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NEWS: Manga Stirs Debate At School Libraries


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gfpaperboy22



Joined: 14 Mar 2005
Posts: 3
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 1:30 pm Reply with quote
I just guessing but would the "robot army meant to serve men" happen to be Chobits?
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Rio Takeuchi



Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Posts: 10
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 1:47 pm Reply with quote
gfpaperboy22 wrote:
I just guessing but would the "robot army meant to serve men" happen to be Chobits?


Quite possible, that was my first thought too.

And the article brings up a point that MANY parents and people who are AGAINST anime/manga seem to forget:

"The Japanese comics, called "manga," are more sophisticated and complex than most American comics, which are dominated by superheroes. In manga, the focus is on character development."

Japanese comics go DEEPER than American comics, and parents really shouldn't group them together.


Last edited by Rio Takeuchi on Mon Mar 14, 2005 1:49 pm; edited 3 times in total
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Saito



Joined: 01 Feb 2005
Posts: 32
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 1:47 pm Reply with quote
Wow. I wish I went to that school. From a students point of view thats awsome. But I really don't see the purpose of having manga at a school library. The money could be spent better. But hey, I live in california where our school system is in debt and doesn't have any money so spare. I don't really know how the financial situation is in Maine.
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Hi no Neko



Joined: 17 Sep 2004
Posts: 204
Location: Austin, TX
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 1:55 pm Reply with quote
I just love how the first two examples they name as being sexist are shoujo manga. (Peach Girl and Tokyo Mew Mew.)

Also, since when is Tokyo Mew Mew about girls "dressing and acting like floozies to get what they want"? Last time I checked, it was about a team of superhero girls trying to protect the enviroment.

I understand that there are many titles out there that should definitely not be on a middle school library shelf, but it wouldn't hurt the librarians to at least try to read a chapter or two, would it?
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beelzebozo



Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Posts: 308
Location: Aurora, Colorado
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 2:06 pm Reply with quote
I find it amusing that most places are screaming that kids aren't reading enough, but when the kids do read, they get mad because it's not Hardy Boys or the Bible, but stuff that might stretch their minds a little. And even if it is populist crap, it's still one of the reasons that Japan has such a high literacy rate.

Makes me think of a cartoon strip I saw:
(parents looking into room as kid is reading on bed)
"All he reads are those stupid comic books"
"Now honey... he's READING"
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Rio Takeuchi



Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Posts: 10
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 2:11 pm Reply with quote
beelzebozo wrote:
I find it amusing that most places are screaming that kids aren't reading enough, but when the kids do read, they get mad because it's not Hardy Boys or the Bible, but stuff that might stretch their minds a little. And even if it is populist crap, it's still one of the reasons that Japan has such a high literacy rate.


Amen to that Laughing
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Hi no Neko



Joined: 17 Sep 2004
Posts: 204
Location: Austin, TX
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 2:19 pm Reply with quote
beelzebozo wrote:
I find it amusing that most places are screaming that kids aren't reading enough, but when the kids do read, they get mad because it's not Hardy Boys or the Bible, but stuff that might stretch their minds a little. And even if it is populist crap, it's still one of the reasons that Japan has such a high literacy rate.


Yup yup. I say that parents and teachers shouldn't look at it like "my kids are reading something strange" and look at it more like "my kids aren't trying to trick me into buying M-rated video games". XP
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gfpaperboy22



Joined: 14 Mar 2005
Posts: 3
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 2:32 pm Reply with quote
Ah, but one could say the same thing about anime. One of the reasons I started reading manga and watching anime was because there was often times nudity. Of course, this was back when I was 13 but now in my 20's, I enjoy anime/manga because it is incredibly deep. Then again, you gotta love fan service manga like Love Hina! ^^
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Saito



Joined: 01 Feb 2005
Posts: 32
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 2:41 pm Reply with quote
Times are changing, the parents will come around. Eventually.
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Hi no Neko



Joined: 17 Sep 2004
Posts: 204
Location: Austin, TX
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 2:48 pm Reply with quote
Saito wrote:
Times are changing, the parents will come around. Eventually.


Still waitin' for them to get warm 'n' cozy with video games. . .
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beelzebozo



Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Posts: 308
Location: Aurora, Colorado
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:14 pm Reply with quote
Hi no Neko wrote:
Saito wrote:
Times are changing, the parents will come around. Eventually.


Still waitin' for them to get warm 'n' cozy with video games. . .


It's a generational thing. My younger brother is now a parent and he and his wife definitely have no problems with the kids playing video games ( or the Miyazaki movies I give them for X-Mas Laughing ). Just wait another decade or so.
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Rio Takeuchi



Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Posts: 10
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:46 pm Reply with quote
beelzebozo wrote:
Just wait another decade or so.


o_O Too long! Sad
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Treeloot



Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 140
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 4:18 pm Reply with quote
Rio Takeuchi wrote:
gfpaperboy22 wrote:
I just guessing but would the "robot army meant to serve men" happen to be Chobits?


Quite possible, that was my first thought too.

And the article brings up a point that MANY parents and people who are AGAINST anime/manga seem to forget:

"The Japanese comics, called "manga," are more sophisticated and complex than most American comics, which are dominated by superheroes. In manga, the focus is on character development."

Japanese comics go DEEPER than American comics, and parents really shouldn't group them together.

Japanese comics being deeper than American comics is a very bad generalization to make. There are Japanese comics that are deeper than some American comics, and American comics that are deeper than Japanese comics. It really depends on the series.

Personally, I'd be thrilled if my library got more manga in, because there's a lot of series I'd like to read or try out, but not spend money on.
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Joe Mello



Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts: 2302
Location: Online Terminal
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 5:12 pm Reply with quote
There's no substitute for good parenting.

Of course, good parenting starts with smart parents. These are probably a group of people similar to the people who want any hint of religion out of the winter holidays and other such ridiculous notions.
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Septeus7



Joined: 05 Aug 2003
Posts: 88
PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 5:18 pm Reply with quote
Treeloot wrote:

Japanese comics being deeper than American comics is a very bad generalization to make. There are Japanese comics that are deeper than some American comics, and American comics that are deeper than Japanese comics. It really depends on the series.


Hear! Hear! Read the Watchmen and tell me it doesn't go very deep.
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