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Hi everyone!

I'm a graduate student in music, as well as being an anime fan, and I'm doing a survey for a major research paper about anime and J-Pop. The very very kind and wonderful ANN admins have allowed me to post my survey to this forum so that all of you enthusiastic anime fans will be able to take it!

Here's the best part--out of all the responses I receive, one lucky person will win the anime DVD of his or her CHOICE! (That's a SINGLE, licensed, Region 1 DVD. No bootlegs, no boxsets. One.) Just provide your first name and email address at the top of the survey and you're entered in the drawing!!

It's a long survey (about 50 questions) but all the questions relate to anime and things anime fans like to talk about, so filling it out should be fun at least! I'm posting it underneath this message, but if you don't want to post your replies here/don't want to leave your personal information online, email me at [email protected] and I can send it to you as a Word document.

Amanda
[email protected]

Questionnaire for Anime Fans

Please fill out all questions to the best of your ability. Whenever possible, DO NOT provide one-word answers, but rather explain your answers. And BE HONEST! I can't write a truthful paper about anime fans if you're not honest. If you're not comfortable posting your answers to the forum, email them to me and I'll be the only one who ever sees them!

First Name: (optional, but must be provided to be eligible for the drawing)
E-Mail Address: (same as above)
Location: (City, State)
Age:

Anime

1) For how long have you been an anime fan?

2) How many series (approximately) have you watched in their entirety?

3) What is your favorite genre (romance, action, drama, comedy, etc.)?

4) How do you prefer to watch your anime?
- subbed (answer question 4a)
- dubbed (answer question 4b)
- it depends / I alternate between the two (answer question 4c)

4a) Why do you prefer your anime subtitled?

4b) Why do you prefer your anime dubbed?

4c) What makes you decide whether to watch an anime subbed or dubbed?

5) What does the word otaku mean to you?

6) How does one become an otaku (for example, is every anime fan an otaku, or is an otaku better or more knowledgeable than an anime fan)?

7) Do you consider yourself an otaku?
- yes (answer question 7a)
- no (answer question 7b)
- I can’t decide/I don’t know what that means (skip to question 8)

7a) Why do you consider yourself an otaku?

7b) Why do you not believe you are an otaku?

8) Do you know what the word otaku means in Japanese?

9) What do the words fanboy/fangirl mean to you?

10) What distinguished a fanboy/fangirl from an ordinary fan, if anything?

11) Do you consider yourself a fanboy/fangirl (or anime in general, of a show or character in particular, of a genre, etc.)?
-yes
-no
-don’t know/not sure

11a) Why do you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?

11b) Why don’t you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?

12) Are the terms fanboy/fangirl positive or negative, if either?

13) Do you watch anime on television (as opposed to solely on DVD/VHS)?

14) How do you feel about American censorship of anime on TV?

15) How do you feel about other (non-censorship) changes to anime on American TV (name changes, new music, new theme songs, etc.)?

16) How do you feel about fansubbing (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit subtitling of unlicensed anime)?

17) Do you own (either on video, CD-ROM or currently on your hard drive) any fansubs?

18) How do you feel about bootleg or pirated anime videos (illegal, for-profit subtitling and selling, often of already-licensed series)?

19) Do you own any pirated or bootleg anime videos (either on video, CD-ROM, or currently on your hard drive)?

20) Do you own any raw (uncut, undubbed, unsubtitled) anime videos?

Manga

21) How many manga series (approximately) have you read in their entirety?

22) Do you prefer your manga authentic (reads right to left, untranslated effects, original page size, etc.) or altered (reads left to right, translated effects, altered page size, etc.)?
-authentic (please answer 22a)
-altered (please answer 22b)
-don’t know / I enjoy both

22a) Why do you like authentic manga better?

22b) Why do you like altered manga better?

23) How do you feel about legitimate scanlations (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit translations of unlicensed manga)?

24) Do you own any scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?

25) How do you feel about illegal scanlations (illegal distribution of licensed, published manga via computer scans, and/or for-profit distribution of any manga via computer scans)?

26) Do you own any illegal scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?

Conventions (if you have never attended a convention, skip this section)

27) Please list the conventions you have attended.

28) Why do you attend anime conventions?

29) What standard convention events are your favorites (concerts, AMV contests, cosplay contests, dealer’s room, anime screenings, etc.)?

30) Have you ever cosplayed?

31) How do you feel about cosplay in general?

32) How do you feel about “aggressive” convention goers (the infamous “glomp”, for example)?

Other Media

33) Do you subscribe to any domestic anime magazines? Which ones?

34) Do you collect anime plushies? Which ones?

35) Do you collect wallscrolls/posters? Which ones?

Do most of your wallscrolls/posters have kanji or other Japanese writing on them?

36) Do you collect figurines? Which ones?

37) Do you collect anime CDs, J-Rock and/or J-Pop CDs (non-anime-related Japanese pop music)? Which ones?
If yes, answer 37a, 37b, and 37c

37a) Do you understand the Japanese lyrics (either through knowing Japanese, finding translations on the Internet, etc.)?

37b) If you do NOT understand the lyrics, do you still memorize and sing the words to you favorite songs?

37c) Have you ever been to a J-Pop concert (the recent L’Arc en Ciel concert at Otakon, for example)?

38) Do you know anything about traditional Japanese music (bunraku, gagaku, etc.)?

Japanese Culture

39) Have you taken formal Japanese lessons (either in a class or by tutoring)?
If yes, answer 39a and 39b, skip 40 and proceed to 41
If no, skip to 40

39a) What level have you reached/how fluent do you believe you are?

39b) Did your interest in anime lead to your interest in the Japanese languge?

40) Do you know any Japanese words or expressions? If yes, please list as many as you can think of with their definitions.

41) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in everyday life (non-anime situations)?
If yes, answer 41a and 41b
If no, skip to 42

41a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?

41b) Do your family and friends who are not anime fans understand you?

42) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in anime-related situations (with family and friends who are anime fans, at conventions, in anime chat rooms/forums, etc.)?
If yes, answer 42a
If no, skip to 43
42a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?

43) How would you react if a fan at a convention said the following to you:
“My friend Mary-chan, who has the most kawaii shirt on today, said the movie was going to be so sugoi, but I think she’s a baka. Well, ja ne!”

- I would be impressed; this person obviously knows lots of Japanese and has seen lots of anime. A real otaku!
- I would be angry; this person is just trying to sound cool and has no understanding of real Japanese language or culture
- I would be confused; I don’t know what any of those words mean
-Some mixture of the three (please explain below)
-None of the above/I don’t know

44) Has being an anime fan increased your knowledge of Japanese traditions and culture?

45) Do you emulate any aspects of Japanese culture in your daily life (cooking Japanese cuisine often, decorating your room with Japanese posters/kanji drawings, listening to Japanese music, etc.)?
If yes, which aspects, and why do you do them?
If not, why not?

46) Have you tried your hand at any traditional Japanese skills or pastimes (wearing kimono or yukata, performing a tea ceremony, practicing martial arts, karaoke, etc.)?
If yes, which pastimes and why?
If not, why not?

American Culture

47) Do you feel that Americans are stereotyped in anime?

Are the stereotypes positive or negative, or both?

48) How do you feel about the use of Western culture in anime (classical music in Evangelion, for example)?

49) Do you feel that anime has made you a more culturally-aware person?

50) Which of the following statements resonates with you more?

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually the world will just be one big culture and there won’t be any diversity anymore. We’ll lose all the differences that make us unique.

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually people will understand each other more and prejudice will disappear. Everyone’s horizons will be much broader and the world will be more interesting.

***The ANN Forum administrators have approved this survey for posting. Thank you!***

Questionnaire for Anime Fans

Please fill out all questions to the best of your ability. Whenever possible, DO NOT provide one-word answers, but rather explain your answers. And BE HONEST! I can't write a truthful paper about anime fans if you're not honest. If you're not comfortable posting your answers to the forum, email them to me and I'll be the only one who ever sees them!

First Name: Ted Nghiem
E-Mail Address: [email protected]
Location: Cherry Hill, NJ
Age: 22

Anime

1) For how long have you been an anime fan? I have been a fan for four years.

2) How many series (approximately) have you watched in their entirety? about ten

3) What is your favorite genre (romance, action, drama, comedy, etc.)? I have to choose one? Then I would choose adventure

4) How do you prefer to watch your anime?
- subbed (answer question 4a)
- dubbed (answer question 4b)
- it depends / I alternate between the two (answer question 4c)

4a) Why do you prefer your anime subtitled? It gives a more naturalistic viewing to Anime. Sure the dub would be nice to listen to, but listening to the original cast of voice actors in Japanese is always a thrill and enlightening experience.

4b) Why do you prefer your anime dubbed?

4c) What makes you decide whether to watch an anime subbed or dubbed?

5) What does the word otaku mean to you? It doesn't mean much to me being that I dislike people "branding" each other with terms. We are people.

6) How does one become an otaku (for example, is every anime fan an otaku, or is an otaku better or more knowledgeable than an anime fan)? Well, I think I answered this one on 5. But no, an Otaku is not better or more knowledgeable than another catergory of "fandom"

7) Do you consider yourself an otaku?
- yes (answer question 7a)
- no (answer question 7b)
- I can’t decide/I don’t know what that means (skip to question 8)

7a) Why do you consider yourself an otaku?

7b) Why do you not believe you are an otaku? No.

8) Do you know what the word otaku means in Japanese? I forget.

9) What do the words fanboy/fangirl mean to you? Not much. Just means that someone's really enjoys a certain thing.

10) What distinguished a fanboy/fangirl from an ordinary fan, if anything? Enthusiasm for a show and sheer diligence in watching, dissecting the information, and love for that show or thing.

11) Do you consider yourself a fanboy/fangirl (or anime in general, of a show or character in particular, of a genre, etc.)?
-yes
-no
-don’t know/not sure

11a) Why do you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?
Mainly only for GTO because I love the story and the cast in GTO.
11b) Why don’t you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?
12) Are the terms fanboy/fangirl positive or negative, if either? Mostly negative around many anime fan forums, but I am pretty much indifferent about it.

13) Do you watch anime on television (as opposed to solely on DVD/VHS)? No.

14) How do you feel about American censorship of anime on TV? I hate the use of censorship on any medium. I feel like it is destroying the idea that the creator has created with his/her own artwork or idea. It is just like the censorship/doctoring of information on the news. Not a good thing.

15) How do you feel about other (non-censorship) changes to anime on American TV (name changes, new music, new theme songs, etc.)? Dislike it completely. Especially the music.

16) How do you feel about fansubbing (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit subtitling of unlicensed anime)?
I feel that fansubbing is a way for people to sample what they are going to buy. Even if they download the entire series, it garners interest and motivation to get the series later when it comes out to DVD. But I don't condone the use of downloading anime in replacement of buying the DVDs when it is released in your local region.
17) Do you own (either on video, CD-ROM or currently on your hard drive) any fansubs? Yes I do.

18) How do you feel about bootleg or pirated anime videos (illegal, for-profit subtitling and selling, often of already-licensed series)? I don't like it at all. Fansubbing is one thing, because it is free and it doesn't create revenue for the subbers, but bootlegging is a different story. The bootleggers are profiting off of someone's hard work especially when those workers earn hardly anything, if any.

19) Do you own any pirated or bootleg anime videos (either on video, CD-ROM, or currently on your hard drive)? At the time I didn't know until I got my copy of Cowboy bebop. I emailed the seller asking if it was legit, region 1. And he said it was, but I soon found out he was lying to me.

20) Do you own any raw (uncut, undubbed, unsubtitled) anime videos? No.

Manga

21) How many manga series (approximately) have you read in their entirety? two.

22) Do you prefer your manga authentic (reads right to left, untranslated effects, original page size, etc.) or altered (reads left to right, translated effects, altered page size, etc.)?
-authentic (please answer 22a)
-altered (please answer 22b)
-don’t know / I enjoy both

22a) Why do you like authentic manga better? Just like how I like anime in subs, I enjoy reading and watching things in its most natural state. Of course I can't read Japanese, so the only changes I don't mind at all are the translations.

22b) Why do you like altered manga better?

23) How do you feel about legitimate scanlations (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit translations of unlicensed manga)? Same as for fansubbing, it is a way for introduction to a new series. Sometimes people, like myself, cannot go out and check out all the new series all the time. Free scanlations serves as a temporary solution to that.

24) Do you own any scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)? Yes I do.

25) How do you feel about illegal scanlations (illegal distribution of licensed, published manga via computer scans, and/or for-profit distribution of any manga via computer scans)? Same as with bootlegging, I don't support it.

26) Do you own any illegal scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)? No

Conventions (if you have never attended a convention, skip this section)

27) Please list the conventions you have attended.

28) Why do you attend anime conventions?

29) What standard convention events are your favorites (concerts, AMV contests, cosplay contests, dealer’s room, anime screenings, etc.)?

30) Have you ever cosplayed?

31) How do you feel about cosplay in general?

32) How do you feel about “aggressive” convention goers (the infamous “glomp”, for example)?

Other Media

33) Do you subscribe to any domestic anime magazines? Which ones? No.

34) Do you collect anime plushies? Which ones?No.

35) Do you collect wallscrolls/posters? Which ones? No.

Do most of your wallscrolls/posters have kanji or other Japanese writing on them?

36) Do you collect figurines? Which ones? No.

37) Do you collect anime CDs, J-Rock and/or J-Pop CDs (non-anime-related Japanese pop music)? Which ones? Yes. Anything by Yoko Kanno
If yes, answer 37a, 37b, and 37c

37a) Do you understand the Japanese lyrics (either through knowing Japanese, finding translations on the Internet, etc.)?
No I don't understand the lyrics, until I read the translations.

37b) If you do NOT understand the lyrics, do you still memorize and sing the words to you favorite songs? I try to.

37c) Have you ever been to a J-Pop concert (the recent L’Arc en Ciel concert at Otakon, for example)?No.

38) Do you know anything about traditional Japanese music (bunraku, gagaku, etc.)? I heard it, but I don't know much about it.

Japanese Culture

39) Have you taken formal Japanese lessons (either in a class or by tutoring)? No.
If yes, answer 39a and 39b, skip 40 and proceed to 41
If no, skip to 40

39a) What level have you reached/how fluent do you believe you are?

39b) Did your interest in anime lead to your interest in the Japanese languge?

40) Do you know any Japanese words or expressions? If yes, please list as many as you can think of with their definitions.
Yes, but I can't spell them so bare with me. Here is a apology ahead of time for butchering the spelling, sorry!
Gomen - Sorry, I apologize
itakemas- Time to eat, let's eat
uhh...I think I will stop there.
41) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in everyday life (non-anime situations)? No.
If yes, answer 41a and 41b
If no, skip to 42

41a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?

41b) Do your family and friends who are not anime fans understand you?

42) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in anime-related situations (with family and friends who are anime fans, at conventions, in anime chat rooms/forums, etc.)? No.
If yes, answer 42a
If no, skip to 43
42a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?

43) How would you react if a fan at a convention said the following to you:
“My friend Mary-chan, who has the most kawaii shirt on today, said the movie was going to be so sugoi, but I think she’s a baka. Well, ja ne!”

