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Stare-apy for the Socially Inept

Started by tofugu · 1 year ago

As much as I want to be outrageously snarky in this post, I don’t think I can bring myself to do it. After all, social anxiety disorder is pretty serious stuff, especially in Japan, the birthplace of the hikikomori (引き籠もり or “pulling away”) phenomenon. In an attempt to help out those who are uncomfortable in [...]








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75 comments

  • Viet

    1 year ago

    I won.. She blinked first.
    reply
  • koichi

    1 year ago

    lol, you get comment points for that.
    reply
  • クリス

    1 year ago

    Here you go Viet, try a staring contest with Jessica Alba. When she busts a smirk, let me know if she got a reaction out of you. Also the video is a give away, so if you can keep your eyes from blinking for about 2 minutes, you win...
    reply
  • koichi

    1 year ago

    For everyone's social anxiety
    reply
  • Haktan

    1 year ago

    LOL
    reply
  • Tofugu_Erin

    1 year ago

    Terrifying.
    reply
  • ghindo

    1 year ago

    Make a DVD of that and you will be a very rich man.
    reply
  • Tofugu_Erin

    1 year ago

    Make sure you check out the video I just added to the bottom of this post.

    It's pretty... interesting.
    reply
  • Rimka

    1 year ago

    I think after viewing this I am ready to take on anyone and anything! (Except for maybe those old ladies, oh my) Thanks Koichi ;D

    Interesting find Erin, by the way! XD I find it amazing that something like this exists >> I was half expecting them to try and scare me half-way through like they do in those evil youtube videos.

    Edit: I just watched the second video. Was that guy enjoying a movie with the DVD? Now we just need to somehow attach an LCD screen to those life-like dolls....
    reply
  • mmnessa

    1 year ago

    enjoying a movie with the DVD???
    He was freakin talking to the screen as if she was actually there? And sleepin with it, AND talking to it!!!

    I'm sorry, I don't mean to make fun of the hikikomori, because I know what it's like to be socially retarded, but this is just crossing the line a little bit. I don't see how this DVD can help any of them get out of their rooms and get a real life, if anything it's just another reason to keep themselves locked up in their rooms.
    reply
  • Rimka

    1 year ago

    Yes, I too used to be very "socially retarded" as you put it. I still find this so very amusing though XD I don't see how it could really help, personally it would just creep the hell out of me o_o; and already does.. >_>;

    I just can't help but wonder if these staring women hold interesting conversations <_< This guy seems to love spending time with them. Maybe he's on to something?
    reply
  • WOTDsctoo

    1 year ago

    Hey now...a smile sneaking in at the end...?

    These habits must be broken if you wish to make it in the socially inept Japanese DVD scene.
    reply
  • tomususan

    12 months ago

    Preety scary and funny.
    reply
  • Tofugu_Erin

    1 year ago

    Personally, I think having twins in there is cheating.
    reply
  • koichi

    1 year ago

    I might need the old woman. Old ladies scare me sometimes. Also...why can't they have any smiling women? If I need help with social anxiety, I'd at least like them to be happy about it.
    reply
  • Tofugu_Erin

    1 year ago

    Well, if you're a nervous, twitchy, and possibly sweaty guy who feels uncomfortable in public, chances are slim that you're going to get a lot of girls smiling at you.
    reply
  • Chester_King

    1 year ago

    I couldn't do it.. my eyes felt like cannon balls and immediately drooped to the bottom of the video. I blame her tailor.
    reply
  • The_Meganator

    1 year ago

    I wouldn't be able to watch that dvd at all.
    People staring at you non stop....UGH.
    The old lady scares me and those twins remind me of the shining O.o
    They are soooooo going to turn this into a porn because as soon as I saw the picture that is what I thought it was...and I was very confused why the old lady was in it....
    reply
  • keikan16

    1 year ago

    Koichi, your video was good but it looked like you lost it toward the end........that other video was bizzare.......I think I helped her rather than her helping me..
    reply
  • oo0speed0oo

    1 year ago

    As i'm watching this video, I thought an alien head was going to pop out of nowhere and try to scare me. I would say this video is extremely pointless, but as i'm watching the video... I wanted her to stop looking at me. "What are you staring at?!" I just think thats the New York side of me coming out.....
    reply
  • ghindo

    1 year ago

    Is it bad that I was surprised that there is a black girl included in the series?
    reply
  • mmnessa

    1 year ago

    No it isn't bad. I looked twice just to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me.
    reply
  • Djarno

    1 year ago

    Maybe we could elimate racism if they did the exact same thing here in the US except with all black people. If it really cures social anxienty disorder, it might be crazy enough to work. More likely the NAACP/ACLU would slap the creator with a massive lawsuit.
    reply
  • JinxME13

    1 year ago

    ok this is the creepiest think i've ever seen. But sadly enough i have a friend with a problem with people staring at her... so i'm showing this to her, so just maybe it'll help her out a bit
    thank you tofugu *thumbs up* ;D
    reply
  • 8Dhi

    1 year ago

    Oh I see... so this is like training wheels for meeting women... _D_
    reply
  • HaileyPoo

