>>209585

And a third trait that Asperger-affected people and Osaka share is a lack of social skills. Osaka often tries to start up a conversation with her friends, but they do not properly receive the invitation to talk and are off-put by her odd ways. Given Osaka's conversation starter begins with something unusual like how snails are an insect, not a mollusk, her beginning of a conversation with this odd or unrelated topic may also be an indication of Aspergers.

What I mean is how Osaka wonders so much about seemingly unrelated, odd, or eccentric subjects may not just be her "airheadedness", but a personification of Aspergers. People with Aspergers often have intense interest in narrow subjects, like collecting foreign money produced between 1960 and 1969 or old soda/beer containers. What people call air-headedness is actually Osaka's Aspergers.

>>209588

This is why I like Osaka. She is probably my favorite anime character of all time because I can relate to her with my Aspgergers. When no-one else seems to be my friend or when nobody else seems to care about me, Osaka is there. With her, I have someone to call close, someone who feels the same way as I do, and someone who I can call a friend.

There are some tell-tale Asperger's traits that Osaka is missing though.

>People with Aspergers often have intense interest in narrow subjects

In my experience, they also like to talk about these subjects, alot, because they find them so interesting. I've never noticed any one particular area where Osaka seems to hold a strong interest though (with the possible exception of Saataa Andagii).

Conversley, Mato-chan (from a series I'm translating right now) exhibits this Asperger's symptom through her intense interest in bugs, where everything she says or does relates back to insects in some way or another.

>Osaka often tries to start up a conversation with her friends, but they do not properly receive the invitation to talk and are off-put by her odd ways

The difference here being that Osaka seems to realize this. Someone with Asperger's (again, in my experience) would just keep right on talking about whatever it was they had tried to use as a conversation starter, completely oblivious to anyone else's reaction, due to their difficulty in interpreting non-verbal cues.

"A thief and two feebs. Fine company for my son."
"'Vern Tessio isn't feeble,' I said. Teddy was a harder case to argue."

—Stephen King, The Body. Somehow that line always reminds me of the Bonkuras ^_^

Well, Osaka is a good role model even for us neurotypical types. I have her attention span and coordination, but oddly enough it's not so charming on me as a short, cute Japanese girl.

What's with all these cases? What ever happened to people just being crazy?

Osaka, while considered weird, isn't socially maladjusted. She's able to carry on conversations, weird as they are, without shouting, or mumbling, or looking at the ground. She looks into eyes. She makes facial contact.

She also shows a great deal of empathy, which is lacking in those with Aspergers. For instance, when Sakaki tries to choke back a giggle thinking of Chiyo's dad as Santa Claus, Osaka puts her hand on her (something those with Asperger's are loathe to do) and tries to make sure she's okay. Also, when Tomo was about to drop Chiyo into the ocean, Osaka rushes to the (ill-attempted) rescue, screaming in fear.

Osaka is weird, and some of her weirdness may be similar to Asperger's, but I can't see her having it. I think OP is trying too hard to identify with a beloved character, to the point of projection.

NTTAWWT...

Osaka isn't weird. It's the world that needs to catch up.

God is a 12-year-old Osaka with Asperger's.

Maybe Osaka is a superhero.

Interesting. Please share some more.

(I am not being sarcastic actually.)

>>209590
>>209595
You don't have to be a total psychopath or quasi-deaf-mute to have Asperger's. Haruhi doesn't have any problem striking or continuing conversations either, but she's clearly, to say it quickly, an unusual person. She has a hard time letting herself known at first, changing haircut every day to draw attention, changes herself in front of everyone, yet is perfectly capable of interaction once she's used to some people. And so is Dewey, who actually ends up being the most levelhead, reasonable and even altruist person out there (from Malcolm in the Middle).
There are light and intense levels of Asperger's... I assume ? Actually I have no idea, but that seems reasonable. And that would allow myself at least a little of an excuse.
Does anyone know if Asperger's bears any physiological, observable symptom ?

>>209636
This is totally true. I have an absurdly mild case of Asperger's (like, mind enough that it barely shows as I've grown older).

At first no one would know, but I think the only signs I have are obsessions with things that I probably talk too much about, slightly imitating people I see on TV and media, and mild OCD (I have no idea if that's to do with the Asperger's, or just another annoying thing on its own).

Point being, I've seen people with extreme Asperger's, and Osaka's faaaar from that. I'd say, if anything, she has a mild-ish case of it, as well as... laziness?

