Curse

Joe Fierce · Mar 28, 2009, 08:07 AM // 08:07

I tried to explain my dislike for typical anime to one of my friends recently who is, to say the least... a fan. And what it came down to was me putting it in this way: I don't like a majority of anime because it is either remarkably over thought, incredibly stupid, or remarkably badly translated. To which he responded that "I just didn't give the ones I found really stupid or overthought enough of a chance and watch a few episodes to learn to like it"
To which I responded that that is why I dislike anime fan boys, because a majority of the youth in my area are brainwashed into believing that anything from japan is amazing and even if you have to bend over to take and appreciate it, it is still superior to american products and shows. He got very pissed at this, but am I alone in this opinion? I mean yes, there have been some amazing well written well thought out visually spectactular animes in our time, only a few (cowboy bebop being one of them) but a majority of them are shite.

My arguement is that if an american cartoon or show came out that was half as stupid as some of the popular anime shows to where you'd have to watch a full season as if brain washing yourself into beliving it's good before you can actually appreciate it then these same people who love anime that has the same detriments (typically) wouldn't give it the time of day and it would suffer a short televised life span, so why, why good people of the world why? do people bend over backwards for crappy anime shows and defend them to the death forsaking any other shows of similar quality?

If someone can give me a good enough reason, I swear, I'll watch a crappy season of bleach in their honor.

ZenRgy · Mar 28, 2009, 08:09 AM // 08:09

Anime sux.
Daria is the greatest cartoon ever.

Sierraa · Mar 28, 2009, 08:16 AM // 08:16

I think a lot of the reason Anime is popular is because not all of it is for children. People generally think "cartoons" are meant for children and anime tends to be a little bit more... eh, open to say the least.

I used to be big into Anime, but found myself being compared to the squeeky fangirls who scream "kawwaaaiii desu!" all the time, which I hated. :P I'll stick to my Jdramas from now on, there's less crazy fanboys/girls.

Rhamia Darigaz · Mar 28, 2009, 08:39 AM // 08:39

because they're weaboo bitches obviously.

zelgadissan · Mar 28, 2009, 01:48 PM // 13:48

Meh. I watch Naruto Shippuuden and used to watch the Slayers (this new season is horrible), and I also used to watch Sailor Moon way back in the day. That's pretty much the extent of my anime watching. For the most part, I agree with the OP. However, don't forget that the vast majority of anime is basically someone taking the manga and putting it on TV, which is why it can take a while to develop. It's like why people go watch the movie of something after reading the book.

There are people like me who, while enjoying Naruto, don't go near to the extent of your average Narutard. I don't go to anime conventions, I don't dress up as anybody, I don't go around wishing I was Japanese. Anime to me is just a nice change of pace; I still watch South Park, the Simpsons, Venture Bros. etc. religiously, and anime helps give me something very different to follow.

Regardless of all that I've said,

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZenRgy

Daria is the greatest cartoon ever.

is very worthy of a quote and should be everybody's mantra.

pumpkin pie · Mar 28, 2009, 02:35 PM // 14:35

Because anime are "TV series/soap operas" before anime, american Cartoon are usually single episode cartoon like bugs bunny, road runners, aquaman, scooby doo, where theres a storyline involve people tend to wants to find out what happens, and they are not learning to like the program even if the drawings are crappy, they are drawn into the story. unlike mickey mouse, donald duck, you are not drawn into the story, tell me who wants to be donald duck? or elmer fudd or the koyote or even the roadrunner?

now lets takes something i know, sailormoon, who wants to be sailormoon? lots of kids and teenagers wants to live that fantasy even thou they look ugly with big eyes. Lots of adults have fantasy about them :P~ (not me :P i am just bore)

have you ever seen anyone cosplay as chip and dale? or heckle and jeckle? no. Now, what about Naruto?