    1 year ago

    Thats interesting....
    reply
  • Sougen02

    1 year ago

    It's not so awkward for me. Maybe because I myself get a twisted enjoyment out of watching people figgit as I stare at them for minutes at a time xD

    But the video of the little girl was a little... 0_0 *chills*
    Lol
    reply
  • mmnessa

    1 year ago

    Listen, you don't know how hard it can be for a fully grown adult to approach a little girl, they are mean, selfish and spoiled, and did I mention they can be mean? (sarcasm. Sorry I just can't get over the fact that someone is actually going to buy this DVD)
    reply
  • WordsnCollision

    1 year ago

    Like so many examples of so-called "Japanese weirdness", this one starts with the best of intentions yet soon slides off into a parallel universe of disturbing creeposity. I love it!
    reply
  • Livvi_Spatula

    1 year ago

    OMG the end of that video had me rolling on the floor in hysterics. I would totally watch that for hours.
    reply
  • mmnessa

    1 year ago

    And here I was thinking it couldn't get any creepier than mom cafe.........
    reply
  • Hannah

    1 year ago

    It makes sense to have pretty girls staring at you is so that you can get used to being around people who are not socially inept-- but I think at the end of each video, the lady should smile encouragingly to show you that you've done a good job. ^.^
    reply
  • emiko

    1 year ago

    doesn't sitting at home on a friday night watching 'just looking' make you more socially inept . . . people could go some place with other real people instead of just staying home, alone, watching someone stare at you. . . not to mention the fact that you'll probably have nightmares later and need some serious therapy . . .
    reply
  • GoddessCarlie

    1 year ago

    I love Koichi's video, it is probably my favourite so far!
    reply
  • Jesse

    1 year ago

    HAHAHA!!! Magibon... Very Awkward.
    reply
  • paranoid

    1 year ago

    Seesmic video reply from Disqus.
    reply
  • クリス

    1 year ago

    If it weren't for the blinking, I could swear I was just staring at a single picture slide show. I also found the little girl in the last video a little creepy, and no I'm not talking about Koichi, haha j/k, but seriously, if that camera panned down, the little girl would most likely be holding an axe. What would be even more creepier is if the eyes were following your movements.

    This also reminds me of those videos that Jessica Alba made on her Celebrity MySpace page challenging people to a staring contest. If you want to do a staring contest with the Dark Angel herself, check out her page. If nothing turns up, try googling.
    reply
  • asagao

    1 year ago

    I can actually see the extreme benefit in this as I am very socially awkward, and although I have people that I hang out with, aside from going out for tennis, I don't really socialize with others. It might not be hard for most but there are some of us who really can't go outside, write, or even speak to others and not feel like they're being or will be judged. >.< So I agree, I think it's nice that there are people making new (although somewhat strange) ways to help with anxieties. Even if people twist them, the real ones will still exist to offer some help.
    Secondly, yeah, that lil girl was creepy... very creepy.
    reply
  • Djarno

    1 year ago

    Why worry about the socially awkward (the spelling of that word really fits its definition)? As long as they do their work, pay their taxes and wear deodorate, what's the big deal? If people don't treat them like crap, then they'll probably (88.5% chance) go postal on a group of random strangers rather than family, friends, or coworkers. I'm kidding about that last sentence...they don't have any friends.
    reply
  • michelle

    7 months ago

    Do you have any friends? you kinda sound mean..
    reply
  • Vier

    1 year ago

    I used this as a test to see how long I could go without looking at that girls.....


    Anyways, I've had great results and fell comfortable not getting caught by girls anymore
    reply
  • Chester_King

    1 year ago

    On a side note (as in.... to the right) I noticed that Dragon Dynasty.com is advertising !
    Does it help if each of us clicks on it sixteen-thousand times ? I'm up to three.....

    * update.... it's disappeared ? wha? *
    reply
  • koichi

    1 year ago

    Hey Chester,
    We only want people to click when they are genuinely interested in a product. Otherwise, we can get in trouble and possibly get kicked out of the program.
    reply
  • Chester_King

    1 year ago

    Lol... yeah, it was a joke but someone might think that to be the case.

    My bad.....
    reply
  • Rebekah

    1 year ago

    I actually have social anxiety disorder, and I still can't see the point of the DVD. If anything, wouldn't it make people even more reclusive?
    I never stare at people for long periods or time, or worry about them staring at me. So the DVD seems really pointless, IMO.
    reply
  • kevinnwhat

    1 year ago

    "Choose one of fifty relatively-diverse women"

    lmao theres one black woman, what the heck haahha
    is that the only nonjapanese character?
    reply
  • Tofugu_Erin

    1 year ago

    No. There are like 3-4, maybe. I couldn't very well put in all 50 women, though, right? Check out the official link in the last paragraph to see all the women.
    reply
  • うさぎギャル

    1 year ago

    I feel inspired to create my own dvd :D
    reply
  • Autolycus

    1 year ago

    Awww it seems as if the Youtube clips were taken down ;_;
    reply
  • Linnéa

    1 year ago

    Wonder why they only have females watching you...
    reply
  • asagao

    1 year ago

    That's a good question. You would think they'd have ones for everyone.
    reply
  • Haktan

