Forum - View topic

Anime Spotlight - The Magnificent KOTOBUKI

Androids may dream of electric sheep, but do anime producers dream of a world run entirely by strippers? Many of the ensemble adventure/comedy shows of the past few years have become more and more saturated with characters who look as if they were hired while dancing on a pole. It's bad enough that the entirety of the American comics industry has gone that way (since day 1 some would argue, perhaps rightly.) I find it difficult to concentrate on an anime's literary value when at least one of the characters is a clone of Lolipop Chainsaw.

I wonder what anime you actually enjoy if that's your complaint.
.

gridsleep wrote:

Androids may dream of electric sheep, but do anime producers dream of a world run entirely by strippers? Many of the ensemble adventure/comedy shows of the past few years have become more and more saturated with characters who look as if they were hired while dancing on a pole. It's bad enough that the entirety of the American comics industry has gone that way (since day 1 some would argue, perhaps rightly.) I find it difficult to concentrate on an anime's literary value when at least one of the characters is a clone of Lolipop Chainsaw.

Perhaps its your own prudish worldview that needs adjusting. I wonder what anime you actually enjoy if that's your complaint.

And there's nothing wrong with strippers. In fact I would argue they can do some incredible things.

Slashman wrote:

gridsleep wrote: Androids may dream of electric sheep, but do anime producers dream of a world run entirely by strippers? Many of the ensemble adventure/comedy shows of the past few years have become more and more saturated with characters who look as if they were hired while dancing on a pole. It's bad enough that the entirety of the American comics industry has gone that way (since day 1 some would argue, perhaps rightly.) I find it difficult to concentrate on an anime's literary value when at least one of the characters is a clone of Lolipop Chainsaw. Perhaps its your own prudish worldview that needs adjusting. I wonder what anime you actually enjoy if that's your complaint. And there's nothing wrong with strippers. In fact I would argue they can do some incredible things.

Not necessarily prudish. One can be put off by the endless "moe girl fanservice action series" that the industry is cranking out, and has been going on so long and is so pervasive that we have had two separate anime series (New Game and Shirobako) parody the making of them.

Try taking away just ONE of the elements and it completely changes everything. Remove the fanservice and you get Girls und Panzer, which everyone likes. Add at least one significant male character and you get WorldEnd, which everyone likes. (WorldEnd wasn't even a harem.) Remove the fantasy action setting and you get Lucky Star/Azumanga Daioh, which everyone likes. Get rid of the moe female character designs and you get Slayers, which everyone likes.

Proof that mere prudism isn't the issue: Gainax practically invented modern anime fanservice, their spinoff Trigger actually amped it up yet neither studio does moe. Compare the character designs of the original Gunbuster - which was very much a fanservicey action series with a female dominated cast - to this one.

These series are either designed for 11 year old males or those with the mentality of them. Either way it isn't a good look for the industry.

One can be put off by the endless "moe girl fanservice action series" that the industry is cranking out

Androids may dream of electric sheep, but do anime producers dream of a world run entirely by strippers? Many of the ensemble adventure/comedy shows of the past few years have become more and more saturated with characters who look as if they were hired while dancing on a pole. It's bad enough that the entirety of the American comics industry has gone that way (since day 1 some would argue, perhaps rightly.) I find it difficult to concentrate on an anime's literary value when at least one of the characters is a clone of Lolipop Chainsaw.

That has become a popular trope lately, although I don't think this show (which isn't even out yet...) is necessarily an example. Only one of those characters has a fanservicey design, and I didn't see obvious male-gaze or anything like that in the trailer. Stereotypical girly character types, perhaps, but, well, nothing's perfect. Attempts to make action-fanservice-genre shows have increasingly, and somewhat by accident, created actually-good shows like Princess Principal or, as you mentioned, Panzer. Anime is moving towards positive portrayals of women from a rather strange direction, but it seems to be working.

And not a good look for the industry? Wow your viewpoint is way too narrow if these shows are what you worry about. Perhaps you missed My Sister, My writer or some of the lame isekai shows that are growing out the woodwork?