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Hey, Answerman! [2007-03-23]


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shirokiryuu



Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 714
Location: Northern California (SF Bay Area)
PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:21 pm Reply with quote
People making fun of cosplay is just like those girls who make fun of other girls at school. People usually just to make themselves feel better about themselves.

As for Ouran High School Host Club, although it does have "bishounen" in it, they quite often make fun of fangirls. Ouran doesn't not have much of a plot, it's comedy to me is genuine and I found myself bursting into laughter very often. Also I find it touching is as well, but i get sucked in by most shoujo anime..

I can understand Saiyuki though. I admitted have seen some of that anime, and I wondered how they can create so many pointless filler episodes without being put off the air. Now it makes sense
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rekishi



Joined: 08 Mar 2007
Posts: 78
PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:27 pm Reply with quote
hey flake, the 18th century called, they say they want their attitude towards women back. seriously dude, if that's you're idea of a perfect woman, you're going to be cold and alone for a very long time.
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britannicamoore



Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Posts: 2618
Location: Out.
PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:45 pm Reply with quote
awesome banner and column. Good job Sandra McMullen & Zac. What anime is that?

Ouran is actually pretty good. it goes a bit deeper than the OMG BOYZ thing they described. I wonder if they like ya know have actually read it? Or are just dismissing it based on its popularity. But whatever to each his own.

Hey- why doesn't someone start their own bussiness? I mean ADV started off small right? Just get some money together and work one getting those games. It's not impossible but it will take a lot of time. I think thats the only way its going to ever happen.

I agreed with Zac about the manga vs. anime topic. It'd be boring to watch the same exact thing as the manga. I like the little twists myself- except when they go the Kenshin route make up stuff.

cosplay girl- just go and do what you like. i've seen some people say they don't want any pic taken of their costumes or them for that matter. Sorry to tell ya but I only think about 10% of the population can pull off a perfect Sakura- and more than half of those don't even like anime. just wear your costume and have fun- don't worry about others.

The Moutain cub..i have to wonder who goes out into the woods and takes pics of these adobrale animals while their mom is behinnd them with glares of death. It's a cute little things but I don't think i'd risk my life to take a shot of him.

Was that rant serious? ...
Damn. Rant person I get what you're trying to say but its coming off wrong. its the same thing as the person last week. I basically took from that: Hey! I don't LIVE in JAPAN but I can watch the stuff for free because I watch AMERICAN TV I PAY FOR HERE. That doesn't make a lick of sense.

I'm sorry but I have to disagree. I can somewhat see your point on fansubbers helping to show whats popular and giving compaines and idea of what to pick up but we aren't that damn great.

You still should suppourt by buying something- (i buy One Piece plushies & posters Anime smile) and try to buy some dvds. don't have the : ITS FREE FOR THEM= FREE FOR ME ATTITUDE. it's just stupid.

And as for it being ladies night does that mean the frist round is free?


Last edited by britannicamoore on Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:50 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Space Goats



Joined: 14 Oct 2005
Posts: 21
PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:45 pm Reply with quote
Zac, I know you probably don't expect this kind of comment but I think Answerman would be better if you peppered it with some shorter questions and answers. Sure, in this day and age most "short" questions could probably be answered with a simple Google-Wiki combo but I find those essay-like Q&As just aren't as appealing.

Also, why IS Ouran so damn popular you guys? I watched a few episodes of it too and I really liked it despite the homoerotic feeling it gave me.
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GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 15575
PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:47 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
It's been a good week; Microsoft put Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, my all-time favorite video game, up on Xbox Live on Wednesday,


I take it you're not a PS3 or Wii nut? Or did you buy all of them? And are you gonna get a PSP for Dracula X?
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Neverwhere



Joined: 17 Jun 2006
Posts: 351
Location: socal
PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:47 pm Reply with quote
I feel like writing my own rant in response to that first question.