    1 year ago

    Hi everybody! ^_^ I am new to this site but I have been following Koichi's vids on Youtube for quite some time now. I finally decided to check out Tofugu and I really like it. Keep it up all of you! Oh, and I finished Japanese 1 in High School as a Freshmen and I am going to start Japanese 2 as a sophmore. Anyway, enough about me, lol, interesting topic this is but very awkard, haha.
    reply
  • Simaldeff

    1 year ago

    This is sooooo starting a new trend of weird vids on the various TUBES out there ... all using this ミテルダケ format ... it could actually become fun. Let's see how this develops.
    2 things :
    - Koichi your vid in EDIT 2 is hilarious.
    - Why did they take a A. Ueto look-alike for the end of the advertisment .... now I want to buy the DVD, even though I'm not socially akward ...well, I think I'm not.
    reply
  • Chimiko

    1 year ago

    I agree w/ Koichi.
    I am already kind of hikikomori-ish, but I would never buy DVDs like that.

    That Koichi clip in the middle of the video w/ him smiling idiotically... is funny.
    reply
  • ch1ka

    1 year ago

    There are only women... are they saying that men are the ones who can be socially inept? and are they asuming that women have great social skills?

    hmm... maybe this is one that only applies to japan

    This may be completely unrelated but...
    i heard that japan had the highest rate of suicides?
    is this true?
    reply
  • DeeLeigh

    1 year ago

    So, if you end up laughing, does that mean you are on your way to no long being socially "special"?!? Umm...I have got to say this is the most awkwardly funny thing I have ever heard of...Umm...yeah...

    I have to say, though, the guy having conversations with his computer and watching TV with his computer REALLY no longer has a reason to leave the house...
    reply
  • zattsu-ooru

    1 year ago

    Whoa.... Akihabara incident....
    Should i expect some coverage, guys?
    reply
  • Tofugu_Erin

    1 year ago

    I don't think any of us planned on writing anything about it.
    reply
  • q335r49

    1 year ago

    japan's hopelessly unsophisticated ideas of human nature, and our stupid stupid fascination with the groteque : a match made in heaven
    reply
  • yonasu

    1 year ago

    For some reason I want to try it, I don't have any social problems but this looks interesting. It doesn't really help those who have problems, but for those who're not even trying it must feel good to have someone to talk to, even if he/she isn't very talkative.
    reply
  • tornadoes28

    1 year ago

    How is people staring at you in a DVD going to help? Since they really aren't staring at you.
    reply
  • taroroot

    1 year ago

    @tornadoes28: But to a really socially anxious person they seem like they are staring at you. So to them they er the closest thing to a human person.
    reply
  • Ramaja

    1 year ago

    I think point of all this is to get those hikikomori used to others staring at them. They probably are unable to keep their eyes up confronted with others, even less when they are been stared by young (or old, or racially different) women.
    Keeping our eyes on someone else's makes most of us nervous because of an ancenstral reflex meaning "defy" (try looking in dog's eye and see if he/she can sustain it for long)
    This is the reason why these girls won't smile at all: smiling is a sign of encouragement, and this goes against the reason for this DVD to exist.
    reply
  • starile

    1 year ago

    Why do they only use women in this DVD? I'm sure some hikikomori young girls might be able to use some help getting comfortable with dudes around them. It's not like the only people you see on the street are all women. Then again, it might creep out people a little to have guys staring I them? Hm.
    reply
  • Eevee

    1 year ago

    no, no, no Koichi... you lost all those "cool points" when you said xp instead of experience. xD

    Very interesting stuff here. Yeah, I think they could have some regular people maybe saying, "Hi, how are you.", "Good morning", regular things like that. Get these people used to REAL LIFE situations.
    That one girl... she looks really sad. I guess she senses that the guys aren't going to be looking at her face.
    reply
  • stshores24

    1 year ago

    Second video's been removed by YouTube...and I just gave you some karma points, Koichi, so if you lost any cool points, maybe those will make up for it. ;)
    reply
  • Difficult2Describe

    1 year ago

    Whoa...that's just creepy.
    reply
  • Kitam

    1 year ago

    i enjoyed it.. im going to blockbuster and see if its in stock.
    reply
  • mrthundercleese4

    1 year ago

    they should make a step series off this..step 1: dealing with a smiling woman step 2: dealing with a blank expression Step 7: dealing with an angry oba-sama stare Step 10: Chuck Norris stare
    reply
  • Kitam

    1 year ago

    i wouldnt make it past the boobs..
    just being honest =(
    reply
  • heartlessangel

    10 months ago

    haha I won she blinked first take that ! where's my medal?
    reply
  • criticaldamage15

    10 months ago

    how about the ones with men? coz i think i need help with that.
    reply
  • Lingxiaxiou

    9 months ago

    I was staring at the rack bc I was told not to...gah!
    reply
  • FinalSlammer

    5 months ago

    Whoever make these and sells them, and some BUYS IT, they're wasting their yen.
    reply
  • Grant

    2 weeks ago

    Do not give that to a paronoied man,
    reply

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