Bad Fandom: Annoyed By Anime Fetishists

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1. Wow Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 03:44

   You do realize the wachowskis love anime... and that the animatrix is an anime, right?
   
   That's all. Won't waste my time convincing an idiot like yourself why anime is far superior to American cartoons.

1. Whoa Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 03:49

   Wow, as an anime fan, you should at least know what the term refers to.
   
   "Anime" is a term used by westerners refering to material originating Japan.
   
   Last I checked, the Wachowskis were not Japanese. The Animatrix may have been influenced by that style, it may even have been drawn by Japanese animators (I have no idea), but it was created by Americans for American audiences. It is not anime, since it did not originate in Japan.
   
   Unless you plan on diluting the term "anime" until it has no meaning. If you're going to just apply it to where the animation was drawn, then almost every Disney film ever made is anime, since a lot of it was drawn overseas.

1. Calibretto Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 14:29

   I'm sorry but you're wrong. The Animatrix was created by Japanese creators for American audiences. The stories were commissioned by the Wachowski's, who had very little control past the basic outline. They wanted to celebrate what they enjoyed in their universe.
   
   There are some amazing finds in anime, and yes I am a 20 something with a shelf full of DVD's and a few OST's on my Zune. The Ghost in the Shell series is amazing. I would say better than most American produced shows.
   
   I tend to stay to anime because unlike most of the stuff produced in Hollywood these days is derivative trash aimed at the lowest common denominator. Please tell me you aren't saying that anime is a lower form of entertainment than Reality TV?
   
   I grew up on Looney Tunes. Love it. Can't get enough of em. Well up until they decided they weren't kosher and had to go hacking them up.
   
   So maybe if Hollywood would stop being so timid and push the envelope I wouldn''t be so apt to pick up another anime DVD instead of the latest torture porn, stupidly repetitive action movie, or cookie cutter rom com's.

1. pedro Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 14:47

   like you, i don't "get" most anime. but that doesn't mean it's all bad. dbz was da bomb when i was 11. rourounin kenshin kicks butt. street fighter owns. akira is a masterpiece. and 3X3 eyes and ninja scroll are pretty good too.
   
   but you're right. most anime today is destined to sell trading cards, games or toys to little kids.
   
   and hentai? pff... i'll stick with brazzers.com any day!

1. nanjiro Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 14:48

   man, you are pathetic
   maybe your iq is not high enough to understand the moral values and greatness of some anime like dragonball/z , saint seiya
   
   anyway its not your fault that you were born that way
   

1. ZOMG Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 15:01

   Awesome strawman argument. You attack a specific kind of fan, who's like the corner of a niche corner, then use it as proof on the rest. Your point is a disservice to the anime fans who are so 'normal' that they're invisible on your radar.
   
   But of course, they don't make good rant fodder.
   
   Don't bring up "Oh, I'm just talking specifically about the lame otaku." Your condemnation of Japan (in your words, "a culture which gave the world schoolgirl panty vending machines") is telling.

1. Keith Shepard Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 15:01

   Ah yes...another shameless hit piece on Anime to drive in web traffic and tweak the Narutards. Lovely. All the typical banality as well as the narrow minded bromides ta boot. You should be proud of yourself Mr. Wood.
   
   *yawn*
   
   Well Woody, I'm certainly not going to be the one to point out just how influential Anime has become worldwide and how visually, Anime has influenced live action cinema from the 1980's on up or how Anime and Manga have become a multi-Billion dollar industry or how the Anime industry has employed hundreds of thousands of people giving them a livelihood and allowing them to feed their families.
   
   No, I'm not going to point out all that's good about Anime. I'm not going to point out the countless musicians and film makers that credit Anime and Manga for expanding their styles and minds. No, I'm not.
   
   Instead Woody, I'll let you wallow in your Xenophobic world of stereotypical hate. What's next Woody? A rip on Homosexuality? Why not tear into Yaoi? Why not continue to spread your ignorance Woody, into other aspects of Asian culture that you know even less about.
   
   Of course, I'm just being "defensive". It's nice that you write your article with that passive aggressive cover for yourself. Noooo...nobody can take you to task for your ignorance. We're just being...defensive.
   
   Grow up kid.

1. Anonymous Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 15:03

   Don't bother berating this guy, folks. This is just another hack "journalist" giving his absolutely iron-clad and totally valid assessment of a fandom based on a minor cross-section of the medium. He'll never admit to being utterly biased, or God forbid even wrong. He'll never consider examples of shows and movies that clearly defy his ever-so-cute classifications. He just doesn't care, period. Odds are he's just looking for page views to justify his editorial spot on this site and wanted to rile up anime fans to get them.
   
   Protip to Mr. Wood: If you're going to troll a fanbase, do better than a tirade that looks like it belongs on 4chan and not on an entertainment website.
   
   Remember folks, don't feed the troll.

1. Stuart Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 15:14

   Funny. I coulda sworn my tirade was against whiny self obsessed anime fanboys who put japanese cartoons on a ridiculous pedastal.
   
   And not a rant against anime itself.
   
   But I've been well and truly put in my place by the smart, level-headed and intelligent responses here and none of my points have been proved worth merit.
   
   As if. All I see is the whiny self-obsessed fanboys I was talking about.
   
   What is really telling is the usual schtick of; "I could give you examples of why what I'm so ridiculously obsessed about is so great and influential and world changing... But I'm not going to!!!"
   
   At worst its juvenile toys out the crib behaviour. At best it's a lame-duck admission that there actually isn't any substansive examples of what you claim after all.
   
   Sean Connery said, "Don't bring a knife to a gun fight."
   
   Don't try and defend your obsession without being able to bring a decent arguement with you to back it up. Otherwise your so-called defense is impotent and redundant.
   
