I know what you mean.... :( But I think if you end up seeing it and explaining that, they would understand. It just all around sucks that there's such a problem to begin with! -__-

As for accent interpretation...that really is tough. I agree that I have heard Kansai referred to in a sort of USA Southern Accent in many English manga and anime, but somehow that doesn't seem wholly correct. I mean, Kansai is south of Tokyo, so I can see where the reference came from, and I know there is indeed a distinct difference between Kansai accents and Tokyo ones, but I wonder.......What you had sounded good in your fic. It read well, enough so that I was automatically hearing Shin's voice for the lines. I didn't feel like you needed to stylize it any more--it came through naturally! :D