>>209638
I've always wondered, if it's so mild, how do you even know you have it?

>>209636

>A person with [Asperger's] may engage in a one-sided, long-winded speech about a favorite topic, while misunderstanding or not recognizing the listener's feelings or reactions, such as a need for privacy or haste to leave.

In my interactions with people who have Asperger's (or people I strongly suspect to have it) this has been the most consistent and telling symptom. I haven't ever seen Osaka exhibit anything along the lines of this (again, except maybe "Saataa Andagii") which is one of the reasons I don't consider it very likely that she has Asperger's.

>>209592
The psychologists started figuring them out, that's what happened. We have nuanced shades and flavours now where we used to just stupidly lump everything out of the ordinary together and call it "crazy".
Preferring "just crazy" when you could have a real diagnosis means preferring ignorance to insight, on par with insisting that your computer is "just broken" rather than letting the tech support figure out what's wrong with it. It may be easier to see "crazy" people as black boxes you can be judgemental about, than to think about the inner workings of their minds, but the latter is so much more productive, and it does more justice to the "crazy" people.

>>209639

>I haven't ever seen Osaka exhibit anything along the lines of this (again, except maybe "Saataa Andagii")

On this topic:
Everyone always focuses on that one Saataa Andagii moment as if it was her lifelong obsessions throughout the series. What's up with that?
She only repeated the word "Saataa Andagii" a few times for a few minutes after she first learned of their existence, and then never mentioned them again.

If there's one candidate for the role of Osaka's fascination, it's Chiyo's pigtails.

>>209642
I didn't mean to imply she held an all encompassing interest in the subject, just that her incessant repeating of it was the one time I noticed her carrying on about something with complete ignorance to the growing irritation of everyone around her.

As a dude with a similar disorder (PDD-NOS, in my case), I think I see where you're coming from, OP.
When I first watched the series, it actually had a definite impact on how I saw myself. Osaka taught me that even people as odd as her can be themselves and still be loved.

Meanwhile I realise Azuma left out most of the bothersome sides to having a friend like her, and focused on the loveable, funny quirkiness. I can tell from personal experience that it's not easy for example to work on a group project with someone who just stopped listening and is now chasing the dust in her eyes.

>>209643
Fair enough.

>Osaka taught me that even people as odd as her can be themselves and still be loved.

Yeah, Asperger's afflicted or not, Osaka will always be awesome. Again, not that there's anything wrong with that.

I've become too used to people treating autism and autism-spectrum conditions like Asperger's as the current trendy disorder to take any mention of it seriously anymore. I can easily imagine Osaka's parents using Asperger's or ADD or whatever diagnosis is popular at the time as an excuse when they talk about her and her quirks. Now, Osaka doesn't seem like she'd be so brash as to directly confront her own parents for doing that, but she'd quietly resent their labeling her just to conveniently explain away her more unconventional personality traits. If it were up to her, Osaka would prefer to be accepted on her own terms for who she is, but she'd have to fight the creeping suspicion and paranoia that people are only being nice to her because they heard she had some mental disorder. Of course there are people that would sincerely like Osaka for who she is, labels or no, but to her, sincerity slowly becomes one of those concepts that she doesn't believe in anymore, not unlike Santa Claus.

>>209657
I thought Japan swiped mental and handicap people under the rug to hide away from the public?
That's what they do to those people who are anti-social, right?

>>209666
It's more like the anti-social do it to themselves really, but then again from what I hear Japanese society isn't the type to openly accept those who aren't normal.

>>209657
I get what you're saying about labels. I remember one time in a religious class (like Sunday school but on a Wednesday night)when a student left to take a piss, a teacher got up and told everyone how we should be nice to him because he has a mental disability.
The thing was, I had a conversation with him 5 minuets before and to me he seemed normal. He really is one of the most competent people I know; he works two jobs and has a goal in life other than "Fuck bitches, get money"

>>209657
I wonder if Osaka is the kind of person for such complicated feelings.

I know what you're talking about, I also often felt people were going easy on me back when I was a kid and it was common knowledge that there was something wonky about my brain. (I'm guessing you have a similar history yourself?)

It wouldn't be out of character per se for Osaka to have the same feelings, but I think it would mean she's a deeper person than everyone gives her credit for.