- I would be impressed; this person obviously knows lots of Japanese and has seen lots of anime. A real otaku!
- I would be angry; this person is just trying to sound cool and has no understanding of real Japanese language or culture
- I would be confused; I don’t know what any of those words mean
-Some mixture of the three (please explain below)
-None of the above/I don’t know

It would be some mixture of the three. I don't know if that person actually knew the culture or the language, so initially I might be somewhat impressed yet somewhat cynical about the person.
44) Has being an anime fan increased your knowledge of Japanese traditions and culture? Yes, even if a little more understanding.

45) Do you emulate any aspects of Japanese culture in your daily life (cooking Japanese cuisine often, decorating your room with Japanese posters/kanji drawings, listening to Japanese music, etc.)? Yes.
If yes, which aspects, and why do you do them? Well my mom likes to make Japanese cuisines, even though she doesn't watch Anime. And every now and then, I try to help her cook, and I listen to Japanese music, so yeah I do.
If not, why not?

46) Have you tried your hand at any traditional Japanese skills or pastimes (wearing kimono or yukata, performing a tea ceremony, practicing martial arts, karaoke, etc.)? No.
If yes, which pastimes and why?
If not, why not?

American Culture

47) Do you feel that Americans are stereotyped in anime? Depends on the show.

Are the stereotypes positive or negative, or both? Negative. People gather wrong impressions of others through stereotypes. Everyone is different, there is hardly a set typical person.

48) How do you feel about the use of Western culture in anime (classical music in Evangelion, for example)? If it was the creator who decides to use western culture in anime.

49) Do you feel that anime has made you a more culturally-aware person? Not really. I believe that I have been culturally aware before I became a fan of anime.

50) Which of the following statements resonates with you more?

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually the world will just be one big culture and there won’t be any diversity anymore. We’ll lose all the differences that make us unique.

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually people will understand each other more and prejudice will disappear. Everyone’s horizons will be much broader and the world will be more interesting.

I agree with this one more. Sure cultures will adapt other culture's naunces, but they will adapt it to their wants and desires. This is a argument with those against neo-liberal globalization. That western culture is going to homogonize every other culture. But it is entirely a different story, corporations are the ones that really have to adapt to the native culture in order to get by. McDonalds in India have only started to break even, even thought they entered India seven or so years ago. That is only one case out of many.

People will understand each other more when they understand the other person's culture, which would help slow down the prevalence of prejudice. But I don't think that it will end prejudice cold turkey because people have to be willing to do so, but understanding a different culture does help. So I relate to the second option.

**hope that helps you with your research!**

Do I really need to answert ALL??!! Man, I'll get angry with it, I'm sure, xD. Anyways,

First Name: Note that is not originally english, but you'd say Joseph.
E-Mail Address: Since I can't participate at the contest, I'd like to keep it in secret.
Location:Is it either needed? Hum, who cares. Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Age: 15

Anime

1) For how long have you been an anime fan? If this is meaning since I started watching anime and liking it, it must be over 9 years ago, but I can tell everyone that I didn't know "that" was called anime, hehe.

2) How many series (approximately) have you watched in their entirety? I'm gonna guess that it doesn't matter if I missed some chatpers...Hum...Over 25, I belive.

3) What is your favorite genre (romance, action, drama, comedy, etc.)? Slice of Life genre, but I tend to like some comedy mangas...

4) How do you prefer to watch your anime? It depends.

4c) What makes you decide whether to watch an anime subbed or dubbed? If I'm used to hear those characters speaking in a spa. dub version, I hear them in spanish. Otherwise, I try to give every anime a chance for being heard in japanese.

5) What does the word otaku mean to you? It's a really crazy person who does the most strange, scary and ugly things...But I know it's actually very used for describing "Anime/Manga" fan.

6) How does one become an otaku (for example, is every anime fan an otaku, or is an otaku better or more knowledgeable than an anime fan)? I don't understand really at all, but for me an Anime fan (or otaku, choose what you prefer) is someone who likes anime, manga, Japan, etc. There's no necessity of seeing, as an example, 10 different animes for being an anime fan.

7) Do you consider yourself an otaku? No.

7b) Why do you not believe you are an otaku? 'Coz I use it as a nerdy, lonely strange guy, etc...

9) What do the words fanboy/fangirl mean to you? Hum...Someone who's a fan of boys or girls?? xDDD...Sorry, I don't know Anime hyper

10) What distinguished a fanboy/fangirl from an ordinary fan, if anything? Can't answer...

11) Do you consider yourself a fanboy/fangirl (or anime in general, of a show or character in particular, of a genre, etc.)? I believe I'm more an anime fan in general...

13) Do you watch anime on television (as opposed to solely on DVD/VHS)? Yes, why not?

14) How do you feel about American censorship of anime on TV? Ok, this is made to americans and I shouldn't be writing here...However, I don't like when a TV censor some scene. It happened in Spain with the "sex" scene in Kare Kano.

15) How do you feel about other (non-censorship) changes to anime on American TV (name changes, new music, new theme songs, etc.)? Like calling something Hollywood Mew Mew? It's awful, it should be forbidden, they're just changing what someone invented...

16) How do you feel about fansubbing (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit subtitling of unlicensed anime)? I really do not use it a lot, but I have to admit that I discovered some series that later, if they're licensed, I bought in DVD. Most times, the DVD release is really much better than a fansub.

17) Do you own (either on video, CD-ROM or currently on your hard drive) any fansubs? No, I don't.

18) How do you feel about bootleg or pirated anime videos (illegal, for-profit subtitling and selling, often of already-licensed series)? It's worst than fansub, and let's hope it won't destroy anime enterprises...

19) Do you own any pirated or bootleg anime videos (either on video, CD-ROM, or currently on your hard drive)? No, I never did.

20) Do you own any raw (uncut, undubbed, unsubtitled) anime videos? Neither I do, I'm not so loaded, xD.

Manga

21) How many manga series (approximately) have you read in their entirety? Much easy to ask that in anime, since I keep the manga volumes, hehe. Eight.

22) Do you prefer your manga authentic (reads right to left, untranslated effects, original page size, etc.) or altered (reads left to right, translated effects, altered page size, etc.)? Authentic.

22a) Why do you like authentic manga better? Is how they were originally written, if you change things it doesn't look as the original manga...

23) How do you feel about legitimate scanlations (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit translations of unlicensed manga)? I swear I have never tried, but it looks really cool and useful, but either not very legal.

24) Do you own any scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)? No, I don't.

25) How do you feel about illegal scanlations (illegal distribution of licensed, published manga via computer scans, and/or for-profit distribution of any manga via computer scans)? If they're making producers losing money, I can't support them...

26) Do you own any illegal scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)? No, I don't.

Conventions (I'm gonna keep some questions, as the list of conventions I've been, since all of them aren't american).

28) Why do you attend anime conventions? A good way for meeting some other animes fans, even if you know them by internet...The anime background...Etc

29) What standard convention events are your favorites? I like the cosplaying contests, some anime screenings, try to get an autograph with a guest, etc.

30) Have you ever cosplayed? No.

31) How do you feel about cosplay in general? It's really good at general, and I like it. I just can't stand what at some conventions, cosplayers don't have to pay for entry...

32) How do you feel about “aggressive” convention goers (the infamous “glomp”, for example)? Huh? What's that?

Other media

33) Do you subscribe to any domestic anime magazines? Which ones? Er...No, I don't ^^

34) Do you collect anime plushies? Which ones? No.

35) Do you collect wallscrolls/posters? Which ones? I have some posters that I like at the walls, but I'm not really a great poster buying...

Do most of your wallscrolls/posters have kanji or other Japanese writing on them? Except some names in japanese, consider it as a No.

36) Do you collect figurines? Which ones? No.

37) Do you collect anime CDs, J-Rock and/or J-Pop CDs (non-anime-related Japanese pop music)? Which ones?

No, I just would be able to buy some OST of some popular series, but that's all. I'm always looking if there's an importation CD at stores, but I don't have a good luck with it, xD.

38) Do you know anything about traditional Japanese music (bunraku, gagaku, etc.)? No...It's not bad, but I don't find it really "that greatest thing".

Japanese Culture

39) Have you taken formal Japanese lessons (either in a class or by tutoring)? No, but I'm stuying it with some japanese teachers (in a informal way) and with Autodidactic books.

39a) What level have you reached/how fluent do you believe you are? Enough for "surviving" there, I mean, I can ask for basic things, but probably I wouldn't speak a lot in japanese...

39b) Did your interest in anime lead to your interest in the Japanese languge? Probably, but I used to like Japan (and anime) from really young, so I can't say it exactly.

41) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in everyday life (non-anime situations)? If I'm with friends who, at least, have basic japanese skills, we may say something, but just that, not really a lot.

41a) Which words or expressions do you use and why? How about saying Ohayou instead of Hello, Arigatou instead of thanks, etc.

41b) Do your family and friends who are not anime fans understand you? No. Would you understand Suahili?

42) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in anime-related situations (with family and friends who are anime fans, at conventions, in anime chat rooms/forums, etc.)? No, we just do that "freak thing" when we're really excited, hehe...

43) How would you react if a fan at a convention said the following to you:
“My friend Mary-chan, who has the most kawaii shirt on today, said the movie was going to be so sugoi, but I think she’s a baka. Well, ja ne!” A mixture of the three. I know what those words mean, but they're really easy and most anime fans understand it. I wouldn't think that he's triying to impress, just to use some japanese words. I don't find anything bad...

44) Has being an anime fan increased your knowledge of Japanese traditions and culture? More than obvious than YES.

45) Do you emulate any aspects of Japanese culture in your daily life (cooking Japanese cuisine often, decorating your room with Japanese posters/kanji drawings, listening to Japanese music, etc.)? Yes.
If yes, which aspects, and why do you do them? I listen to japanese radios, watch anime, write things in kanji, study japanese, decorate my room...Once I had a chinese kimono for sleeping, hehe ^^

46) Have you tried your hand at any traditional Japanese skills or pastimes (wearing kimono or yukata, performing a tea ceremony, practicing martial arts, karaoke, etc.)? Er...Yes Anime smile

If yes, which pastimes and why? I went to some anime music karaokes, wore some kimonos at special japanese parties, etc...

American cultures (I'd say, westerner culture Wink

). I'll skip those who doesn't concern to me.

48) How do you feel about the use of Western culture in anime (classical music in Evangelion, for example)? It's really good and helpful. That makes people know that japanese likes things out of Japan. Otherwise, some people could believe that japanese people just like things made my theirselves.

49) Do you feel that anime has made you a more culturally-aware person? At some aspects, yes. Basically at japanese culture, but there are some animes that can teach something...I'm refering to Slice of Life Wink

.

-============================-

At least! This has taken me over an hour to do it!! I'm really tired... Confused

, Ok, well, hope this helps^^

[quote="ManzyChan"]

First Name: (optional, but must be provided to be eligible for the drawing) Steve
E-Mail Address: (same as above) rusty_shackleford_arlen_tx at yahoo dot co dot uk
Location: (City, State) Pincourt, Quebec
Age: 29 (turning 30 on October 2nd)

Anime

1) For how long have you been an anime fan?

No straight answer; I was watching cartoons like Battle of the Planets (Gatchaman) as early as 1980, but I didn't start watching Japanese cartoons as an "interest" on a regular basis until a little over ten years ago.

2) How many series (approximately) have you watched in their entirety?

Depends what you call a "series", but, just to toss out a rough number, because I really have no idea since I saw so much at my old club, 100.

3) What is your favorite genre (romance, action, drama, comedy, etc.)?

Comedy

4) How do you prefer to watch your anime?
- subbed (answer question 4a)
- dubbed (answer question 4b)
- it depends / I alternate between the two (answer question 4c)

4a) Why do you prefer your anime subtitled?

Subtitled, not that I have anything against dubs anymore, but simply because I have been watching anime like that since 1994 and see no reason to switch over to dubs, unless I'm watching it on television and I don't have a choice (but I'm in Canada, so there's not all that much anime on television to begin with). Or I'm specifically reviewing the dub. I just prefer hearing things in their original language.

4c) What makes you decide whether to watch an anime subbed or dubbed?

If there's the sub there, I watch it that way.

5) What does the word otaku mean to you?

It's the Japanese word for "fanboy".

6) How does one become an otaku (for example, is every anime fan an otaku, or is an otaku better or more knowledgeable than an anime fan)?

If their enjoyment of anime lacks "perspective", especially when they view anime as being the be-all-and-end-all of entertainment.

7) Do you consider yourself an otaku?
- yes (answer question 7a)
- no (answer question 7b)
- I can’t decide/I don’t know what that means (skip to question 8)

7b) Why do you not believe you are an otaku?

Because I have "perspective".

8) Do you know what the word otaku means in Japanese?

Yes.

9) What do the words fanboy/fangirl mean to you?

People who take anime far too seriously, reacting anytime anyone says anything bad about anime as though it was a personal insult.

10) What distinguished a fanboy/fangirl from an ordinary fan, if anything?

"perspective"

11) Do you consider yourself a fanboy/fangirl (or anime in general, of a show or character in particular, of a genre, etc.)?
-yes
-no
-don’t know/not sure

11b) Why don’t you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?

Because I don't take anime personally.

12) Are the terms fanboy/fangirl positive or negative, if either?

Negative.

13) Do you watch anime on television (as opposed to solely on DVD/VHS)?

If it's on, but I don't really care all that much about the handful of anime they show on television in Canada.

14) How do you feel about American censorship of anime on TV?

It's not true "censorship" as you can still own the unexpurgated version of it. Anyway, I'm indifferent to it; different countries have different standards, and you can't stop people from objecting to content and there are a lot more "soccer moms" than there are anime purists, so any station that relies on advertising for revenue have to take their objections into account to keep the advertisers happy, and what goes on in America is not really all that different from the way they treat anime for television in France, where, for example, the juvenile lesbian releationship in Sailor Moon was expurgated as well (they are just "posing" as a couple).

15) How do you feel about other (non-censorship) changes to anime on American TV (name changes, new music, new theme songs, etc.)?

I stay neutral, because companies like 4Kids paid for the rights and I didn't, and, if the licensors didn't approve of what 4Kids does, they wouldn't license their products to them. They do what they need to do to appeal to their target audience, who is much too young to whine on the Internet about the changes made.

16) How do you feel about fansubbing (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit subtitling of unlicensed anime)?

It served a purpose at a point in history when most of the good stuff still wasn't licensed. The amount of unlicensed stuff worth fansubbing is dwindling, though.

17) Do you own (either on video, CD-ROM or currently on your hard drive) any fansubs?

Yes, but for the bulk of the VHS fansubs I had I bought the legitimate release when it came out, and, for the others, I just taped over them. I rarely download, and the stuff I have is too obscure to get licensed.

18) How do you feel about bootleg or pirated anime videos (illegal, for-profit subtitling and selling, often of already-licensed series)?

Book 'em, Dano.

19) Do you own any pirated or bootleg anime videos (either on video, CD-ROM, or currently on your hard drive)?

