Alien American Culture: Japanese Don't Want "GTA in Japan" Due to the Mess and Lawlessness the Series is Famous For

On the social network X, a video went viral, demonstrating what Grand Theft Auto V might look like if it were set in a hyper-realistic version of Japan. However, the reaction from the Japanese audience was far from unambiguous.

Although many acknowledged that the AI quite plausibly conveyed the atmosphere of Japanese streets, the very idea of "GTA in Japan" was met with discomfort by some users. Players noted that the crimes and chaos typical of the GTA series appear much more frightening when the action is transferred to a cultural environment familiar to them.

One user wrote that they calmly perceived carjackings and violence in GTA as long as the events took place in an "unknown American city", but seeing something similar in Japanese settings turned out to be "repulsive". Other commentators admitted that they felt "guilty" or anxious when lawlessness was shown in the context of Japan — a country with a relatively low crime rate.

Some players noted that the idea of freely committing crimes on the streets of Japanese cities seemed "too realistic" and even "scary" to them.