Why do so many people obsess over anime?

[BonsaiK]

3. Almost all Japanese anime including that which is aimed at children is informed by a highly misogynist attitude (the two Miyazaki films you've mentioned being rare exceptions), even if it's not directly stated or sexually explicit, and this allows westerners in an increasingly politically correct society a rare socially approved way to experience misogyny in films that on the surface seem fairly benign to the casual observer (such as your parents).

3. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Now I'm not saying there's NO misogyny (Christ no), but to say that MOST anime/manga have this, and that it's a primary reason for the existence of anime/manga fans is ridiculous.

I'd estimate that at least 98% of anime that has female characters - and that's a conservative estimate, and this is not counting the straight porn stuff - is absolutely riddled with misogyny in all sorts of creepy manifestations. From overt, obvious stuff like rape and sexual assault scenes that happen for no other reason than for the enjoyment of the viewer, to plotting devices that punish promiscuous female characters or tie female sexual exploration and/or assertiveness with evil (much like in horror films), to more subtle stuff like girls being almost universally portrayed either as robotic cold-hearted bitches, or as shrill harpies, whiny, irrational, stupid, and unable to make sensible decisions without a male influence... and this is barely scratching the surface. This topic needs its own thread but even an entire thread probably wouldn't be enough to discuss the myriad of ways in which hatred of women is buried in almost every Japanese anime ever created by someone other than Miyazaki (and even he isn't exempt, Kiki's Delivery Service has some scenes in it which are just wrongtown). To discuss this properly would probably require a masters thesis, bare minimum. Maybe some of you anime fans atttending uni right now might want to consider that as an option.

It's no accident that anime is this way. Misogyny in anime (and many, many other facets of Japanese culture) is very much a by-product of the way Japanese society has evolved in the last few decades, with a lot of buried resentment over newly-found female empowerment manifesting itself in other ways. It's just a pity that the rest of the world has to deal with Japan's cultural growing pains. Give it a couple of generations for Japan's female empowerment movement and the resulting male reactionary fallout to sort itself out and anime will have probably gotten better, but I wouldn't expect decent across-the-board portrayals of gender relations in anime to improve for at least the next 30 years.

 

[TheRundownRabbit]

I just watch Bleach and the .hack// series, all other anime shows can blow me.

 

[HellbirdIV]

In the west, it's comparatively new and interesting. The same applies to most recently created fads (IE ones that are re-emerging old fads), such as vidjagamez and goth/emo culture.

 

[BonsaiK]

3. Almost all Japanese anime including that which is aimed at children is informed by a highly misogynist attitude (the two Miyazaki films you've mentioned being rare exceptions), even if it's not directly stated or sexually explicit, and this allows westerners in an increasingly politically correct society a rare socially approved way to experience misogyny in films that on the surface seem fairly benign to the casual observer (such as your parents).

3. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Now I'm not saying there's NO misogyny (Christ no), but to say that MOST anime/manga have this, and that it's a primary reason for the existence of anime/manga fans is ridiculous.

I'd estimate that at least 98% of anime that has female characters - and that's a conservative estimate, and this is not counting the straight porn stuff - is absolutely riddled with misogyny in all sorts of creepy manifestations. From overt, obvious stuff like rape and sexual assault scenes that happen for no other reason than for the enjoyment of the viewer, to plotting devices that punish promiscuous female characters or tie female sexual exploration and/or assertiveness with evil (much like in horror films), to more subtle stuff like girls being almost universally portrayed either as robotic cold-hearted bitches, or as shrill harpies, whiny, irrational, stupid, and unable to make sensible decisions without a male influence... and this is barely scratching the surface. This topic needs its own thread but even an entire thread probably wouldn't be enough to discuss the myriad of ways in which hatred of women is buried in almost every Japanese anime ever created by someone other than Miyazaki (and even he isn't exempt, Kiki's Delivery Service has some scenes in it which are just wrongtown). To discuss this properly would probably require a masters thesis, bare minimum. Maybe some of you anime fans atttending uni right now might want to consider that as an option.

It's no accident that anime is this way. Misogyny in anime (and many, many other facets of Japanese culture) is very much a by-product of the way Japanese society has evolved in the last few decades, with a lot of buried resentment over newly-found female empowerment manifesting itself in other ways. It's just a pity that the rest of the world has to deal with Japan's cultural growing pains. Give it a couple of generations for Japan's female empowerment movement and the resulting male reactionary fallout to sort itself out and anime will have probably gotten better, but I wouldn't expect decent across-the-board portrayals of gender relations in anime to improve for at least the next 30 years.

