why I don't "like anime"

[Double-O]

the vast majority? nah, probably around half is like that. but the ultra popular anime like the Bleachs and Narutos and Code Geasses of this world actually hav less to do with sex and far more to do with the story and how its developed and completed. incidentally, u are guaranteed to find at least one sexy female with mega breasts in ALL the popular shows because the Japanese ARE obsessed with huge boobs

 

[Double-O]

This is where the problem begins for me. The subculture seems to have trouble finding exactly where that common ground is. "I like anime" does not mean I am the guy to talk to for an hour and a half about cosplay (and that has in fact happened).

Like any tribe of nerds, Anime Otaku usually have very poorly developed social skills.

But yeah, I remember most of my university Anime Club's fellow members, and a lot of them could have used a good punch in the face from time to time.

I also recognize that the vast, vast majority of anime is fan-service, crotch-shots, and shallow storylines that only serve to set up ludicrous, borderline pornographic situations. Japanese pop-culture /is/ shallow and sex-obsessed, and that turns off a lot of people.

...but me, I love superficial pop-culture, in an existentialist kind of way. The inherent emptiness and meaningless of it all is a major source of lulz.

the vast majority? nah, probably around half is like that. but the ultra popular anime like the Bleachs and Narutos and Code Geasses of this world actually hav less to do with sex and far more to do with the story and how its developed and completed. incidentally, u are guaranteed to find at least one sexy female with mega breasts in ALL the popular shows because the Japanese ARE obsessed with huge boobs

 

[Grimrider6]

The Sub vs. Dub thing is kind of weird. I like to jokingly put down friends who listen to Dub versions, but the actual snobbery on the part of some Sub-fans makes me roll my eyes a lot.

Personally, I like the hear the original voices in Japanese because I've always felt they communicate the original emotion and intent of the creators. Also, listening to spoken Japanese helps me learn.

My original beef with Dubs is that the quality is often terrible, and it's always the same five actors who do the voices to just about everything. But recently that's been getting better, so it really just boils down to preference at this point.

 

[Grimm91]

The statement "Do you hate blank?" is nothing more than an overbearing blanket question. There is no real way to answer. I hate a lot of the needless panty shots in anime and I strongly dislike most of the insanely popular series but if someone was to ask the question" DO you like anime?" I would have to say yes.

 

[AnotherFineMess]

Not a real fan of anime, I'm somewhat indifferent to it.
I should say that I watched the entire berserk anime and devoured all of the manga.
But that's it, there hasn't been any other anime that after a few minutes didn't make me go "meh" and change the channel.
So I would say that I don't like animes, but I don't hate them either. Its not like they ever raped my family or killed my pets.

 

[Jursa]

What kind of animes do you people watch anyway. Giant robots and naked girls, most giant robot anime's are crap aside from the Gundam series and naked girls never appear in serious animes(well, most of the time). The avatar sorta counts as an anime but a western anime, which are so few in number there's no point in making a new category. Not all anime is about fantasy and girls with breasts larger than the bra sizes go in real life... For example Monster is a thriller anime grounded in deep reality. People who don't like anime never bother to even see what anime is, so they just stamp out mediocre titles, that's like saying that gaming is shit because Sonic: Unleashed came out...

 

[Archaeology Hat]

. People who don't like anime never bother to even see what anime is, so they just stamp out mediocre titles, that's like saying that gaming is shit because Sonic: Unleashed came out...

Wrong!

 

[Kevvers]

I should imagine it is much like western animation really: reams and reams of infantile, tasteless, self-indulgent crap, with a few stand-outs that could almost pass as art.

 

[mosinmatt]

I like anime. I like most things. As long as it is fun to watch, what's the problem?

 

[anti_strunt]

I should imagine it is much like western animation really: reams and reams of infantile, tasteless, self-indulgent crap, with a few stand-outs that could almost pass as art.

A fair assessment.

Like any tribe of nerds, Anime Otaku usually have very poorly developed social skills.

But yeah, I remember most of my university Anime Club's fellow members, and a lot of them could have used a good punch in the face from time to time.

I also recognize that the vast, vast majority of anime is fan-service, crotch-shots, and shallow storylines that only serve to set up ludicrous, borderline pornographic situations. Japanese pop-culture /is/ shallow and sex-obsessed, and that turns off a lot of people.

...but me, I love superficial pop-culture, in an existentialist kind of way. The inherent emptiness and meaningless of it all is a major source of lulz.

As is this, I'd say.

 

[Iolair]

I used to be a fan. A big fan. But that was in high school. By the time I hit college I "outgrew" it, so to speak. I was willing to accept it as an art form in and of itself and give respect where respect was due in the rare cases of good storytelling, art and concept.

But then I was convinced to attend an "anime club" meeting. The club played what could only be construed as thin-veiled child porn. Up to and including the suggestion of inappropriate acts being preformed on a toddler and used in the context of the episode as a joke.

Guy getting kicked in the junk? Funny. Sexual exploitation of children? Not funny.

I gave the guy who purchased the series the benefit of the doubt and went to ask him if he realized what he had just screened for the club. Perhaps he really didn't know! I was headed off by a teacher at the school who told me: "It's a part of the entertainment culture of Japan. Try to keep an open mind." In subsequent arguments, I was told, "It's just a cartoon, at least it's not real children." None of these things made me feel any better. In fact, that made it worse for me. Sorry, but I will never have an open mind about that kind of thing.

Suddenly I was confronted by a sub culture of people at that school and elsewhere giving me the evil eye because I dared to speak up against the "perfection of the Japanese" (their words, NOT mine.) These are the same people who asked me to draw lewd pictures of Gundam pilots and listen to their fan fiction describing what I refused to illustrate. I'm no social butterfly and have never been "popular", but the words "get a life" were screamed to all corners of my brain as I attempted not to say them aloud.

