Famitsu Asks American Otaku What They Like

[Amnestic]

Gundam*,

*stuff I haven't seen.

You've not seen a single Gundam series? Ever?

Wow...I didn't think it was possible to like anime and not have watched any Gundam ever. Even if you're not a fan, Gundam's such a large thing [http://royaltiger.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/lifesized_gundam.jpg] in Japan it's just...it's like not watching Star Wars and saying you're a Sci-Fi Fan. Even if you're not a personal fan of Star Wars, most every person has still watched at least one film.

Which out of the ∞+1 Gundam series should I watch If I only see 1?

Welp, if you don't really have a problem with older animation, the original Mobile Suit Gundam series is the obvious choice. The RX-78-2 is more iconic than Darth Vader (to return to my sci-fi comparison). A new series is hitting early next year called Gundam Unicorn, so that isn't a bad place to start if you want the most modern of the modern. Gundam 00 is the most recent series that's out and finished with, and has far fewer repeated animations than Gundam SEED (Destiny) which preceeded it.

08th MS Team was excellent as well, set in the same era as Mobile Suit Gundam, but with slightly better animation, if a slightly contrived story between the two primary protagonists at time.

 

[Lord Beautiful]

[blockquote]Favorite Anime
1st Cowboy Bebop
2nd Gurren Lagann
3rd Code Geass
4th FLCL
4th Evangelion
6th Full Metal Alchemist
7th BLEACH
7th NARUTO
9th Rurouni Kenshin
10th ONE PIECE[/blockquote]

You might want to fix that.

Anyway, I can't say I'm surprised that Final Fantasy VII was the most favored title. The Pope couldn't handle the amount of worship that game gets.

 

[John Funk]

[blockquote]Favorite Anime
1st Cowboy Bebop
2nd Gurren Lagann
3rd Code Geass
4th FLCL
4th Evangelion
6th Full Metal Alchemist
7th BLEACH
7th NARUTO
9th Rurouni Kenshin
10th ONE PIECE[/blockquote]

You might want to fix that.

Anyway, I can't say I'm surprised that Final Fantasy VII was the most favored title. The Pope couldn't handle the amount of worship that game gets.

Nope, that indicates it was a tie.

 

[Lord Beautiful]

Nope, that indicates it was a tie.

Whoops. My bad.

 

[randommaster]

Spoiler

Nicktoons. Tee hee. No,really,if that's true,there is justice in the world.

It'd be... peculiar if Japanese nerds liked all things Western. There's really not too much else to say about it.

But the Japanese ARE facinated by the US's random crap.

I hope so.

Actually,my best dream is if there were SOVIET animation nerds,who learn Russian to watch it. Soviet cartoons are good,but obscure.

Can we have an example to help us understand?

 

[X Gintoki X]

The Japanese One Piece was a masterpiece, actually.
Just saying.

agreed
yeah have to agree with most people on here that bleach,and naruto should just end already(which yay there both are getting close), but on the topic of one piece i hope it doesn't end for a very long time, cause at the moment it has only got half way to the title of the grand adventure! episode 417 and still going steady!

 

[Emphraim]

And now, just for fun:

[blockquote]Favorite Anime
1st Cowboy Bebop
2nd Gurren Lagann
3rd Code Geass
4th FLCL
4th Evangelion
6th Full Metal Alchemist
7th BLEACH
7th NARUTO
9th Rurouni Kenshin
10th ONE PIECE[/blockquote]

I was fine with most of the other lists but this...

Naruto? Bleach? Did they survey little kids or something? While I didn't find Cowboy Bebop perfect, it was decent and I understand how it's western influences make it popular here. Gurren Langann, Code Geass, FLCL, and Evangelion also deserve their place. But really, Full Metal Alchemist, Bleach, and Naruto, instead of any of the Gundam series, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Eureka 7, Welcome to the NHK, the list goes on...

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

Otaku really like giant robots and long, drawn-out shonen anime that should really have ended like 500 episodes ago. Who knew?

Oh come now, ending One Piece even now is like ending the Star Wars Saga halfway through episode 5.

The rest is business as usual though. I think someone's just bitter that no Gundam made it onto that list.

Wait...NO GUNDAM MADE IT ONTO THAT LIST!! *grabs katana* oh it's on!

 

[Kollega]

Can we have an example to help us understand?

You probably can. Here's one of the best ones - Sledstvie Vedut Kolobki. It's about two detectives tracking down an animal smuggler. Humor is pretty surreal,as is dialogue. I took my username and avatar from there. Here are they,with english subtitles.

Part 1.

Part 2.

 

[lapan]

I don't even like most Mecha shows...
And i'm surprised that the ridicolously overhyped Haruhi isn't in this list. Probably because of their troll-saga: "Endless Eight"

 

[randommaster]

Otaku really like giant robots and long, drawn-out shonen anime that should really have ended like 500 episodes ago. Who knew?

Oh come now, ending One Piece even now is like ending the Star Wars Saga halfway through episode 5.

The rest is business as usual though. I think someone's just bitter that no Gundam made it onto that list.

Wait...NO GUNDAM MADE IT ONTO THAT LIST!! *grabs katana* oh it's on!

But he hasn't burglurized your house yet.

Can we have an example to help us understand?

You probably can. Here's one of the best ones - Sledstvie Vedut Kolobki. It's about two detectives tracking down an animal smuggler. Humor is pretty surreal,as is dialogue. I took my username and avatar from there. Here are they,with english subtitles.

Part 1.

Part 2.

Dude, WTF? I could only watch a little bit, rright now, but this looks cool.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[calelogan]

None of these list really surprised me.

Same here.

Although I admire the "Land of the Rising Sun" for many reasons, I am not a japanese style otaku. I may be a geek, but I certainly retain a lot more of my western culture than an oriental fascination.

I definitely don't agree with many of the names on the lists, but they were expected.

In any case, I definitely am not a fan of any of the animes listed, however, number one deserves the spot. Cowboy Bebop is flawless (and influenced by western elements as well).

 

[BloodyOne]

Otaku really like giant robots and long, drawn-out shonen anime that should really have ended like 500 episodes ago.

Wow. The Big 3 filler anime on the same list? Even for a survey of 800 people (very small IMO) that is shocking. I'm glad there are some Oldie Goldies there.

I can't really say much about the Games section, as I never got into (nor even played) any of the Final Fantasy or Metal Gear games.

Japanese must have very strange and varied opinions of Americans...

Your last couple paragraphs.

Well put.

 

[UsefulPlayer 1]

Wait DBZ is not getting a nod? Oh well, maybe I lived in different times.

 

[Charli]

All totally unsurprising apart from the one listed in the article itself. Final Fantasy 9

Very pleasent surprise. I adore that game, I didn't think so many others thought in tandem.