   Anime is for the japanese, let them enjoy it. If one floats over the pond that works great. Otherwise stop trying to convince yourself it or you are things you aren't.
   
   
   
   Oh. And Keith, only good friends get to call me "Woody" and you and your juvenile patronisation certainly ruled that one out and showed what kind of a person you are straight off the mark. Unlike you I don't need to condecend as a smokescreen for my lack of a convincing arguement
   

1. Matt Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 15:24

   Keith, are you seriously equating being tired of listening to anime fanboys with condemning gay people?
   
   Nice.
   
   What's next? Comparing the plight of the average Pokemon fan to that of Rosa Parks?
   

1. James Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 15:48

   Anime is good on some levels, the main is that it is much better right now, then the countless amount of sitcoms that keep coming out in america. It plays on the same format is shows in England, and telling a story in 1-2 seasons rather then stretching it to 10 seasons or so just for money, with the same storylines we have seen hundreds of times before. I'm 19, and a film student, and know what good quality storytelling is. As for anime, yes, some are for kids, and many more are adult. Death Note is a great example, and has an interesting storyline that is complex, and is mainly a detective story, even though you know who the killer is. I enjoy anime, but I do not go to the conventions, I do not dress up, I do not quote and boast about it, so stop the sterotype of all people who watch anime are like that, because I would be then.

1. Art Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 16:04

   Mr. Wood knows what he likes and dislikes, let him come to like anime on his own or continue disliking it. It may not be his cup of tea and everyone here is entitled to their own opinion. Just because it is your opinion does not make it right or better than anyone elses.

1. Matt Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 16:45

   James - that is the difference between a fan and a fanboy. No shame in being a fan. It's similar to liking Star Trek vs showing up at conventions or jury trials in a starfleet uniform.
   
   Fanboys of any kind are the most annoying things on the planet.

1. Martin Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 16:46

   Ah, so you're merely bashing the twisted 'tentacle porn' fans and not the medium itself...shame it doesn't make your xenophobic rant anywhere near the standard of worthwhile journalism though. I'm actually surprised that this got past your editor in the first place, quite frankly...unless this is an April fools joke a week late...?
   
   I think you'll find that quite a lot of fans of serious 'cinematic' anime viewers (including the Wachowski brothers, incidentally) see those who enjoy stuff like Legend of the Overfiend to be the sad individuals they are, and are quite embarrassed by that stereotype - the same stereotype the likes of yourself predictably latch onto every time.
   
   Unfortunately, I doubt you've actually heard of the likes of Mamoru Oshii, Satoshi Kon or Makoto Shinkai - that would require background research; something this article clearly lacks. Here's a revelation for you: not all fans of Japanese animation belong to that 'fetishist' subcategory but I'm sure you're too busy watching your site hits rise to care about offending serious movie fans such as those.

1. Maxon Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 17:17

   There's no need to defend anime and it because your arguments are so full of holes and contradictions.
   
   "No matter how anime fans want to paint it, stuff like Dragonball Z is nothing more than a glorified cartoon about trading cards...Give these poor kids some more He-Man and a little less Fruit Basket, please." I may be taking that out of context, but that's a really bizarre point since He-Man was specifically made by Hasbro to sell toys and action figures.
   
   I also find it rather offensive that you would go as far as to call me a Neo-Goth and are willing to judge my collection (That's right. I have an anime DVD collection.) without having seen it. Paranoia Agent, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Saikano, Cowboy Bebop, Full Metal Panic, Chobits, Trigun, Berserk (to name a few) are all in my collection and don't seem to fit into your narrow-minded view of what anime is. Believe it or not, I think about what I watch and base my opinions on real qualities.
   
   I won't deny that every anime fan is free from perversion, but you make it sound like perversion is limited to anime. Also, I don't know what country you're from, but you have a blatant disregard for social and cultural differences. I'm willing to bet your country has some stuff that seems pretty messed up in the eyes of a Japanese person.
   
   Really, it seems like you "don't" want to see the good in some anime fans rather than "can't" see it.

1. harkins Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 18:52

   Stuart says:
   
   Sean Connery said, "Don't bring a knife to a gun fight."
   
   I say: I'm Annoyed by Film Fanatics that quote lines from movies.
   
   And that's because, when they "get out of the house and meet some real, normal people..." they leave those real, normal people with the impression that they were the kind of person who spends too much time sitting in a darkened room memorizing lines from movies.

1. Kristi Britt Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 18:52

   Ummm.....There's no reason saying all the things you got wrong in your little rant because as I can see from the many comments, you've already been dissed enough. So yeah, coming from someone who enjoys anime as well as pretty much any animation ever made, it doesn't matter what you or any other stereotypical person thinks about anime. If we like it and its something we enjoy, lay off. I mean, I'm not obsessed over anime or anything but it is something I enjoy. If I enjoy it, why shouldn't I be allowed to enjoy it?
   
   Anyway, I was just going to say that you have an opinion and that's cool that you do, but its wrong to stoop to a level of dissing others. Have a nice day! :D

1. shazad Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 18:52

   So i guess poeple like John Lasseter and Steven Spielberg are complete idiots to praise Miyazaki lifes work.
   
   Just a small quote from AskMen.com
   
   Spurred on by his accomplishments on the small screen, Hayao decided that the time was right to make his feature-length debut. The Castle of Cagliostro was released in 1979, and eventually made its way to North America in a dubbed and edited version. Steven Spielberg reportedly called the film “one of the greatest adventure movies of all time.”

1. shazad Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 18:53

   So i guess poeple like John Lasseter and Steven Spielberg are complete idiots to praise Miyazaki life's work.
   