I do watch some of it. Really. I enjoy Miyazaki and some series of a more sophisticated note, but because of the "fans", I will never declare that I "like anime" in public again lest I be lumped in with people like those I have previously described. The day the social distinction is made between those of us who enjoy one or two facets of it and those who take their fandom to extemes or those who use it to the (real or imagined) detriment of children, is the day I will feel much more comfortable when asked that question. It is just too broad a culture and "genre" to be lumped together for the purposes a simple question like that.

Maybe we should develop a fan coding system! May I never be classified as an Super-Mega Neon-Pink fan!

 

[Rolling Thunder]

"The perfection of the Japanese"


If a real citizen of the Isles of Japan had said that, I would have made a grotesquely innappropriate joke about Hiroshima and radiation-babies. As is, I'm just going to congratulate the entire nation for advancing technology by roughly thirty years, and ignore the schoolgirl obssession.

 

[barryween]

Well, depends on what anime it is really.

As a rule, I avoid dubbed or 'translated' anime, as it usually has horrible voice acting and makes less sense than a monkey humping an asteroid.

However, if its in Japanese and subtitled, then I am willing to watch it.

Story: After responding to the "do you like anime question" in this way:

Um, Dude, all you have to say is I like some anime.

The following conversation ensued:
"Have you seen Cowboy Bebop? It's awesome!"
"Yeah, Cowboy Bebop is really well written. Solid dubbing too: good acting and direction, and excellent phoneme coordination."
"eww, you watch the dubbed version?"
"Well, I don't speak Japanese fluently and I like to know what's going on."
"I watch the subbed version, it's more authentic."
"Cool, I like to be able to focus on the animation, subtitles divide my focus."
"I've learned to read the subtitles and watch the animation."
*at this point I am officially irritated with this person whose tone has shifted from enthused and friendly to critical and judgmental*
"No... what you've just told me is you don't know enough about animation to know what you're missing."
"That's not true."
"What's a phoneme?"
"Uhhhhh...."
I walked away at that point, that was the first and last time I spoke with that person, and no it was not a satisfying refreshing experience, I was bothered by the implication I was some sort of unappreciative ignoramus.

For everyone who may not know a lot about traditional animation, phonemes are the mouth shapes used for each letter sound spoken.

Wow... just... wow... Maybe... um.... Talk to less nerdy people. But Yeah I hate people like that and what is up with that person you were speaking to? I agree, I like dubs, not subs.

 

[mark_n_b]

Wow... just... wow... Maybe... um.... Talk to less nerdy people. But Yeah I hate people like that and what is up with that person you were speaking to? I agree, I like dubs, not subs.

Agreeing to liking anime is like code to talk like this. As for what is up with that person, I have heard the exact same comment on more than one occasion, and the general theme of the conversation is pandemic among the community.

Ignoring any geekiness or opinions on anime, this kind of attitude is pretentious, elitist, exclusionary and a huge disservice to the community. Here is a chance to discuss anime with an artist knowledgeable in the form of traditional animation expanding the knowledge of himself and therefore the community at large, making it more respectable.

He chose to shut that dialogue down by holding to the opinion that if someone does not appreciate or like the same things he does, that person is offensively ignorant and needs to be shut down.

For all this guys claims of love for the authentic he doesn't know watashi from anata and I'm embarrassed to only have a 200 level university knowledge of the language.

for the record, I'm revisiting my language training beginning this summer on an accelerated path. I want to enter graduate studies on the topic within the next four years.

 

[Charli]

Hmm okay, yeah I get what you mean (as a meticulous student of animation also), but the general populice don't actually care, which is what Television shows like those are aimed at so...Don't take things too seriously like this.

I'm asked this alot, and I just answer; "when it's to my liking"
Thats it, done. And if the questioner wants elaboration I'll give it.

 

[Rajin Cajun]

I like Dragonball Z and the Mobile Suit Gundam series but other then that I am not really a fan they tend to stray into the bizarre for me.

 

[pha kin su pah]

I hate the stereotype, i watch some, a chosen few, but seriously nothing like most of the garbage thats out there, i feel dirty when somebody thinks they can even associate me with anime fans.

 

[konkwastaken]

i don't like that many anime's, only a few that really appeal to me such as

Rurouni Kenshin
Bleach
Tenjou Tenge
One Piece
Dragon ball, z, gt
Naruto
Devil May Cry
Desert Punk

and thats about it.

 

[minoes]

If you like "Fritz the cat" then you´ll love "Ben 10".

They are both cartoons, but are they the same?

 

[GloatingSwine]

The Sub vs. Dub thing is kind of weird. I like to jokingly put down friends who listen to Dub versions, but the actual snobbery on the part of some Sub-fans makes me roll my eyes a lot.

Personally, I like the hear the original voices in Japanese because I've always felt they communicate the original emotion and intent of the creators. Also, listening to spoken Japanese helps me learn.

My original beef with Dubs is that the quality is often terrible, and it's always the same five actors who do the voices to just about everything. But recently that's been getting better, so it really just boils down to preference at this point.

I have much the same view, with the additional recognition that the process of rendering a line from one language into another, whilst keeping it roughly to the same length so it fits the scene correctly, will often produce unnatural sounding results. There's also the specific problem that anime dubbing is done on a budget that makes shoestrings look posh, and the quality of actor and voice directors on hand suffers proportionately, and has to be done on extremely tight schedules, so there's no time for script polishing and re-records.