This is also why now we have American cartoon like Jimmy Neutron, Kim Possible, and Avatar: The last air bender.

now look at all the popular American made cartoon like Flintstones, the Jetson. Thunder cats those are popular becasue they are like soap operas

now go watch bleach, whatever it is.

PS: i use roadrunners, heckle and jeckle, bugs bunny etc as example not because they are not good, those are very good cartoons, i choose them because they are very different from the typical jananese anime, they are lovable, but not to the extent some people would anime.

Besides "classic" like merry melodies, i don't think there are any newly created cartoon that don't have a story anymore. No one would create cartoon that will not potentially becomes a merchandise, or without a story. all these type are now "test drive" in between cartoons. if the characters are popular, they become series.

but thats just me thinking

Fril Estelin · Mar 28, 2009, 03:09 PM // 15:09

There are animes and animes. Despite the "fun factor" (every1 is entitled to its opinion and it's a matter of taste), you can't put a DBZ-naruto, a Studio Ghibli and a Ghost in the Shell in the exact same category. (I can even add some more categories, Gantz is quite in its own league; Paranoia Agent, Serial Experiment Lain and Elfen lied also have a very special/mature tone; and I only mention here very few animes!)

Yes some people are anime fanboys. I'd suggest to the OP that he may have the opposite prejudice, maybe in reaction to his local neighbourhood attitude. You can't talk about "animes" as one consistent group of artwork, it'd be like saying that all USA-ians movies are good or bad.

DreamRunner · Mar 28, 2009, 03:48 PM // 15:48

The OP is correct in saying that many Japanese animes are bad because simply they are, and fans tend to romanticize anime a lot more than it gives credit for. I was given a recommendation by a friend who told me about a good mature anime called Elfen Lied and that I should buy it. Let me tell you that It is absolutely bad and yet people like it some strange reason. I could tell you why Twilight is bad but it appeals to a certain demographic in western society and in such case like Twilight, it is 13 year old girls.

I don't care if people like certain anime like Elfen Lied but trying to say anime better than most cartoons or another genre coming from a Western audience is folly and stupid. Western society is a different audience and has different expectations towards what they are watching and want to watch generally. I think some fanbases try to push the idea that anime is better than most shows because they connect towards it more than they do in their home country. There could be a number of reasons why that is however the point that anime is better than X is like trying to play hard trance at some mental band concert and expecting some good reception from all of the metal fans.

On a side note : I found most anime fans to be pretty boring and are clones of each other.

Savio · Mar 28, 2009, 04:04 PM // 16:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Fierce

...but a majority of them are shite.

Majority of the shows from anywhere are shit. Anime just invokes a different kind of fanboyism. People do that because people are stupid.

Tyla · Mar 28, 2009, 04:16 PM // 16:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamRunner

I was given a recommendation by a friend who told me about a good mature anime called Elfen Lied and that I should buy it. Let me tell you that It is absolutely bad and yet people like it some strange reason.

It's a psychological and emotional thing mostly, I guess the whole "GOREGOREGORE NAKED CHICKS" bit killed it off partially.

I really don't care what people are into. As long as they don't shove it in my face repeatedly knowing I don't like it much. For example, if I didn't like Beastie Boys (I don't like them that much, but some of their songs are pretty awesome still) and Hip Hop/Reggae much, I'd just say I'm not into that shit - but if they keep coming at me with it I draw the line and tell them "shut up I'm not interested".

If it's concerning the art, voicing / dialogue and the overall effort and design scheme, then I guess it could be argued to some extent.

Fire away! :3

xKyo · Mar 28, 2009, 04:17 PM // 16:17

I don't dislike anime. I dislike the weaboos that it produces. In North America, the losers who act like a japanese teenager speaking the 3 words of japanese that they learned from anime and buying stupid hats.