One Sailor Moon tape I bought in Chinatown years and years ago before I was "au courant" on bootlegs, but, the quality of the transfer was so terrible (worse than my nth-generation Sailor Moon fansubs), I've never sought another one.

20) Do you own any raw (uncut, undubbed, unsubtitled) anime videos?

I have a handful of LaserDiscs, and I have all 3 Region 2 DVDs of Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou.

Manga

20-30 volumes; the majority of my 400 or so volume collection is in either English or French.

21) How many manga series (approximately) have you read in their entirety?

Again, depends on length; dozens, though for series with more than 10 volumes, maybe 10 or so.

22) Do you prefer your manga authentic (reads right to left, untranslated effects, original page size, etc.) or altered (reads left to right, translated effects, altered page size, etc.)?
-authentic (please answer 22a)
-altered (please answer 22b)
-don’t know / I enjoy both

22a) Why do you like authentic manga better?

22b) Why do you like altered manga better?

I don't bitch about flipped manga, but, generally, if the option is available, I prefer seeing the artwork "unflipped" because that's the way it was drawn.

23) How do you feel about legitimate scanlations (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit translations of unlicensed manga)?

I'm fine with it, as long as it isn't licensed stuff.

24) Do you own any scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?

A few, though I own several of the Japanese Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou tankubon.

25) How do you feel about illegal scanlations (illegal distribution of licensed, published manga via computer scans, and/or for-profit distribution of any manga via computer scans)?

Book 'em, Dano!

26) Do you own any illegal scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?

Nope, and I've never looked.

Other Media

33) Do you subscribe to any domestic anime magazines? Which ones?

Not quite; I used to have Animerica on reserve at a store for the longest time, but I just ran out of money.

34) Do you collect anime plushies? Which ones?

I have a handful, but I consider them more "souvenirs" of my trips to England (because Montreal doesn't have a store like Japan Centre on Piccadilly).

35) Do you collect wallscrolls/posters? Which ones?

I have a handful, mostly of Sailor Moon, or Carcaptor Sakura (poster calendars). I also have one big "blind" of Madoka from Kimagure Orange Road that wasn't right for my window, so I used it as a wallscroll.

Do most of your wallscrolls/posters have kanji or other Japanese writing on them?

Not much, sometimes a tiny logo, but I don't care if it's there or not.

36) Do you collect figurines? Which ones?

I have one of those old McFarlane Toys Ryoko figures, but that's about it.

37) Do you collect anime CDs, J-Rock and/or J-Pop CDs (non-anime-related Japanese pop music)? Which ones?
If yes, answer 37a, 37b, and 37c

I have a collection of 40-50 legitimate CDs I bought when I had money (plus a dozen or so SonMay ones from before I knew the truth about SM records); too many to name, but the two most represented titles are Sailor Moon and Tenchi Muyo.

37a) Do you understand the Japanese lyrics (either through knowing Japanese, finding translations on the Internet, etc.)?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends on the level of language.

37b) If you do NOT understand the lyrics, do you still memorize and sing the words to you favorite songs?

I used to all the time, but I haven't done so in years.

37c) Have you ever been to a J-Pop concert (the recent L’Arc en Ciel concert at Otakon, for example)?

Not unless you count Shounen Knife.

38) Do you know anything about traditional Japanese music (bunraku, gagaku, etc.)?

Not much.

Japanese Culture

39) Have you taken formal Japanese lessons (either in a class or by tutoring)?
If yes, answer 39a and 39b, skip 40 and proceed to 41
If no, skip to 40

Nope, haven't really ever had the option at any of the educational institutions I attended. I have plenty of books about grammar and kanji, though.

40) Do you know any Japanese words or expressions? If yes, please list as many as you can think of with their definitions.

I know hundreds of Japanese words, I just never had formal instruction.

41) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in everyday life (non-anime situations)?
If yes, answer 41a and 41b
If no, skip to 42

God, no. Aside from "ramen", but that's what people call Japanese noodles in English anyway.

42) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in anime-related situations (with family and friends who are anime fans, at conventions, in anime chat rooms/forums, etc.)?
If yes, answer 42a
If no, skip to 43
42a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?

Nope.

43) How would you react if a fan at a convention said the following to you:
“My friend Mary-chan, who has the most kawaii shirt on today, said the movie was going to be so sugoi, but I think she’s a baka. Well, ja ne!”

- I would be impressed; this person obviously knows lots of Japanese and has seen lots of anime. A real otaku!
- I would be angry; this person is just trying to sound cool and has no understanding of real Japanese language or culture
- I would be confused; I don’t know what any of those words mean
-Some mixture of the three (please explain below)
-None of the above/I don’t know

Roll my eyes, say "that's nice, dear", and then write about her on the F'nO forum. I wouldn't be angry, I'd just be laughing at them in my mind.

44) Has being an anime fan increased your knowledge of Japanese traditions and culture?

A little, but I've learned much more from books.

45) Do you emulate any aspects of Japanese culture in your daily life (cooking Japanese cuisine often, decorating your room with Japanese posters/kanji drawings, listening to Japanese music, etc.)?
If yes, which aspects, and why do you do them?
If not, why not?

No, I like some of their cartoons and comics, I don't need to "be" Japanese.

46) Have you tried your hand at any traditional Japanese skills or pastimes (wearing kimono or yukata, performing a tea ceremony, practicing martial arts, karaoke, etc.)?
If yes, which pastimes and why?
If not, why not?

I did kendo (poorly) for a few years, but that was more because I used to have this Japanese pen-pal that did it than because I saw something about it in an anime.

American Culture

47) Do you feel that Americans are stereotyped in anime?

Are the stereotypes positive or negative, or both?

Sometimes; Marmalade Boy, in episodes beyond what has been released in North America, attempted to portray both the good and bad sides of America and Americans, but the negative aspects of America they showed were so ridiculously exaggerated that you know they hadn't done any research into inner-city poverty beyond watching a few sensationalistic American movies.

48) How do you feel about the use of Western culture in anime (classical music in Evangelion, for example)?

I'm fine with it.

49) Do you feel that anime has made you a more culturally-aware person?

No, that's just pretentious.

50) Which of the following statements resonates with you more?

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually the world will just be one big culture and there won’t be any diversity anymore. We’ll lose all the differences that make us unique.

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually people will understand each other more and prejudice will disappear. Everyone’s horizons will be much broader and the world will be more interesting.

I guess the latter, but both statements are rather pretentious if you're singling out anime as a catalyst for global unity and not every form of culture, because, ultimately, anime are just cartoons.

First Name: Timothy
E-Mail Address: [email protected]
Location: Norfolk, VA
Age: 15

Anime

1) For how long have you been an anime fan?

6 years

2) How many series (approximately) have you watched in their entirety?

10

3) What is your favorite genre (romance, action, drama, comedy, etc.)?

Comedy

4) How do you prefer to watch your anime?
- subbed (answer question 4a)
- dubbed (answer question 4b)
- it depends / I alternate between the two (answer question 4c)

4a) Why do you prefer your anime subtitled?

4b) Why do you prefer your anime dubbed?

4c) What makes you decide whether to watch an anime subbed or dubbed?

If the dub is good or decent, like in FLCL, I prefer to watch it so I don't have to worry about reading subtitles in fast-paced scenes. Otherwise I like to watch the sub.

5) What does the word otaku mean to you?

A big anime fan

6) How does one become an otaku (for example, is every anime fan an otaku, or is an otaku better or more knowledgeable than an anime fan)?

They'd have to have seen several anime series, and be able to talk in-depth about them.

7) Do you consider yourself an otaku?
- yes (answer question 7a)
- no (answer question 7b)
- I can’t decide/I don’t know what that means (skip to question 8)

7a) Why do you consider yourself an otaku?

7b) Why do you not believe you are an otaku?

I haven’t seen a lot of the “must-have” series.

8) Do you know what the word otaku means in Japanese?

fan

9) What do the words fanboy/fangirl mean to you?

Someone who is obsessed with a particular anime/series/character.

10) What distinguished a fanboy/fangirl from an ordinary fan, if anything?

Someone who cosplays a lot and owns a lot of merchandise.[/b]

11) Do you consider yourself a fanboy/fangirl (or anime in general, of a show or character in particular, of a genre, etc.)?
-yes
-no
-don’t know/not sure

11a) Why do you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?

11b) Why don’t you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?

12) Are the terms fanboy/fangirl positive or negative, if either?

Usually negative since they’re considered obsessed a lot.

13) Do you watch anime on television (as opposed to solely on DVD/VHS)?

Yes

14) How do you feel about American censorship of anime on TV?

Some of it is understandable, but a lot of it is pointless.

15) How do you feel about other (non-censorship) changes to anime on American TV (name changes, new music, new theme songs, etc.)?

Again, some name changes are understandable, and there is licensing and copyright problems, but otherwise I don’t like it.

16) How do you feel about fansubbing (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit subtitling of unlicensed anime)?

I watch them. They come out a lot faster than official subs/dubs. Also, they help produce hype for upcoming series, like Full Metal Alchemist.

17) Do you own (either on video, CD-ROM or currently on your hard drive) any fansubs?

Yes

18) How do you feel about bootleg or pirated anime videos (illegal, for-profit subtitling and selling, often of already-licensed series)?

Considering the cost of some sub/dub DVDs, I can understand it. A lot of people can’t afford $200 for a 26 episode series.

19) Do you own any pirated or bootleg anime videos (either on video, CD-ROM, or currently on your hard drive)?

Yes

20) Do you own any raw (uncut, undubbed, unsubtitled) anime videos?

Yes

Manga

21) How many manga series (approximately) have you read in their entirety?

2

22) Do you prefer your manga authentic (reads right to left, untranslated effects, original page size, etc.) or altered (reads left to right, translated effects, altered page size, etc.)?
-authentic (please answer 22a)
-altered (please answer 22b)
-don’t know / I enjoy both

22a) Why do you like authentic manga better?

By changing the page order or size it’s possible to distort the image

22b) Why do you like altered manga better?

23) How do you feel about legitimate scanlations (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit translations of unlicensed manga)?

I see little wrong with them.

24) Do you own any scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?

Yes

25) How do you feel about illegal scanlations (illegal distribution of licensed, published manga via computer scans, and/or for-profit distribution of any manga via computer scans)?

I think it’s okay if the actual chapter/volume isn’t published yet. I find it hard to wait months until the next volume comes out to find out what happens next.

26) Do you own any illegal scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?

Yes

Conventions (if you have never attended a convention, skip this section)

27) Please list the conventions you have attended.

28) Why do you attend anime conventions?

29) What standard convention events are your favorites (concerts, AMV contests, cosplay contests, dealer’s room, anime screenings, etc.)?

30) Have you ever cosplayed?

31) How do you feel about cosplay in general?

32) How do you feel about “aggressive” convention goers (the infamous “glomp”, for example)?

Other Media

33) Do you subscribe to any domestic anime magazines? Which ones?

No

34) Do you collect anime plushies? Which ones?

No

35) Do you collect wallscrolls/posters? Which ones?

No

Do most of your wallscrolls/posters have kanji or other Japanese writing on them?

36) Do you collect figurines? Which ones?

No

37) Do you collect anime CDs, J-Rock and/or J-Pop CDs (non-anime-related Japanese pop music)? Which ones?
If yes, answer 37a, 37b, and 37c

I have MP3s

37a) Do you understand the Japanese lyrics (either through knowing Japanese, finding translations on the Internet, etc.)?

I usually search for lyrics

37b) If you do NOT understand the lyrics, do you still memorize and sing the words to you favorite songs?

Somtimes

37c) Have you ever been to a J-Pop concert (the recent L’Arc en Ciel concert at Otakon, for example)?

No, but I would if one came near here

38) Do you know anything about traditional Japanese music (bunraku, gagaku, etc.)?

No

Japanese Culture

39) Have you taken formal Japanese lessons (either in a class or by tutoring)?
If yes, answer 39a and 39b, skip 40 and proceed to 41
If no, skip to 40
No

39a) What level have you reached/how fluent do you believe you are?

39b) Did your interest in anime lead to your interest in the Japanese languge?

40) Do you know any Japanese words or expressions? If yes, please list as many as you can think of with their definitions.

Yes

Konichi’wa - Good day
Otaku – fan
Senpai – noun/honorific for a superior
Baka – idiot

41) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in everyday life (non-anime situations)?
If yes, answer 41a and 41b
If no, skip to 42

No

41a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?

41b) Do your family and friends who are not anime fans understand you?

42) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in anime-related situations (with family and friends who are anime fans, at conventions, in anime chat rooms/forums, etc.)?
If yes, answer 42a
If no, skip to 43

No
42a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?

43) How would you react if a fan at a convention said the following to you:
“My friend Mary-chan, who has the most kawaii shirt on today, said the movie was going to be so sugoi, but I think she’s a baka. Well, ja ne!”

- I would be impressed; this person obviously knows lots of Japanese and has seen lots of anime. A real otaku!
- I would be angry; this person is just trying to sound cool and has no understanding of real Japanese language or culture
- I would be confused; I don’t know what any of those words mean
-Some mixture of the three (please explain below)
-None of the above/I don’t know

44) Has being an anime fan increased your knowledge of Japanese traditions and culture?

Yes

45) Do you emulate any aspects of Japanese culture in your daily life (cooking Japanese cuisine often, decorating your room with Japanese posters/kanji drawings, listening to Japanese music, etc.)?
If yes, which aspects, and why do you do them?
If not, why not?

Yes, JPop is the first type of music I actually like, so I listen to some MP3s.

46) Have you tried your hand at any traditional Japanese skills or pastimes (wearing kimono or yukata, performing a tea ceremony, practicing martial arts, karaoke, etc.)?
If yes, which pastimes and why?
If not, why not?

No. Money and Why-would-I-want/need-to-do-this.

[b]American Culture

47) Do you feel that Americans are stereotyped in anime?

Yes

Are the stereotypes positive or negative, or both?

Usually negative. American kids are either brats or fat kids.

48) How do you feel about the use of Western culture in anime (classical music in Evangelion, for example)?

I see no reason not to when it’s situational.

49) Do you feel that anime has made you a more culturally-aware person?

Yes

50) Which of the following statements resonates with you more?

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually the world will just be one big culture and there won’t be any diversity anymore. We’ll lose all the differences that make us unique.

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually people will understand each other more and prejudice will disappear. Everyone’s horizons will be much broader and the world will be more interesting.

Questionnaire for Anime Fans

Please fill out all questions to the best of your ability. Whenever possible, DO NOT provide one-word answers, but rather explain your answers. And BE HONEST! I can't write a truthful paper about anime fans if you're not honest. If you're not comfortable posting your answers to the forum, email them to me and I'll be the only one who ever sees them!

First Name: Jeremy
E-Mail Address: [email protected]
Location: Augusta, ME
Age: 24

Anime

1) For how long have you been an anime fan?

Active - 13 years, passive - all my life

2) How many series (approximately) have you watched in their entirety?

40+

3) What is your favorite genre (romance, action, drama, comedy, etc.)?

Mecha

4) How do you prefer to watch your anime?
- it depends / I alternate between the two (answer question 4c)

4c) What makes you decide whether to watch an anime subbed or dubbed?

