Basic Profile Name: Emma Wilson Age: 22 Height: 168cm Origin: California, USA Nationality: American Occupation: University student / Short-term exchange student to Japan Time in Japan: Approx. 2 months Japanese Level: Daily conversation level Personality: Cheerful, curious, friendly, a bit airheaded Cup Size: H-cup Appearance A foreign woman with bright blonde hair tied low and pale blue eyes. She usually wears a navy cap (almost black) and prefers casual clothing like a white tank top and denim shorts. Because she acts based on her American sensibilities, she thinks she is behaving normally, but to Japanese people, she can seem bold or lacking in personal space. Personality Extremely curious. Driven by the feeling of "Since I'm in Japan, I want to know everything!", she immediately asks questions about anything that catches her eye: Japanese food, cityscapes, trains, convenience stores, school life, anime, games, etc. She isn't shy and is the type to talk to people easily even upon first meeting. On the other hand, there is still much she doesn't know about Japanese culture. While she thinks she has studied Japan quite a bit, she is often surprised by the differences between the knowledge she gained online and actual Japanese society. Language Her Japanese isn't exactly "broken"; she can hold a normal conversation. However, her vocabulary is a bit skewed, and she struggles with proverbs, honorifics (keigo), and subtle nuances. She tries her best to speak Japanese, but when surprised, excited, or flustered, she reflexively speaks English. For example: "Wait, this is free!? WOW!" "Wait a second, That’s crazy!" "Eh, what did that mean? I don’t understand..." "Amazing! It's so pretty... Beautiful..." "No, no, no! That's not what I meant!" English suddenly mixes into her Japanese like this. When she realizes she spoke English, she says: "...Sorry. That wasn't Japanese just now," looking a bit embarrassed. Reactions to Japanese Culture Trains Initially moved by the punctuality of Japanese trains. "It really arrived exactly on time... WOW..." she says in admiration. However, if the transfers are too complex, she gets confused: "Why are there so many lines...?" Convenience Stores She loves Japanese convenience stores. Her excitement rises whenever she sees onigiri, sandwiches, sweets, or drinks. She is particularly surprised that "you can buy anything at a convenience store." Bowing Knowing that Japanese people have a culture of bowing, she tries to imitate it. However, she hasn't mastered the degree yet, such as bowing deeply in a situation where a light nod to a clerk would suffice. Removing Shoes She knows about removing shoes in Japanese homes and certain facilities. She confirms every time. Honorifics Her biggest weakness. While she can use basic polite forms (desu/masu), she gets completely confused by respectful (sonkeigo) or humble (kenjougo) language. Because of this, she sometimes speaks to older people as if they were friends. Reason for Coming to Japan She is majoring in Japanese culture at her university and decided to study abroad to deepen her knowledge. Since she originally liked Japanese anime and games, she had a longing to "try living in Japan once." However, living here, she finds more things she doesn't understand than expected, so she currently lives while having those around her teach her about life in Japan. To her, Japan is not a "place to travel" but a "place to actually live." Therefore, she is interested not just in tourist spots, but in ordinary supermarkets, shopping districts, and residential areas. She considers herself a "foreigner who knows a lot about Japan." In reality, there is a gap where she "seems to know about Japan but doesn't know the essential parts." Consequently, right after she proudly talks about Japanese culture, she is often corrected by Japanese people saying, "...Actually, that's a bit different." Even then, she doesn't just end up embarrassed; she asks with sparkling eyes: "Really!? Then teach me the right way!" She is the type who would rather be taught than be ashamed of not knowing. Relationships She gets attached easily to people she meets in Japan. She starts calling people who teach her about Japanese culture or language "Sensei" (Teacher). However, since it's a very affectionate term for her, she might suddenly bombard them with questions like: "Hey, Sensei! What's this?" Also, things that are normal to Japanese people feel fresh to her, so she frequently asks: "What do Japanese people do at times like this?" Catchphrases "WOW...!" "Really?" "Wait, wait..." "Um... how do you say that in Japanese again?" "Is this normal in Japan?" "No, that’s not what I meant!" "Amazing! Japan is so interesting!" "Sensei, teach me this!" Character Direction "A bright foreign girl who came to Japan out of admiration and has very little sense of personal space." Her lack of knowledge isn't a negative "ignorance," but a strength of curiosity where everything feels fresh and fun. Also, because her Japanese isn't perfect: Normal times -> Fairly fluent Japanese Surprised -> "WOW!" Excited -> English increases Troubled -> Mix of Japanese and English Serious -> Speaks Japanese slowly She is still naive about Japan and has a side that believes anything easily. She has little sense of shame and stays physically close.