   Just a small quote from AskMen.com
   
   Spurred on by his accomplishments on the small screen, Hayao decided that the time was right to make his feature-length debut. The Castle of Cagliostro was released in 1979, and eventually made its way to North America in a dubbed and edited version. Steven Spielberg reportedly called the film “one of the greatest adventure movies of all time.”

1. JT Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 18:56

   Shazad, when Steven Spielberg starts showing up at conventions and obsessing over tentacle porn, then get back to me.
   
   It's the obsession that's a problem, not the generalized liking of one or two movies.

1. Stuart Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 19:07

   One wonders if I'd written a pro-Anime piece in which I declared the Animatrix a good example, how many of these self-styled fanboys would still be calling me out because Animatrix suddenly *isn't* real anime.
   
   None of course because the arguement doesn't call for it here so we'll pretend it's anime to defend ourselves.
   
   It seems the definition of what is true anime and what is just animation produced by americans who hired japanese animators with american money can flux depending on the needs of the arguement.
   
   And my lights are on and my girlfriend enjoys watching the entertaining movies I remember those lines from too. I hope your girlfriend enjoys the endless badly-acted dubbing or handily unquotable subtitles.
   
   Oh that's right. There's no such thing as an anime pop-culture reference. Who needs pop culture references after all, in a niche that doesn't require social skills or is irrelevant in normal social circles.
   
   Most people will get the Sean Connery reference. I doubt many people would get a line quoted from Akira.

1. Hinkle Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 23:09

   BULL shit and you know it yah cock eyed Dumb Ass. The Animatrix has in fact a "Japanese animation AKA ANIME" which has been so call for over 20 year. I was done in the style and writing of Japanese animators on in particular also worked on Ninja scroll, and fantastic work the animation is almost life like and you ever think of why people enjoy Japanese animation so much it because it’s so realistic the only way to come any closer to real life in just that that fans injoy the artwork involved you give me one good piece of American animation that can even come close to the artistic value of most quality Japanese animations and I can prove you wrong.
   
   Many American greats EVEN G.I. Joe was a Japanese animation inspired cartoon tell me does that fall into what you think of anime, How about transformers. Many great film makers are inspired by Japanese animation tying that style into their movie. All of them fans of “anime” do the fit into your classification of Fan Boys don’t think so. And to call any of these people arrogant is in its self arrogant. Saying there leaving whole in the objections I ask sir tell me one whole in any of the previous arguments. Just because your mind does not comprehend all of what was stated does not mean it not all there, there are many valid oppositions to you first initial argument.
   

1. Sailor Enlil Says:
   April 9th, 2008 at 00:36

   Somehow I could almost get "Jack Thompson" vibes from this post, since it almost feels he's condemning anime fans much the same way the said lawyer condemns gamers.
   
   I wonder how Stuart would take to seeing grown up gamers of Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune or Initial D (both games based on anime and manga series of the same titles). Where I come from (somewhere in South East Asia; not Japan) such gamers hardly fit the fanboy descriptions put down here (eg many Wangan Midnight gamers are family people, as in married with children, with decent jobs and decent lives - I personally know a father who plays WMMT with his two children, which includes his teenage daughter). Mostly likely Stuart might condemn them for being overly obssessed with animated cars.
   
   Anyways, as for my take, the titles mentioned in this post aren't my cup of tea despite myself being an anime fan (I gave up action-based TV shows a long time ago) - my taste is more towards slower paced, dramatic, slice-of-life, almost soap-opera esque romance series like Rumbling Hearts, True Tears, and 5 Centimeters per Second. And just to let everyone know, I like anime not mainly because of the the flash and flair it makes (eg colors, explosions, artwork, etc), but because of the excellent stories they tell, and IMHO, the Japanese are very good story tellers, almost trouncing what Hollywood spews out these days (check out 5 Centimeters Per Second if you have the time Stuart; you'll be surprised).
   

1. Keith Shepard Says:
   April 9th, 2008 at 00:36

   Face it Mr. Wood, you're just a Xenophobic hack spreading hatred toward a bunch of kids and adults not harming anyone with their interest in a niche genre of the visual arts. You accuse me of being condescending when your entire original post was a hatred fueled ad hominem attack on a sub-culture that harms NOBODY.
   
   Your "article" is a hit piece, pure and simple. It's unnecessary.
   
   Apologies for the calling you Woody. I thought we were friends. You owe me 10 bucks.

1. Stuart Says:
   April 9th, 2008 at 03:40

   I'm a white guy calling out white people with abnormal interests. What a xenophobic dick I am.
   
   Just like every other minority group, fanboys seem to find it easy to miss the point in order to find themselves a reason to be offended. I guess it's cathartic as it's one of the few times someone might be interested in something they have to say, I guess.
   
   "You said bad things about something I have an unhealthy interest in. I feel bad because you make me realise how unhealthy it is. Easiest option - call you a racist. He's talking about how fucked up japanese people are after all really. Isn't he. He must be."
   
   I never said watching anime made you a freak. However almost exclusively watching it and listening to anime soundtracks does. These end up being the same self-imposed social outcasts who blame everyone else for their plighyt when they pick up a handgun and walk in to their school.
   
   Normal people can stand something they like and others don't getting knocked. I like plenty of movies other people consider complete shite but I don't need to go in to a ridiculously defensive whine about the fact that they hate it.
   
   Fanboys are bad as people of religion who claim their faith is strong but at the first sign of someone validly questioning their beliefs, they throw a hysterical strop. If your faith or interest is strong you shouldn't need to lash out. Lashing out normally means you don't like what you're hearing because you hear some truth in it which makes you uncomfortable.
   
   Jesus said turn the other cheek. I guess Miyakazi didn't.

1. TripleZ Sephiroth Says:
   April 9th, 2008 at 14:17

   If 'real' people I meet are all like you, then I'd rather not get out of my house.
   
