Forum - View topicAnime vs The Fandom
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selenta
 Subscriber Posts: 1774 Location: Seattle, WA |
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Well, at least you don't really need to worry about this one. The fact that you thought this at all, means you're not the kind of person who would do this. Besides, even if you did end up acting as retarded as they did... think of how awesome the show would have to be, to make you lose all sense of shame and dignity like them! Would you really want to miss out on a show that could potentially be so good you lose control of your body?! 
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Dardre
 Posts: 166 |
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Be a Narutard? GYAH! No thanks!
The thing is, I've actually seen this happen. Friends I thought were reasonable people suddenly turned into these raving loons that would complain about the English dub before it even aired! They'd whine about how much the filler episodes sucked, and then turn right around and say how 'awesome' the rest of the series is and how no other action anime can possibly measure up. I do think it's rather amusing how those friends are now complaining about the 'post-time skip' Naruto. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that I was right in not hoping on this particular bandwagon. And don't get me started on yaoi fangirls  Those just...scare me. 
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KyuuA4
 Posts: 1361 Location: America, where anime and manga can be made |
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Yes. It happens... and it'll continue to happen. There had been bashers of Sailor Moon, DBZ, Pokemon, Inuyasha, and any other series that had some kind of impact with a LARGE number of anime fans. Aww heck, even anime fans themselves are bashed by those who don't fall favor into anime. What's the reason for this bashing? Simple. To poke fun at the people acting in "mass droves". The huge numbers thing. Futhermore, they do not understand WHY a specific something is "good".
IT'S FUN! 
I like to say that I am Naruto-Free.
Now, how did a term like Narutard come about? Simple. It's a combination of Naruto and Retard. Fans of Naruto simply acted like retards -- and the name stuck. Nevertheless, these fans are having fun with Naruto. And best leave it at that. As for this "tardism" -- it can be contagious - particularly when the enjoyment level of a certain series reaches some kind of peak level. It is as if - this "current series" is the "best thing evar since sliced bread". Some people can't help it. Again, it's fun. Plus, the more the merrier. By the way, Haruhi is god. 
=== Anyways, I'm on both sides of the boat. I don't like Naruto - despite never watching it ever. Yet, I'm a Haruhist.
Go figure... |
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BrothersElric
 Posts: 1996 |
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You know, what you just said actually makes me want to watch it even less. (unless you're being sarcastic, that is) But I'll still continue to watch it considering that I do like it and don't care what everyone else thinks. I just don't like it that much. |
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selenta
Subscriber Posts: 1774 Location: Seattle, WA |
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Look, I don't condone what your friends do in "bashing" the dub (that term can mean many things... many of which are not actually bashing it, though other people frequently interpret it as such... so I'll assume you mean it like it should mean), but I think you're missing my point either way. You're prejudicing yourself against something you've never even seen, based on something that has no effect on the object you're becoming biased against; this is an age old tale of human bias and ignorance. It's kind of harsh language, but the same reasoning under different circumstances is met with far more scorn by everyone in society. Liking a show such as Naruto, and liking its fans are not the same, and nobody with any intelligence or wisdom will equate the two; nor should they assume that you're a Narutard just because you like the show. I for one, am a huge fan shows like Naruto and Bleach, and they're just about the only shows I follow religiously each week right now; but unlike some people, you probably would never know it even if you hung out with me at my anime club. |
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Mephistophilus
 Posts: 200 Location: Fresno, CA, United States |
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Yup. I'm pretty much in the same boat. If you don't like the show because you don't like the story, animation, or some other major aspect of the show, that's fine. Not liking a show SOLELY because its English dub is "bad" is slightly ridiculous. I think we went over this in a previous thread, but liking Naruto does not make you a raving idiot, and watching it once does not simply transform you, joking aside. I watch Naruto and Bleach weekly for my own reasons, and I enjoy them despite their slightly "mindless" nature. They don't require a lot of thought, and the themes are presented in a fairly "black and white" way. They aren't the best shows in the world, and I won't go around praising them to no visible end because I like watching them weekly. They catch my attention, and they keep it without requiring too much concentration for me. I don't advertise the fact that I watch them, though, and though I don't like the English dubbed versions of either, I don't judge the shows on those alone. Is there a problem with some of the fans of certain shows? Yes. There are probably multiple problems with these fans, going off of the completely "fanatical," for lack of a better word, behavior of them. Does that mean I don't like the shows? No, as that would be completely illogical. The fans have no real connection to the content of the show, so I'll only ever hate a show because it's crappy, not because it has a bunch of idiot fans. Still, the fans of some shows have made me go in with a slightly skeptical attitude to start with, as hype does poison my impression of things some. However, I do try as much as possible to take things at face value regardless of hype when I watch them. |
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HellKorn
Posts: 1669 Location: Columbus, OH |
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Isn't that pretty much the trend nowadays with people taking an immediate dislike to, say, Kanon 2006 because of the character designs? For myself, I don't tend to invest heavily in anime fandom. A lot of them are overall intolerable with a lot of ignorance. But does that really keep me from watching an anime and liking it? Hell no. Fandoms around series like Bebop, Utena, NGE, TMoHS, RahXephon, etc. can be a good deal crazy, but they have no impact on the show itself. If you can't associate yourself with the lot of them, then don't. You can discuss your favorite series/OVAs/movies with others who like it, and you can discusses others as well. Plus, thinking about it, compare it to other mediums as well. Are you gonna complain that since so many film critics like Citizen Kane, that you can't like it? That's asinine. And as for the "popular versus unpopular"... I don't really care on that issue. I love some mainstream and conventional anime. I love experimental and unconventional anime. True, the vast majority of mainstream works receive more praise than they deserve, but there is just as much garbage and dismissable works in the under appreciated area. While I'd sooner gravitate towards a progressive anime than a more typical one, I like whatever I view is good. |
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Neverwhere
 Posts: 351 Location: socal |
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Could not agree with you more -- unfortunately it seems that intelligence and wisdom are in short supply nowadays. :/ I watch Bleach and Naruto every week as well, and most definitely do not consider myself a 'tard' in any way. Just because I like these things doesn't mean I am intellectually inferior or believe them to be the Greatest Shows Ever OMG. *snort* Confusing the series with the fans is an unfortunate (and occasionally quite nasty) habit that every fandom must endure. But that doesn't mean we have to like it.
