Comments Response
This is just an update to respond to some of the comments and suggestions I've been getting.
I've received quite a few e-mails from people asking why I didn't address directly the Western perception of Japan and the tendency of Westerners to view Japanese (and Indian, and Chinese, etc) culture as "exotic" and "esoteric." A few people have suggested that I have a fairly simplistic view of globalism and that I've ignored the power dynamics between Japan and the west. I realize that this was I big blind spot on my part. I agree that orientalism is alive and well, and that I should probably address it when writing about Japan or risk being an orientalist. Ideally, I'd like to explore that potential aspect of these subcultures as well as globalism. What role does orientalism have in globalism? That's the question, I guess.
I've also received responses from people who think that the "married to Sephiroth" folks paint soulbonding in an extremist light. I confess that I actually agree; people dating and mating with their bonds is probably the extreme end of the phenomenon. I really liked "Amanda," though, and (this will sound odd) actually found her devotion to Sephiroth quite touching, and I guess I let that fondness get in the way.