Why do so many people obsess over anime?
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Personally I like anime because it can depict very mature subjects (no, I'm not talking about porn) in a better visual way than live action or western animation can do. For me, visual media always have been a way to express ideas in more than just words, and when you stretch the limits of what you are prepared to do with visual media (as in, what anime will depict with respect to western media) you have a better way of expression. Anime is better at conveying the message than live action and western animation as it is not afraid to go into the futuristic and the absurd, and because of its long history of doing so, it is good at it. (sorry for being so vague...)
That, and I just love Japanese robots. Gundam fan for life...
That, and I just love Japanese robots. Gundam fan for life...
2 Reasons.
1. They wish they could impale people on their hair like anime characters could.
2. Tits, EVERYWHERE.
1. They wish they could impale people on their hair like anime characters could.
2. Tits, EVERYWHERE.
Just like with any genre, there are good and bad each thing. So there are good and bad animes. But I also am baffled that like anything and everything that is anime, for the soul reason that it is anime, rather than the actual content itself. That just doesn't make any sense to me at all.
The way I see it there are roughly four types of way people view anime:
The Skeptic - Will not watch any anime what so ever, simply because it's anime
The Apologist (I am one) - Watches very little anime, accepts there some very good ones out there (my case Cowboy Bebop) and accepts it can be used as good story telling (like Gotham Knight)
The Connoisseur- Watches anime quite regularly, will however only watch anime they consider good/like (Cowboy Bebop, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzimia, Gurren Lagen, Death Note etc), will not watch anime they don't like/can't get into.
The Fanatic - Watches anime all the time, will watch anything simply because it's anime. Often deluded into thinking they are The Connosisseur.
The two extremes can be quite annoying when they are encountered or invertibly clash.
The Skeptic - Will not watch any anime what so ever, simply because it's anime
The Apologist (I am one) - Watches very little anime, accepts there some very good ones out there (my case Cowboy Bebop) and accepts it can be used as good story telling (like Gotham Knight)
The Connoisseur- Watches anime quite regularly, will however only watch anime they consider good/like (Cowboy Bebop, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzimia, Gurren Lagen, Death Note etc), will not watch anime they don't like/can't get into.
The Fanatic - Watches anime all the time, will watch anything simply because it's anime. Often deluded into thinking they are The Connosisseur.
The two extremes can be quite annoying when they are encountered or invertibly clash.
probably the whole giant boobed, huge eyed 12 year olds and the "cool" loner guy(with a gun and 10 foot sword) who protects her
because anime is a medium unlike the majority of what e have in the US. especially in the department of my favorite visual medium, cartoons, which in America tent to have a humorous nature even in the more action oriented shows like samurai jack or Megas XLR, where as anime tends to have a more serious tone, generally shying away from comedy except in case of comic relief. interestingly enough the one example of Megas XLR must be, at least in my opinion, heavily influenced by an anime by the name Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, which is an incredibly funny anime about giant robots, to the point where you can almost call Megas the American version of TTGL.
another fun fact, Barack Obama appeared in a manga before he did in American comics. he appeared, and continues to on occasion, in a manga called air gear, originally he appears as president elect and his name is John Omaha, however the similarities are blatantly obvious. shortly after appearing, in traditional crazy fucking manga tradition, his mind gets switched with that of a teenage girl shortly after revealing that America hold some big technology the has a vague semblance of importance. Let me tell you if you want a manga to read that is number 2 in being absolutely confusing in almost every way imaginable you should really pick up Air Gear.
another fun fact, Barack Obama appeared in a manga before he did in American comics. he appeared, and continues to on occasion, in a manga called air gear, originally he appears as president elect and his name is John Omaha, however the similarities are blatantly obvious. shortly after appearing, in traditional crazy fucking manga tradition, his mind gets switched with that of a teenage girl shortly after revealing that America hold some big technology the has a vague semblance of importance. Let me tell you if you want a manga to read that is number 2 in being absolutely confusing in almost every way imaginable you should really pick up Air Gear.
People obsess over anime because they enjoy watching it, just as people who enjoy sports like to obsess over sports, or people who enjoy playing games obsess over games. Every level of obsession can be carried over to the level of enjoyment they gain from it, a person who really loves anime will watch more anime then a person who just slightly enjoys anime.
There is no scientific formula to it, and everyone likes it for their own reason. Some like it because it's something different then what they're used to, others like it because they grew up watching it on Saturday afternoons.
Anime, like any form of entertainment, goes to taste.
There is no scientific formula to it, and everyone likes it for their own reason. Some like it because it's something different then what they're used to, others like it because they grew up watching it on Saturday afternoons.
Anime, like any form of entertainment, goes to taste.
I grew up watching anime and I like the fact I can choose what I want to watch and when. Since most sites have giant lists of series and genre searches its easy to find series you like, unlike TV where I have no idea what channel is playing what at what time and what its about. I love the supernatural genre and that doesn't appear quite often on TV but I just browse the TV guide channel (and yes I do watch the show Supernatural, TiVo helps). Anything I do watch on American TV usually has a plot line that's similar to an anime and with the imagination of a 5-year old you can see those drawings as people. If you have a really good eye you can tell the guys from the girls.