This is all just broad stroke statements with no actual examples. Aside of some bad hentai (and I mean REALLY bad hentai), I've yet to see anything in an anime that could be called outright misogynistic. Which is not to say that you aren't correct about the whole female empowerment movement causing some major resentment in assorted circles of Japanese society, I just think you're making a few too many blind generalizations.

Giving specific examples is going to send this thread way off-topic. It's already too far off topic so I might make this my last post in it. I've seen most of the "classic" anime movies such as Akira, Ghost In The Shell, etc etc... hey, Akira has a sexual assault scene in it that's so laughably unneccesary and gratuitous that I actually heard laughter in the cinema when I was watching it, in what was supposed to be a dramatic moment. Not "ha ha" type laughter, more like "lolwut" kind of laughter. I used to watch anime series all the time on late night TV too, a TV station down here showed them weekly for years, not sure if they still do. I remember one called Bubblegum Crisis whose female characters really stuck out for being dopey shrill hormone-fueled stereotypical nagging bitches. Watch it if you get the chance, any episode will do. I remember watching one episode and my partner walked in the room and identified the misogyny after about 30 seconds of watching - "that's absolutely fucking appaling, look at how stupidly they're portraying all the girl characters, what a bunch of woman-haters" she said to me, and I couldn't argue, she had a point, I had no comeback. Then I watched another anime hoping to find a positive portrayal to show her, but the characters were the same! Then another, then another... and so on. Eventually I had to throw in the towel and say "okay, you're right, it's all pretty misogynist, I guess I just like that kind of stuff". There's no point making a big list of names because they really are all indentikit characterisations in so many of these things and you could name just about any one of them. But my generalisations aren't "blind", I've seen most of this stuff, certainly all the older ones and a generous slice of the newer ones which really aren't any different. I do actually LIKE some of them, it's just a shame that they can't ever get women right.

But anyway yeah I could talk on and on about this for ages, but it's not really what the thread is about. Bottom line is I think the overall attitude to women exhibited in anime is one of the things that appeals to people about it, not all people, but certainly a sizeable minority. Not that many will ever admit to that but rest assured there are plenty of people who consume anime partly because they like to see misogynistic portrayals of women on the screen, and in this area, anime delivers in spades.

 

[TheSeventhLoneWolf]

Your question should be ''Why do people obsess.''

For the same reason as anythin' else.

 

[ZombieGenesis]

Because AKIRA was such an awesome film that western audiences suffered an anime fetish throughout the late 80's and into the 90's. Since then cult followings such as Naturo, Sailor Moon and Death Note have cemented it as a viable product.
That's... pretty much it. People like it and it sells, so it'll be popular.

I need my coffee.

 

[ScarlettRage]

BECAUSE IT IS AWESOME!!!!!!

 

[Super_Nintendo_Chalmers]

I enjoy anime, but I wouldn't say that I obsess over it.
Although I did love Full Metal Alchemist a bit more than I should have.

*At sport, my friends and I went through a phase of drawing transmutation circles in the dirt :S*

 

[Insert Comedy Here]

Because even though it may be more expensive than drugs, it won't ruin your life... in the same way.

 

[Xcelsior]

Maybe some people just like it more than you?

 

[SsilverR]

I'm just trying to understand why there seems to be so many people with an obsession over anime. I've watched things like Akira, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and Ghost in the Shell amongst a few others but I just don't get the obsession. Aswell as that there seems to be many people who obsess over Japanese culture. I'm not condemning any of this (I quite like some anime myself), but I just don't quite get what is so ridiculously great about anime and Japan.

because it's the only place where skinny emos are actually powerful haha ...

my favorite type of culture is arabian i don't care what anyone sais .. arab women are SO HOTTT!! and the whole nomad thing is so badass

second to that is good ol british culture har har

 

[Marlun_42]

Because they are nerds.

Nerds, and yes, I am a giant nerd, obsess over stuff.

 

[Lullabye]

I dunno, it basically a Japanese comic book.

Like Marvel and DC

Nothing like Marvel and DC. The comic book market is completely different over there.

OT: Hmm, I think people like anime so much because it often provides an escape that unlike most western shows, is actually fun. Helll, I just watched the entire series of SOul Eater in the past week and let me tell you, I was entertained. Plus anime just has that "wtf...?" factor.

 

[wolfy098]

This explains enough why they draw most of their characters as North American.

No... Just no

 

[Censorme]

This explains enough why they draw most of their characters as North American.

No... Just no

Uh, Yes....Still yes.
You've put me out of context on my topic of escapism, but that's okay.

