the second point i will rely is dependent on Hiroki Azuma's database theory with regards to otaku culture. The basic tenet is that instead of grand narratives, otaku focus on the collection of tropes and traits from a "database". This is supported in recent years by the repetition of tropes within the isekai genre. This has the side effect, imo, of artistic stagnation and an over-focus on the self gratification of hte audience over cultural progression.
You hit the nail on the head. The genre depends on a handful of tropes, which are, themselves, typically just fetishes inserted into various anime series. The result is a medium of creators that only take inspiration from other anime creators. The medium becomes incestuous and, artistically, dies.
The best animators in the industry did not take their inspiration from other anime series. Miyazaki, Satoshi Kon, and Isao Takahata were more inspired by history, literature, and their own life experiences then they were by anime. Even when they mention film inspirations, they typically round off a list of classical films going back decades. Their films said something about japanese society. Something that mattered. Even Hideaki Anno, who is, by all accounts a massive anime fan, used his struggle with depression, his suicidal tendencies, his history of parental abuse, and his research into psychology and philosophy as inspiration for his anime deconstruction, Neon Genesis Evangelion. The point is, these people looked outside of the anime industry for inspiration, in order to say something that mattered.
Unfortunately, over the years, this has changed more and more. Most anime isn't interested in saying anything at all. They are interested into appealing to otaku fetishes in order sale figures and blu-rays. If the men listed above are the Alan Moore's of anime, then modern anime creators and their fans are undeniably the Rob Liefelds.
@Dreiko @Houseman
How many times do we have to tell people to fuck off before they get the message?
It's ok if you don't like something we do. Just go on with your life and ignore us, we're used to that response. You can call us names and insult us as much as you want, hell, we'll join in and make fun of us too, but stop trying to change something you have no interest in now nor would have any interest in if you were to change it how you want it to be.
It's funny that everyone here thinks that I hate anime. In truth, I probably like anime more then anyone here. What I don't like is fetishistic anime that tells weebs and otaku that it's okay not to grow, and improve, and live. That they should live in darkness, given over to their basist instincts, their one source of serotonin. Until even that dries up, and ceases to make them happy. I'll stand with the people who are, or were, masters in their industry. Who elevated the entire medium to a higher art form.
“It's produced by humans who can't stand looking at other humans.” “And that's why the industry is full of
otaku!” -miyazaki
“As for the previous
Evangelion, many people took what I made as ‘entertainment’ and turned it into a ‘target of dependence.’ I wanted to take responsibility for those people becoming impudent. I wanted to bring the work back to the level of entertainment. However, I’ve started to pull back from that subject (criticizing ‘escapist otaku.’) Those kind of people don’t understand, no matter what you say. I finally realized there’s nothing you can do.” - anno