I forgot the doujin, but it was about Osaka getting her first boyfriend. She mentioned something like "I thought I wouldn't have one 'cause I'm so weird" - granted, the boyfriend was put on a dare to date her or something, but at least Osaka lost her virginity. I thought that pretty deep... deep up her ass, too, heh.

>>209670

He was dared to ask out a girl, but he chose Osaka. Apparently he genuinely liked her (and vice versa).

>>209641
Now if they could just get over the idea of "normal" and realize that not everyone works the same way.

Just like everyone has their own body shape, everyone's brain has it's own way of operating.

>>209674
Very different things we're talking about here, but understood all the same.

>>209639
Took my parents 10 or so years to work it out. They finally snagged on 'Waaait a sec. Something's not right with our son.' So then they took me to the mental doctor (...or something) and she decided I had Asperger's.

For all I know, she could be lying, and didn't have the heart to tell my parents I was just weird.

>>209676
That would be pretty damn funny.
(vc:)yesh

>>209585

>I think Osaka has Aspergers

Meanwhile, Yomi has Arse Burgers (as rump meat from cows is used in the making of burger patties)

X3

I'm vc: jawcking, actually. She's merely eating spiced beef flavour Hula Hoops here.

>>209678

Actually, she's eating Tohato brand Habanero rings.

>>209673
Nuh uh. His friends chose Osaka for him.

And protip: This isn't even canon.

>>209680

>>209600

WHY DOESN'T HE ACCEPT ME AS HIS GOD?!

i guess you really do meet all kinds at /azu/ Hello, fellow Eugene Mirman fan.

>>209676
But what was it that your parents keyed off of to know to take you to a doctor? Or that the doctor keyed off of to make the diagnosis?

Well, Osaka and Haruhi are both cute, and people will put up with more from cute people, regardless of their wacka-lacka-ding-dong problems.

When I was a kid, I used to talk people's ears off about stuff without even thinking if they were all that interested. One day my mother told me that I should remember that maybe other people didn't want to hear about it all, and how would I feel if someone did that to me. I'm not saying it cured my habit, but it did get my thinking and I learned to dial it back somewhat. Just think about other people's feelings--you don't need a psychologist for that.

If you literally can't think of other people's feelings, that is a genuine problem, but if it's more that you don't stop to think about them as much as you should, that's different. Being inconsiderate of other people shouldn't be turned into some kind of identity or advocacy group.

>>209687
Different anon (or azun, if you will) here.

Autism spectrum disorders are sometimes much more obvious when you're still a little kid, and they become harder to notice as you grow up and learn to deal with it and/or develop the underdeveloped functions.
In my case, for example, I like to think I've got my act together relatively well by now, but when I was younger I was very self-centred, oblivious to other people's feelings, easily distracted, prone to quirkiness, socially inept, and so on. Plenty of cues to have me sent to a shrink.

The other azunymous might be a less severe headcase than I am or was, but still it might be the same answer.

>>209689

>self-centred, oblivious to other people's feelings, easily distracted, prone to quirkiness, socially inept

I believe you just described a child.

>>209688

>Being inconsiderate of other people shouldn't be turned into some kind of identity or advocacy group.

Ah, but there's a different issue.

It is good that there's a diagnosis for this. I think we can agree on that. It helps parents to deal with their kids and can aid the development of the child into a better person.

But then there are people who form autism communities and subcultures, and that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish.

>>209690
Heh.
Well, more so than the other kids. Or rather, I suppose, it probably just took me longer to grow out of the same things. It's called a developmental disorder, after all.
I think much of it boils down to certain functions being underdeveloped and just needing a bit more time to reach the same level as everyone else. A rather optimistic look on the problem, but it's worked out that way so far.

>>209688
That makes me think that nearly every fucker I meet on the street has some mild form of this thing.
Suddenly I want to burn down the city.

>>209693
That's a different sort of thing you might need a psychologist for, heh.

>>209692
P.S. I left some symptoms out.
I was also very clingy, and it was ridiculously easy for something on TV or something to scare the unholy bejeezus out of me, not much short of being traumatised every once in a while. My bar on what TV Tropes would call Nightmare Fuel was pretty low.
And I had a way of forming very strong attachments to inanimate objects and perhaps anything that was familiar, and I was prone to completely panicking when things wouldn't go the way they were supposed to.
And I've always been very superstitious by nature, seeing hidden meanings and signs predicting the future everywhere.