It's not that great. The best Japanese Anime is certainly as good as the best US cartoons, but there's an equal amount of dross on both sides of the pacific. Real reasons for the fascination and uncritical acceptance of less-than-perfect anime might include (but are certainly not limited to) the following:Continuum said:
1. A lot of westerners find anything different to their own culture but equally 'developed' to be fascinating, it's human nature to be fascinated to stuff which is "similar yet different". A lot of Asian countries are fascinated by the west for the same reason. For every westerm teenager that idolises "Spirited Away" there's a Japanese kid who loves the original "Snow White".
2. It's very fashionable right now in the west to be into all things Japanese, just because of the sheer output of modern cultural artefacts from Japan. This won't last, watch it change to other Asian countries over the next couple of decades as they gradually equal and surpass Japan in terms of technological and cultural development.
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).
Anime is cool because you get to see things you otherwise would never see in real movies. Also it was the logical progression from Loony Toons growing up,
except america thinks anything animated is just for children and Anime proves this idea wrong, letting thoese that enjoy animation to still enjoy it with more mature stories.
Also the Stories often end, people die, and fans can cry for 30 years and the makers will still not make a squeal which makes you want it even more and the memories that much greater.
While America makes anything good on TV run on and on until they drain the life out of it. Plot points that could be explained in 1 or 2 seasons end up running on for too long and make you wonder why you ever liked the show to beginning with, hence Heroes, Smallville, 24, Lost, see my point?
As far as Japan goes, Tokyo is literally the most technological city on the planet, making it seem almost like a portal into the future, everything we like in with games and electronics is invented or innovated there. Yet with all this technology, there still is this sense of honor in there culture, low crime rates, respect to fellow citizens, which is romanticized in all there shows and movies so it might not even be true, but we won't really know since we are not there.
I think Japan just seems like a nicer play, with cooler toys, hot chicks, and a beautiful culture where america (while great in many ways) breeds ass holes, with bad manors, dog eat dog american dream seeking, big city new york swearing, MTV, hip-hop posing Image. That well, we are forced to deal with everyday and place like Japan just sounds a whole lot nicer. Many of the things that Make america so great are the same things abused by the majority to that make living here sometimes rather enjoyable.
You might think Japan is probably just as shitty, but see, that's the proof right there. It's just an american perspective, because we think we are the best and everywhere else must suck. But, ever wonder why when Americans vacation they go everywhere else but america, lol.
except america thinks anything animated is just for children and Anime proves this idea wrong, letting thoese that enjoy animation to still enjoy it with more mature stories.
Also the Stories often end, people die, and fans can cry for 30 years and the makers will still not make a squeal which makes you want it even more and the memories that much greater.
While America makes anything good on TV run on and on until they drain the life out of it. Plot points that could be explained in 1 or 2 seasons end up running on for too long and make you wonder why you ever liked the show to beginning with, hence Heroes, Smallville, 24, Lost, see my point?
As far as Japan goes, Tokyo is literally the most technological city on the planet, making it seem almost like a portal into the future, everything we like in with games and electronics is invented or innovated there. Yet with all this technology, there still is this sense of honor in there culture, low crime rates, respect to fellow citizens, which is romanticized in all there shows and movies so it might not even be true, but we won't really know since we are not there.
I think Japan just seems like a nicer play, with cooler toys, hot chicks, and a beautiful culture where america (while great in many ways) breeds ass holes, with bad manors, dog eat dog american dream seeking, big city new york swearing, MTV, hip-hop posing Image. That well, we are forced to deal with everyday and place like Japan just sounds a whole lot nicer. Many of the things that Make america so great are the same things abused by the majority to that make living here sometimes rather enjoyable.
You might think Japan is probably just as shitty, but see, that's the proof right there. It's just an american perspective, because we think we are the best and everywhere else must suck. But, ever wonder why when Americans vacation they go everywhere else but america, lol.
Like any form of entertainment if you can find something in common with it and feel like you can invest time in the characters you will watch it. People watch all sorts of tv shows with all different types of plots. People love the show lost, I never connected with any of the characters in any sort of way, so I don't watch it.
But for me it's mostly the ability to get hooked to something and have access to it. Bleach is just over 250 episodes, if you watched the first 10 or so and liked the concept there is access to more like it. I like firefly, but there is only one season and a movie, couple graphic novels but I don't have access to more. In this way, firefly can be likened to cowboy bebop, which is something most people who don't really like anime enjoy because it is something that is done well. I've had friends that are the same way with firefly.
But for me it's mostly the ability to get hooked to something and have access to it. Bleach is just over 250 episodes, if you watched the first 10 or so and liked the concept there is access to more like it. I like firefly, but there is only one season and a movie, couple graphic novels but I don't have access to more. In this way, firefly can be likened to cowboy bebop, which is something most people who don't really like anime enjoy because it is something that is done well. I've had friends that are the same way with firefly.