What is so great about Anime?
- Thread starter Texas America Murphy
- Start date
Well the fact that you joined in about half-way through some of those series basically all but sums it up...
There's nothing really special about anime that makes it different from regular cartoons. The only real difference is that while cartoons are focused on a strictly kid audience, Anime is focused on audiences of all ages from kids shows (pokemon, DBZ, etc.) to teen shows (code geass, fooli cooli, etc.) to adult shows even (*cough* hentai *cough*)
There isn't anything that seperates it from cartoons other than where it was from, and the age group it focuses on.
From the sounds of it though, your a video critic, so there's no use arguing anything about the shows you mentioned other than the fact that you started half-way through them. (and if you started at the begining of Code Geass, it makes little sense for the first couple episodes, slowly building up the plot. Watched the first couple episodes, gave up on it, went back to watch the rest and was pretty surprised.)
There's nothing really special about anime that makes it different from regular cartoons. The only real difference is that while cartoons are focused on a strictly kid audience, Anime is focused on audiences of all ages from kids shows (pokemon, DBZ, etc.) to teen shows (code geass, fooli cooli, etc.) to adult shows even (*cough* hentai *cough*)
There isn't anything that seperates it from cartoons other than where it was from, and the age group it focuses on.
From the sounds of it though, your a video critic, so there's no use arguing anything about the shows you mentioned other than the fact that you started half-way through them. (and if you started at the begining of Code Geass, it makes little sense for the first couple episodes, slowly building up the plot. Watched the first couple episodes, gave up on it, went back to watch the rest and was pretty surprised.)
Anime it can get annoying after awhile, so if you prefer quiet you can just read the comic form,manga. If I were to recomand 3 animes or mangas I would recommend some that have a clear followable story but I warn you the first episode of an anime normaly doesn't establish the plot but establishes background with the characters. The three animes I recommend are bleach (action), hetalia (comedy), and d.gray-mzn and please becareful not to be judgmental and I like anime due to the fact that the plot IN MOST (definetley not naruto) are fairly good except hetalia which is a combination of little skits in a 5 minute episode.
Naruto is popular because people have shit taste. Code Geass is popular because people think it's deep (it's not, it's just overly complicated). People like Gurren Lagann because it is supposed to be a stab at stereotypical anime tropes(that would be why the characters are all cliches they're supposed to be).Texas America Murphy said:
Its considered art for the same reason that any collection of human creativity is art. It's just not all good art.
Here's the thing. You girlfriend either has terrible taste(sorry man) or she is just really deep in the culture. You aren't, so that stuff won't do it for you. My best advice is to try some cowboy bebop. That is decent quality action work that requires very little attachment to the anime culture. Another version of this is Baccano! which is more based around the story, not action. Take your pick, but know that you still stand a chance of not enjoying it. After all, it's not for everyone.
Took the words right out of my mouth, its like this, lets just assume you like music, say if you like a metal band, chances are, if you like metal, you dont just listen to that one bandskitzo van said:
I like this alternate universe you live in where animation isn't expensive and budgets are never a problem.Aylaine said:
Anime represents a differing method of entertainment, you look upon anime from the view of one who has lived thier entire life under western culture and hence judge anime by western virtues. So lets open with the anime's you named.
Naruto:
Alright, the orange jumpsuit bit is pretty retarded, I don't dispute that, the outfits are garish and overwrought, made to appeal to the "coolness" factor rather than actual usability. Now aesthetics aside naruto, like most anime, is commenting on a vast and complex topic, like a dissertation stretched out over 90 episode (I don't count the filler bullshit). Shippuden, which is naruto after a two year time-skip, continues to speak on the same topic in greater detail. Namely the top is about generations, the young taking over for the old, the sins of the fathers haunting the sons and daughters. Each character has his or her own parallel, Naruto is the parallel of Jiraiya, the cocky and powerful sage haunted by his past failures and mistakes. Sasuke is paralleled by Kakashi, a prodigal ninja with great power and constantly driven by the violent deaths of loved ones.
The list goes on, Anime tells stories of epic scope in most cases, I will say that plenty of anime are just childs play, but they are cartoons, they have the right to be that if they want.
Code Geass:
From your posting I realize I have very little to explain here, the simple fact is that you didn't understand the plot and what was happening, you can say that its too convoluted but the fact is that I and many others followed it just fine. It's a complicated story that functions on a constant image of social Darwinism, betrayals and alliances, the almost ridiculous but accurate requirements for obeying rules of politic and propriety. If you didn't understand it then, well, not much I can do there.
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann:
This anime focused heavily on well-developed characters, I don't know where in the series you got dropped into but I will concede that this is a story that you have to read from the beginning. As an anime it told a story of driving will and dreams, and while that may sound childish the fact is that progress is built on dreams. The wild imaginings of today are the everyday accepted facts of tomorrow, just look at Star Trek. Gurren Lagann begins in a village that is one of many, holed up underground, life is dreary and gray, an analog of a world without dreams, where no one cares to imagine anything different. The story starts as it means to go on by creating a world of analogs, characters each representing something different, peace, drive, will, determination, despair, violence, acceptance.