   To begin, try to get your facts straight, Dragon Ball is not based off a trading game, if you had said Yu-Gi-Oh, I would have had no objection at all.
   
   Second, I don't know what kind of stores you visit, that has only tentacles/demon rape fantasies, but it does seem that you chose the wrong one, the why perhaps is something related to your personality.
   
   You want to say something about how all anime seem to be perverted? Oh, I think it's just your ignorance. After all, you'd have to be more educated to know that Anime exists as Shounen, Shoujo, Seinen, and so on.
   
   I will not deny that Japan has one of the highest suicide rates(I did not say teen-suicide like you did), but it seems that you want to blame it all on anime. I don't think that a millenium old culture of suicide, common among the samurai who have lost honor is to be blamed on anime.
   
   Trying to go up against Miyazaki...I don't mind. But it really seems that you lack an artistic sense as well. If you think that western movie is all good, should I mention that Matrix is partly based off Shirow Masamune's Ghost in the Shell?(or so I read somewhere, I don't have the link though). But certainly, you are the kind to glorify Matrix instead of japanese Ghost in the Shell.
   
   
   As for your obsession with He-Man....either you are gay and need to come out of the closet, or perhaps, you didn't think that Hokuto no Ken was manly enough to be better than He-Man. Or perhaps, you just didn't know.
   
   
   And to close it all, if you find it interesting to mention the stupidity of these anime bloggers, I should perhaps find it more interesting to point out all your mistakes, which I just did.
   
   

1. Ramadahl Says:
   April 9th, 2008 at 14:17

   "He's talking about how fucked up japanese people are after all really. Isn't he. He must be."
   
   Uh, in your very own words: -
   
   "It’s a style of animation made by a culture which gave the world schoolgirl panty vending machines for crying out loud, the normal rules of quality, standards and ethics do not apply."
   
   You ARE talking about how fucked up the Japanese are, even if only as a passing shot.

1. yuetheguardian Says:
   April 9th, 2008 at 14:17

   While I hate to give you a hard time, I really would like to point out that your way off on alot of things. Dragon Ball was a manga first (also having nothing to do with "trading cards" i think you are thinking of yu-gi-oh) so it was not made with the intention of selling anything but manga. I will go onto to say that being an anime fan is alot like being a foreign film fan its just a matter of tastes. Some anime fans can be angry and militant. However I disagree with your catagorizing fanboys as a general term. I mean I love anime and I think I'll watch it as long as I can. i declare myself an otaku and plan on going to cons. We understand the world views us weird and I guess thats the norm, but at least we are passionate about what we love as you seem passionate with your love of film. Also I don't like you bringing up Miyazaki as if hes an anime fans jesus, cause I do find that abit in poor taste.

1. Bixarre Says:
   April 9th, 2008 at 14:17

   You do realize that in your little banner up there that reads "Bad Fandom" the kid isn't even cosplaying an ANIME character? That is most definitely a video game character.
   
   I think that you probably have someone in your life that fancies themself an otaku and you probably just listen to the bull the ramble about and you finally got fed up and wrote this article.

1. Valerie Says:
   April 9th, 2008 at 14:18

   Let me point out one fact. Japan has the highest suicide rate because of what they do to the children/teens there. Everything is a constant struggle and competition. It's either pass or fail, they take straight core curricular classes and have no elective classes. This is not coming from an anime fan. This is coming from my teacher Mr. Bishop. Who has spent many years studding how the adolescent brain works and develops.
   And as for the whole "grown up" thing. America is one of the most censored countries.
   "Worrisome teenage schoolgirl obsession, tentacle/demon rape fantasy, and twee trading card spin-offs."
   You don't pay much attention do you? Anime's are rarely trading card spin-offs. And the ones that are, the anime came first. The tentacle one, I'm not even going to ask why you are even looking at that. And the worrisome teenage schoolgirl obsession...well, you can't always get away from the fan service. But not every anime is like that, animes like that, numbers are decreasing.
   But hey, you like what you like. But don't dis on what other people like. You're just being a bully.

1. Stephen Says:
   April 9th, 2008 at 14:19

   "I never said watching anime made you a freak. However almost exclusively watching it and listening to anime soundtracks does. These end up being the same self-imposed social outcasts who blame everyone else for their plighyt when they pick up a handgun and walk in to their school."
   
   Heh! Or, perhaps, these people had serious mental issues that were never properly addressed or dealt with. But it's easier to blame the anime/music/games/whatever than for society to take responsibilty.
   
   The more vocal anime fanboys/girls are intensely annoying, sure, and poking fun at those people is absolutely fine. But implying that they're social misfits ready to explode is not really on.
   
   The crux of the issue is that people fear those who are different, those they don't understand, and it's really quite sad. Watches a lot of anime? Potential timebomb with homicidal tendencies. Spends a lot of time alone? Serial killer, no question.

1. Simon Essel Says:
   April 9th, 2008 at 14:19

   And here I thought I was going to stumble onto a farcical yet informed article.
   
   What was the point of this? It clearly wasn't meant to foster debate. It was purely inflammatory. Entirely reactionary. Reactionary to what? Bad break up? Not enough hits on the site? comments?
   
   You implied Anime (Japanese Animation, whatever) is the cause of Japan's teen suicide, which is entirely unproven and somewhat demeaning.
   
   "get out of the house and meet some real, normal people". Stereotypes? Dude, you write for a website...
   
   Isn't He-Man based on the series of homoerotic Mattel toys?
   
   I know I'd prefer to live in a society that sold panties in vending machines than our gun culture (check out our homicide rates and how well we are doing).
   
   And your mom says Toy Story and Ratatouille are for immature, childish losers. Tell your mom she was worth every penny. Now thats inflammatory.
   

