Comic-loving German goalkeeper finds peace, and himself, in Japan
Svend Brodersen was fascinated with Japan as a child -- now the German goalkeeper plays in the country and is fondly known as an "otaku", someone obsessed with Japanese pop culture.
The Hamburg-born 27-year-old also has a Japanese wife, speaks the language and is thinking of studying at a Japanese university when he retires.
"I think everybody has an otaku inside," Brodersen told AFP, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the title of his favourite Japanese comic, "One Punch Man".
"Mine is not so big, but it's there. It's definitely there."
Brodersen moved to Japan in 2021 and now plays for top-tier J. League side Fagiano Okayama, but he admits that initially he felt like he was "on another planet".
"I could not understand anything and it was kind of intimidating," Brodersen said.
"But I also thought this will be a huge chance to see who you really are and what kind of football player you want to be."
Brodersen, whose Japan obsession started with Pokemon and Godzilla movies, began his career with his hometown club St. Pauli, then in the German second division.
The goalkeeper was involved with Germany's under-20 team and, as luck would have it, was part of Germany's squad for the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
But he struggled to break through at club level so decided to prioritise life experience.
He sought the help of Japan international Ryo Miyaichi, then a team-mate at St. Pauli, and engineered a transfer to J. League club Yokohama FC near Tokyo.
At first he used Japanese cartoons and comics to learn the language, but despite his long love of the country, it was a culture shock.
"The first night I went out for a walk and I saw all those lights and signs, I felt like I'm on another planet," he said.
Brodersen's fondness for Japanese culture helped him adapt and he spent hours reading comics like "Slam Dunk" and "One Piece" to learn the language.
He met his wife Kanae and got married in 2023, and the couple's first daughter was born 18 months ago.
They speak a mixture of languages at home and Brodersen says his Japanese is now good enough to do interviews with local media.
- Better 'keeper, better person -
Brodersen spent two seasons with Yokohama before joining Fagiano Okayama last year and helping them reach the J. League first division for the first time.
His team have made a good start and are in the top half of the table after six games of the season.
Brodersen credits Japan with making him a better player and bringing him a sense of calm.
"When I was young my goalkeeping style was very aggressive and shouting a lot," he said.
"But after I came to Japan I realised that if I do this, it will definitely not work.
"You have to ask, is this really a good way to play? That's maybe the reason why I didn't get to the level I wanted."
Brodersen says he does not know where the future will take him but he would like to study Japanese at university.
For the time being, he is happy to spend his spare time strolling around Japanese gardens and enjoying his life far from Hamburg.
Okayama is a city of about 700,000 people in the west of Japan famous for its 16th-century castle.
"Due to this experience in Japan I improved a lot as a person, to not be focused only on myself," said Brodersen.
"I'm more busy with things around me and with other people that are attached to my life."
amk/pst
-
Japan Is Obsessed With Baseball. M.L.B. Sees a Massive Business Opportunity.
M.L.B. has had a consistent presence in the country for more than 25 years, but Shohei Ohtani has become its accelerator.The New York Times - 5h -
'Paint Japan blue': How the Dodgers' vision of Japanese prominence became reality
It's an almost unthinkable reality: Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki are all Dodgers. And a Japanese fan base has coalesced around its interest in the team.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Birmingham sign US goalkeeper Franch
Birmingham City Women sign US goalkeeper Adrianna Franch until the end of the season.Yahoo Sports - 3d -
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani talks return to Japan, impact on kids
L.A. Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani spoke in a rare interview about playing in front of a home crowd in Japan and what he's focused on personally this upcoming season.CBS News - 1d -
Japan revises fourth-quarter GDP lower, complicating BOJ's interest rate outlook
Japan's economic growth slowed to 2.2% on an annualized basis in the fourth quarter as the country grapples with tepid domestic demand.CNBC - Mar. 11 -
The best team in the National League? For two days in Japan, it's looked like the Hanshin Tigers
For two days in Japan, it's the Hanshin Tigers who have have looked like the class of the National League. In another sign that Japanese baseball has never been better, the Tigers capped a ...Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Country star Luke Combs opens up about living with 'wicked' OCD condition known as pure O
Country superstar Luke Combs opened up about his experience living with purely obsessional obsessive-compulsive disorder, informally known as pure O, in a recent interview with “60 Minutes Australia.”NBC News - Mar. 10 -
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows – a historic frolic through feudal Japan
PlayStation 5 (version played), Xbox, PC; Ubisoft Ubisoft’s historical fiction series returns with its best adventure in years. Japan, 1581: Iga province is burning down around you. You watch on, ...The Guardian - 2h -
Artisans in Japan Uphold the Indigenous Ainu Culture
Jewelry makers and an embroiderer are among the craftspeople whose creations reflect the Indigenous people’s heritage.The New York Times - 6d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Twins’ Royce Lewis will miss start of season after hurting his hamstring
Lewis is coming off a 2024 season that saw him appear in just 82 games due to quadriceps and adductor issues.Yahoo Sports - 22h -
Texans to pick up Derek Stingley's Jr.'s fifth-year option ahead of extension
The Houston Texans will have Derek Stingley Jr. under contract through 2029 after agreeing to pick up one final year on his rookie deal.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
MLB hyped up a video game-like replay view from the Tokyo Dome and fans justifiably hated it
The on-field replay did not go over how MLB expected.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
The Players Championship 2025 prize money: Full payout from the $25 million purse
Here's how the $25 million purse will be paid out this week at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Auburn basketball’s first round opponent revealed ahead of 2025 NCAA Tournament
Auburn basketball will face either Alabama State or St. Francis in March Madness to open its 2025 NCAA Tournament men’s bracket.Yahoo Sports - 1d
More in Sports
-
Let the fun begin: Make your picks for the women's tournament
Be involved in March Madness by creating or joining a group now!ESPN - 9m -
Giant Killers: Predicting 10 women's March Madness early-round upsets
Looking for upsets in the women's March Madness bracket? Harvard, Vanderbilt and South Dakota State are looking to hang around.ESPN - 9m -
Ohtani 'nervous' in Tokyo but gets 2 hits, runs
Shohei Ohtani said it had been "a while since I felt this nervous playing a game," but managed two hits and two runs Tuesday as the Dodgers won their Opening Day game in Tokyo.ESPN - 9m -
Steelers' Heyward fed up waiting on Rodgers
Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward said on his podcast Tuesday that he has no plans to recruit Aaron Rodgers and that he just wants Pittsburgh's quarterback situation settled.ESPN - 9m -
Eagles' Graham officially retires after 15 seasons
Eagles star and fan favorite Brandon Graham officially announced his retirement Tuesday after 15 seasons in the NFL.ESPN - 9m