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God/Superiority Complex, do you have it?


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ghostknyght



Joined: 22 Jan 2007
Posts: 3
PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:12 pm Reply with quote
This thread is a question posed to fans of anime and manga, and those who watch dubbed versions of anime or read translated (by major companies not fan versions) manga.

Have any of you ever noticed that those who watch anime as it is released through various fansubbed sources tend to have an air of superiority when taking to/about people who have to, for reasons of their own, wait for the same show to be dubbed and released in America? The same is true of those who religiously read the manga versions of the same thing, except they give off the feel of being higher on the food chain that the two previously mentioned.

Are these observations just my craziness talking, and trying to make something out of nothing or something else?
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cloud1989



Joined: 06 Sep 2004
Posts: 274
PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 3:17 pm Reply with quote
well I don't have it but back a few years ago when bittorrent was new I did have this feeling of superiority because I had access to shows in english that should not be in english while many fans still only new what they saw on TV or dvd, of course now just about everyone does it or knows about it and it probably is more popular than buying stuff so I lost that feeling awhile ago. Your topic is a bit misleading first you ask if someone has that complex and then you write out your topic as if you want to know if only legit buyers noticed it about fansub people. I answered your title question.
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
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Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 16961
PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 3:45 pm Reply with quote
it's one thing to debate the actual usefulness and need for fansubs at this point in time (and that always ends the same way itself), and another to ask if people think fansub watchers are arrogant and full of themselves. This cannot end in any way but one, with flames from both sides.
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Richard J.



Joined: 11 Aug 2006
Posts: 3367
Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis.
PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 4:13 pm Reply with quote
Yeah, Psycho 101, as is par for the course, is correct. This will likely end in flames.

Still, I'd like to contribute a "some of them are arrogant" to the thread. On a thread past, I think it might have been for Kashimashi but I'm not sure, someone commented that my preference for English dubs was because I couldn't read. Now, given the fact that I was posting on a forum would seem to indicate that I have at least a rudimentary grasp of the concept of reading and writing.

I've also been told that having a preference for the English track shows that I'm racist (which boggles my mind) and I've frequently read comments that people who pay for anime are stupid. (Although with all the problems the industry is having right now I'm starting to wonder if perhaps they didn't have a point with that one.)

Of course, fan arrogance goes both ways, though I've yet to see any serious anti-Japanese track comments. Tony K. has mentioned reading on other forums comments from English dub fans that completely disregarded the Japanese performances and insulted them though.

Personally, I think both extreme sides are being idiots. So long as both are present on a DVD, it shouldn't matter which side is "right" since it's a highly subjective situation.

On a side note, I most certainly do not have a God Complex myself.

Now please excuse me while I eat chips and write a little in my notebook. Wink
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Primus



Joined: 01 Mar 2006
Posts: 2802
Location: Toronto
PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 5:20 pm Reply with quote
I've seen many of my casual acquitances(well, maybe less than that), act superior because they watched some Pirated version. Many of them are the usual "The English Voices Suck", "I've seen that five months ago on [insert site name here]", "I can't believe you're reading that, I read that 5 years ago on my PC", "Dude, you slow, I get that stuff for free",etc.

Richard J. wrote:
I've also been told that having a preference for the English track shows that I'm racist (which boggles my mind)


Yep, I've been called that, from some of my lesser peers, which makes some sense, I guess, since I'm not supporting, and often detracting the Pirates, and their Pirating-ness. Racist, to the Japanese? Not likely, since I'm supporting them by buying their products(My recent big purchase, my PlayStation 3 only reaffirms my non-racistness).

Although to be honest, I myself am a very big dub elitist, although, eltist may not be the correct terming, since I do appreciate the seiyuu, and such.
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Kruszer



Joined: 19 Nov 2004
Posts: 7992
Location: Minnesota, USA
PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 5:31 pm Reply with quote
Nah, I don't, doing either extremes(sub elitist or dub elitist) is the real stupildity it denies to you the fruits of enjoying both. Reguardless of which language you watch it in you're still watching the same show so it's just splitting hairs. By watching dubs and subs I can have the best of both worlds, having my cake and eating it too. I prefer my own language sure, but it's really a case by case basis as to whether the sub or dub of a show is superior, most of the time there is virtually no difference at all. I watch anime however, I can get my hands on it and if that method is DVDs than make it a point to watch both tracks at some point.
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Vortextk



Joined: 10 Jan 2006
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Location: Orlando, Fl
PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 5:41 pm Reply with quote
I usually watch have 1 or 2 anime running in english as well as 1 or 2 in japanese at a time. It's harder to always have something with an english dub on hand, you need for it to be licensed/out/and dvd on hand, but I like to have both.