So whether you're willing to see these things or if you're unable to accept that anything animated could possibly have a message worth listening to, I don't really care, but referring to Anime as an "artistic train wreck" only shows the narrow mind of someone who will never be able to create anything truly grand. I don't care to convince you of anything, but I would thank you not to speak on subjects you have absolutely no knowledge of just because it isn't to your taste.
Also I apologize for the length, if I go any further its going to resemble proust's a la recherche du temps perdu.
Naruto:
Alright, the orange jumpsuit bit is pretty retarded, I don't dispute that, the outfits are garish and overwrought, made to appeal to the "coolness" factor rather than actual usability. Now aesthetics aside naruto, like most anime, is commenting on a vast and complex topic, like a dissertation stretched out over 90 episode (I don't count the filler bullshit). Shippuden, which is naruto after a two year time-skip, continues to speak on the same topic in greater detail. Namely the top is about generations, the young taking over for the old, the sins of the fathers haunting the sons and daughters. Each character has his or her own parallel, Naruto is the parallel of Jiraiya, the cocky and powerful sage haunted by his past failures and mistakes. Sasuke is paralleled by Kakashi, a prodigal ninja with great power and constantly driven by the violent deaths of loved ones.
The list goes on, Anime tells stories of epic scope in most cases, I will say that plenty of anime are just childs play, but they are cartoons, they have the right to be that if they want.
Code Geass:
From your posting I realize I have very little to explain here, the simple fact is that you didn't understand the plot and what was happening, you can say that its too convoluted but the fact is that I and many others followed it just fine. It's a complicated story that functions on a constant image of social Darwinism, betrayals and alliances, the almost ridiculous but accurate requirements for obeying rules of politic and propriety. If you didn't understand it then, well, not much I can do there.
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann:
This anime focused heavily on well-developed characters, I don't know where in the series you got dropped into but I will concede that this is a story that you have to read from the beginning. As an anime it told a story of driving will and dreams, and while that may sound childish the fact is that progress is built on dreams. The wild imaginings of today are the everyday accepted facts of tomorrow, just look at Star Trek. Gurren Lagann begins in a village that is one of many, holed up underground, life is dreary and gray, an analog of a world without dreams, where no one cares to imagine anything different. The story starts as it means to go on by creating a world of analogs, characters each representing something different, peace, drive, will, determination, despair, violence, acceptance.
So whether you're willing to see these things or if you're unable to accept that anything animated could possibly have a message worth listening to, I don't really care, but referring to Anime as an "artistic train wreck" only shows the narrow mind of someone who will never be able to create anything truly grand. I don't care to convince you of anything, but I would thank you not to speak on subjects you have absolutely no knowledge of just because it isn't to your taste.
Also I apologize for the length, if I go any further its going to resemble proust's a la recherche du temps perdu.
THIS TOPIC HURTS MY BRAIN!
ot: I personally hate anime. why? to me, it limits itself. Why? Who knows.
ot: I personally hate anime. why? to me, it limits itself. Why? Who knows.
hell count me in I found it quite entertaining when someone rips something apartTexas America Murphy said:
you two need to get on this as a coop thing on this thread or you guys could make videos and put them on youtube do that and I'd sub to see themmasterjiji said:
do you consider anime different from other animation?Texas America Murphy said:
if so, you're completely wrong and full of bullshit. Anime is animation, just with different visuals(for lack of a better word) from American animation.
If not, you're basically asking what's so great about animation, and you can go on from there.
another thing is you're complaining about is story, which doesn't set it differrent from books or American animation or Egyptian myths written on walls.
all of those were really shitty titles.
There's your problem.
Like everythign else there is shit and then there isn't.
this has been said before, however, so merry fucking christmas to you.
There's your problem.
Like everythign else there is shit and then there isn't.
this has been said before, however, so merry fucking christmas to you.
I never said anime was art, I was just saying that people have different oppinions and tastes. One mans trash is another mans treasure, so to speak. This part of what you said, while makes sence, is quite one sided, "But if a medium lacks things that create a good story (adequate conflict, character development, backstory, coherency, etc.)". So are you saying, that out of every single anime in existence, there are none of those elements at all, or at least not enough of them? Elaboration would be nice, and I would like to keep this civil, it is a discussion after all, so could you perhaps keep in mind that these are people speaking to you, not pre programmed otaku robots.
Edit:And I fail at quoting -_-
Edit:And I fail at quoting -_-
Be happy to, but I already have =)Texas America Murphy said:
Woaaoa!Texas America Murphy said:
How do I get there?!
Please, tell me!