I am absolutely not going to defend the hordes of squealing girls who like something simply because of the hotness contained within (because they drive me crazy too), but I have to make a point - why are women mocked for enjoying eye candy but its still okay for men? Why is it 'normal' for a man to like looking at pretty girls but disdain is heaped upon the women who want to do the same thing?

As for using Ouran as an example, that just shows the ignorance of the writer. Ouran is a PARODY (and a bloody good one too), it embraces as well as ridicules shoujo cliches and has a stonking good time doing it. And you know what? At the four anime conventions I attended last year, nearly all the Host Club fans were men. Straight men. Who thought it was hilarious. Because it is. It's fun and fluffy, occasionally a bit poignant, and full of crossover appeal.

I just take offense with the automatic gender bias against women being allowed to fantasize and enjoy their bishounen as much as they want. Do I think they should be obnoxiously vocal about it? No, of course not. But would I deny them the right to squeal? No, of course not.

Bah. I am too tired to truly compose my thoughts into something eloquent and persuasive. I'm sure someone else will do it for me. Wink
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kazenoyume



Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Posts: 425
PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:49 pm Reply with quote
I don't really get the popularity of Ouran either. It's very average and very redundant. I blame if not the hot guys, then the overall prettiness and the fact that least spring's anime season was very dry.
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Eruanna



Joined: 05 Sep 2006
Posts: 451
Location: Canada
PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:55 pm Reply with quote
I for one adore Ouran High School Host Club.
Now, I defonatly have some fangirlish tendancies, and yes, I think the guys in Ouran High are drop dead gorgeous, but just a minute here. The reason most people I know who love this show watch it is not for the hunky guys.
Its because Ouran High is freaking hilarious! It is some of the best comedy I have ever seen, when I watched it I was constantly making my sides hurt from laughing so hard. So it dosnt have a deep plot.... what comedy do you know really does? The satire in it is genious, and if you really pay attention, its making fun of fangirls so bad. The characters are laying it on waaay too thick for anyone to seriously go "Oooooohh Tamaki is sooo hootttt!" Because he is a parody of the typical pretty boy, not an actual typical pretty boy. The twins? That entire gay incest act of theirs? Is to make fun of yaoi fangirls. Its hilarious! The girls in this show, (Besides Haruhi) are your typical squealy fangirls, and they look ridicules!
Ouran High is defonatly a PARODY of the pretty boy genre, NOT a pretty boy title, and frankly, I think it really shows the ignorance of the person who wrote in that question to use it as an example. He/She must have never actually seen much of it.


Last edited by Eruanna on Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:58 pm; edited 3 times in total
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uhmmmm



Joined: 02 Aug 2003
Posts: 24
PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:55 pm Reply with quote
Neverwhere wrote:
I feel like writing my own rant in response to that first question.

I am absolutely not going to defend the hordes of squealing girls who like something simply because of the hotness contained within (because they drive me crazy too), but I have to make a point - why are women mocked for enjoying eye candy but its still okay for men? Why is it 'normal' for a man to like looking at pretty girls but disdain is heaped upon the women who want to do the same thing?


I think it's the extremes to which it goes. If men went around squeeing at every harem anime out there, they'd get made fun of plenty too. See the flake of the week for a perfect example. It's because the "hordes of squealing girls" are seen as taking it as far as that guy does.
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Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18460
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:58 pm Reply with quote
Wow, if that rant doesn't take a lot of heat, I'll be shocked. I shouldn't be staying up this late to write this, but. . .

. . .Basically, the "rant" is just a justification watching as much anime as possible via fansubs and never paying for it.