All of those things went away in time, too. I learned how to improvise a plan B, I hardly feel emotionally attached to anything I own any more, I ended up being an /x/phile on 4chan, and my proclivity for superstition turned me into a sceptic rationalist.

I also had motor tics, a whole lot of different ones over the years. I still have some, though they're subtle enough to go unnoticed now. (At least when I'm not alone.)

I'm going to stop talking about myself now.

>>209691

I'm not so sure it deserves the term "syndrome," though. My "syndrome" was basically that I was being selfish, demanding other people's attention because I thought whatever I had to say must be oh-so-interesting. If it had been explained to me, "oh, you have Asperger's," that would have only reinforced the idea that the situation was "about me." When the problem with such behavior is, that it should be about the other person--thinking about them, giving them consideration. You know, social interaction 101.

>>209696
Hum. I think you're partly on to something there.
It's counterproductive to just call it So-And-So Syndrome and leave it to that, I agree there. If it can be outgrown, then the parents shouldn't just accept it, and they shouldn't encourage the child to just accept it.

So, were you diagnosed with anything?
If you were, surely the syndrome (or "syndrome", if you prefer) can't have been just that.
If it was Asperger's in particular, I think I know enough of that condition to be able to say it's more complicated than just being inconsiderate and egocentric, and I'd be very surprised if just bringing something to the kid's attention could be enough to cure it altogether.

At any rate, please do believe that this is not simple.

>>209680
>>209681

I didn't know about this doujin. Anybody got a link, please?

>>209707
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=61ZIY68I

It's NSFW and the guy is a pretty big jerk to her.

>my face when "Osaka has assburgers" thread #75462

>>209709

Yeah, I felt sorry for Osaka in that one, to hook up with such a bastard. Oh well, it's a doujinshi anyway.

>>209710

>my face when seeing an /sp meme at /azu.

>>209678

Here, Yomi has Ass Burgers (in breadcrumbs).

>>209712

<- And the side-effects of having Ass Burgers Syndrome.

This is my dog. I call him Syndrome.

WOOF-WOOF!

Down, Syndrome!

X3

>>209714
I hate myself for having smirked.

Osaka may or may not have Asperger's, but this thread has ADD.

>>209710

>Osaka has assburgers

Nah, Miss Kasuga has Sata Andagi. Or, if she can't find such, IDE Andagi.

X3

Although these days, IDE Andagi are a real vc: raretion

BTW, I'm still trying to get my head round the fact that Osaka shares the same VA as the GTO Es-Member Trixie (left), in Kiddy Girl-and.

vc: mow. Yes, she could probably do that to grass, via one of her G-Class powers.

It's funny, a lot of dojinshi involve straight-up rape, but because this guy merely took advantage of her, one notices it more and it somehow becomes more irritating. Of course, how much of that irritation is jealousy on my part, I can't say.

>>209719
she didn't exactly protest... don't you like Osaka being happy ?

>>209720

But is that truly what she wanted?

vc:vodudge

>>209722
All girls wants anal.

>>209719
>>209720
Actually, I noticed this too. Nobody protests in that 4-leaf Yotsuba doujin, but somehow it really bothers people anyway, more so than maybe other full-on rape doujin. Why? I was surprised.

>>209719
>>209728
When people told themselves their past with stories, explained their present with stories, foretold the future with stories, the best place by the fire was kept for... The Storyteller.

>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_syndrome

>Individuals with Down syndrome tend to have a lower than average cognitive ability, often ranging from mild to moderate developmental disabilities. A small number have severe to profound mental disability. The incidence of Down syndrome is estimated at 1 per 800 to 1,000 births, although it is statistically much more common with older mothers. Other factors may also play a role.

>>209676
If you just had "a slightly different way of thinking" then there's no compelling reason to put you on drugs.

>>209719
>>209728
Difference in presentation? I mean, I haven't actually read what's being talked about. but when it's all "hurp derp rape" it's much easier not to care.

>>209720

She didn't seem happy at the end when he told her the reason he's grown to like her is because she is a weirdo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdER2D9J3yg

>>209718

Osaka.... er, I mean Trixie in an episode of Azumanga GTOh*

Although she looks like a cross-between Tomo and Kagura here.

- Episode 15 of Kiddy Girl-and, to be exact. It *does sound strange hearing Yuki Matsuoka doing a very non-Osaka character

>>209766

Azumanga GTOh even has it's own Rachel Handelbarz.