Then, theres the modest anime fan who just watches it for the mere fact that they enjoy the storyline. Sadly I fall into none of these categories.

pumpkin pie · Mar 28, 2009, 05:02 PM // 17:02

lol, i actually try to make sense out of this when all this while it has its own hidden agenda.

lets just say no one can control another person's choice and taste. I am pretty sure there are Japanese asking the very same question, Why do you watch Disney cartoon when Anime is so much more better

Diddy bow · Mar 28, 2009, 05:33 PM // 17:33

Well its alot cheaper to make than a "real" drama but can include all the story line elements, character, voice acting and special effects it want's. Think of it as T.V with out imagination limits ^^

kazi_saki · Mar 28, 2009, 05:46 PM // 17:46

I've had a falling out with the newer animes now. The only ones I appreciated before were Rurouni Kenshin, Cowboy Beebop, Gundam W, and some others but the newer ones fall into generic, cliche, overused storylines, or all of the above at the same time. Especially the cliche with the "harems" and the like. Its kinda meh. Another thing is that they tend to put stupid fillers like too many flashbacks or weird, cute-sy shorts (which are funny sometimes). Iono. Its kinda meh now. Some are still pretty cool but the newer ones just don't seem like they have the magic anymore haha. Just my 2 cents compadres

Etta · Mar 28, 2009, 05:56 PM // 17:56

I like gundam show from the 80's, zeta gundam? i like robotech as well as ......voltron? guess im a nerd after all.

Winterclaw · Mar 28, 2009, 05:57 PM // 17:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Fierce

why good people of the world why? do people bend over backwards for crappy anime shows and defend them to the death forsaking any other shows of similar quality?

If someone can give me a good enough reason, I swear, I'll watch a crappy season of bleach in their honor.

Bleach is crappy, don't watch it. Never really seen dariah.

For me part of the draw to anime is the shows tend to have beginnings and ends (save for bleach, naruto, and pokemon). For most western shows, they just drag on indefinitely with little in the way of plot or storylines. Say what you want about the simpsons or family guy, I can't watch either anymore. Sitcoms are the same crap reused over and over. Law shows/detective shows are even worse.

zwei2stein · Mar 28, 2009, 06:01 PM // 18:01

Anime covers all genres. From kid stuff to porn. From soap operas to real drama.

You are guanranteed to find anime you will not enjoy, but it is because you do not like that genre/story, not because anime sucks. Then there is 80/20 crud rule: 80% of anything is worthless crud. Again, nothing anime specific.

Watch whatever you like, regardless whether it is anime or not; dont care what your friend says.

If he still nags, bring live-action TV shows to table and show him that it is as dumb to expect someone like every signle tv show as it is to expect someone to like all the anime. I.E. why should someone who likes to watch LOST be expected to love teletubies or star trek?

PS: most anime shows are not episodic and as such they have story arc that takes time to get going; unlike tv show which has to be gripping from start (to get pilot approved). As with anything, finding critic that watches throught it all, has your taste and gives thumbs up/down helps; Making yourself watch tons of shite in case you might like it does not.

Tyla · Mar 28, 2009, 06:12 PM // 18:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winterclaw

For me part of the draw to anime is the shows tend to have beginnings and ends (save for bleach, naruto, and pokemon).

Bount Arc anyone?

ajc2123 · Mar 28, 2009, 07:03 PM // 19:03

I watch anime because their fun for me. I like that kind of thing. The only american cartoons I absolutly liked was the old loony toons, and angry beavers...Thats it.

Oh yeah, Also, i like them because most of them are 24-12 episodes long and the stories over. Long ones are hard to keep my attention. Only one piece has done so.

Kanyatta · Mar 28, 2009, 07:10 PM // 19:10

I tried watching Dragonball Z and some other anime shows on Cartoon Network when I was younger, and just could never get into them the same way my friends could, so now, when I see people up in arms over Bleach, Naruto, etc. I just decided to skip it. I've never really given it a chance, but I don't think it would make much difference if I did. I really only watch sports and movies anyway.

Also, the greatest cartoon ever is a competition between Rugrats and Doug.