I'm sure certain very vocal forum members will speak up and disagree, but most of Megan's arguments can be picked apart fairly easily. Yes, a good amount of anime is broadcast "for free" in Japan but a lot of it is available only on pay channels or via cable, which certainly doesn't make it "free." And just because it's "free" for the Japanese market doesn't mean it's automatically "free" for other markets. I could also be pointed out that those "free" broadcasts usually included commercial advertisements, which typically aren't included in fansubs these days and aren't targeted at non-Japanese viewers anyway, so the key offsetting cost factor which makes those "free" broadcasts possible is being denied in the posting of fansubs online. That cuts off one of the primary revenue sources for making a lot of broadcasted anime viable.

Comparisons to the music industry have been cited by fansub enthusiasts, but I have yet to see convincing proof that the same kind of economics truly apply. Anime is far more labor-intensive than music is and can't feasibly offset its production costs with tours, like Megan suggests. And while a few anime titles have made out like bandits on merchandising, I'm guessing that's more the exception than the rule. An economic model which allows pay-per-episode online sales, as is done in music, may eventually become available, but until that time DVD sales are the primary source of revenue for non-Japanese companies importing anime and non-primary but still vital lifeline for Japanese companies. (I've heard that a lot of series don't make a profit - or even cover costs - until the DVD sales are figured in. Same with many American movies these days, actually.)

And I'm sorry, but is anyone seriously going to buy the film festival argument? Those are official preview screenings provided by the original creators and/or sponsoring companies, and thus really no different from screeners sent out to reviewers as a promotional tool. Fansubs are not official promotional release offered - or even condoned - by the company/creator, so they don't count the same at all. Granted, many companies tolerate their presence as promotional tools, but don't mistake illegal fan action for official legal promotion.

Although I don't watch a lot of fansubs, I do watch some, and I remain firmly committed to the idea that anime you've watched in fansubs should later be paid for if an official DVD release is ever made available. This not only greatly reduces the moral issues around watching fansubs, but shows active support for the industry. If that makes me an "elitist" (a term I feel is grossly misused here), then so be it.
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Neverwhere



Joined: 17 Jun 2006
Posts: 351
Location: socal
PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:03 am Reply with quote
uhmmmm wrote:
Neverwhere wrote:
I feel like writing my own rant in response to that first question.

I am absolutely not going to defend the hordes of squealing girls who like something simply because of the hotness contained within (because they drive me crazy too), but I have to make a point - why are women mocked for enjoying eye candy but its still okay for men? Why is it 'normal' for a man to like looking at pretty girls but disdain is heaped upon the women who want to do the same thing?


I think it's the extremes to which it goes. If men went around squeeing at every harem anime out there, they'd get made fun of plenty too. See the flake of the week for a perfect example. It's because the "hordes of squealing girls" are seen as taking it as far as that guy does.


This is very true. The fangirls get a lot of attention because they squeal and are veryvery loud and sometimes, as with Host Club, distract from an excellent series that lots of people can enjoy. But here's the thing -- the creepy Flake guy actually wants a subserviant woman to be his plaything. The fangirls just want to drool and enjoy the hotness. Most of them, anyway. Which is what men have always done and are allowed to do -- sure, we may cringe or want them to take down the poster of the Galaxy Angel girls in their underwear, but it's still seen as NORMAL. Girls behaving in that manner usually are not.

Edited to add:
Quote:
Although I don't watch a lot of fansubs, I do watch some, and I remain firmly committed to the idea that anime you've watched in fansubs should later be paid for if an official DVD release is ever made available. This not only greatly reduces the moral issues around watching fansubs, but shows active support for the industry. If that makes me an "elitist" (a term I feel is grossly misused here), then so be it.


You made some excellent points Key, and I this last paragraph is how I stand as well. I watch fansubs, and my japanese is decent enough to watch a few raws, but if something I enjoy is licensed, I buy those dvds and support the shows I love.