Sometimes I want to watch anime but not be staring at the screen, which is why I usually have both going(dvd dubs and fansubs). So no, I don't care which I watch.
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ikillchicken



Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 7272
Location: Vancouver
PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 5:42 pm Reply with quote
Well, to a slight extent I can see where people should feel a little superior for watching something fansubbed simply because of the time difference. The reality is that they are keeping up with what is cutting edge in Japan while those who wait for R1 releases are way out of date by that standard.

Of course there are major moral issues around fansubs so it isn't really fair to act all superior and especially obnoxious to people who don't download out of a moral objection or something. It makes it a tricky issue but when you get down to it you can't deny that they are on the cutting edge unlike non-downloaders.

There are of course plenty of completely baseless superiority complexes too. People who fell superior for not buying. That doesn't make you smarter than the "suckers" who buy. It makes you someone who isn't willing to pay to support the industry and if anything it is those who are willing to pay even though they don''t have to that should feel superior. (Don't get me wrong, I don't blame people for being unwilling to pay though.)
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Sonata-san



Joined: 24 Jan 2008
Posts: 24
Location: Daydreaming in class...
PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:04 pm Reply with quote
I wouldn't go as far as to say "your racist" based on how you read your manga or watch your anime, it makes more sense to compare the designated person or group to a minority or what have you, which boils down to pointless trivia. Just one of the many ineffectual trends to follow when liking anime or manga I suppose.

Oh, ghostknyght, your observations aren't crazy, and being crazy isn't all that bad. Heh.
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TheAnimeJudge



Joined: 19 Jan 2008
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Location: WORST TOPIC MAKER =D in Chicago!
PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:15 pm Reply with quote
Half of me says ur jus going too far, and half of me says, eh we're all crazy in a way, i say, it's just all in your head, and your observations are quite interesting. yet i dont agree too much, because i dislike all incorporations of dubs... So, i just wonder how you got to the point of asking everyone this... >=o
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selenta
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Joined: 19 Apr 2006
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Location: Seattle, WA
PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:22 pm Reply with quote
While I think the OP should have worded their question more intelligently had they been trying to avoid a flame war, I'm not sure that a flame war was his intent. That said, it's a rather silly question with an obvious answer: obviously, some people do have a superiority complex and some people don't. It's not entirely logical, and is based largely on an arbitrary standard that is most certainly not exclusive to anime fans.

The best example is probably the music industry: "Oh I liked Bad Religion before they sold out!" "I was into Flogging Molly back when they were cool; you know, before they got big..." In the anime industry though, it works both ways. Some people act superior because they feel they have some sort of arbitrary moral high ground in waiting until the product is released domestically, while others have little to no shame in breaking international intellectual property protection laws. There's numerous ways to justify one's position on the issue, but most of the different positions seem to look down on each other, each for their own internally consistent well justified reasons. So to say it is just fansub watchers isn't really fair and seems to indicate an inherent bias to me.


Last edited by selenta on Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:23 pm; edited 1 time in total
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BellosTheMighty



Joined: 27 Nov 2007
Posts: 767
PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:23 pm Reply with quote
Well...

As I think I've mentioned before, I started out in the fandom as a Sailom Moon fan, back when it first came to Toonami. The dub in that case wasn't so hot, though it wasn't as bad as some people said either- given that the story was still there and still entertaining. Originally, I fell in with the purist faction that like to beat the dubbers around for S&G. But after awhile, I started to dislike those fans intensely because they had no time for anything but hate. The most annoying part of it was that they constantly said that the series was great art deserving of being treated with respect. Well okay, but if that's true then it's pretty clear that themes of love and peace are running through it, as well as a good dose of forgiveness and redemption, see most of the major bad guys throughout the series' run. It seems to me that if the writers took these themes seriously, they would want the fans to take them into their hearts and mind. Yet these same fans instead proceed to turn hatred, bile, and ill will against the people without whom they would probably never even know the series existed.

Obviously, I thought, someone was missing the point. In retrospect, we were all missing the point in that we took what was really an interesting but disposable super-heroine show far too seriously, but that's neither here nor there. The point is, I soon became so disgusted with their endless blathering, their rants, and their cognitive dissonance, that in an act of rebellion I swung all the way to the OTHER side, and started defending dubbed anime, good and bad, just to make sure someone was providing the dissenting opinion. This position brought me nothing but misery, though- I drew fire from all quarters, with some people even going so far as to suggest that I have no soul. What's more, the people I was trying to call to reason were bound and determined not to listen to me. You see internet geekdoms are sometimes subject to this bizarre kind of doublethink where the person who heaps as much scorn and disgust on something is thereby determined to be that thing's #1 fan. In extreme cases, anyone with anything positive to say is scorned as a newb who obviously doesn't know what's going on.

