Forum - View topicEffects of popularity
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avius viator
 Posts: 101 Location: Ohio |
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With the increasing availability and visibility of anime, I’ve been pondering the effects that this increasing popularity will/is having on the current anime community. It is undeniable that an increase in popularity (demand) will increase the availably of the anime products outside Japan. But do you think this will decrease the quality of the art form? If the creators begin catering to more “Hollywood” tastes, will anime still have the same attraction? Or perhaps the increase in demand will provide an influx of cash flow helping to expand and diversify the industry. Consider this quote from Animation World Magazine hinting at “Americanized” anime... good idea /bad idea?
And, what of the anime community? It’s always been a relatively small, somewhat arcane community. Perhaps that is part of the reason some are drawn to it... the feeling of being one of the “elite”. Would you like it to remain this way. Or do you feel popularity will make it a more diverse, open, and fun community, while helping to do away with some of the stereotypes we suffer? I have sensed opinions regarding these issues underlying various posts ( and I seem to recall we hedged on some of this in one of the Spirited Away Oscar discussions a while ago…), so I thought I'd bring it up formally. |
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Case
Posts: 1016 |
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IMHO, those people should go live in a hermit life cave somewhere if they are so obsessed with being different from other people. That approach only shows respect for what anime ISN'T; and, I think, disregard for what it IS. We've all heard this before, right? It wasn't all that long ago that we were talking about how pointless it is to compare various anime to Cowboy Bebop, and judge its worth based on that. I see this as being more of the same, in a much greater scope. |
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king_micah
 Posts: 994 Location: OSU |
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Speaking as a former migrant from mainstream scifi, elitist only tend to have problems when the n00bs are extremly ignorant. Often the problem of anime is the mid and young teen n00bs. They come here after a hook anime and can be quite annoying. There are those who just transtion thru, others who stay. I came to anime after disillusionment with traditional LA scifi and saw how gutsy the story was in alot of good anime. With my experiances with the various scifi fan communities, its generally the extremely anti-social ones who have the most problem with popularization. The truely obsessed ones don't care.
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Case
Posts: 1016 |
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I must be an ignorant n00b then, because they certainly annoy me.
I'm glad to hear that last part, though, as it definitely hasn't seemed that way in any of the online communities I have involved myself in over the past six years. 
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DaVeDuDe
 Posts: 20 Location: Brooklyn, N.Y. USofA |
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I don't see a big problem.
Even IF anime gets "americanized," there will still be plenty of Japanese non-mainstream anime available. Even IF millions of "ignorant n00bs" start coming onto our message boards and flaming and spamming and whatnot, there will still be places (like this site) where you so called "elitists" can have your alone time. 
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Samurai CDZ
 Posts: 776 Location: Manhattan, KS |
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Increasing popularity is great and who cares if some bad animes comes over and get played, you have to take the good with the bad. The bad idea is americanizing it. The reason why I like to watch anime is cause if comes from Japan (at least what I've seen). It's more than just art, it's a whole different culture with a whole different point of view on life. I could watch X-men, Justice League or Samurai Jack (I like Jack) but if I had the choice I'd watch, well pretty well anything animated from Japan. It just peaks my interest a little bit more. Posted in another thread, someone (don't know who, don't wanna find it) said people are attracted to foreign objects, whatever it is; movies, tables, rocks(?). It's the exotic quality of the item, not the item itself. It's true.
Hollywood tastes are played out money-making formulas. Did you see Old School? Dumbest story ever. Will Farrell(?) was funny though. Hulk is a play on Spider-man and X-men. I don't know what else is coming out right now (nor do I really care) but it is probably not very original. Expand anime's presence but please don't americanize it. |
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avius viator
Posts: 101 Location: Ohio |
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Personally, I see popularization as a positive thing. If its more popular, its more availible... as someone who does not have access to fansubs (the ethical ones, of course), I must depend on licensed anime. So popularity means more DVD releases... and perhaps even more anime related items such as soundtracks being released here. This would also result in cheaper product, and who could complain about that? Are there any down sides that I'm not seeing?