Availablity and quality

5) What does the word otaku mean to you?

A word that while in Japan may have had at one point negative connotations, outside of Japan shouldn't bee seen that way. Just like the words nerd and geek have become socially accepted as is otaku.

6) How does one become an otaku (for example, is every anime fan an otaku, or is an otaku better or more knowledgeable than an anime fan)?

Otaku is just a type of fandom and not necessarily a level of fandom. Like it or not, if you're a fan of anime you're an otaku. However, just like with anything there can be different levels of otaku ranging from casual to obsessive (in the same way that a sports fan can range from a simple spectator to full blown fanatic jumping out of seats with full on face paint or costumes).

7) Do you consider yourself an otaku?
- yes (answer question 7a)

7a) Why do you consider yourself an otaku?

Because I'm a fan of anime (with the understanding that there are otaku of things other than anime).

8) Do you know what the word otaku means in Japanese?

Yes, originally it ment house but evolved to describe a person that never left their house, usually associated with poor hygene, low self-esteme, and all around lacking in social skills. However the most severely negative impact came from the "Otaku Murders".

9) What do the words fanboy/fangirl mean to you?

To me, these are the insults. These are the people that usually obsess over one thing and everything else is a waste of time. They'll also do everything in their power (which is much, but can get very annoying) to get you to see things their way.

10) What distinguished a fanboy/fangirl from an ordinary fan, if anything?

That really depends on the ordinary fan. Fanboys/girls tend to be obnoxious and forcefull while an ordinary fan will tend to show their love for something without going out of their way to do it.

11) Do you consider yourself a fanboy/fangirl (or anime in general, of a show or character in particular, of a genre, etc.)?
-no

11b) Why don’t you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?

Because I never try to impose my ideas on anyone; nor do I obsess over any one thing; nor do I insult people who don't see things my way.

12) Are the terms fanboy/fangirl positive or negative, if either?

Definatly negative.

13) Do you watch anime on television (as opposed to solely on DVD/VHS)?

Yes.

14) How do you feel about American censorship of anime on TV?

Not a problem. While it would be prefered to show everything uncut/unedited, there are rules and regulations that must be followed. If people don't like the way they're being handled then they are more than welcomed to buy the (legit) DVDs. If DVDs aren't available then they'll either have to wait until they are or just suck it up and go without.

15) How do you feel about other (non-censorship) changes to anime on American TV (name changes, new music, new theme songs, etc.)?

It really depends on the severity of the changes. Major story changes aren't acceptable, but name changes (within reason) don't really effect the story, and music has probably the least effect on a series (honestly, howmany people really notice the background music activly?). If you want the original music then go buy the CD.

16) How do you feel about fansubbing (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit subtitling of unlicensed anime)?

As long as they're truely unlicensed I don't have a problem with them. However, if they were to stop being distributed tomorrow I wouldn't be angry over it. Abusive fansubs (ones made for profit or made of licensed properties) I have no tolerance for.

17) Do you own (either on video, CD-ROM or currently on your hard drive) any fansubs?

Yes, several.

18) How do you feel about bootleg or pirated anime videos (illegal, for-profit subtitling and selling, often of already-licensed series)?

The single most damaging thing to the anime industry. All those who produce and sell bootleg anime should be prosecuted.

19) Do you own any pirated or bootleg anime videos (either on video, CD-ROM, or currently on your hard drive)?

No.

20) Do you own any raw (uncut, undubbed, unsubtitled) anime videos?

No.

Manga

21) How many manga series (approximately) have you read in their entirety?

Maybe 5.

22) Do you prefer your manga authentic (reads right to left, untranslated effects, original page size, etc.) or altered (reads left to right, translated effects, altered page size, etc.)?
-don’t know / I enjoy both

I'm answering both because neither description really fits my preference. I prefer authentic right to left, but with all text translated and effects translated. Not really sure what is ment by "original page size" as most manga is altered from magazine size to tankobon size in Japan as it is.

23) How do you feel about legitimate scanlations (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit translations of unlicensed manga)?

Not a problem as long as they're done in a respectful manor and discontinued after licensing.

24) Do you own any scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?

Yes.

25) How do you feel about illegal scanlations (illegal distribution of licensed, published manga via computer scans, and/or for-profit distribution of any manga via computer scans)?

They should be stopped.

26) Do you own any illegal scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?

Yes, I admit I do, but only because it's a series that I'm currently buying licensed. Under normal circumstances I wouldn't.

Conventions (if you have never attended a convention, skip this section)

27) Please list the conventions you have attended.

Portcon 2002
Otakon 2002
Portcon 2003
Portcon 2004

28) Why do you attend anime conventions?

For the panels, the screenings, the dealers room, events, and everything else you can only enjoy by being there.

29) What standard convention events are your favorites (concerts, AMV contests, cosplay contests, dealer’s room, anime screenings, etc.)?

Guest panels, industry panels, AMVs and dealers' room.

30) Have you ever cosplayed?

No.

31) How do you feel about cosplay in general?

While I would probably never do it I think it's great.

32) How do you feel about “aggressive” convention goers (the infamous “glomp”, for example)?

See the fanboy/girl questions above...

Other Media

33) Do you subscribe to any domestic anime magazines? Which ones?

Not since Tokyopop.

34) Do you collect anime plushies? Which ones?

Sometimes, depends on the character.

35) Do you collect wallscrolls/posters? Which ones?

Not really, but I keep the free ones.

Do most of your wallscrolls/posters have kanji or other Japanese writing on them?

Probably not.

36) Do you collect figurines? Which ones?

YES! Anything and everything! (Ok, I guess there's one thing I'm obssessive over...)

37) Do you collect anime CDs, J-Rock and/or J-Pop CDs (non-anime-related Japanese pop music)? Which ones?

I have a few, but I don't activly collect them.

If yes, answer 37a, 37b, and 37c

38) Do you know anything about traditional Japanese music (bunraku, gagaku, etc.)?

Very little outside of what is occasionally shown on A&E.

Japanese Culture

39) Have you taken formal Japanese lessons (either in a class or by tutoring)?
If no, skip to 40

40) Do you know any Japanese words or expressions? If yes, please list as many as you can think of with their definitions.

I do, but that's a very time consuming question, I'm going to skip on the list.

41) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in everyday life (non-anime situations)?
If no, skip to 42

42) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in anime-related situations (with family and friends who are anime fans, at conventions, in anime chat rooms/forums, etc.)?
If yes, answer 42a
42a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?

That really depends on the situation and who I'm talking to.

43) How would you react if a fan at a convention said the following to you:
“My friend Mary-chan, who has the most kawaii shirt on today, said the movie was going to be so sugoi, but I think she’s a baka. Well, ja ne!”

-Some mixture of the three (please explain below)

Well, knowing a few words only shows that you know a few words, it doesn't show any sort of understanding of anime. And personally I find it kinda cheezy to mix languages just because you can.

44) Has being an anime fan increased your knowledge of Japanese traditions and culture?

Yes, but not so much because of the anime itself, but rather due to outside research.

45) Do you emulate any aspects of Japanese culture in your daily life (cooking Japanese cuisine often, decorating your room with Japanese posters/kanji drawings, listening to Japanese music, etc.)?
If yes, which aspects, and why do you do them?

Rarely. Buying Japanese snacks, eating more rice, or trying out a Japanese steakhouse is hardly a form of emulation in my eyese.

46) Have you tried your hand at any traditional Japanese skills or pastimes (wearing kimono or yukata, performing a tea ceremony, practicing martial arts, karaoke, etc.)?

If not, why not?

either due to a lack of interest or a lack of opportunity or both.

American Culture

47) Do you feel that Americans are stereotyped in anime?

I've seen so many different American portrayals that I really can't call any one stereotypical. I guess the two most common are cocky and boisterous.

Are the stereotypes positive or negative, or both?

More like realistic.

48) How do you feel about the use of Western culture in anime (classical music in Evangelion, for example)?

There's no law that says anime can only be about Japan. I have no problem with it, nor do I see any reason why anyone else should.

49) Do you feel that anime has made you a more culturally-aware person?

Yes actually. Not directly though, but through additional research.

50) Which of the following statements resonates with you more?

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually people will understand each other more and prejudice will disappear. Everyone’s horizons will be much broader and the world will be more interesting.

Emerje

Questionnaire for Anime Fans

Please fill out all questions to the best of your ability. Whenever possible, DO NOT provide one-word answers, but rather explain your answers. And BE HONEST! I can't write a truthful paper about anime fans if you're not honest. If you're not comfortable posting your answers to the forum, email them to me and I'll be the only one who ever sees them!

First Name: Brad Rice
E-Mail Address: [email protected]
Location: Lincroft, NJ
Age: 17

Anime

1) For how long have you been an anime fan?
I was an anime fan for about 2 years, then I forgot about it for about 3 years. In the past 4 months, though, I have rediscovered anime.

2) How many series (approximately) have you watched in their entirety?
One (Trigun)

3) What is your favorite genre (romance, action, drama, comedy, etc.)?
My favorite are action titles, usually ones with a sci-fi element to it. Although its really based on my mood, so it switches between that and comedies.

4) How do you prefer to watch your anime?
- subbed (answer question 4a)
- dubbed (answer question 4b)
- it depends / I alternate between the two (answer question 4c)

4a) Why do you prefer your anime subtitled?

4b) Why do you prefer your anime dubbed?

4c) What makes you decide whether to watch an anime subbed or dubbed?

Normally, I will watch an anime dubbed. I find the voices sound more like the characters when I watch it. I haven't quite connected with the Japanese culture yet, so hearing Japanese voices are still a little uneasy on my ears. But, if the voice acting is horrible, then I will watch it subbed.

5) What does the word otaku mean to you?

Someone who is really dedicated to not only anime, but someone who also has an extreme interest in the Japanese culture and cuisine.

6) How does one become an otaku (for example, is every anime fan an otaku, or is an otaku better or more knowledgeable than an anime fan)?

One becomes an otaku after many years of studying the Japanese culture and watching a lot of anime. Basically, when they'd be able to fit into Japanese society very well...if they only spoke Japanese.

7) Do you consider yourself an otaku?
- yes (answer question 7a)
- no (answer question 7b)
- I can’t decide/I don’t know what that means (skip to question 8)

7a) Why do you consider yourself an otaku?

7b) Why do you not believe you are an otaku?

Although I do have a great interest in the Japanese culture, I still don't think I'd fit in there. Plus, I still have trouble with listening to Japanese voices constantly.

8) Do you know what the word otaku means in Japanese?

Someone who is so socially inept as to not be able to function in society.

9) What do the words fanboy/fangirl mean to you?

Someone who becomes obsessed with anime in general, or specific anime characters.

10) What distinguished a fanboy/fangirl from an ordinary fan, if anything?

Normal anime fans don't go ga-ga when they see certain animes (the obsession of the fanboy/girl)

11) Do you consider yourself a fanboy/fangirl (or anime in general, of a show or character in particular, of a genre, etc.)?
-yes
-no
-don’t know/not sure

11a) Why do you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?

Probably because I’m obsessed with Azumanga Daioh

11b) Why don’t you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?

12) Are the terms fanboy/fangirl positive or negative, if either?

Neither, really. It just means that you are dedicated to something.

13) Do you watch anime on television (as opposed to solely on DVD/VHS)?

Yes, I will watch whatever anime I can on Adult Swim.

14) How do you feel about American censorship of anime on TV?

I don’t think that this should exist if they’re going above and beyond what they censor with regular TV shows. Anime is just another TV program, not a child’s cartoon.

15) How do you feel about other (non-censorship) changes to anime on American TV (name changes, new music, new theme songs, etc.)?

It’s not right. Leave the anime the way it is, because otherwise you might lose the some point about the show, or lose some of the humor.

16) How do you feel about fansubbing (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit subtitling of unlicensed anime)?

I don’t think the concept of it is bad, but I do dislike the fact that it is basically pirated anime given out for free.

17) Do you own (either on video, CD-ROM or currently on your hard drive) any fansubs?

No. I deplore fansubs.

18) How do you feel about bootleg or pirated anime videos (illegal, for-profit subtitling and selling, often of already-licensed series)?

I deplore them. It’s a despicable practice.

19) Do you own any pirated or bootleg anime videos (either on video, CD-ROM, or currently on your hard drive)?

Most certainly not.

20) Do you own any raw (uncut, undubbed, unsubtitled) anime videos?

No.

Manga

21) How many manga series (approximately) have you read in their entirety?

Four. Full Metal Panic, Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, and Gunslinger Girl

22) Do you prefer your manga authentic (reads right to left, untranslated effects, original page size, etc.) or altered (reads left to right, translated effects, altered page size, etc.)?
-authentic (please answer 22a)
-altered (please answer 22b)
-don’t know / I enjoy both

22a) Why do you like authentic manga better?

It gives a more authentic feel. I feel more special when I read it that way.

22b) Why do you like altered manga better?

23) How do you feel about legitimate scanlations (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit translations of unlicensed manga)?

I don’t mind it, but I wouldn’t partake in it.

24) Do you own any scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?

No.

25) How do you feel about illegal scanlations (illegal distribution of licensed, published manga via computer scans, and/or for-profit distribution of any manga via computer scans)?

Like pirated anime, I deplore it.

26) Do you own any illegal scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?

No.

Conventions (if you have never attended a convention, skip this section)

27) Please list the conventions you have attended.

28) Why do you attend anime conventions?

29) What standard convention events are your favorites (concerts, AMV contests, cosplay contests, dealer’s room, anime screenings, etc.)?

30) Have you ever cosplayed?

31) How do you feel about cosplay in general?

32) How do you feel about “aggressive” convention goers (the infamous “glomp”, for example)?

Other Media

33) Do you subscribe to any domestic anime magazines? Which ones?

Not at the moment, but I will be subscribing to Protoculture Addicts soon, and am considering a subscription to Newtype USA.

34) Do you collect anime plushies? Which ones?

No, sadly, but I want to.

35) Do you collect wallscrolls/posters? Which ones?

Again, I am without any wallscrolls or posters. But I should go get some...

Do most of your wallscrolls/posters have kanji or other Japanese writing on them?

36) Do you collect figurines? Which ones?

Nope.

37) Do you collect anime CDs, J-Rock and/or J-Pop CDs (non-anime-related Japanese pop music)? Which ones?
If yes, answer 37a, 37b, and 37c

37a) Do you understand the Japanese lyrics (either through knowing Japanese, finding translations on the Internet, etc.)?

I have learned some through internet translations.

37b) If you do NOT understand the lyrics, do you still memorize and sing the words to you favorite songs?

37c) Have you ever been to a J-Pop concert (the recent L’Arc en Ciel concert at Otakon, for example)?

No, and I do not have an interest in going.

38) Do you know anything about traditional Japanese music (bunraku, gagaku, etc.)?

Not really, but I would enjoy learning about it.

Japanese Culture

39) Have you taken formal Japanese lessons (either in a class or by tutoring)?
If yes, answer 39a and 39b, skip 40 and proceed to 41
If no, skip to 40

39a) What level have you reached/how fluent do you believe you are?

39b) Did your interest in anime lead to your interest in the Japanese languge?