Last edited by Neverwhere on Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:07 am; edited 1 time in total
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Cowboy Cadenza



Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 243
Location: Poughkeepsie, NY
PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:05 am Reply with quote
kazenoyume wrote:
I don't really get the popularity of Ouran either. It's very average and very redundant. I blame if not the hot guys, then the overall prettiness and the fact that least spring's anime season was very dry.
I agree...I'm a straight guy, and I watched the whole thing (admittedly, I'm bi for anime guys >.>), but to me, the humor got really old about halfway through the show. What at first was a potentially awesome parody turned into that which it was parodying by overusing similar jokes over and over and in general just getting more and more boring. Just my personal take. Maybe anime comedy isn't really for me...

As for the rant...just horrible. I don't think you need to buy everything you watched fansubbed. I think you should buy whatever you think was good enough to deserve the monetary support. Which isn't a huge problem, since in that situation I don't see why you wouldn't want to buy it anyway.
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icepick314



Joined: 23 Aug 2004
Posts: 486
Location: Back in the Good Ol' US of A
PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:06 am Reply with quote
"To sum up - people who watch unlicensed Anime on the internet are essential in creating the popularity needed to get it licensed, and while the industry may have to adjust, those who work in the field will make money, because the demand is huge – in part, because of dispersion through the internet to markets throughout the world.
So, Elitists – please just be aware that you are at the end of a very long chain and that those you look down on for watching fansubs are actually an essential part of the market which keeps the popularity up and the money rolling in for those who create Anime. "

that's fine if you love to watch fansubs....i do to...

but if there are no sales, then there are no sales even if the popularities are there...

i get fansubs to get feel of the show but once the DVD comes out, i get them...that should be the norm...

far too many piracy and fansub only anime "fans" do little to anime industry...

also fansubs do not necessary create popularity....example for me was Haruhi Suzumiya...at first when i watched first 3-4 fansub episodes, i thought the plot was going nowhere because it jumped alot....so i never watched the entire series and just forgotten about it.....but after several months when the news of US license started to pour, i took another look at the series with same episodes, did some "research" by going through forums, and figured out where the direction of the show was going...found it to be very enjoyable series....then the "fan videos" by Bandai and ASOS Brigade came out which were hiliarious...

another example is Coyote Ragtime Show...never heard of it or watched fansub...watched first episode on IGN and then on DVD that came with Newtype USA....very fun and lots of action....so I got the first DVD when it came out...

another recent one is Higurashi....another title that I've never heard of, not even on fansub....news of US license came out....read on Animenewsnetwork.com what the series is about....murder and mystery that came from dojinshi work...has very pretty character design....i thought "COOOL!! Gotta get this one too!!"....

fansub is ONE way of many to create interest in US....but I don't believe it should be only source for any anime fans....if you don't want to buy them, at least rent the DVD....listen to the dubbing work that was put in for at least one episode...
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marie-antoinette



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 4136
Location: Ottawa, Canada
PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:07 am Reply with quote
Yes, I'll admit that Ouran has some sloppy writing in it (at least the manga does...the anime seems to have tightened things up to make my main sloppiness complaint, which is the ignoring the passage of time thing, go away which is why I generally prefer the anime) it really is a very entertaining series and not because of the pretty boys. At least not to me. I really couldn't care less what they look like, I like them because they are interesting. And I don't find them flat at all, each character gets at least some development, though admittedly some more than others (poor Mori gets a bit shafted).

It was not a good example though for pretty boys bringing in all the fans. Not compared to some of the other shows at there, at least.
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frentymon
Forums Superstar


Joined: 27 Nov 2005
Posts: 2362
Location: San Francisco
PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:10 am Reply with quote
Reading the first 2 sentences of the rant I thought it was actually onto something worthwhile, but unfortunately it pretty much devolved into a very typical argument of typical pro-fansub people in very typical fansub debates.

As for the people who think that if you don't buy DVDs you're not a real anime fan, eh, I don't like them either, but I didn't think the rest of the rant was particularly relevant to the opening sentence(s).

I personally think anyone who utters something beginning with "you're not a real anime fan if..." should just be ignored, and it's not worth writing an entire rant about these types.
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