1. Matt Says:
   April 9th, 2008 at 15:15

   Oh, and quit bringing up the Matrix as an example of anime influence. It was a crappy movie with a rather predictable plot for anyone who has ever read more than a few Gibson novels.
   
   Of course, it did have Carrie Ann Moss - made it watchable.

1. Matt Says:
   April 9th, 2008 at 15:16

   "You do realize that in your little banner up there that reads "Bad Fandom" the kid isn't even cosplaying an ANIME character? That is most definitely a video game character."
   
   See point A. Seriously. Can 99.99% of the human race tell the difference? The better question is would they want to?
   
   Dressing up as video game/movie/tv show character is freaking annoying. I don't care if you call it cosplay, it's just as annoying as Star Trek, Star Wars, Tolkein, or Firefly outfits being worn.
   
   Just look at the freaking title - he's "Annoyed By Anime Fetishists". Thats not the average anime watcher, it's the people who live and breathe the stuff and try to inflict it on the rest of us.
   
   When he writes Bad Fandom: Baffled by Browncoats or Bad Fandom: Ticked at Trekkies ya'll had best be here screaming the same things at Stuart or you are just proving you take yourselves FAR too seriously.
   
   He needs the abuse anyway.

1. Stuart Says:
   April 9th, 2008 at 16:07

   Watching He-Man as a child makes you gay? Mentioning it once in a 1000 word editoral makes you "obsessed"?
   
   Bad news for many women in their late 20s out there, I guess, most of them are dating queers apparently.
   
   This entire thing has been worth it just to have ridiculous comments like that brought out.
   
   Seriously, I nearly fell off my chair laughing. Thank you.

1. arthur Says:
   April 10th, 2008 at 15:28

   You dont have to lie to look tough Stuart.

1. DrmChsr0 Says:
   April 11th, 2008 at 15:13

   Is this satire?
   
   I swear my sarcasm meter broke when I read this.

1. Roteshaar Says:
   April 11th, 2008 at 20:31

   Sounds like a closet anime fan.

1. Bob Says:
   April 11th, 2008 at 20:31

   The appeal to me for animation is the fact that it's a medium that is capable of showing anything, so by it's nature it has the potential to stretch the boundries of visual storytelling more than live action. You're right that most anime is aimed toward kids, and that there is a good amount of hentei out there, but it's the acceptions to the rule that make anime worth watching.
   
   Whether or not you've seen it, there's as much variety of subject matter in anime as in US live action. There are shows that touch on adult themes without glorifying sex and violence, and there are shows that are just so creatively executed that -- regardless of their theme -- they are incredibly entertaining. Examples:
   
   5 Centimeters Per Second
   Barefoot Gen
   Death Note
   Gankutsuou - The Count of Monte Cristo
   Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
   Kurau Phantom Memory
   Monster
   Planetes
   Tekkon Kinkreet
   The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
   Yugo the Negotiator
   Zipang
   
   So I'm not sure what's got you so riled up about anime fans -- or maybe you just get a kick out of posting angry rants in general -- but regardless of the fans, the medium itself still has plenty that is worthwhile to offer.

1. Vina Says:
   April 11th, 2008 at 21:17

   Ah, Dragonball Z. This, Pokemon, and YuGiOh are truly the anime hater's’s last bastion of defense.
   
   Of course 90% of anime of crap. 90% of everything is crap. But that 10% consistently knocks my socks off. I'll take Porco Rosso over Cars and Monster's Inc any day.

1. Just Some Guy Says:
   April 12th, 2008 at 15:14

   "Funny. I coulda sworn my tirade was against whiny self obsessed anime fanboys who put japanese cartoons on a ridiculous pedastal.
   
   And not a rant against anime itself."
   
   Seriously? Are you sure? Go back and read your article. If you had focused solely on the truly rabid and obsessed section of hardcore otaku, that would be one thing; cosplayers, doujinshi freaks, the people who at any given moment have more Japanese coming from their TVs/monitors/iPods than English--these folks would admittedly be an easy target. But out of six paragraphs you spend three going after anime (and Japan) directly, and that's where you lose the plot.
   
   Now I understand if you're not a fan of anime. That's your gig and you're welcome to play it. When, however, you say that “most of the anime I see on shelves in the west, certainly where I live, seems to fall into several bizarre, pathetic categories,” you’re either not paying attention or being willfully ignorant. Titles like Planetes, Azumanga Daioh, Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbor Totoro, Tokyo Godfathers, Patlabor, Maison Ikkoku, Urusei Yatsura, Wings of Honneamise, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and dozens of others are also sitting on shelves right now, none of which could be shoehorned into what your narrow definition of anime appears to be. Nice work though, calling it out as being comprised of cartoons designed to sell cards and toys only to name-drop He-Man in the same breath. Mattel thanks you.
   
   What about influence? You already talked about running out to buy The Animatrix. Would it even exist if the W's weren't anime fans? (What's their next movie, by the way? Speed Racer.) Batman: Gotham Knight comes to DVD in July, which is for all intents and purposes "Batmanimatrix." Spielberg and Pixar's John Lasseter have made their admiration of Miyazaki public. Hell, Lasseter is on nearly every one of the Ghibli DVD's Disney has released in the last few years, not to mention the fact he's one of the main reasons you were able to see Spirited Away or have heard of that pig in the biplane in the first place. Stanley Kubrick wanted Osamu Tezuka to be the production designer on 2001 after seeing Astro Boy. Bruce Willis has manga lying on the floor of his apartment in The Fifth Element. Madonna used Perfect Blue in the stage show for her Drowned World tour. Cartman turned into Tetsuo on South Park. There are plenty of other examples that could be found in minutes, yet you can somehow say with a straight face that there's “no such thing as an anime pop-culture reference?"
   
