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Hey, Answerman! - The Con Artist

RyanSaotome wrote:

All of those top anime and character lists in Japan show that they only really care about the new stuff. Like the top waifu lists typically consist of all girls from the last 2 years and maybe like Haruhi and the Eva girls. Same with top anime. Its tough to get excited about older anime when its not the hot new thing anymore.

Japan has no need to wear those rose-tinted nostalgia goggles because they get like 100 new anime a year. And despite what American fans always complain about, it wasn't better back then

It happens with American animation too. People will gush up 80s/90s cartoons like they're the cat's meow, and dismiss current animation or insist nothing can compare to my old Thundercats or Batman cartoons. I guess when you only get 6 cartoons a year, it's not as easy to move on like Japan can.

My anime dollars these days go into merchandise direct from Japan - figures, model kits, other stuff - which will at least keep the REAL market forces of anime going. The animation is nothing compared to merchandising, where the REAL money is made, to quote from Spaceballs. Slavering over the chance to pay top dollar just to be like someone who lines up in Akihabara to own Box Set X or Zero-Day Release Y doesn't support any industry - it prolongs it to the detriment of the consumers and to the benefit of the people who decide to hang on to their torrented anime.

IMO, the real reason for anime fans distaste for older works is that the internet has bred us to believe that anything older than 2 seconds is ancient.

Yet most people tend to go "Old, eeeeeeeew", not "Old, not really that interested".

"Entertainment item." Makes it sound so... sadly insignificant, doesn't it? "Deluxe Limited Edition Boxed Set" sounds a lot more exciting. No wonder Aniplex USA calls it that instead of "Entertainment Item."

I will have to disagree in part with that notion of some on this board. Yes newer anime/manga/film/games have access to better technology, but the general sense I seem to be getting from this board is that older shows can't possibly be better. What kind of nonsense is that? If something was made and is truly great, then I don't see how it all of sudden became bad. Star Wars is considered by many one of, if not the greatest Sci Fi films and/or franchises of all time. It well over 30 years old. But you are not going to sit there and tell me Total Recall is better. I just honestly think people are fickle and to easily swayed these days. Ill admit some newer shows have entered my top ten/25/50; but the shows I thought were favorites a when I first watched them are still my favorites now, and no its not because of nostalgia, but quite frankly because there were better at their respective genre or theme then anything that has since come out.

What you call old today was new back then, so to discriminate against a great title because the designs are now dated is to needlessly cut yourself off from some very good series and movies.