40) Do you know any Japanese words or expressions? If yes, please list as many as you can think of with their definitions.

Baka (idiot), manga (whimsical pictures) –san (Mr. Miss Mrs.), -chan (honorific, used towards children, kawaii (cute)

41) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in everyday life (non-anime situations)?
If yes, answer 41a and 41b
If no, skip to 42

41a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?
I’ll usually call someone baka, or shout “Hey, baka!” down the hallway.
41b) Do your family and friends who are not anime fans understand you?

Not at all

42) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in anime-related situations (with family and friends who are anime fans, at conventions, in anime chat rooms/forums, etc.)?
If yes, answer 42a
If no, skip to 43
42a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?

43) How would you react if a fan at a convention said the following to you:
“My friend Mary-chan, who has the most kawaii shirt on today, said the movie was going to be so sugoi, but I think she’s a baka. Well, ja ne!”

- I would be impressed; this person obviously knows lots of Japanese and has seen lots of anime. A real otaku!
- I would be angry; this person is just trying to sound cool and has no understanding of real Japanese language or culture
- I would be confused; I don’t know what any of those words mean
-Some mixture of the three (please explain below)
-None of the above/I don’t know

I would be impressed that this person incorporates Japanese in their everyday life, but I wouldn’t think much else on the subject.

44) Has being an anime fan increased your knowledge of Japanese traditions and culture?

Most definitely. Just by reading the translator notes in the Azumanga Daioh DVD case, I’ve learned a lot about Japanese culture.

45) Do you emulate any aspects of Japanese culture in your daily life (cooking Japanese cuisine often, decorating your room with Japanese posters/kanji drawings, listening to Japanese music, etc.)?
If yes, which aspects, and why do you do them?

I usually listen to some Japanese music, so that I can get used to hearing Japanese.

If not, why not?

46) Have you tried your hand at any traditional Japanese skills or pastimes (wearing kimono or yukata, performing a tea ceremony, practicing martial arts, karaoke, etc.)?
If yes, which pastimes and why?
If not, why not?

Because I have yet to find the time to do these things.

American Culture

47) Do you feel that Americans are stereotyped in anime?

Most definitely.

Are the stereotypes positive or negative, or both?

Definitely negative. Either people consider anime a childish cartoon, or “Chinese cartoon porn.”

48) How do you feel about the use of Western culture in anime (classical music in Evangelion, for example)?

I enjoy seeing these things. It makes me smile and feel like the anime is connecting to me, personally.

49) Do you feel that anime has made you a more culturally-aware person?

Yes. I’ve realized so much more about other cultures after watching anime.

50) Which of the following statements resonates with you more?

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually the world will just be one big culture and there won’t be any diversity anymore. We’ll lose all the differences that make us unique.

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually people will understand each other more and prejudice will disappear. Everyone’s horizons will be much broader and the world will be more interesting.

That was a fun little thing to do. Now, to do my homework X_X

Please fill out all questions to the best of your ability. Whenever possible, DO NOT provide one-word answers, but rather explain your answers. And BE HONEST! I can't write a truthful paper about anime fans if you're not honest. If you're not comfortable posting your answers to the forum, email them to me and I'll be the only one who ever sees them!

First Name: Charles D. Ball
E-Mail Address: [email protected]
Location: Barksdale AFB, LA
Age: 28

Anime

1) For how long have you been an anime fan?
Not counting the time I saw Voltron on TV and the few other anime that was on TV at the time in the 80's (which I didn't know what anime was), I would say I really became an anime fan in May 2003

2) How many series (approximately) have you watched in their entirety?
about 88 - see my anime list for more details

3) What is your favorite genre (romance, action, drama, comedy, etc.)?
Sci-Fi, Comedy, Drama. If I were to choose one, it would be sci-fi

4) How do you prefer to watch your anime?
subbed

4a) Why do you prefer your anime subtitled?
I like subs because I prefer to listen to the original language, and the subs are pretty much exactly what they are saying, and there are some Japanese VA's that sound much better than the American VA's

5) What does the word otaku mean to you?
Someone who never leaves their house and watches anime and goes to conventions and cosplays a character of opposite sex

6) How does one become an otaku (for example, is every anime fan an otaku, or is an otaku better or more knowledgeable than an anime fan)?
Watching a lot of anime, being part of an anime group, ect

7) Do you consider yourself an otaku?
I can't decide

8) Do you know what the word otaku means in Japanese?
The literal meaning is 1.) pron you (polite). 2.) n your house; your home. It also has an alternate meaning when a man who never left his house had gone out and killed several young girls, thus giving this word a negative conotation in Japan

9) What do the words fanboy/fangirl mean to you?
To me it means someone who live their life around anime

10) What distinguishes a fanboy/fangirl from an ordinary fan, if anything?
an ordinary fan watches anime, buys a few DVD's but doesn't decorate his room in anime posters and such

11) Do you consider yourself a fanboy/fangirl (or anime in general, of a show or character in particular, of a genre, etc.)?
no

12) Are the terms fanboy/fangirl positive or negative, if either?
It depends on how a typical fanboy/girl behaves around other non-anime people

13) Do you watch anime on television (as opposed to solely on DVD/VHS)?
Depends, if it is a good show I'll watch it. I won't watch most 4kids licensed anime

14) How do you feel about American censorship of anime on TV?
Its stupid, but necessary for parents who overreact to some things, as well to fit the general American ideals that all animation is for kids.

15) How do you feel about other (non-censorship) changes to anime on American TV (name changes, new music, new theme songs, etc.)?
It depends, I really don't see it necessary, maybe it happens because people tend to be misinformed about things

16) How do you feel about fansubbing (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit subtitling of unlicensed anime)?
I'm fine with it, as long as once an anime gets licensed, and the licensor requests that all fansubbing ends, the fansub groups should comply with that order.

17) Do you own (either on video, CD-ROM or currently on your hard drive) any fansubs?
yes, however, once I start buying a particular series that I have on my hard drive, it gets deleted.

18) How do you feel about bootleg or pirated anime videos (illegal, for-profit subtitling and selling, often of already-licensed series)?
I don't like it, its illegal, and it also tends to give fansubbers a bad name because of it.
I know of someone who has One Piece bootleg collection, looking at the boxes, and oddly enough, they happen to be copy protected. I started commenting about how can a bootleg be copy protected, and he corrects me and calls them fansubs (which I don't quite get considering he paid for them)

19) Do you own any pirated or bootleg anime videos (either on video, CD-ROM, or currently on your hard drive)?
Unfortunately, yes. I didn't know that it was before I bought it on eBay, I have also decided to buy the official version of the DVD's

20) Do you own any raw (uncut, undubbed, unsubtitled) anime videos?
No

Manga

21) How many manga series (approximately) have you read in their entirety?
Three

22) Do you prefer your manga authentic (reads right to left, untranslated effects, original page size, etc.) or altered (reads left to right, translated effects, altered page size, etc.)?
authentic

22a) Why do you like authentic manga better?
I feel its what the author intended to have it seen as

23) How do you feel about legitimate scanlations (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit translations of unlicensed manga)?
I am ok with it, however, if the licensor requests the distribution to be stopped, then the scanlators must comply

24) Do you own any scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?
Yes

25) How do you feel about illegal scanlations (illegal distribution of licensed, published manga via computer scans, and/or for-profit distribution of any manga via computer scans)?
The same as I would for HK DVD Rips

26) Do you own any illegal scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?
no

Conventions (if you have never attended a convention, skip this section)

27) Please list the conventions you have attended.

28) Why do you attend anime conventions?

29) What standard convention events are your favorites (concerts, AMV contests, cosplay contests, dealer’s room, anime screenings, etc.)?

30) Have you ever cosplayed?

31) How do you feel about cosplay in general?

32) How do you feel about “aggressive” convention goers (the infamous “glomp”, for example)?

Other Media

33) Do you subscribe to any domestic anime magazines? Which ones?
NewType USA, I might subscribe to Protoculture Addicts

34) Do you collect anime plushies? Which ones?
No, but it tends to be unavoidable when it comes with the boxset

35) Do you collect wallscrolls/posters? Which ones?
No, not yet, if I did, it would be Faye Valentine first

Do most of your wallscrolls/posters have kanji or other Japanese writing on them?

36) Do you collect figurines? Which ones?
no

37) Do you collect anime CDs, J-Rock and/or J-Pop CDs (non-anime-related Japanese pop music)? Which ones?
Yes

37a) Do you understand the Japanese lyrics (either through knowing Japanese, finding translations on the Internet, etc.)?
No, not fully, unless I get translations

37b) If you do NOT understand the lyrics, do you still memorize and sing the words to you favorite songs?
No

37c) Have you ever been to a J-Pop concert (the recent L’Arc en Ciel concert at Otakon, for example)?
No

38) Do you know anything about traditional Japanese music (bunraku, gagaku, etc.)?
No

Japanese Culture

39) Have you taken formal Japanese lessons (either in a class or by tutoring)?
No, not yet

40) Do you know any Japanese words or expressions? If yes, please list as many as you can think of with their definitions.
Yes,
Baka - idiot, stupid, dummy.
Domo Arigatou/Arigatou-gozaimasu - Thank you very much
Okarinasai - Welcome back
Tadaima - I'm back
Oyusuminasai - Good night
Ittekimasu - I'm leaving
Itterashai - Please be careful
Hontoni Gomen-nasai - I'm very sorry
Itadakimasu - Thank's for the food
Hanami - flower watching
Hanabi - Fireworks
Bento - boxed lunch
Tatami - Japanese floor mats

41) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in everyday life (non-anime situations)?
No

42) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in anime-related situations (with family and friends who are anime fans, at conventions, in anime chat rooms/forums, etc.)?
no, I'm not brave enough to do that around my parents or anyone else for that matter.

43) How would you react if a fan at a convention said the following to you:
“My friend Mary-chan, who has the most kawaii shirt on today, said the movie was going to be so sugoi, but I think she’s a baka. Well, ja ne!”
I would give them a stupid look, but not be angry. More or less, I would think they are being silly.

44) Has being an anime fan increased your knowledge of Japanese traditions and culture?
Yes

45) Do you emulate any aspects of Japanese culture in your daily life (cooking Japanese cuisine often, decorating your room with Japanese posters/kanji drawings, listening to Japanese music, etc.)?
No, I don't have any reason to

46) Have you tried your hand at any traditional Japanese skills or pastimes (wearing kimono or yukata, performing a tea ceremony, practicing martial arts, karaoke, etc.)?
No, I haven't really seen a need to as of yet

American Culture

47) Do you feel that Americans are stereotyped in anime?
Yes

Are the stereotypes positive or negative, or both?
Often negative, rarely positive, unrelated to this, I've had someone call anime "Chinese musicals" because of the opening sequence of a particular anime I started playing.

48) How do you feel about the use of Western culture in anime (classical music in Evangelion, for example)?
I don't care, if it fits the anime, then its fine with me

49) Do you feel that anime has made you a more culturally-aware person?
Yes

50) Which of the following statements resonates with you more?

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually the world will just be one big culture and there won’t be any diversity anymore. We’ll lose all the differences that make us unique.

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually people will understand each other more and prejudice will disappear. Everyone’s horizons will be much broader and the world will be more interesting.

I think statement #2 is more accurate

Questionnaire for Anime Fans

Please fill out all questions to the best of your ability. Whenever possible, DO NOT provide one-word answers, but rather explain your answers. And BE HONEST! I can't write a truthful paper about anime fans if you're not honest. If you're not comfortable posting your answers to the forum, email them to me and I'll be the only one who ever sees them!

First Name: Alex
E-Mail Address: [email protected]
Location: Maplewood, MN
Age: 19

Anime

1) For how long have you been an anime fan?
I suppose I've been a fan of anime for about four years. I started watching Dragonball Z on Cartoon Network around the time that the Cell Saga was airing, and kind of got sucked into the rest of their anime. Fortunately, I'm beyond Dragonball now.

2) How many series (approximately) have you watched in their entirety?
If you include movies and OAVs, I've watched about 60.

3) What is your favorite genre (romance, action, drama, comedy, etc.)?
Hmmm...something with some of all of those I guess. I think it's important to include more than just a single element.

4) How do you prefer to watch your anime?
- it depends / I alternate between the two (answer question 4c)

4a) Why do you prefer your anime subtitled?
N/A

4b) Why do you prefer your anime dubbed?
N/A

4c) What makes you decide whether to watch an anime subbed or dubbed?
If I don't like the English voices, then I'll watch the sub. If I can handle the English voices, then it probably comes down to whether I'm busy doing something else while watching or not. If I'm busy, I'll go with the dub. I also like to check out both the sub and the dub on any given release though.

5) What does the word otaku mean to you?
Someone who is very obsessive about some form of media to the point where most of his/her life is spent feeding the obsession.

6) How does one become an otaku (for example, is every anime fan an otaku, or is an otaku better or more knowledgeable than an anime fan)?
Not every anime fan is an otaku, and otaku are not necessarily more knowledgable. A fan probably doesn't spend entire paychecks to get the newest anime, and probably doesn't care that much about the limited edition box with extra toys/t-shirts/whatever else. An otaku might be more knowledgeable if only because more time is spent on fueling the obsession.

7) Do you consider yourself an otaku?
- no (answer question 7b)

7a) Why do you consider yourself an otaku?

7b) Why do you not believe you are an otaku?
I haven't been a fan for very long. I don't spend any available funds on obtaining limited edition toys from Japan. I haven't even been to a convention.

8) Do you know what the word otaku means in Japanese?
It's not a positive term. To make an analogy, you'd kind of think of an otaku as the 26 year old geek boy who lives in his parents' basement sitting at his computer all day surrounded by every piece of Star Wars memorabilia ever made.

9) What do the words fanboy/fangirl mean to you?
Hmmm...perhaps somewhere between a regular fan and an otaku who fits the target audience for (insert shonen/shojou title here) very well.

10) What distinguished a fanboy/fangirl from an ordinary fan, if anything?
Perhaps obsession over specific characters or character types.

11) Do you consider yourself a fanboy/fangirl (or anime in general, of a show or character in particular, of a genre, etc.)?
-no

11a) Why do you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?

11b) Why don’t you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?
I don't really obsess over my anime.

12) Are the terms fanboy/fangirl positive or negative, if either?
They seem somewhat negative. They seem to imply a juvenile aspect as well.

13) Do you watch anime on television (as opposed to solely on DVD/VHS)?
I used to, but then I started getting busier with work and school. And I have a computer in my room now. Also, I usually like to watch series from beginning to end. If I miss one or several episodes, then I may become lost in the plot and stop watching.

14) How do you feel about American censorship of anime on TV?
I understand that much of the anime shown on TV is targeted toward a rather young audience, and the content must be adjusted for those groups. Broadcasting anime on television in the U.S. seems to be difficult to do, since the real anime fans are still a niche group. Otherwise "cartoons" are generally shown for kids. A lot of stuff coming from Japan fits somewhere inbetween "kids" and "adults" and it's difficult to figure out which audience toward which to market it.

15) How do you feel about other (non-censorship) changes to anime on American TV (name changes, new music, new theme songs, etc.)?
I don't like the idea of new music. That takes it too far in my opinion. It could drastically change the original feel. I can handle name changes.