   I think this is my favorite bit though: "This Miyazaki character is just being used as a smoke-screen by social outcasts, to cover for their real reason for liking anime: they share the same bizarre twisted perversions that many Japanese do; only it’s not socially acceptable over here, so better to hide behind a few pretensions of so-called respectability." I would love to know how in a world where Goatse, Tubgirl, 'sleep assault' sites, and Penthouse and Hustler layouts with women pissing in wine goblets are a click away, that Japan's perversions are any more strange than anyone else's. You say they’re “a culture which gave the world schoolgirl panty vending machines?” Okay. Brazil gave us 2 Girls 1 Cup. Who’s worse? Bukkake seems pretty quaint by comparison.
   
   And even then, if someone did happen to be into the same stuff as those evil, vile Japanese, why would they need to pretend to like anime? Why wouldn't they just download some Sora Aoi flicks and go to town? Why bother with Japan at all? You telling me I can't find some porn where an American chick gets blasted in the face by five guys, or an English girl dresses up in a schoolgirl/nurse outfit? Remember the first Evil Dead film? Three words: Tree root rape. Have I covered all your bullet points yet?
   
   So to sum up, next time you want to talk about "bad fandom," stick to the dudes who really do jerk it to AMV Hell 0 like it was Tera Patrick’s greatest hits. Stick to the assholes that scream at you when you pronounce it “anna-may” instead of “ahh-nee-may.” Stick to the girls rocking their Menchi skullcaps while drooling over Gackt singles and the 35 year old guys still dressing up like Sailor Scouts at cons. But don't bring anime or the vast majority of its perfectly normal fans down with you. Thanks.
   
   
   (PS: Urotsukidoji? Really? Who's even seen that in the last fifteen years? That shit *is* quaint.)
   

1. Chris Says:
   April 12th, 2008 at 15:16

   I don't watch anime very often at all, and I too am creeped out by a lot of the fans and saddened by their narrow taste and worldview, but I think this rant is a complete joke. For starters, it DOES have an underlying racist overtone. Secondly, anime does exist with artistic integrity. If you need an example, look at the show Haibane Renmei. Thirdly, your not liking Miyazaki doesn't automatically mean it's crap. I saw much more than an 'oriental take on western fairytales'. I saw a deeply moving work of art. Funny that you should then mention Pixar, considering how many of their top artists and directors share the same opinion as me.

1. Kent Says:
   April 13th, 2008 at 03:11

   "...as an adult I’ve gleefully rushed out to buy Toy Story, Ratatouille and The Animatrix...But then there’s anime."
   Wait, what?
   
   "...stuff like Dragonball Z is nothing more than a glorified cartoon about trading cards."
   Oh, my god, this article is AWESOME!
   
   "Give these poor kids some more He-Man and a little less Fruit Basket, please. "
   I would have had trouble naming of a cartoon fruitier than Fruit Basket. You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?
   http://www.cracked.com/article_15261_p3.html
   
   "get out of the house and meet some real, normal people with hair and eyes in proper proportion to their heads."
   I can't. The rat in my hat says it's a bad move and there are walking, talking toys out there. If I could, you can be sure I would gleefully run out to buy kiddie DVDs, unlike those creepy anime fansboys. Those ignorant bastards they're so much better than everybody else just because they're in another fandom...

1. Barry Says:
   April 13th, 2008 at 14:21

   Well, that was an incredibly bitter, frothing and vindictive little tirade.
   
   Mr Wood, I'm no great lover of anime, and as such I'd be the first to agree with you that the "anime fetishist" subgroup of society can indeed be a major irritant, with their elitist attitudes and overbearing opinions; however, what could have been an amusing dissection of fanboy foibles very quickly degenerated into an all-out attack not only said geeks, but on regular, respectable anime enthusiasts, on the diverse medium itself in its entirety, and indeed on the nation of Japan, its culture and people as a whole. Irreverence and iconoclasm are one thing; judgmentalism, closed-mindedness and xenophobia are quite another, and the abundance of such traits in an article that ostensibly aimed to attack only the "whiny self obsessed anime fanboys who put japanese cartoons on a ridiculous pedastal" reflects extremely badly on yourself not only as a writer, but as a person.
   
   Furthermore, I fail to understand the logic behind your belief that the defensive attitude taken by anime fans towards your allegations are tantamount to an admission of guilt; people often do deny accusations that they secretly know are true, but equally they'll also deny ones that are offensively false. If I were to publish an article in your newspaper naming your mother as a child-murderer, you'd be fairly defensive as well, wouldn't you?

1. Andrew Says:
   April 13th, 2008 at 14:21

   Anime is a hobby like any other. I don't think this article you've wrote is gonna make much of an impact, much less make people stop watching anime.
   
   If you enjoy something, do it! Anime is a good method of escapism, and theres nothing wrong with that. I could list why I think your wrong and why anime is a great artform, but I don't need to.
   
   I enjoy watching anime. Thats enough for me.

1. Jackie Bauman Says:
   April 14th, 2008 at 02:27

   I watch Japanese animation from time to time, and you are correct. Don't listen to the rest of these rabid idiots spamming your post. They need to face the facts that most Japanese animation is, without a doubt, garbage.
   
   If I were to say one thing in debate, it would be what you wrote about Miyazki. He is very comparable to Walt Disney. This, however, is a matter of taste.
   
   As for the rest of Japanese animation, I'd say about 5% of it is actually worth anyone's time. Even then, is it worth worshiping? No. Because someone enjoys a few cartoons from a specific country, should that person go and proclaim themselves some kind of lover of that country? No. Japan is not the greatest thing in the world. Not only do their cartoons suck, but so does the majority of their television.
   
   And I'm NOT being racist, that is a fact.
   
