Blood Types in Japan
What’s your blood type? The Ketsueki-gata (blood type) conversation is one that a person might have when you’re in Japan. Japanese people believe that your blood type is what predicts personality and compatibility. There’s even an anime called Ketsuekigata-kun! As well as a song about blood types, for example,the Japanese boy band NEWS with their song “Koi No ABO” (Love’s ABO).
Japanese people use blood type to determine many things such as: compatibility in dating, teaching class lessons, developing a training regime in sports, and compatibility to a job. The person’s blood type reading is on television every morning as well as recommended diets and exercises, to collectible baseball cards that list each of the players’ blood type. Even in video games such as Animal Crossing and Princess Maker you pick their blood types as an option in creator mode. Although there is no scientific research that backs up these statements many Japanese people believe in it. About more than 90% of people in Japan know their blood type. Although it is all fun and games some people take it really seriously to the point where it’s like bura-hara, or blood type discrimination, especially towards blood type B and AB which is the minority.
The history of it the bloodtyping being 1st published was in 1927 by Takeji Furukawa with The Study of Temperament Through Blood Type which became popular in Japan. The fad died down until 1970 when it is revived by Masahiko Nomi who has no medical or scientific background. Fast forward to 2008 where the four books about blood types reached Japan’s top 10 best seller list in 2008.
In Japan they also sell different type of soft drinks, soaps, gum, and candy that cater to the person’s blood type.
What are the characteristics of the blood types?
Type A: The Farmer
- Earnest, creative, sensible, reserved, patient, responsible, uptight, stubborn, careful, deep rooted strength, calm, avoid confrontation, uncomfortable around people, shy, feel like they never fit in, perfectionist
Type B: The Hunter
- Passionate, active, doer, creative, wild, strong, practical, specialist what they do, follow through a goal, individualist, relaxed, ruled by impulse, selfish, individualistic, cheerful but eccentric, optimistic, quick to adapt, irresponsible
Type O: The Warrior
- Decisive and Confident, ambitious, robust, intuitive, optimistic, cold, unpredictable, arrogant, insensitive, ruthless, realistic, romanticists, very cautious, go straight toward their goals, takes the wider perspective
Type AB: The Humanist
- Well balanced, clear sighted and logical but high maintenance and distant, cool, controlled, empathic, introverted, rational, aloof, critical, indecisive, unforgiving, forgetful, irresponsible, split personality
Popular characters in anime or video games:
Type A: Jet Black (Cowboy Bebop), Tuxedo Mask (Sailor Moon), Tomoyo Daidouji (Card Captor Sakura), Shinji Ikari (Evangelion), Cyan Garamonde (FF VI), Sakura Kinomoto (Card Captor Sakura), Chun Li Xiang (Street Fighter), Aoshi Shinomori (Rurouni Kenshin), Asuka Sohryu Langley (Evangelion), Tetsuya Kuroko (Kuroko no Basket), Taiga Kagami (Kuroko no Basket), Satsuki Momoi, Ryota Kise, Tatsuya Himuro, Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach), Miles Edgeworth (Phoenix Wright), Kilik, Raphael, Seong Mi-na, Yun-seong (Soul Caliber), Leon S. Kennedy (Resident Evil)
Type B: Sailor Venus (Sailor Moon), Blanka, Ibuki (Street Fighter), Celes Chere (FF VI), Yahiko Myojin, Megumi Takani (Rurouni Kenshin), Shintaro Midorima, Daiki Aomine (Kuroko no Basket), Vaan (Final Fantasy 12), Ken (Street Fighter), Tifa (FF7), Jill Valentine (Resident Evil), Lance (Pokemon), Cassandra, Sophitia, Heihachi, Cassandra (Soul Caliber)
Type AB: Himura Kenshin (Rurouni Kenshin), Seijuro Akashi (Kuroko no Basket), Ken Kaneki, Rize Kamishiro (Tokyo Ghoul), Lightning (FF13), Squall Leonheart (FF8), Cloud Strife (FF7)
Type O: Makoto Kino (Sailor Moon), Atsushi Murasakibara (Kuroko no Basket), Solid Snake (Metal Gear), Ryu (Street Fighter), Aerith (FF7), Cervantes de Leon (Soul Caliber), Chris Redfield (Resident Evil)
What's your blood type? Do you think this is accurate? Let us know in the comments below!
Sources and more information:
http://www.issendai.com/rpgs/takemywings/bloodtypes.htm
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-20170787
http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/the-importance-of-blood-type-in-japanese-culture
http://www.japanvisitor.com/japanese-culture/culture-blood-types
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/01/in-japan-your-blood-type-_n_162917.html
http://blog.gaijinpot.com/blood-type/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_types_in_Japanese_culture
http://www.tsunagujapan.com/what-your-blood-type-tells-about-you-in-japan/
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