon bat'leth's). I did this to make them more 'alien' than wishy washy Tolkien-esque concepts and even introduced a Warhammer 40k inspired idea of 'Craftholds', places like Rivendell but in pocket dimensions of their own, accessed through magical gates or event horizons in places like waterfalls, caves, or forest groves.

Wood elves were similar but worldly and less civilised. The one the players interacted with was walled off by a mystical hedge.

In retrospect it worked a little too well. Players more used to western mythology got a little confused as to why elves weren't pretty boy humans.

It's not western mythology that portrays elves as pretty big humans, that's western pop culture. In most mythologies, they were quite different.

You think? In some respects I agree, but notice how often agents of mythology appear as human.

Quote from: Omega on August 12, 2022, 04:54:17 PM
More interesting are the influences of western fantasy on Japanese fantasy. Even today I spot fantasy anime with the classic O/A/BX style dog-men Kobolds and even the occasional boar headed Orcs and so on. Clerics turning undead. Western style dragons. and so on.

Yes, I was thinking of that when I saw the manga Delicious in Dungeon today. It basically seems to be old-school D&D, just a bit more satirical.

Quote from: HappyDaze on August 17, 2022, 03:51:04 AM
It's not western mythology that portrays elves as pretty big humans, that's western pop culture. In most mythologies, they were quite different.

Very different indeed. Japanese Yokai would be a better comparison to some european elves. Weird, alien and half the time inhuman. And probably more than half the time dangerous in one way or another.

One thing I did in an OA meets Greyhawk adventure was showcasing the more classical faeries and elves clashing with the more classical yokai. With the PCs from both lands caught in the middle trying to sort things out and put down the worst of both sides that are running amok. Or more amok than usual. On one side was a Far Darrig causing trouble and on the other was a Bake-danuki aka a Tanooki who was doing the same and both were dragging other supernaturals into the war of deadly pranks. 

Quote from: MeganovaStella on August 10, 2022, 06:05:35 PM
How much does Japanese media influence your campaigns? Their story, their characters, their world, and so on. In that vein, how does Japanese media influence your players and their PCs? And what specific titles do you select ideas from?

I pick from mostly anime and manga: Digimon (monster catching), Shin Megami Tensei (religious beings, law and chaos), Berserk (respectful depiction of the outcomes of sexual assault (with player consent of course), giant swords, CLANG), Xenoseries (giant robots, science focus, robot girls)

I picked up the Goblin Slayer Japanese TTRPG translation recently:

https://www.amazon.com/Goblin-Slayer-Tabletop-Roleplaying-Game/dp/1975318315

(They have the wrong cover for it on both the Yen Press Website and the Kobo eBook store. I've written to them about it but not only didn't they fix it, the only effect it seems to have had was to have them mess up the cover on their Website as well.  Basically they put the cover for a different TTRPG that they publish for it instead.) I got both the physical version and picked up the eBook version later.  I'm not sure if I will ever play it, but I was interested in what is basically a Japanese take on simple AD&D using Sword World Rules.  It does seem like a fun game, and the book is a complete RPG.  The player races are human, dwarf, elf, lizardman and rhea(hobbits, more or less).  Races get bonuses or penalties to various stats.  Classes are fighter, monk, ranger, scout, sorcerer, priest, dragon-priest and shaman.  For some reason they decided to call thieves, scouts.  Shamans aren't exactly druids, they call on the power of elemental spirits.  It has a decent section on spells for the various spell-casting classes and a decent bestiary for the various types of monsters. (Goblins are prominent but there are a lot of other varieties and types of monsters in it too.)

I notice that a considerable amount of fantasy stuff I read nowadays, if it isn't old stuff like Jack Vance or Clark Ashton Smith, tends to be Japanese light novels like Magic-User, Overlord, the Faraway Paladin, the Unwanted, Undead Adventurer or Goblin Slayer.  I can tell the difference between Western fantasy and Japanese fantasy.  For example, when I was playing D&D the idea that the party would go and register with the local adventurers guild in order to legally operate as adventurers never even occurred to me.  Overlord even has unregistered adventurers who don't register with their local guild (called Workers to differentiate them from Adventurers) and they end up getting more disreputable quests from more dubious sources as a result, but with greater opportunities for personal gain.