Needless to say, I was quite unhappy with the state of affairs and eventually cut all ties with the fandom and resigned to watch and enjoy anime by myself. This lasted- oh, I'd say about a year or two. I'm just now returning to the community, actually, and I've been trying to just stay out all that dick-waving nonsense. But old habits die hard, and in the few months I've been on these boards I've already found myself growling at some people throwing uninformed opinions around just to look kewl. Like, errrrr, that last sentence actually. Or possibly this entire post. Sorry. Anime smile;;;;;;;;

Anyway, my point I suppose is that you shouldn't worry about the people throwing stuff around like monkeys. Make your points against them if you feel you must, but if they start trying to slice you in half with their razorblade tongues, just go find another thread. If you must have the last word, throw off a dismissive "Whatever, dude." before you go, because frankly who gives a crap? It's like that Tiger Schulmann's commercial they're airing on Adult Swim these days- Let 'em talk shit, your friends know better, and those who don't know better ain't your friends.
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countchocula86



Joined: 26 Oct 2007
Posts: 159
PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:24 pm Reply with quote
In terms of fansubs, I dont feel any kind of superiority watching them. I can grasp the whole "being ahead of most other North Americans" in terms of what youve seen. But I dont really see how that means anything.

As to the English vs. Japanese, I honestly just get accustomed to the language I first watched in. If I see the series in the original Japanese then thats what Ill want, and vice versa. (btw have languages always been capitalized?)
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Zalis116
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Joined: 31 Mar 2005
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Location: Kazune City
PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 7:11 pm Reply with quote
Who the heck is going to come out and answer "Yes" to this question?
ghostknyght wrote:
This thread is a question posed to fans of anime and manga, and those who watch dubbed versions of anime or read translated (by major companies not fan versions) manga.
Wait, so those who watch English dubs and read offical manga are somehow *not* fans? I don't think that's what you meant, so I wanted to point out something else: Why is there this dichotomy of Watching Fansubs vs. Watching English dubs, as this post implies? What about people who watch anime in Japanese on DVD with the officially translated subtitles? You know, since virtually every anime DVD does include a Japanese track with subtitles along with that English dub? Heck, there are some shows like Touka Gettan that I'm not watching on fansubs because I'm hoping they get an official release with professional subtitles, since the available fansubs are downright abysmal. Maybe the OP wasn't implying this "one or the other" relationship, but I see a lot of people acting like fansubs are the only source of Japanese-audio+subtitled anime, with the DVDs only providing the (despicable, terrible, insert your insult here) English dubs. Like on one fansub group's forum after the Romeo X Juliet C&D letters got sent out: "Man that really sucks that they stopped the fansubs cause now people have to wait five to eight years to see the anime in the crappy English dub." (And I'm not kidding, they did say 5-8 years.) Or one exchange I read on /c/, "Man, they need to put Lucky Star on Adult Swim" / "Why don't you just DL it like everyone else, before it gets ruined by dubbing?" Right, because dubbing involves putting the Japanese track on a cassette tape, recording the English track over it, and putting only that track on the DVD Rolling Eyes

So along with that "Japanese track and subtitles on DVDs don't exist" attitude, I do see a fair amount of that superiority complex out there. But I don't think it makes anyone somehow "superior"; it just means they have the capability and the will to acquire anime/manga off the Internet before its official release. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't try to keep up with every fansubbed series just so I can say "I know about everything"; I just choose a few series per season that appeal to me, and while I'm informed about them, there's plenty of anime on the fansub circuit and on legitimate DVD that I'm unaware of.
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Zin5ki



Joined: 06 Jan 2008
Posts: 6680
Location: London, UK
PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 7:19 pm Reply with quote
I try to refrain having any superiority complex. I watch fansubs because money's tight (I plan to buy loads of stuff in the summer) so its best not to act "high and mighty" yet.

That said, today it was written in my student magazine that "anime isn't just about manga girls in dirty comics..." in part of a section waxing lyrical about Gedo Senki. It was clear that the only other anime the writer had ever seen were other recent Ghibli films. I threw the magazine away. In my haste to get rid of this literature I didn't even recycle it.
Again, I try to refrain from acting superior.

Vortextk wrote:
I usually watch have 1 or 2 anime running in english as well as 1 or 2 in japanese at a time.


Multi screen? I guess doing that would make me feel like a magical security guard of sorts.

Richard J wrote:
Now please excuse me while I eat chips and write a little in my notebook.


Please describe their flavour.
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