   Hm. I guess overall I'm not really getting to the point of my comment. Which would be, it's all a matter of taste. People will like Japanese animation, people will like American animation, people will French animation. Some people just like and respect animation from all over the world.

1. Sketch Says:
   April 14th, 2008 at 04:58

   Well, Dragonball Z isn't about card games. That would be Yu-Gi-Oh! or perhaps Duel Monsters or even Bakugan. Dragonball Z has actually fighting in it. But it has it's problems for certain. It's amusing but only to an extent.
   
   I have enjoyed watching Japanese cartoons for years now. I go to conventions and I even joined a voice acting group which practicies dubbing anime for English speaking audiences. I read Japanese comics as well but not very often. Likewise I read American comics and watch American cartoons. While there is a difference, there is no reason to segregate Japanese and American animation or animation from any region. Great cartoons come from all around the world just as great ideas do. To me it does not matter where a cartoon originated from, all that matters is if its entertaining.
   
   No show is good or bad just because of where it comes from.
   
   The short-sighted views of the article writer are laughable. Not even most of the people that watch Japanese cartoons are pervs. I wont deny that there are plenty of pervs that do but lumping all Japanese animation fans together is wrong. As with all forms of media there are casual fans, middle ground fans and hardcore fans... and some that border on obsession but its no worse than a hardcore Trekkie.
   
   Well, if you'll excuse me I'm going to watch an episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles followed by some One Piece. Because that's how I roll.

1. Christopher Creed Says:
   April 14th, 2008 at 15:04

   The reason Japanese animation is so questionable is because it's a dying industry. In America, in Japanese, everywhere - it's slowly fading away. To counter this, Japanese companies latch onto the fan-called "moe" genre, which involves underage pre-pubescent girls in cute and sexually suggutive scenes and plotlines because that's what the otaku (the social-outcasts the article mentions) buy. Japanese animation companies more or less have to appeal to these nerds because they're the ones that spend the most money (second to the Pokemon/Yu-Gi-Oh playing kid, of course)
   
   So what we get is a bunch of shows about little girls in short skirts doing random stuff. But hey, that's pretty much what you have to expect from Japanese animation these days. That, or another shounen show trying to cash in on Pokemon/Dragonball fame. Not to mention most shows won't even be made unless it's based on an already established comic, or book, or game. The Japanese animation industry is horrible, it used to not be, but a few decades ago they started catering to the otaku, and now they've dug themselves into a hole and can't get out of it, just keeping digging and appealing to the lowest common denominator - pedophiles and kids (what an interesting combination)

1. Volante Says:
   April 14th, 2008 at 16:01

   Christopher Creed:
   
   You are my new hero.

1. Herbkir Says:
   April 15th, 2008 at 23:38

   Mr. Wood,
   
   Sturgeon's Law states that 90 percent of everything is crap (including this statement). He was writing about science fiction but it can apply to anime (and everything else) as well.
   
   I like anime. I have gone to anime cons. But I don't like all anime, nor do I think all cons are great. But when anime is good, it is some of the best entertainment on this planet. And when a con is good, it is wonderful, imaginative fun.
   
   I am one of the older anime fans out there, a very mature adult. I have a family, hold down a job, vote, attend church, participate in my community. I am no Goth degenerate, and I am not into tentacle porn.
   
   On porn, you seem to condemn all anime because some titles are porn. Do you condemn all magazines because some titles are porn, or all DVDs because some titles are porn? Of course not. So show the same discernment for anime.
   
   I admit some anime is garbage, and certain fans go way, way overboard in obnoxious enthusiasm. But anime fandom is no different than football or NASCAR fandom. They have their obnoxious extremes, too.
   
   In a post above, you said: "Normal people can stand something they like and others don't getting knocked." I'd make that "Normal people don't make a big issue of others liking something they don't ."
   
   Oh, by the way, the "ugly pig flying a red baron bi-plane" (Porco Rosso) actually flew a monoplane. His major opponent, the American, flew the biplane. (For the record, the Red Baron himself flew a triplane.) (^_*)
   
   
   

1. herbkir Says:
   April 15th, 2008 at 23:38

   Mr. Wood,
   
   Sturgeon's Law states that 90 percent of everything is crap (including this statement). He was writing about science fiction but it can apply to anime (and everything else) as well.
   
   I like anime. I have gone to anime cons. But I don't like all anime, nor do I think all cons are great. But when anime is good, it is some of the best entertainment on this planet. And when a con is good, it is wonderful, imaginative fun.
   
   I am one of the older anime fans out there, a very mature adult. I have a family, hold down a job, vote, attend church, participate in my community. I am no Goth degenerate, and I am not into tentacle porn.
   
   On porn, you seem to condemn all anime because some titles are porn. Do you condemn all magazines because some titles are porn, or all DVDs because some titles are porn? Of course not. So show the same discernment for anime.
   
   I admit some anime is garbage, and certain fans go way, way overboard in obnoxious enthusiasm. But anime fandom is no different than football or NASCAR fandom. They have their obnoxious extremes, too.
   
   In a post above, you said: "Normal people can stand something they like and others don't getting knocked." I'd make that "Normal people don't make a big issue of others liking something they don't ."
   
   Oh, by the way, the "ugly pig flying a red baron bi-plane" (Porco Rosso) actually flew a monoplane. His major opponent, the American, flew the biplane. (For the record, the Red Baron himself flew a triplane.) (^_*)
   
   
   

1. Stuart Says:
   April 16th, 2008 at 02:51

   Thanks to Christopher for an objective viewpoint.