If I ever manage to get a group together again, I'll probably consider suggesting that idea as a player or using it as a DM.  I particularly like the contrast between reputable Adventurers who sometimes need to accept guild requests as part of staying in good standing, and disreputable Workers, who get more dangerous quests from quest-givers who might intend to betray them later.

As to other Japanese fantasy sources, I think The Ancient Magus Bride is a good attempt to portray European style faeries as the otherworldly creatures that they were in old legends rather than the typical AD&D elves.

I have always been interested in Japanese history, but nowadays I feel that some of my friends are borderline obsessed, and those big-eyed anime and manga characters pop up a bit much in popular culture. It never really did anything for me.

Funny thing with me is that while I'm literally a professor of Asian military history, anime and manga have never appealed to me.  My entry into Asian cultures was via Godzilla in the 1970s and Kung-fu movies and James Clavell novels in the 1980s.  So those things have an influence in my campaign.  There are analogues to the major East Asian cultures and a couple kaiju infested islands exist far to the south of the main continent.

None at all, I despise anime and Japanese media in general, and very greatly, to the extent that I let it color my reaction roll to a potential player/participant quite negatively. I can work up a good frothy irrational rage over it in fact. I also note that if you venn diagram problem players and issues there is significant anime overlap such that I use it as a screening mechanism. Having been to Japan and worked for them I have some insight on this, the Japanese themselves sort of look down on anime (outside the circle of anime fans) and blame it for a lack of grandchildren. They also despise what the internet terms "weebs" to the same degree that I despise anime.

Regardless, King Kong > Godzirra, hands down, everytime, and I will nuke the naysayers.

Quote from: Persimmon on November 06, 2022, 06:37:05 PM
Funny thing with me is that while I'm literally a professor of Asian military history, anime and manga have never appealed to me.  My entry into Asian cultures was via Godzilla in the 1970s and Kung-fu movies and James Clavell novels in the 1980s.  So those things have an influence in my campaign.  There are analogues to the major East Asian cultures and a couple kaiju infested islands exist far to the south of the main continent.

There are some rather good historical themed anime and manga out there and even a rather nicely done merger of Japanese writing and Chinese puppet theater for the puppet show Thunderbolt Fantasy. Apparently there are more produced in China that have not seen much of yet. But are really amazing some of the effects and style used. Which then got me to check out what some traditional puppet theater is like.

I've always wanted to do Sengoku period Japan with mecha using Mekton, I just don't have enough knowledge of the period.

Quote from: Omega on November 07, 2022, 12:46:41 AM

Quote from: Persimmon on November 06, 2022, 06:37:05 PM
Funny thing with me is that while I'm literally a professor of Asian military history, anime and manga have never appealed to me.  My entry into Asian cultures was via Godzilla in the 1970s and Kung-fu movies and James Clavell novels in the 1980s.  So those things have an influence in my campaign.  There are analogues to the major East Asian cultures and a couple kaiju infested islands exist far to the south of the main continent.

There are some rather good historical themed anime and manga out there and even a rather nicely done merger of Japanese writing and Chinese puppet theater for the puppet show Thunderbolt Fantasy. Apparently there are more produced in China that have not seen much of yet. But are really amazing some of the effects and style used. Which then got me to check out what some traditional puppet theater is like.

This is true but I don't care because I know the actual history and folklore upon which these things are based.  I have no need or desire to read a comic book about the Sengoku Era or the fall of the Ming dynasty.  I can read the actual histories in the original languages and derive inspiration from them. 

I will admit that such mediums do inspire some students to take my classes so that's a plus.  And they are often quite surprised to find how much both of these things crib from real history & folklore.