I agree that being elitist is the wrong approach. But unfortunately I have sensed that attitude from time to time. (I was curious if anyone will actually admit to that mindset). I, by no means, consider myself a "master Otaku"...I'm still pretty clueless actually. I have only been into this 5ish years... yet sometimes I get the feeling that I am missing the party because I haven't seen all the old, obsure, "must sees". I've seen people get flamed and/or patronized for being newbie CN converts (hell, that is largely what I am). That being said, ANN is usually very accepting and good about such things. I guess when I read that quote about having an anime x-men, spiderman, etc... I found the idea didn't sit well with me. Perhaps it is what Samurai CDZ was saying about originality. I mean the Animatrix was a really neat idea, and it turned out pretty well... but I don't see the need to re-create or recast everything. But I suppose anime, as it is now, already seems to have its share of "formulas"... adding a few more Hollywood standards into the mix wouldn't change the overall mix much... would it? |
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Hellomojo
 Posts: 225 Location: Orlando, Fl. |
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I'm not too worried about Anime becoming popular. The more popular a product becomes the more the industry's compete. The more they compete the lower the prices and the higher the calibae has to become to keep up with everyone else.
And honestly, If someone wants to make a piece of garbage Animation and atempt to join the Anime "wave" I honestly could care less. I just don't have to buy it. Also, if Anime really becomes popular the products, other than the animation, will probably be produced here. This will give more people jobs and we don't have to pay alot of money because the product isn't shiped from Japan. |
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Toubib
 Posts: 55 Location: Tampa, FL |
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I think anime becoming popular is an all around good thing. More shows, hopefully better prices, etc. But becoming Americanized is defiantly a bad thing in my book. I think American animation should take a few notes from anime, like having A story to tell, and not just a string of un-ending episodes. And having one person directing/producing/writing for the anime. I know on one of the other threads someone was saying that JMS from Babylon 5 has been pretty much the only person that has successfully done that, and that show turned out great. So we can do it in the US if only the big companies will give people the chance, and it can be good.
The show that I can't wait for to see how American animation industry influenances it is Big O. While I'm sure it's happened before, this is the first time I know of that a show went from Japanese running things to an American company running things. And I'm interesting in seeing how that effects the plot and way the story unfolds. Will Japan's tendence to do a show till the story is told win out over America's "Make more show's till people stop watching". |
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Anlushac11
Posts: 268 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana, USA |
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Funny you mention about the mid and early teens posting. I have been lurking over at Adult Swims's boards and it is a utter madhouse. Seems like they have 200 poasts an housr and it seems about 150 of them are by rude kids braggin that they are 13 and they stay up to watch Adult Swim. And the constant arguing "Reign sucks, no it deosnt , yes it does, you suck, no you suck..." At least here most of the conversations are civil and intelligent. |
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Steventheeunuch
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no u suk lol omfg eheh.. just kidding |
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herbkir
Posts: 251 Location: Michigan |
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There's no doubt that the anime runs on Cartoon Network and Tech TV have helped greatly in expanding the public's awareness of this storytelling form. These channels have run some decent to outstanding anime, which is whetting the public's appetite for more. It's a good thing overall.
As to the Adult Swim board, it's a case of being hammered by success. I think AS was surprised by the overwhelming response the board got. What it reminds me of is the Wild West compared to the sedate East. Most online communities have been around a while, have a generally understood body of rules and moderators to enforce them. The AS board is still the wild frontier. It's been up less than a month. The main reason I've stayed with it is the clear evidence that the AS management actually reads the thing. Meaning I and other adults posting there can have a direct influence on their programming decisions. I think that if the AS board is to serve its intended purposes, AS will realize it needs rules and mods to bring some order. I expect to start seeing evidence of that fairly soon. (^_*) |
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Ferquin
 Posts: 297 Location: Renton, WA, USA |
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I also hope they get a better board. I signed up and visited it and I really hate how it's set up. I like phpBB (like this one) or Ikonboards or UBB boards the best. I hate those boards that aren't structured or used the old formats of opening up threads and responses by clicking those little triangles. It's so jumbled and chaotic.
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ShellBullet
 Posts: 1051 Location: I hit things, with my fist. |
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I just had to check out the AS boards, wow, what a mess. I particurly liked the threads on completely OT subjects like philosophy and Pres. Bush. They seriously need some mods. That's why I like this board because most of the posts are intelligent and (AnimeJunkies aside) the flaming is kept to a minimum.
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ExeterBlue
Posts: 30 |
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popularity is bound to have a positive effect at one point or another but seemingly popularity isnt always the best since it will inspire similair shows...since well people like that sort of thing....then we reach monotony, which sucks.......so as long as people like good stuff like FLCL we're safe....the moment they start praising dbz we kill them! got it! woo
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