If you want to go into Caucasian/Japanese look-liking ANIME now...I can't be so blunt. When I said "North American", I was trying to take a short-cut in describing any humans deep within globalization (which could've been any country but seeing as I am too familiar with Canada/US...). If you're sour grapes about that, then change "North American" to "Attractive people" in that last post.

Was this linked video what made your opinion? change it? I'm afraid it's done nothing but aggro me, so I hope you're ready.

First this vid is very selective of it's photos and perspectives. It's also really fast, which is important when you don't want the viewers to think differently. I fucking hate it, but I understand the maker's frustration. Even if the maker is some Weaboo or Otaku.

If you read this, keep the word "Attractive" in mind. What is? Why is? How is?

-With the "Big Eyes" reason (Most important for causing this confusion), I caught the points', "Big eyes are not specific to North Americans" which is true, but then there was this "Asians don't ALWAYS have small eyes". Why go vague here? Why not mention how exactly COMMON it is to see an Asian with BIG eyes? Why depict the few ("cool") squinty celebrities who are getting their pictures taken (With flash)?

-The bone and face structure point pissed me off. Let's find the two retarded bumpy faced celebs and compare them to these specifically chosen round-faced Japanese youth and Cosplayers that fit the fucking curve quite nicely. I don't think any Anime character was ever drawn to look like a human being. I like Anime that have their characters features (good and bad) down to every last detail, but never draw them seriously unless its for a very dramatic expression (you'd see this in something like Great Teacher Onizuka and it's even in the end of Death Note).

-The Japanese are very good at Cosplaying. It's undeniable, but with that aside,so is anybody with the features of a freakin cartooooooon. The Anime was made there, and all resources are especially available in Japan if you wanted to do the cos-play. Not so much America, home of the FAIL Cos-players. More things video doesn't show.

-That singer did not look like an Anime character.

-Hair colors, yes. Universally they help make the characters unique, and do reflect a youth that is really big on that after all the conformity they had to put up with.

-Asians have dark skin? Why quote this fag? Vid-maker might as well been on 4-chan.

-I am sad that formal papers have been written about this broad generalization, but the vid is most incorrect in putting that it reeks of "Ignorance" and "Egotism". THIS confusion, they brought upon themselves. It is all too easy to simply look at an Anime and say "These aren't Asian characters. And whatever Japan may think, I could guess the whole world carries this view.

-Whites don't get special treatment? This is arguable, but it expands my limited experience.

-"Asians do not worship whites". And here I thought that point went without saying, but this vid-maker was/is likely still frustrated at the retards world-wide that Japan (Anime) had confused.

-The vid immediately goes over-board with so much bias at 4:46....that there is nothing to say, and could very well destroy all respect for the perspectives it carries.
I'll accept the oddly exaggerated features of foreigners in Anime.....because every fucking toon in the world does this. Still nothing to distinguish Asians.

-The vid's claim to what Japan and America thinks is "hot" is opinionated. All that shit about molds and characteristics will nicely lead to my finishing point which still involves my main topic of Escapism.


Okay here it goes, and it goes with a saying I hope you agree with.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder". Which is another way of saying everyone's fucking ugly. But still, "Art" is absorbed by the beholder, and if it reflects interests well, then it is successful art. As an Anime artist, would you draw your characters as real people? or would you not waste money and make everything as attractive as possible? This video has made me decide that people world-wide find Anime attractive, but it was never drawn to look like anyone. They see their RACE and all the pride and attraction they have for it. Even if it's only fantasy. I blame globalization. I blame the American occupation after the bombing of Hiroshima/Nagasaki, and the entertainment called Anime that was born during.

 

[theSovietConnection]

Woah, thread of the living dead?

Anyway, I don't really understand the appeal of anime (not my animation style). Hell, the closest I've ever gotten to really liking an anime is Samurai Jack.

 

[Nouw]

My own theory about this subject: Maybe people just like it more than you?

This one wins...

definitely....

No it doesn't. Its kinda vague. Almost as vague as the OPs' reasons.

The same reason people like movies and just about everything else.

Spoiler: Just Cause

Being more serious, its a bit more deep and serious (actually, besides Movies I think its just about the only type of animation that's not Comedy or for Kids)

Why all the hate for American Animation?(not even American actually, Korea does the animating but y'know) Sure, Spongebob is going downhill (probably me getting tired of Squidwards' ass always getting kicked and me growing up) but its a classic.

You don't have to blow out my light to make yours brighter. Except the light is my opinion in this case.