Quote from: Persimmon on November 07, 2022, 08:36:25 AM

Quote from: Omega on November 07, 2022, 12:46:41 AM

Quote from: Persimmon on November 06, 2022, 06:37:05 PM
Funny thing with me is that while I'm literally a professor of Asian military history, anime and manga have never appealed to me.  My entry into Asian cultures was via Godzilla in the 1970s and Kung-fu movies and James Clavell novels in the 1980s.  So those things have an influence in my campaign.  There are analogues to the major East Asian cultures and a couple kaiju infested islands exist far to the south of the main continent.

There are some rather good historical themed anime and manga out there and even a rather nicely done merger of Japanese writing and Chinese puppet theater for the puppet show Thunderbolt Fantasy. Apparently there are more produced in China that have not seen much of yet. But are really amazing some of the effects and style used. Which then got me to check out what some traditional puppet theater is like.

This is true but I don't care because I know the actual history and folklore upon which these things are based.  I have no need or desire to read a comic book about the Sengoku Era or the fall of the Ming dynasty.  I can read the actual histories in the original languages and derive inspiration from them. 

I will admit that such mediums do inspire some students to take my classes so that's a plus.  And they are often quite surprised to find how much both of these things crib from real history & folklore.

But that also applies to Western fantasy. I have no interest in Game of Thrones, for example, because I much rather read about the War of the Roses. However, any kind of fantasy setting should simply be viewed for what it is: entertainment. My real complaint is with books and films that claim to be historically accurate but are in reality a complete fabrication.

Quote from: jeff37923 on November 07, 2022, 05:47:29 AM
I've always wanted to do Sengoku period Japan with mecha using Mekton, I just don't have enough knowledge of the period.

That sounds *amazing*. You don't have to be a historian to pull it off. Just get the motifs right - Clans vying for power, intrigue, treachery, Cold Wars, inter-marriage alliances, all with big custom Clan-specific Mechs. Huge battles!

And the PC's are part of a Clan trying to survive/win the contest that will set the standard of the new status-quo (possibly being the ruling House). Yeah man, this could be a thing!

Quote from: Rhymer88 on November 07, 2022, 09:22:24 AM

Quote from: Persimmon on November 07, 2022, 08:36:25 AM

Quote from: Omega on November 07, 2022, 12:46:41 AM

Quote from: Persimmon on November 06, 2022, 06:37:05 PM
Funny thing with me is that while I'm literally a professor of Asian military history, anime and manga have never appealed to me.  My entry into Asian cultures was via Godzilla in the 1970s and Kung-fu movies and James Clavell novels in the 1980s.  So those things have an influence in my campaign.  There are analogues to the major East Asian cultures and a couple kaiju infested islands exist far to the south of the main continent.

There are some rather good historical themed anime and manga out there and even a rather nicely done merger of Japanese writing and Chinese puppet theater for the puppet show Thunderbolt Fantasy. Apparently there are more produced in China that have not seen much of yet. But are really amazing some of the effects and style used. Which then got me to check out what some traditional puppet theater is like.

This is true but I don't care because I know the actual history and folklore upon which these things are based.  I have no need or desire to read a comic book about the Sengoku Era or the fall of the Ming dynasty.  I can read the actual histories in the original languages and derive inspiration from them. 

I will admit that such mediums do inspire some students to take my classes so that's a plus.  And they are often quite surprised to find how much both of these things crib from real history & folklore.

But that also applies to Western fantasy. I have no interest in Game of Thrones, for example, because I much rather read about the War of the Roses. However, any kind of fantasy setting should simply be viewed for what it is: entertainment. My real complaint is with books and films that claim to be historically accurate but are in reality a complete fabrication.

Totally agree, though I do enjoy GoT.  In fact, one of my own books is essentially GoT in 17th century China, but it's real. 
But the OP asked about Asia, hence the nature of my response.

Quote from: jeff37923 on November 07, 2022, 05:47:29 AM
I've always wanted to do Sengoku period Japan with mecha using Mekton, I just don't have enough knowledge of the period.

If you are going Mecha and Sengoku, I wouldn't worry about historical accuracy.  That setting sounds like tropes and stereotypes are the way to go.  Or make it up.