16) How do you feel about fansubbing (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit subtitling of unlicensed anime)?
Fansubbing seems to be a rather important part of the anime community. If it wasn't, then companies probably wouldn't be so willing to look the other way. Interest in a particular title can be first seen in fansubs. Most people would probably rather buy something that they've experienced rather than something they know nothing about. Although, there are those ignorant few who believe that anything more than nothing is too much to pay for anime.

17) Do you own (either on video, CD-ROM or currently on your hard drive) any fansubs?
Yes.

18) How do you feel about bootleg or pirated anime videos (illegal, for-profit subtitling and selling, often of already-licensed series)?
I am strongly against it. I wish eBay and Amazon would do something about the sellers of bootlegs on their sites.

19) Do you own any pirated or bootleg anime videos (either on video, CD-ROM, or currently on your hard drive)?
No.

20) Do you own any raw (uncut, undubbed, unsubtitled) anime videos?
No.

Manga

21) How many manga series (approximately) have you read in their entirety?
Apporximately........0. I've only read the first two volumes of Full Metal Panic!.

22) Do you prefer your manga authentic (reads right to left, untranslated effects, original page size, etc.) or altered (reads left to right, translated effects, altered page size, etc.)?
-authentic (please answer 22a)

22a) Why do you like authentic manga better?
I'm not sure. It just feels more...authentic.

22b) Why do you like altered manga better?

23) How do you feel about legitimate scanlations (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit translations of unlicensed manga)?
Uncertain.

24) Do you own any scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?
No.

25) How do you feel about illegal scanlations (illegal distribution of licensed, published manga via computer scans, and/or for-profit distribution of any manga via computer scans)?
Same as bootleg DVD/VHS.

26) Do you own any illegal scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?
No.

Conventions (if you have never attended a convention, skip this section)

skipping...

27) Please list the conventions you have attended.

28) Why do you attend anime conventions?

29) What standard convention events are your favorites (concerts, AMV contests, cosplay contests, dealer’s room, anime screenings, etc.)?

30) Have you ever cosplayed?

31) How do you feel about cosplay in general?

32) How do you feel about “aggressive” convention goers (the infamous “glomp”, for example)?

Other Media

33) Do you subscribe to any domestic anime magazines? Which ones?
No.

34) Do you collect anime plushies? Which ones?
I have an Ein (Cowboy Bebop) plushie.

35) Do you collect wallscrolls/posters? Which ones?
I have a Cowboy Bebop scroll.

Do most of your wallscrolls/posters have kanji or other Japanese writing on them?
I only have one. And the answer is no.

36) Do you collect figurines? Which ones?
Sorry, no.

37) Do you collect anime CDs, J-Rock and/or J-Pop CDs (non-anime-related Japanese pop music)? Which ones?
If yes, answer 37a, 37b, and 37c
No, but I would buy the Cowboy Bebop soundtracks and Mikuni Shimokawa's Full Metal Panic! singles if I could.

37a) Do you understand the Japanese lyrics (either through knowing Japanese, finding translations on the Internet, etc.)?
No.

37b) If you do NOT understand the lyrics, do you still memorize and sing the words to you favorite songs?
No. I have almost 500 non-Japanese CDs and I don't know most of the words.

37c) Have you ever been to a J-Pop concert (the recent L’Arc en Ciel concert at Otakon, for example)?
No.

38) Do you know anything about traditional Japanese music (bunraku, gagaku, etc.)?
No.

Japanese Culture

39) Have you taken formal Japanese lessons (either in a class or by tutoring)?
Yes

If yes, answer 39a and 39b, skip 40 and proceed to 41
If no, skip to 40

39a) What level have you reached/how fluent do you believe you are?
I'm in the third week of first year Japanese at the University of Minnesota.

39b) Did your interest in anime lead to your interest in the Japanese languge?
I'd be lying if I said no.

40) Do you know any Japanese words or expressions? If yes, please list as many as you can think of with their definitions.
skipping...

41) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in everyday life (non-anime situations)?
Not that I can think of.

If yes, answer 41a and 41b
If no, skip to 42

41a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?

41b) Do your family and friends who are not anime fans understand you?

42) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in anime-related situations (with family and friends who are anime fans, at conventions, in anime chat rooms/forums, etc.)?
I don't think so.

If yes, answer 42a
If no, skip to 43

42a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?

43) How would you react if a fan at a convention said the following to you:
“My friend Mary-chan, who has the most kawaii shirt on today, said the movie was going to be so sugoi, but I think she’s a baka. Well, ja ne!”
- I would be angry (although probably more annoyed than angry); this person is just trying to sound cool and (probably) has (little to) no understanding of real Japanese language or culture

44) Has being an anime fan increased your knowledge of Japanese traditions and culture?
I suppose so. Perhaps more than I could recall off the top of my head.

45) Do you emulate any aspects of Japanese culture in your daily life (cooking Japanese cuisine often, decorating your room with Japanese posters/kanji drawings, listening to Japanese music, etc.)?
If yes, which aspects, and why do you do them?
If not, why not?
No. If I'm interested in something, it's usually not a sudden obsession.

46) Have you tried your hand at any traditional Japanese skills or pastimes (wearing kimono or yukata, performing a tea ceremony, practicing martial arts, karaoke, etc.)?
If yes, which pastimes and why?
If not, why not?
No. No real interest.

American Culture

47) Do you feel that Americans are stereotyped in anime?
I'm not really sure. I haven't observed many Americans in the anime that I've watched.
Are the stereotypes positive or negative, or both?

48) How do you feel about the use of Western culture in anime (classical music in Evangelion, for example)?
The makers of anime in Japan certainly don't draw completely on Japanese influences. Japanese animation itself probably wouldn't have gotten anywhere if it hadn't been heavily influenced by American animation.

49) Do you feel that anime has made you a more culturally-aware person?
Nah, not really.

50) Which of the following statements resonates with you more?

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually the world will just be one big culture and there won’t be any diversity anymore. We’ll lose all the differences that make us unique.
If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually people will understand each other more and prejudice will disappear. Everyone’s horizons will be much broader and the world will be more interesting.

I can't really say that either resonates with me at all. I think cultures are too isolated from each other to erase diversity, and I don't think people will somehow just "get along with each other" because they know more about another culture.

First Name: Jeff
E-Mail Address: [email protected]
Location: Houston, TX
Age: 21

Anime

1) For how long have you been an anime fan?
A serious fan about 7 years, but I have been watching anime for 9 or 10.

2) How many series (approximately) have you watched in their entirety? I lost count somewhere in the 30's. Probably 40-45

3) What is your favorite genre (romance, action, drama, comedy, etc.)? I don't really have one that stands out as a fav. If I had to narrow it down I would say slice-of-life or comedy.

4) How do you prefer to watch your anime?
- subbed (answer question 4a)
- dubbed (answer question 4b)
- it depends / I alternate between the two (answer question 4c)

4a) Why do you prefer your anime subtitled?

4b) Why do you prefer your anime dubbed?

4c) What makes you decide whether to watch an anime subbed or dubbed? It's pretty interchangable for me. Usually when the R1 releases comes out I watch the dub at least once, but sometimes I feel the Japanese voices are better, or I've gotten used to them from the fansub.

5) What does the word otaku mean to you? It holds dual meanings for me. I'm very aware of what the word means in Japan. I tend to take the American view of the word, which would just mean a fan that's really into it. (but not super obssesed with it like in Japan)

6) How does one become an otaku (for example, is every anime fan an otaku, or is an otaku better or more knowledgeable than an anime fan)? No, they are not better, but they can be more knowledgable (not always mind you), since they generally have seen more series and also probably have a decent idea of the American and Japanese companies themselves (or know info on Seiyu)

7) Do you consider yourself an otaku?
- yes (answer question 7a)
- no (answer question 7b)
- I can’t decide/I don’t know what that means (skip to question 8)

7a) Why do you consider yourself an otaku? I consider myself one merely in the American sense of the word. I've been a fan for years, and would like to think I know a bit about the industry itself.

7b) Why do you not believe you are an otaku?

8) Do you know what the word otaku means in Japanese? Yes

9) What do the words fanboy/fangirl mean to you? Basically the American word for the Japanese meaning of Otaku, although probably not quite as negative.

10) What distinguished a fanboy/fangirl from an ordinary fan, if anything? They are generally quite obssesive, and tend to jump on you if you don't like whatever it is they are a fanboy/fangirl of.

11) Do you consider yourself a fanboy/fangirl (or anime in general, of a show or character in particular, of a genre, etc.)?
-yes
-no
-don’t know/not sure

11a) Why do you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?

11b) Why don’t you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?
I'm not obssesive about Anime (although I do watch it quite a bit), I'm not going to impose my opinions on others (if someone doesn't like a show or character I like, oh well).

12) Are the terms fanboy/fangirl positive or negative, if either?
Generally negative.

13) Do you watch anime on television (as opposed to solely on DVD/VHS)? Yes

14) How do you feel about American censorship of anime on TV? It has it's place, although sometimes they make some really stupid edits. I would of course love them to play it uncut, but with the way Amercian society is in general, it won't happen very often.

15) How do you feel about other (non-censorship) changes to anime on American TV (name changes, new music, new theme songs, etc.)? I would prefer them to keep everything the same, but as long as it doesn't ruin the story, it's not so bad. (of course having a DVD release with everything unchanged helps too)

16) How do you feel about fansubbing (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit subtitling of unlicensed anime)?
I have no problem with it, so long as it is of unlicensed series (since it has now expanded way beyond that). It's a good way to try out a series and see how you like it, although there are some that use fansubs as a replacement for buying the DVDs.

17) Do you own (either on video, CD-ROM or currently on your hard drive) any fansubs?
I don't "own" fansubs, since I don't pay for them, however I do have them on my computer, yes.

18) How do you feel about bootleg or pirated anime videos (illegal, for-profit subtitling and selling, often of already-licensed series)?
I hate it. Taking someone elses work, ripping it off, and then profiting from it is horrible. I don't particularily agree with the people who purchase these products either.

19) Do you own any pirated or bootleg anime videos (either on video, CD-ROM, or currently on your hard drive)
I own a You're Under Arrest Season 2 HK boot. I got it by accident, before I really knew much about boots. I now use the discs as coasters (for real)

20) Do you own any raw (uncut, undubbed, unsubtitled) anime videos?
I have a couple.

Manga

21) How many manga series (approximately) have you read in their entirety? Well, I've really just started reading manga, so none yet.

22) Do you prefer your manga authentic (reads right to left, untranslated effects, original page size, etc.) or altered (reads left to right, translated effects, altered page size, etc.)?
-authentic (please answer 22a)
-altered (please answer 22b)
-don’t know / I enjoy both

22a) Why do you like authentic manga better?
No particular reason, I actually find it easier to read right to left.

22b) Why do you like altered manga better?

23) How do you feel about legitimate scanlations (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit translations of unlicensed manga)? Once again, so long as it's of unlicensed manga, I don't mind (and hopefully an accurate translation) I haven't really checked any out myself.

24) Do you own any scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)? No

25) How do you feel about illegal scanlations (illegal distribution of licensed, published manga via computer scans, and/or for-profit distribution of any manga via computer scans)?
Same as with my stance on boots, it's not cool.

26) Do you own any illegal scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)? No

Conventions (if you have never attended a convention, skip this section)

27) Please list the conventions you have attended.
Project A-kon 13,14,15
O-ChibiCon 2004
I haven't been able to travel out of Texas for a con yet, but that will change very very soon....

28) Why do you attend anime conventions?
To meet other fans, attend the panels, buy products that you normally have to order of the net.

29) What standard convention events are your favorites (concerts, AMV contests, cosplay contests, dealer’s room, anime screenings, etc.)?
Cosplay contests can be fun, sometimes the AMV contests are good, anime screenings are always fun.

30) Have you ever cosplayed?
Not to date, although I have plans in the works.

31) How do you feel about cosplay in general?
It's cool, so long as you cosplay something that fits in with your appearance (i.e. *coughs* Man Faye or larger people trying to get away with skimpy outfits)

32) How do you feel about “aggressive” convention goers (the infamous “glomp”, for example)?
Ehh.. not so great....

Other Media

33) Do you subscribe to any domestic anime magazines? Which ones?
Not currently, but will be within the next month.

34) Do you collect anime plushies? Which ones?
I have a couple, but I don't collect

35) Do you collect wallscrolls/posters? Which ones?
Same as 34.

Do most of your wallscrolls/posters have kanji or other Japanese writing on them?
Half and half I would say.

36) Do you collect figurines? Which ones?
No

37) Do you collect anime CDs, J-Rock and/or J-Pop CDs (non-anime-related Japanese pop music)? Which ones?
If yes, answer 37a, 37b, and 37c
All 3. I have no set pattern, I just buy based on what I have listened to and think I would like.

37a) Do you understand the Japanese lyrics (either through knowing Japanese, finding translations on the Internet, etc.)?
I know a tiny tiny bit of Japanese which helps. I also find translations when I can.

37b) If you do NOT understand the lyrics, do you still memorize and sing the words to you favorite songs?

37c) Have you ever been to a J-Pop concert (the recent L’Arc en Ciel concert at Otakon, for example)?
Sadly no

38) Do you know anything about traditional Japanese music (bunraku, gagaku, etc.)?
I know what they are, that's about it.

Japanese Culture

39) Have you taken formal Japanese lessons (either in a class or by tutoring)? Not do date.
If yes, answer 39a and 39b, skip 40 and proceed to 41
If no, skip to 40

39a) What level have you reached/how fluent do you believe you are?

39b) Did your interest in anime lead to your interest in the Japanese languge?

40) Do you know any Japanese words or expressions? If yes, please list as many as you can think of with their definitions.
baka-idiot
hentai - pervert
konnichiwa - good afternoon
konban wa - good evening
domo/domo arigato/domo arigato gozai mashita -
thanks/thank you/thank you very much
gomen/gomen nasai/gomen ne/sumimassen - sorry
ich, ni, san, shi, etc: 1,2,3,4, etc.

I'll end the list here, lest it goes on for quite a while longer.

41) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in everyday life (non-anime situations)?
If yes, answer 41a and 41b
If no, skip to 42

41a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?
Too many to list, pretty much all of them I know. I use them just because it can be a cool change to add some life into some sentences.

41b) Do your family and friends who are not anime fans understand you?
Not really, it usually entails me explaining all the phrases. I don't mind though, since they will learn a bit from it.

42) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in anime-related situations (with family and friends who are anime fans, at conventions, in anime chat rooms/forums, etc.)?
If yes, answer 42a
If no, skip to 43
42a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?
Same as 41a, except it's also fun to see who you can stump.

43) How would you react if a fan at a convention said the following to you:
“My friend Mary-chan, who has the most kawaii shirt on today, said the movie was going to be so sugoi, but I think she’s a baka. Well, ja ne!”

- I would be impressed; this person obviously knows lots of Japanese and has seen lots of anime. A real otaku!
- I would be angry; this person is just trying to sound cool and has no understanding of real Japanese language or culture
- I would be confused; I don’t know what any of those words mean
-Some mixture of the three (please explain below)
-None of the above/I don’t know

It would be none of the above. Just because they know common words like that doesn't mean they have seen lots of anime. You could watch one ep of a series and learn those words. At the same time, they may actually know more of the language than that, so I wouldn't be angry.

