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THE AVENGERS' Japanese Tagline Stirs Up Controversy

Marvel's superhero epic is set to open in Japan later in the week, and the slightly bizarre tagline for the movie there has made a few people very upset indeed. Check out the translation, and some reactions from those offended by it..

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By Mark "RorMachine" Cassidy - 8/15/2012
In Japanese, the film's tagline is 日本よ、これが映画だ or "Hey Japan, this is a movie". Strange no? I guess you could interpret that a few different ways, but some Japanese folks have taken it as an insult.



Novelist Toshihiko Yahagi has said that this tagline deeply offended and angered him, adding: "Having an American say, 'Hey Japan, this is a movie' is deeply unpleasant. I swear that there is no way I'm going to see this film." Columnist Takashi Odajima's response is a little less extreme, as he explains why it may have caused such offence. Odajima points out that to some it could be like colonialists saying to native people, "Hey native people, this is culture." or The New York Times saying, "Hey Japan, this is journalism.". I guess I can see that, although the reality is, this tagline was most likely thought up by a Japanese person anyway! Either way, it seems that to many the tagline has been construed as a bit of a slight against the Japanese film industry, which has seen better days.

Personally I think it is at the very least a strange way to promote a movie, but on the other hand, no press is bad press right? What do you guys think - can you see why this would be insulting? Or are people overreacting? Sound off below.







Source: Via Kotaku.com
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Gyasiman - 8/15/2012, 6:55 AM
I guess it is kinda weird to say that, but it doesn't necessarily have to be taken as an insult. If it said "Hey Japan, THIS is a movie" then I could see the controversy
RunDTC - 8/15/2012, 7:02 AM
"We send Godzilla afta them!"
InfiniteMonkey - 8/15/2012, 7:03 AM
The marketing director should be flogged and drawn and then quartered.
Celenco - 8/15/2012, 7:03 AM
@Gyasiman

Isn't that what it pretty much says? All it adds is "Strange, No?

I think that was a poor way of promoting the movie, makes no sense really but not to see the movie because of that is just RIDICULOUS, at the end of the day, it won't really hurt Disney, they've already made more money than they ever dreamed.
SageMode - 8/15/2012, 7:04 AM
Why would that even be a tagline in the first place?
DoubleD - 8/15/2012, 7:05 AM
What is the point in saying "Hey Japan, this is a movie". What do they mean by this. Sounds dumb but I would still se the movie.
Spidex3000 - 8/15/2012, 7:05 AM
I think they might have been trying to be quirky, I could definitely hear that quote in RDJ's voice.
Angelus - 8/15/2012, 7:05 AM
dahamma - 8/15/2012, 7:06 AM
@Sagemode, I guess because something as outrageous as all these characters in one movie they gotta say that this is an actual movie. idk, it still is an odd tagline
Gigacrusher45 - 8/15/2012, 7:09 AM
What the hell kind of tag line is that? It promotes the movie in no way. How did it even get to be the tag line? Makes on sense.
FANBOY2012 - 8/15/2012, 7:09 AM
do i look like the mayor of tokyo to you??
rebellion - 8/15/2012, 7:12 AM
i can't believe there are such stupid people in this world... how can a simple, funny tagline deeply offend anyone???
johnblake - 8/15/2012, 7:13 AM
they mean this as in this is awesome. people are just stupid
dreddhead123 - 8/15/2012, 7:14 AM
What a poor tagline. Whoever invented it is a moron!!!!!
Fabs - 8/15/2012, 7:14 AM
I think it's supposed to be read as
"Hey Japan, This is THE movie [..you've all been hearing about...]"
riddlemethis09 - 8/15/2012, 7:18 AM
Looks like someone let their son make a tagline on bring your kid to work day... lol
siggisuperman - 8/15/2012, 7:19 AM
Translating japanese can be tricky. But i think it's more of a reference to the fact that they are finally getting this movie, like saying "Hey Japan, here is the movie (youve all been waiting for)

Or maybe it's a quote
Tomontherun99 - 8/15/2012, 7:19 AM
Seems kinda like a douchey tagline
inky - 8/15/2012, 7:19 AM
whats the bets the one who came up with it has a degree from some university in japanease and the culture and thought he or she was being very clever.
otherwise its some plant from warner/dc trying to create a problem.
either way whom ever did this needs to check to see if they have oposable thumbs?.
marvel72 - 8/15/2012, 7:20 AM
i know they love their anime maybe it was trying to say "hey japan,this is a movie" & not anime.

