# Japanese Nipples of Fury? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 27, 2003, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188 "2003-07-27T02:03:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/21 "2003-07-27T18:36:40Z")
So, Bruce Lee couldn’t tell the man’s nationality by his _accent_ or his _face_, he had to see the man’s _nipples_??? ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/22 "2003-07-27T19:56:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Walloon \* > \*\*So, Bruce Lee couldn’t tell the man’s nationality by his _accent_ or his _face_, he had to see the man’s _nipples_??? \*\* So tempted to make this my new sig quote. May I? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/23 "2003-07-27T21:19:07Z")
You like it? [Dieter]I am as happy as a little _girl_![/Dieter] ---
**Author:** ![homercles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed8c4c/32.png) [@homercles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/homercles)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/24 "2003-07-27T21:33:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\*Perhaps it’s a coloration issue. I’ve noticed that Asian nipples tend to have different shading than Occidental nipples, so perhaps a slightly different shade would indicate not only Asian, but the general area of Asia where one comes from. (Generally, however, facial structure is more varied and tends to reveal one’s origin quite well.) \*\* I think Tuckerfan is on it, as this must be the issue. I have been with two japanese women and both of them had nipples that were more brown than pink, like white chics. Not sure about the chinese thing though. Although Korean women (well, ok, Korean wom **a** n) also have pinkish, rather than brownish nipples. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/25 "2003-07-27T22:00:14Z")
Might I suggest wonky translation as a possible explaination? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/26 "2003-07-27T22:32:27Z")
Or maybe some bored translator thought he’d do a little _What’s Up, Tiger Lily?_ with the dialogue. ---
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/27 "2003-07-27T22:53:06Z")
Japanese nipples are certainly quite brown in appearance when contrasted with a white person’s pink nipples - although this does seem to vary with white people. Did you know you can buy a cream in Japan that will apparently make brown nipples pink - I’m assuming this is because Japanese girls want big boobs with pink nipples like white women? ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/28 "2003-07-28T09:56:19Z")
Actually I watched the same movie the other night on AMC. I taped all three that were on that night. I assumed that Lee was looking at the wrap he had around his midsection which would usually be covered by a shirt and thought the wrap must be a Japanese undergarment. Never thought he was looking at the nipples. I’ll have to go back and watch it again. ---
**Author:** ![Osakadave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f07891/32.png) [@Osakadave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osakadave)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/29 "2003-07-28T14:56:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by funneefarmer \* > \*\*Actually I watched the same movie the other night on AMC. I taped all three that were on that night. I assumed that Lee was looking at the wrap he had around his midsection which would usually be covered by a shirt and thought the wrap must be a Japanese undergarment. Never thought he was looking at the nipples. I’ll have to go back and watch it again. \*\* Hmm. Sounds like maybe it was a fundoshi (traditional Japanese loin cloth) or maybe a haramaki (lit. belly wrap). If so, that would definately mark him as Japanese. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/30 "2003-07-28T16:50:10Z")
Scroll four-fifths the way down [this page](http://homepage1.nifty.com/koshifumi/fdc-02a.html) for a demonstration of how a _haramaki_ is wrapped around the abdomen. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/31 "2003-07-28T17:15:02Z")
Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand him? Might he have said _“So… you’re chaffin’ these”_? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/32 "2003-07-28T17:41:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Osakadave \* > \*\*Hmm. Sounds like maybe it was a fundoshi (traditional Japanese loin cloth) or maybe a haramaki (lit. belly wrap). If so, that would definately mark him as Japanese. \*\* Hmmm…you may have something there. Looked at **Walloon’s** link as well. Perhaps this was just a case of poor cinematography and bad editing, coupled with the Japanese gentleman pulling his garment up over his nipples after the statement was made. ---
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/33 "2003-07-28T21:10:43Z")
Could he have been looking at the general genital area, not just the nipple area? Japanese seem to be obsessed with how small their willys are compared with Western men. He looked at the supposedly small willy and said; ‘So you’re Japanese’ ??? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/34 "2003-07-28T21:31:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MelCthefirst \* > \*\*Could he have been looking at the general genital area, not just the nipple area? Japanese seem to be obsessed with how small their willys are compared with Western men. He looked at the supposedly small willy and said; ‘So you’re Japanese’ ??? \*\* You should probably re-read my initial post. I’ll leave response to yours to others. ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/35 "2003-07-28T22:57:13Z")
I looked at Walloon’s link and it looks to me that the man Lee was talking to was wearing a haramaki. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/36 "2003-07-29T02:43:12Z")
Just remembered this from a biography on Jackie Chan. The Hong Kong movies that Chan started in, were basically shot _first_ and _then_ the script was written, and the dialog (in Chinese) dubbed in. So, if _this_ movie was shot in the same manner, Lee could have been looking at _anything_ and the dialog that was dubbed in, was done just because it kind of fit Lee’s actions. ---
**Author:** ![Satisfying\_Andy\_Licious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Satisfying\_Andy\_Licious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satisfying_Andy_Licious)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/37 "2003-07-29T03:39:55Z")
Hmmm. Your nipple-fu is good. But it is no match for … _five fingers of twist!_ ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/38 "2003-07-29T04:57:57Z")
I think we’re onto something! [This guy](http://www.geocities.co.jp/AnimeComic/7825/bruce/lee03.html) (in Japanese) says: > [@](#): > > (…)at this point, what did he look at to tell if he was Chinese or Japanese? From the point of view of the camera, it only looks as though he figured the cook was Japanese by looking at his nipples… :rolleyes: (Translation mine) So this Japanese commentator seems almost as puzzled as you are. HOWEVER, I also found this more serious [site](http://www19.big.or.jp/~k_kiku/gallery2/hikakuikarino.html) (again, Japanese) which states: > [@](#): > > As a Japanese, scenes that might bother you include hakama worn front-side back and haramaki as proof that someone is Japanese… (Again, translation mine.) ---
**Author:** ![milk\_milk\_lemonade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@milk\_milk\_lemonade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milk_milk_lemonade)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/39 "2003-08-01T08:29:34Z")
According to Bey Logan’s commentary track on the DVD, Bruce identifies him as Japanese by his “distinctly Japanese undergarment”. It looks a bit like some long johns that have been pulled up too far. Also, the story has Chinese vs Japanese overtones throughout so Bruce really wouldn’t have too much trouble identifying the bad guys as such. ---
**Author:** ![hapaXL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/94ad74/32.png) [@hapaXL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hapaXL)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188/40 "2003-08-01T17:39:07Z")
Before every white guy that’s ever banged an Asian chick comes in here to boast about it, can we just chalk this up to bad movie-making? It’s a dubbed kung-fu movie, people! Further dissection isn’t really necessary. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-nipples-of-fury/191188.md?page=3)