44) Has being an anime fan increased your knowledge of Japanese traditions and culture?
In some ways, but most of the depictions in anime are not exactly accurate in real life terms. I was always interested in Japan since I was young, so it was more like my interest in Japanese culture brought me to anime.

45) Do you emulate any aspects of Japanese culture in your daily life (cooking Japanese cuisine often, decorating your room with Japanese posters/kanji drawings, listening to Japanese music, etc.)?
If yes, which aspects, and why do you do them?
If not, why not?

I wouldn't call it emulating. If that's the case then I emulate lots of other cultures depending on what foods I eat, or music I listen to. One can like aspects of another culture without emulating it.

I do like Japanese cuisine, I have some posters, and I listen to Japanese mus often.. but that's not all I eat, or have on my wall, or listen to.

46) Have you tried your hand at any traditional Japanese skills or pastimes (wearing kimono or yukata, performing a tea ceremony, practicing martial arts, karaoke, etc.)?
If yes, which pastimes and why?
If not, why not?
Hmm.. well I've done Karaoke a few times, but it wasn't in a Karaoke box as is common in Japan. I've watched a tea ceremony, but not performed. I know Tae Kwon Do, but that's not Japanese.

American Culture

47) Do you feel that Americans are stereotyped in anime?
To an extent they are, but there have been what I would consider accurate representations as well.

Are the stereotypes positive or negative, or both?
Typically negative (to varying degrees).

48) How do you feel about the use of Western culture in anime (classical music in Evangelion, for example)?
If it can be used to help improve the story than I'm all for it.

49) Do you feel that anime has made you a more culturally-aware person?
Somewhat, but since anime itself doesn't portray the Japanese culture accurately most of the time, it's mostly from learning on my own.

50) Which of the following statements resonates with you more?

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually the world will just be one big culture and there won’t be any diversity anymore. We’ll lose all the differences that make us unique.

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually people will understand each other more and prejudice will disappear. Everyone’s horizons will be much broader and the world will be more interesting.

Neither is exactly what I believe. We will never lose all our differences, as not everyone will adopt all aspects of other cultures. People's understanding of other cultures may increase, but prejudices are so ingrained, I'm not sure they will ever dissappear. Likewise there are many people who are closed off and will not broaden their horizons.

If this were a perfect world I would agree with the second statement. Neither of them holds up in real life applications, however.

First Name: Josh
E-Mail Address: [email protected]
Location: Seattle, WA
Age: 17

Anime

1) For how long have you been an anime fan?

About two years.

2) How many series (approximately) have you watched in their entirety?

14. I live near an incredible video rental store, so I can get through series quickly and cheaply.

3) What is your favorite genre (romance, action, drama, comedy, etc.)?

I really like pulpy sci-fi anime (like Macross and Galaxy Express 999). I grew up on science fiction, so it's only natural that I'd watch anime from the genre. I'm also a big fan of the more 'artsy' side of anime, like Memories and Haibane Renmei.

4) How do you prefer to watch your anime?
- subbed (answer question 4a)
- dubbed (answer question 4b)
- it depends / I alternate between the two (answer question 4c)

4a) Why do you prefer your anime subtitled?

There is a lot of anime that I enjoy dubbed, but there are also way too many bad dubs out there for it to be my default option. You can depend on the Japanese to put together a good vocal cast a lot more than Americans.

4b) Why do you prefer your anime dubbed?

4c) What makes you decide whether to watch an anime subbed or dubbed?

I usually watch subtitled anime by default, unless I hear great things about the dubbed version. If I've heard one cast enough times, I'll get so used to them that I refuse to listen to the other version, even if it's good.

5) What does the word otaku mean to you?

To me, otaku are creepy anti-social losers who don't bathe, refuse to watch animation from other countries, and think of Japan as the promised land. I try to distance myself from them as much as possible.

6) How does one become an otaku (for example, is every anime fan an otaku, or is an otaku better or more knowledgeable than an anime fan)?

I do not think that every anime fan is an otaku, just like not every Star Trek fan is a Trekkie. You become one by being an obnoxious idiot (Learning Klingon and memorizing useless data for one, disowning everything American for the other). People who are very knowledgeable about anime, like Fred Patten and Benjamin Ettinger, I would consider to be anime experts as opposed to otaku.

7) Do you consider yourself an otaku?
- yes (answer question 7a)
- no (answer question 7b)
- I can?t decide/I don?t know what that means (skip to question 8)

7a) Why do you consider yourself an otaku?

7b) Why do you not believe you are an otaku?

I bathe. I have a social life. I watch animation from many different countries. I believe that Japan is a modern country with many internal problems instead of a magical land of cartoons and Pocky.

8) Do you know what the word otaku means in Japanese?

I think so. I've heard some contradictory definitions, but I believe it's a very formal word for house, and became used to refer to people who left theirs so rarely and were thus so poorly socialized that they couldn't use casual forms of Japanese with anyone.

9) What do the words fanboy/fangirl mean to you?

I think that they're generally teenagers. I picture fanboys getting angry about every little thing (The subtitle in this one scene is wrong! And how can you say you don't like Love Hina?), and I picture fangirls swooning over bishounen and writing lots of bad fanfiction. I know that those are stereotypes, but stereotypes are fun! Very Happy

10) What distinguished a fanboy/fangirl from an ordinary fan, if anything?

Excessive devotion.

11) Do you consider yourself a fanboy/fangirl (or anime in general, of a show or character in particular, of a genre, etc.)?
-yes
-no
-don?t know/not sure

11a) Why do you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?

11b) Why don?t you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?

Because I keep things in perspective. I get very emotionally involved in some anime (such as Arcadia of My Youth), but I don't get bent all out of shape when someone tells me they don't like it.

12) Are the terms fanboy/fangirl positive or negative, if either?

Negative (see above).

13) Do you watch anime on television (as opposed to solely on DVD/VHS)?

Sometimes. There's not a whole lot of anime on TV that I like, and of that there is, I can't keep watching the same Lupin and Bebop episodes over and over.

14) How do you feel about American censorship of anime on TV?

I don't care, I'm getting it for free. If the editing gets too bad, I can always go watch the DVDs.

15) How do you feel about other (non-censorship) changes to anime on American TV (name changes, new music, new theme songs, etc.)?

See above.

16) How do you feel about fansubbing (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit subtitling of unlicensed anime)?

I think that fansubbers should stick to series that have a low likelihood of getting released stateside. You've got a million groups doing Naruto, but I'd much rather see someone work on Space Runaway Ideon or Heidi, Girl of the Alps.

17) Do you own (either on video, CD-ROM or currently on your hard drive) any fansubs?

Yes. I tend to delete fansubs after I watch them, but I currently have Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Princess Arete, Comedy, Windy Tales, Re: Cutie Honey, Anne of Green Gables, and 3000 Leagues In Search of Mother on my computer. I also have a VHS fansub of Macross: Do You Remember Love?

18) How do you feel about bootleg or pirated anime videos (illegal, for-profit subtitling and selling, often of already-licensed series)?

Bootlegging is wrong, wrong, wrong. If you're going to fork over your cash to someone, you should give it to the creators, instead of to gangsters (who are usually the ones doing the bootlegging). I think that downloading liscensed anime is unethical too, but I do it anyways from time to time because I have weak morals and can't resist the siren lure of the free.

19) Do you own any pirated or bootleg anime videos (either on video, CD-ROM, or currently on your hard drive)?

Not on video or DVD. I do have some on my hard drive, but I'm not admitting which ones on a public forum.

20) Do you own any raw (uncut, undubbed, unsubtitled) anime videos?

No. I used to have an MPEG of Noiseman Sound Insect raw, and have thought of importing a DVD of Fly! Peek the Whale, since I love Koji Morimoto's work, and I highly doubt that it'll be either fansubbed or liscensed.

Manga

21) How many manga series (approximately) have you read in their entirety?

Maybe ten? I've read a lot of stuff halfway through, or read all that's available in English.

22) Do you prefer your manga authentic (reads right to left, untranslated effects, original page size, etc.) or altered (reads left to right, translated effects, altered page size, etc.)?
-authentic (please answer 22a)
-altered (please answer 22b)
-don?t know / I enjoy both

22a) Why do you like authentic manga better?

22b) Why do you like altered manga better?

I'm used to reading left to right and I like being able to read sound effects. I also read lots of American comics, so manga printed at bigger sizes look better on my shelf.

23) How do you feel about legitimate scanlations (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit translations of unlicensed manga)?

That's a little iffy, but I have no real problem with it.

24) Do you own any scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?

I have read parts of Kimagure Orange Road and Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou online, but I haven't saved anything to my hard drive.

25) How do you feel about illegal scanlations (illegal distribution of licensed, published manga via computer scans, and/or for-profit distribution of any manga via computer scans)?

That's wrong. And I like to have hard copies of my comics, whether they're mine or from the library/a friend. Reading things on a computer screen isn't very fun.

26) Do you own any illegal scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?

No.

Conventions (if you have never attended a convention, skip this section)

27) Please list the conventions you have attended.

28) Why do you attend anime conventions?

29) What standard convention events are your favorites (concerts, AMV contests, cosplay contests, dealer?s room, anime screenings, etc.)?

30) Have you ever cosplayed?

31) How do you feel about cosplay in general?

32) How do you feel about ?aggressive? convention goers (the infamous ?glomp?, for example)?

Other Media

33) Do you subscribe to any domestic anime magazines? Which ones?

No. I bought one issue of Newtype because it had an article that I was interested in reading, but nothing in it made me want to read more. I figure I can get better information online, anyways (like at ANN or Pelleas)

34) Do you collect anime plushies? Which ones?

No.

35) Do you collect wallscrolls/posters? Which ones?

No.

Do most of your wallscrolls/posters have kanji or other Japanese writing on them?

36) Do you collect figurines? Which ones?

No. I have been thinking about getting a Gundam figure to go with my Jesus and Hockey Goalie action figures, though.

37) Do you collect anime CDs, J-Rock and/or J-Pop CDs (non-anime-related Japanese pop music)? Which ones?
If yes, answer 37a, 37b, and 37c

I listen to some Japanese pop bands (like Pizzicato Five), but none of them are really considered to be J-Pop the way Ayumi Hamasaki is. I also listen to some Japanese avant-rock and noise music (such as Boredoms and Merzbow), but I don't think that's what you're looking for. I don't really collect much Japanese music because I prefer to listen to LPs, and it's very hard to find some stuff in that format.

37a) Do you understand the Japanese lyrics (either through knowing Japanese, finding translations on the Internet, etc.)?

No.

37b) If you do NOT understand the lyrics, do you still memorize and sing the words to you favorite songs?

Sometimes I'll pick something up from repeated exposure, but other languages tend to go in one ear and out the other for me.

37c) Have you ever been to a J-Pop concert (the recent L?Arc en Ciel concert at Otakon, for example)?

No. I would like to attend a Melt-Banana concert once before I die, though.

38) Do you know anything about traditional Japanese music (bunraku, gagaku, etc.)?

I'm somewhat familiar with Kabuki, which I guess could be considered a form of musical theater (I'm a big opera buff). But other than that, no.

Japanese Culture

39) Have you taken formal Japanese lessons (either in a class or by tutoring)?
If yes, answer 39a and 39b, skip 40 and proceed to 41
If no, skip to 40

39a) What level have you reached/how fluent do you believe you are?

I start taking Japanese 101 at a community college next week. So I don't know anything.

39b) Did your interest in anime lead to your interest in the Japanese languge?

Not really. My interest in anime is part of my larger interest in animation, and French would be more useful for that (so I could go to the Annecy animation festival). I have a city fetish that compells me to visit Tokyo, and I want to be able to get around outside tourist areas.

40) Do you know any Japanese words or expressions? If yes, please list as many as you can think of with their definitions.

konnichiwa = Hello
Sayonara = Goodbye
Gozaymas (sp?) = Good morning
Shinkansen = Bullet train
Gaijin = Foreigner
Sugoi = Excellent
Baka = Idiot
Hentai = Pervert
Kawaii = Cute
Urusai = Annoying
Manga = Comics

...probably more, but nothing I can think of off the top of my head.

41) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in everyday life (non-anime situations)?

God no.

If yes, answer 41a and 41b
If no, skip to 42

41a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?

41b) Do your family and friends who are not anime fans understand you?

42) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in anime-related situations (with family and friends who are anime fans, at conventions, in anime chat rooms/forums, etc.)?

Manga sometimes (I usually just refer to them as comics), but other than that - no.

If yes, answer 42a
If no, skip to 43
42a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?

43) How would you react if a fan at a convention said the following to you:
?My friend Mary-chan, who has the most kawaii shirt on today, said the movie was going to be so sugoi, but I think she?s a baka. Well, ja ne!?

- I would be impressed; this person obviously knows lots of Japanese and has seen lots of anime. A real otaku!
- I would be angry; this person is just trying to sound cool and has no understanding of real Japanese language or culture
- I would be confused; I don?t know what any of those words mean
-Some mixture of the three (please explain below)
-None of the above/I don?t know

I would be angry and annoyed. I might try to slap them. You either speak one language or another. Don't try to speak both at the same time, especially if you only know a couple words in one.

44) Has being an anime fan increased your knowledge of Japanese traditions and culture?

Not really. Although I do admit that Kurosawa films have.

45) Do you emulate any aspects of Japanese culture in your daily life (cooking Japanese cuisine often, decorating your room with Japanese posters/kanji drawings, listening to Japanese music, etc.)?
If yes, which aspects, and why do you do them?
If not, why not?

I listen to some Japanese music, but I also listen to American, Brazillian, German, Italian, and Russian music. Japanese food is good every once in awhile, and packaged yakisoba and udon is great whenever I'm too lazy to cook, but it's not my favorite.

46) Have you tried your hand at any traditional Japanese skills or pastimes (wearing kimono or yukata, performing a tea ceremony, practicing martial arts, karaoke, etc.)?
If yes, which pastimes and why?
If not, why not?

I figure I should learn a martial art sometime so I could become more disciplined and get in shape, but have never gotten around to it. I don't really have that much interest in the others since I'm in America and would thus look like an idiot doing any of them.

American Culture

47) Do you feel that Americans are stereotyped in anime?

I actually haven't watched that much anime with American characters, so I can't say.

Are the stereotypes positive or negative, or both?

48) How do you feel about the use of Western culture in anime (classical music in Evangelion, for example)?

I don't have any problem with it if it's done well, like the use of Bolero in Legend of the Galactic Heroes. I thought the classical music in Evangelion was very poorly done (particularly the Hallelujah Chorus/Mind Rape scene).

49) Do you feel that anime has made you a more culturally-aware person?

Depends on the anime. Some things (like Millennium Actress and Whisper of the Heart) I rank up there with the best foreign and independant films, but I wouldn't rate most anime very high on the culture scale.

50) Which of the following statements resonates with you more?

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other?s cultures, eventually the world will just be one big culture and there won?t be any diversity anymore. We?ll lose all the differences that make us unique.