too me the tagline doesn't make sense any way,but you shouldn't take offense to it.

i've heard worse things that could be classed as offensive.

why don't they just remove the tag line.
Shadowelfz - 8/15/2012, 7:21 AM
What a stupid tagline. Do people really get paid to come up with that shit?
Kayo - 8/15/2012, 7:22 AM
that tagline is a bit of a mistake
ralfinader - 8/15/2012, 7:32 AM
MAKE-A ME SO ANGLY!!!!!
Matfin93 - 8/15/2012, 7:35 AM
@TheGambitFreak.... Second best movie of the year*
MarkV - 8/15/2012, 7:36 AM
Nothing stranger than japanese culture.
Kryptonlastson22 - 8/15/2012, 7:37 AM
Goku is mad!! Kame hame haaaaa!!!!!
SteveRogersSon - 8/15/2012, 7:39 AM
Hey Japan- Don't build the Iron Man suit with Windows 7. It may crash...with you in it.
Godzillafart - 8/15/2012, 7:39 AM
@Matfin93: Moonrise Kingdom?
REDSTORM - 8/15/2012, 7:40 AM
They should've added tentacles in the poster, specifically surrounding Black Widow. It would've boosted the B.O. sales over there tenfold.
lntrn8 - 8/15/2012, 7:40 AM
"Hey Japan this is a movie" . . . ok, right - strange marketing technique and it sure makes sense how it would be culturally offensive to a culture that gave the world hentai, and great titles such as "New Nurse Buddhist Cross Festival: Five Secret Consultation Techniques".
REDSTORM - 8/15/2012, 7:41 AM
@Intruder,

In India, DC and Marvel love each other.
B00uWhore692 - 8/15/2012, 7:42 AM
Well, in fairness, it IS, in fact, a movie. lol
Fogs - 8/15/2012, 7:44 AM
Why? WHYYYY??

That's stupid ANYWHERE in the world!!
pepe - 8/15/2012, 7:47 AM
Its... its... Impossiburr... !!!
GuardianAngel - 8/15/2012, 7:50 AM
Damn foreigns and their inability to understand!
Illcommunicatione - 8/15/2012, 7:50 AM
The Avengers...
It's Not real dummies.
BooYah - 8/15/2012, 7:51 AM
I doubt this will stop too many people from watching the movie. Were going to have to wait and see if Marvel or Disney clears things up on what the tagline was supposed to mean.
Groge511 - 8/15/2012, 7:52 AM
What was so difficult about putting a tagline that actually had something to do with The Avengers? Their marketing people obviously arent great! How could they not foresee this would anger/upset people. I can already imagine a spoof "Hey Japan, this is marketing!"
CaptainObvious - 8/15/2012, 8:03 AM
The only thing this tagline did was state the painfully obvious.
Vapes - 8/15/2012, 8:05 AM
Has anyone watched Japanese movies?

Maybe they needed the clarification.
TheGambitFreakIsBatmanOfCBM - 8/15/2012, 8:05 AM
Why did you delete my comment, I was only speaking the truth.
LAXtremest - 8/15/2012, 8:06 AM
TheMightyQuinn - 8/15/2012, 8:12 AM
Something was lost in translation
UltimaRex - 8/15/2012, 8:13 AM
@blackandyellow. That's kinda like saying "I did your sister, but only in the ass so she won't get pregnant."

Anyway I digress...

That tagline is by no means the strangest thing to come out of Japan recently:



Yes. It's real.

Yes. It costs £1million+

...
DrainBamage - 8/15/2012, 8:16 AM
Did someone say, Hitomi Tanaka? No?



Something about the word 'Japan' just automatically pops her into my head.
Ceejay - 8/15/2012, 8:17 AM
By stating to the Japanese the blatantly obvious it insinuates that the Japanese are incapable of differentiating what every other nation on the planet has done months before without similar tag-lines. So yeah, its offensive!

For those who don't see it, imagine if the movie was released months ago under the tag-line..

"Hey fanboys, it's not real, just based on a comic, ok?"

You'd be kinda offended they even thought you need to be told as if you're too dumb to realise the obvious!
gambgel - 8/15/2012, 8:20 AM
Cool banner
StormLoganSummers - 8/15/2012, 8:22 AM
Dis isa shamefur!
CPBuff22 - 8/15/2012, 8:23 AM
I don't find it any more strange than "I Am Batman". Just stating the obvious.
TheGlove - 8/15/2012, 8:35 AM
F*ck the japs man, it's all bullshit anyways!
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