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Dardre
Posts: 166 |
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And I think you missed my main point, probably because I didn't express it well. My main point was that I'm wary of shows that have a large and loud fan-base because, in my personal experience, nine out of ten times I'm disappointed; and since I buy all of my anime a bit of wariness is warranted. I also mentioned that I actually liked both Naruto and Bleach. I judge each and every series I watch on it's own merits, thank you. But yes, sometimes fan behavior does affect my decision on whether to buy a new series as it comes out, or wait for awhile and try to find some opinions that are as unbiased as I can find. As far as Naruto goes, I've already bought the first uncut box set that Viz released, but I'm still undecided on Bleach. Now, I could watch Bleach on CN, sadly I'm unable to due to work (yech I hate nightshift  )and my VCR died years ago and was never replaced. I just can't afford to rush out and buy the newest series just because scads of fans say it's great. I've been burned too often in the past; Cowboy Bebob, Gungrave, and R.O.D. TV to name a few.
I'm exercising a bit of caution when I walk into my local Suncoast. One, of many, factors is how popular it is. If I feel it's overly popular, I'll pass on it until I've either found an unbiased opinion or I have the extra money to splurge. Yes I might be missing something great when it's all the rage, but that doesn't mean I'll just completely ignore it either. If this makes my decision unwise or unintelligent, I'm sorry but I have to have some way of narrowing down my choices when I buy anime. Let us say I'm standing in Suncoast holding two DVDs, one is of a much-hyped show with a large following and the other is one I've never heard of. Both look to have equal animation quality, both have a synopsis that sounds like I might enjoy it; the price of each is equal. It's at this point that I ask myself: 'Do I take a chance with the unknown, or do I go with the popular?' The answer is usually: 'I'll get the unknown.' Why? Personal experience with the hyped and highly popular. Like the saying goes: Once bitten, twice shy. |
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ryokoalways
Posts: 562 |
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I have never encountered the situation discribed. Most of the people I know base on their anime preference solely on their genre interest and the quality of the specific anime. I don't believe the fandom of the particular anime ever comes into play.
I'm sure we all have poked fun at a specific fan group for a certain series, but that's all just for fun. I don't know of anyone that really judged a series by the fans. That seems strange to me. |
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selenta
Subscriber Posts: 1774 Location: Seattle, WA |
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Well, if that's the case, then that's absolutely fine in my book (for what little my personal book is worth anyway). You can use virutally any method of finding anime that you like, and if you purchase everything you watch, you're more virutuous than I am, so long as the methods that you use of finding a particular show don't directly influence your opinion of said show. Your method of finding anime is perfectly good in my book at least; even if it wouldn't work very well for me personally, if it works good for you, that's all that matters. |
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HeeroTX
Posts: 2046 Location: Austin, TX |
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I can understand people overselling Bebop (one of those overpopular series), and since Gungrave is in one of those "morons will love it" kinda genres, I can see that one getting effusive praise (altho it's newer and I didn't know it was widely seen). But R.O.D. the TV DOES surprise me. I say that as a HUGE fan of the OVAs. I LOVED the OVAs, but the TV series was "meh" at best and I have no problems telling people that if they loved the OVAs they MIGHT be disappointed by the TV series. I mean, it has it's own charm and is entertaining, but it's certainly different from the OVAs. I can only assume those people ONLY saw the TV series, since the focus and tone is entirely different (at least for the first half). |
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Torhu_San
 Posts: 133 Location: Upstate Ny |
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Being that I am almost 30, and 99% of my friends are not into anime or manga (and the ones who are live on the other side of the country), I am very on my own when it comes to checking out anime. I never really hear about who has what fans or how many fans a series will have. I didn't really realize that people could be that snobby. Although, no offense to anyone, I can see that happening a lot with younger fans. Younger being like 14-18. Image is very important, to the point where things are micromanaged. You could be an anime fan, but to be a naurto fan is "uncool", or "not goth" or whatever. Personally, I would never let another opinion influence me unless it was a close friend who was like, "I know you, and I know that you will hate this." I dunno....that's just my opinion
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BrothersElric
Posts: 1996 |
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That's the way I see it as well. The only time I've ever taken suggestions from anyone is when I knew that person and they knew me, and so they knew what I liked and I trusted them, since their interests are pretty much the same as mine. |
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KyuuA4
Posts: 1361 Location: America, where anime and manga can be made |
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Look at the rich. 
The Forbes Richest List. Oh, you bet those people compete. Snobby-ness can be by human nature, y'know. Point is -- Age won't have much to do with it after all. |
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