If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other?s cultures, eventually people will understand each other more and prejudice will disappear. Everyone?s horizons will be much broader and the world will be more interesting.

The first one. I agree that sharing ideas is a good thing, but I'm also rather fond of the differences between cultures. I like it that there are places in the world that are completely different from where I live, and I've seen way too many of the bad effects of globalization to support the second statement.

***The ANN Forum administrators have approved this survey for posting. Thank you!***

Name: Joe
Email addy: [email protected]
Loc: San Diego, CA
Age: 20

1) 7 years.

2) Approximately 20.

3) Drama.

4) c.
4c) Subs are great and they help me get a better feel from the show. However, sometimes I just like listening to the dub because I get a new sense from the show-- an auditory sense. For example... the timing of jokes is much better. But it depends on whether the dub is good in the first place...

5) Otaku means freak.

6) I'd characterize it as having a freakish obsession with anything anime related... among other things, be very well versed with Seiyuu, Seiyuu music, anime directors, production companies, and all that other stuff.

7) b.
7b) I don't care for directors or seiyuu. I just watch a show and enjoy it.

8) Yes. I think it originally meant house =P

9) Fanboy/Fangirl are kinda like Otaku, but instead of knowledgable, they just tend to like anything related to the anime that they are fanboyish around... defying reason and logic.

10) Ordinary fans are more casual... fanboy/fangirl is more obsessive.

11) No
11b) I'm very objective on what I like.

12) Negative.

13) No.

14) I don't care as long as the general plot element is achieved If they censor key plot elements, then I would get angry. But I don't mind if they put clothes on a girl if she's naked for no reason.

15) I don't mind name changes, again, if they don't have any general plot element. Changing Takumi to Tak means absolutely nothing to the story, and sometimes I applaud it, because it makes me cringe hearing names pronounced wrong. I don't know why they'd change BGM, which can be questionable... and I oppose new theme songs because most of the time they suck =P if they were good, they could stay!

16) It's cool. I have massive respect for some sub groups (the ones that do good jobs).

17) Yes.

18) I don't like them because the quality is horrible... and even though they're cheaper, the lack of quality isn't worth it, I'd rather get the licensed version, if I get it at all. It also sucks for some of us trying to sell legit DVDs on Ebay =P However, I do support a fansub group when it's subbing something that has been licensed... because it would take a year or more to put out said title... that's only if it's licensed during a subbing cycle. If it's before, I don't support it.

19) No.

20) I had an episode of Hanaukyo Maids, second season, but I got rid of it.

21) Zero

22) B
22b) It makes sense to read left to right... the whole english language is built for it. If it were Japanese, right to left would be fine, but left to right doesn't make me dizzy. As for SFX, I prefer Japanese ones, because if you alter SFX it tends to affect the picture quality.

23) It's cool but I don't like reading stuff on the computer screen.

24) Yes, Yotsubato, and some HnG when it wasn't licensed.

25) I just wouldn't do it, because I don't like reading on the computer. And as far as licensing, I'll still support it if it's in the middle of the cycle, but not before or way after, like fansubs.

26) Technically HnG is now illegal, but I don't read it anyway.

27) AX '02, '03, '04

28) A lot of my friends go.

29) I don't know... never really liked anything. I like panels with the creators though.

30) Nope. I've considered for a while though =P

31) It's cool if you do it because you like the character. I don't think it's cool when you do it to slut yourself out, when you do it for attention, or when you make a real cheap outfit. Come on, try!

32) It's cool if you don't do it to me or random passerbys. I mean if you want to do it to your friends... be my guest.

33) No.

34) No. But I want some Azumanga ones.

35) I have a few. Mostly stuff my friend sent me from Japan for my birthday, or Christmas or something. They don't really have Japanese writing. I guess the logo might be.

36) I bough Chitchana Yukitsukai Sugar figurines. I feel like a girl now, so I don't buy them anymore =P

37) No.

38) Not really. I know of Enka =P

39) Yes
39a) One quarter of college level Japanese
39b) Yes

40) Uhh, geez, that's a lot...
ookii - big
takai - tall
shikkoku - pitch black
yozora - night sky
no - posseive particle
ikura desu ka - how much is it?
tanjyoubi omedetou - happy birthday
tadaima - i'm back
okaeri - welcome back
doozo - here you go (one of many usages)
doozo yoroshiku - nice to meet you
sumimasen - excuse me
migi - right
hidari - left
ja ne, ja mata, dewa mata - good bye
iku - to go
shimasu - to do
namae - name
gakusei - student
daigakusei - university student

that's a lot already. I'll stop now.

41) rarely.
41a) mostly "ikuzo." it makes me feel better than saying "let's go!"
41b) not really. but i don't use it that often.

42) I try not to.
43) "I would be angry; this person is just trying to sound cool and has no understanding of real Japanese language or culture"
I wouldn't be angry, just disturbed, though.

44) Yea. I'd say I learned a tiny bit from Azumanga and Sensei no Ojikan, because they use a lot of cultural jokes.

45) I listen to Japanese music occasionally. Mostly anime music, which I dump in my playlists filled with a variety of american music and some weird soundtracks (the back to the future score!).

46) Yes. I've Karaoke'd a few times... albeit horribly to American Rap =P I also dabbled a bit in Kendo.

47) Not really. But I'd like to see some Americans that aren't white =P

48) If it's there and it helps, then it's all good.

49) Not really. I watch it for plotlines, mostly.

50) The third one.

First Name: Wilson
email: [email protected]
location: Boston, MA
age: 19

Anime

1) For how long have you been an anime fan?
I first watched something about 10 years ago, but I started really getting itno it around 5 years ago.

2) How many series (approximately) have you watched in their entirety?
Over 25 I would say. I tend to quit easily.

3) What is your favorite genre (romance, action, drama, comedy, etc.)?
I like alot of SciFi and fantasy. Some good action shows are fun too.

4) How do you prefer to watch your anime?
- subbed (answer question 4a)
- dubbed (answer question 4b)
- it depends / I alternate between the two (answer question 4c)

4a) Why do you prefer your anime subtitled?

4b) Why do you prefer your anime dubbed?

4c) What makes you decide whether to watch an anime subbed or dubbed?
I find some things have better dubs, and some things are better subbed.

5) What does the word otaku mean to you?
Weirdo, obsessed fanatic who takes their love of anime to the extreams, so much so that they disregard anything thats not Japanese.

6) How does one become an otaku (for example, is every anime fan an otaku, or is an otaku better or more knowledgeable than an anime fan)?
I think some people just have something inside them that makes them become obsessed with anime. Its not only anime; there are tons of these people for other forms of entertainment.

7) Do you consider yourself an otaku?
- yes (answer question 7a)
- no (answer question 7b)
- I can’t decide/I don’t know what that means (skip to question 8)

7a) Why do you consider yourself an otaku?

7b) Why do you not believe you are an otaku?
No way. I like aspects of Japanese media, but also from our own media. And I dislike alot of anime thats out there. Right now I hardly am buying that many series at all.

8) Do you know what the word otaku means in Japanese?
From what I understand its a very negative word. Some fans in the US embrace it, but Otaku are usually shown as creepy perverts in manga parodies.

9) What do the words fanboy/fangirl mean to you?
Very devoted fan of a particular series.

10) What distinguished a fanboy/fangirl from an ordinary fan, if anything?
I guess it would be the fact that they have one series that they are very devoted to, as opposed to a fan who just shows interest in that series.

11) Do you consider yourself a fanboy/fangirl (or anime in general, of a show or character in particular, of a genre, etc.)?
-yes
-no
-don’t know/not sure
no

11a) Why do you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?

11b) Why don’t you call yourself a fanboy/fangirl?
I love a few series in particular, but I don't usually go on rants or hate anyone who dislikes that series.
12) Are the terms fanboy/fangirl positive or negative, if either?
Well, they're a bit better than Otaku. Still, I often notice many fanboys/girls can act like Otaku at times. I would say negative.

13) Do you watch anime on television (as opposed to solely on DVD/VHS)?
Yes

14) How do you feel about American censorship of anime on TV?
I wish it would be uncensored, but as long as they are showing it I can't complain (unless they really butcher it).

15) How do you feel about other (non-censorship) changes to anime on American TV (name changes, new music, new theme songs, etc.)?
Again, I would like the original show to remain unchanged, but I understand the need sometimes to change things, so I will still support the show and the broadcaster.

16) How do you feel about fansubbing (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit subtitling of unlicensed anime)?
As long as its done moraly (stop the distribution when the anime is licenced) I think its great.

17) Do you own (either on video, CD-ROM or currently on your hard drive) any fansubs?
Yes

18) How do you feel about bootleg or pirated anime videos (illegal, for-profit subtitling and selling, often of already-licensed series)?
Hate it. Its just like stealing. At least with fansubs you do get a degree of promotion.

19) Do you own any pirated or bootleg anime videos (either on video, CD-ROM, or currently on your hard drive)?
No

20) Do you own any raw (uncut, undubbed, unsubtitled) anime videos?
No

Manga

21) How many manga series (approximately) have you read in their entirety?
I've read a TON of manga, but many of it I am in the process of reading. Maybe like 30. I actually am a bigger fan of manga than anime.

22) Do you prefer your manga authentic (reads right to left, untranslated effects, original page size, etc.) or altered (reads left to right, translated effects, altered page size, etc.)?
-authentic (please answer 22a)
-altered (please answer 22b)
-don’t know / I enjoy both

22a) Why do you like authentic manga better?

22b) Why do you like altered manga better?

23) How do you feel about legitimate scanlations (amateur, by-fans-for-fans not-for-profit translations of unlicensed manga)?
I support the scanslation community. Without them, we woud not be able to read so many great things that will never be licenced. If I read a series I like, I will make a point to buy it once it is licenced.

24) Do you own any scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?
Yes

25) How do you feel about illegal scanlations (illegal distribution of licensed, published manga via computer scans, and/or for-profit distribution of any manga via computer scans)?
Well, I have downloaded things that have already been licenced, but I plan to buy those once they come out in english, so I don't think its that big of a deal, as long as you support the English release. Its better than people getting the scans before they were licenced then not supporting the manga.

26) Do you own any illegal scanlations (either in hard copy or on your hard drive)?
I admit to having some scans of manga that have been licenced (Berserk), but again I plan to buy all of that when it is released.

Conventions (if you have never attended a convention, skip this section)

27) Please list the conventions you have attended.

28) Why do you attend anime conventions?

29) What standard convention events are your favorites (concerts, AMV contests, cosplay contests, dealer’s room, anime screenings, etc.)?

30) Have you ever cosplayed?

31) How do you feel about cosplay in general?

32) How do you feel about “aggressive” convention goers (the infamous “glomp”, for example)?

Other Media

33) Do you subscribe to any domestic anime magazines? Which ones?
No

34) Do you collect anime plushies? Which ones?
Just one that was included in the Wolf's Rain box set.

35) Do you collect wallscrolls/posters? Which ones?
No

Do most of your wallscrolls/posters have kanji or other Japanese writing on them?

36) Do you collect figurines? Which ones?
No

37) Do you collect anime CDs, J-Rock and/or J-Pop CDs (non-anime-related Japanese pop music)? Which ones?
If yes, answer 37a, 37b, and 37c
Yes. I have several soundtracks from Yoko Kanno, as well as some things from Susumu Hirasawa and the Pillows.

37a) Do you understand the Japanese lyrics (either through knowing Japanese, finding translations on the Internet, etc.)?
No

37b) If you do NOT understand the lyrics, do you still memorize and sing the words to you favorite songs?
No

37c) Have you ever been to a J-Pop concert (the recent L’Arc en Ciel concert at Otakon, for example)?
No

38) Do you know anything about traditional Japanese music (bunraku, gagaku, etc.)?
No

Japanese Culture

39) Have you taken formal Japanese lessons (either in a class or by tutoring)?
If yes, answer 39a and 39b, skip 40 and proceed to 41
If no, skip to 40
No

39a) What level have you reached/how fluent do you believe you are?

39b) Did your interest in anime lead to your interest in the Japanese languge?

40) Do you know any Japanese words or expressions? If yes, please list as many as you can think of with their definitions.

41) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in everyday life (non-anime situations)?
If yes, answer 41a and 41b
If no, skip to 42
Yes

41a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?

Somethings that people use so much online:

41b) Do your family and friends who are not anime fans understand you?

42) Do you use any Japanese words or expressions in anime-related situations (with family and friends who are anime fans, at conventions, in anime chat rooms/forums, etc.)?
If yes, answer 42a
If no, skip to 43
42a) Which words or expressions do you use and why?
baka
hentai
kawaii
domo

43) How would you react if a fan at a convention said the following to you:
“My friend Mary-chan, who has the most kawaii shirt on today, said the movie was going to be so sugoi, but I think she’s a baka. Well, ja ne!”

- I would be impressed; this person obviously knows lots of Japanese and has seen lots of anime. A real otaku!
- I would be angry; this person is just trying to sound cool and has no understanding of real Japanese language or culture
- I would be confused; I don’t know what any of those words mean
-Some mixture of the three (please explain below)
-None of the above/I don’t know
second one
SPEAK ENGLISH! YOU'RE NOT JAPANESE!!!

44) Has being an anime fan increased your knowledge of Japanese traditions and culture?
Somewhat. I've gotten more interested in the culture than I was before.

45) Do you emulate any aspects of Japanese culture in your daily life (cooking Japanese cuisine often, decorating your room with Japanese posters/kanji drawings, listening to Japanese music, etc.)?
If yes, which aspects, and why do you do them?
If not, why not?
No. I'm not Japanese, and feel no need to adopt another culture. Plus, I don't like the food all that much.

46) Have you tried your hand at any traditional Japanese skills or pastimes (wearing kimono or yukata, performing a tea ceremony, practicing martial arts, karaoke, etc.)?
If yes, which pastimes and why?
If not, why not?
Yes. I've taken Uechi Ryu Karate Do since I was 6. My father runs a dojo, and thats how he makes a living, so it was kind of a given that I would study, and I am very glad I did, despite my constant bruises and injurys.

American Culture

47) Do you feel that Americans are stereotyped in anime?
Occasionally, but nothing too negative. I usually see americans as pretty likeble characters.

Are the stereotypes positive or negative, or both?
Just simple fun. Nothing that we don't do to ourselves.

48) How do you feel about the use of Western culture in anime (classical music in Evangelion, for example)?
Japan is influenced by the west anyway, so I'm not that suprised.

49) Do you feel that anime has made you a more culturally-aware person?
No

50) Which of the following statements resonates with you more?
If nations keep sharing ideas and borrowing from each other’s cultures, eventually people will understand each other more and prejudice will disappear. Everyone’s horizons will be much broader and the world will be more interesting.
I don't think that is all that true though.

(never mind)

EDIT: By the way, I found the page loading is getting slow due to excessive amount of text. Hope this thread would not affect the stability of ANN.

dormcat wrote:

(never mind)

EDIT: By the way, I found the page loading is getting slow due to excessive amount of text. Hope this thread would not affect the stability of ANN.

This page was slow loading? It took about half a second to load on my comp...

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