1. Nightstar Says:
   April 21st, 2008 at 22:03

   I'm an A Level student. My History of Art coursework is on anime and it's part of the world cinema module in the film school at the university I'm going to. I love anime too and anime-influenced cartoons, especially Avatar. But in Northern Ireland not many people even know what anime really is. Outside the internet it is difficult to get access to any good anime apart from Miyasaki, whom none of my friends have heard of. Anime is really more popular in England and America in the western world. I think everyone is entitled to their own opinion but please don't condemn anime. I don't actually like Dragonball but please compare complex anime like Miyasaki to Toy Story, etc. While Toy Story is a good movie, Princess Mononoke for example is much more complex than most western cartoons like The Simpsons.

1. Random Passerby Says:
   May 15th, 2008 at 21:02

   That was a very ignorant article. The author's understanding of anime is tragically limited and thus that entire essay was little more than a spiel that reflects his prejudices. I don't want to judge him as a person the way he judges anime fans and Japanese people in general, but I do suggest that he gets an idea what he's talking about before he attacks it.
   
   I am an anime fan. I don't obsess over the stuff the way some people do nor do I fit the rather despective description the author has provided, and all I'd like to say in the subject is that anime versus anything else he likes (I also enjoy animation of many other varieties) is merely a question of taste, and the most childish thing in the world is to go out of one's way to explain why anyone who differs sucks. Anime is in no way restricted to the "genres" he listed, Miyazaki and many other anime auteurs are indeed artistic and respectable, and though Dragon Ball Z may have indeed sucked, anyone wishing to insult it should at least research enough about it to know that it has nothing to do with trading cards.
   
   As for the "anime fetishist" angle, the way I see it it's certainly no worse than any of the other bizarre fetishes floating out there, and not everyone who feels affection / attraction for an anime person is a weird suicidal psycho perv. Not that I particularly care for calamari, ahem.
   
   Anime can be just as good as American cartoons in some cases, much better in others, and much worse in others yet. It's an art style and a style of animation that certainly doesn't deserve that kind of mindless and grossly encompassing attack. It's all a matter of acquired taste.

1. Deku Says:
   May 16th, 2008 at 03:15

   Wow.

1. Random Passerby\\\'s Friend Says:
   May 16th, 2008 at 15:34

   Wow reading your article just proved to me how litmited your mind is on the world of anime. I dont mean to insult anyone, but like everyone else said here, you need to get an idea of what you are talking about before you being critizing about something you dont really even know.
   
   anime is a form of art. Much of the world has been inspired by what anime brings to the entertainment world. Sure you may believe that all anime is school girls and tentacle stuff. However, anime encompasses storytelling and an artistic world to the extent of the creator's imagination.
   
   Every heard of Evangelion? or Escaflowne?
   
   Althought not all anime is like that, it emcompasses a majority of what anime is. All that school girl and tentacle crap only is a mininal percentage of what anime really is. Comaparing Miyasaki to Pixar is just dumb, as although pixar's toy story has a good plot, it is near nowhere as good in terms of themes and story as Princess Mononoke.
   
   I really suggest you really do your research before you make comments like these. Sure there are american cartoons almost just as good, howerver, in the past few years, i have given up on American cartoons. Why? cause they dont give that satisfaction of a good plot, good characters and of course good action, and something that actually ends.
   
   anime is an art style. Respect it.
   
   

1. Carly Says:
   June 8th, 2008 at 04:08

   Well, I'd rather not enter the fray of the comments posted above me, especially since most of them are...two months old? I'm not in the mood to attack or defend most of the points presented in this article, because clearly it's been taken care of, and I'm not one for beating dead horses.
   
   Instead, I'd simply like to throw in my two cents regarding anime itself.
   
   Let me assure you, I'm no otaku--not by any stretch of the imagination. I'm a high school honors student. I watch MTV. I like fashion magazines. I have friends who've never even heard of anime. And yet, I've been lucky (yes, lucky) enough to stumble across three great animes: Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note, and--get ready for this one--Naruto. No, I'm not kidding.
   
   Having seen them in their entirety, all three of these shows blew me away, each for different reasons. Death Note offers an extremely intricate and complex storyline and chill-inducing art direction, with an underlying testament to consequences of a hunger for power.
   Fullmetal Alchemist is an intelligent, allegorical story about an alternate-universe Nazi Germany, as well as illustrating the bond between two brothers.
   And say what you want about Naruto, but as someone who's seen the whole thing up to date, I've come to realize that it's actually a deeply emotional story that tackles almost every imaginable aspect of humanity--suffering, fear, anger, defeat, victory, revenge, courage, love, and of course, friendship--to name a few. On top of that, it's just good entertainment, in my opinion. And I know I'll get laughed at for this, but I'm saying it anyway--it's made me cry. Probably ten times, in fact. Maybe I'm just too sentimental, but I'd be willing to bet that most people couldn't get through a few select scenes of that show without their eyes clouding up a little. I understand, however, that it's a matter of taste, and someone who thinks Naruto is stupid won't decide to go watch it because of anything that some dumb seventeen year old girl says.
   
   You're probably wondering what my point is. Well, here it is. If shows that represent things such as honesty, courage, comraderie, persistance, and dedication to fighting the good fight are considered weird and uncool, then what kind of society are we living in? Why is it that shows like Moment of Truth, Desperate Housewives, and the Man Show are praised and popular, while anyone who admits to liking anime is labeled as a freak and bombarded with stereotypes? I'm not saying that this article is setting out to do that. In fact, I agree with a lot of what it says, minus the back-handed racism and over-generalizations.
   
   What it does, however, is enforce some pretty offensive stereotypes, which makes it that much harder for us "normal" anime fans to exist. I, like many other anime fans, find myself so often caught up in the middle, having to both defend the artform known as anime that I've come to love and enjoy while simultaneously having to deal with a multitude of otakus and rabid Narutards constantly providing fodder for people such as the writer of this article.
   
   What a strange world we live in.

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