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Anime that reminds of your past, wakes your subconsiousness?




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Gabriel Osamu



Joined: 13 Jul 2009
Posts: 7
Location: Oslo, Norway
PostPosted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 7:45 pm Reply with quote
Well, this is a followup to a thread I wrote a couple of weeks ago about watching a lot of anime can awaken nostalgia in your subconsciousness, though, this is more focused on the audience. It goes like this:

Now, something that "I" personally have noticed about watching movies in childhood is the "childishness", or maybe I could say "cosplayishness" (since I don't exactly come up with a good word to this kind of "-ness"), that you develop, that makes you want to become one of the main characters in the movie; often caused by effects of supernatural powers that they possess.

I found some costumes from when I was a little boy, and they were really a lot. Costumes of spiderman, batman, robin hood and other supernatural figures better known in Norway... It caught my eyes, and it made me think:
In the addition to that the effect of watching movies such as anime may be waking your subconsciousness, making you want to be the one you were when you were a little boy or girl, that might also affect your personality, making you act more like a child, giving you thoughts that you had whilst being a child, thoughts that would make you feel uncomfortable about your current lifestyle, wouldn't it?

When animes (or other videos, even those made by real-life recording) are made, the producers put as much effort as possible into making the movie interesting. Doing that, they use effects that catches your eyes, ears and feelings, such as: Good quality, good music, fan-service and giving the main characters features, powers and abilities that would make any person want to be like them, and not to forget, making the person watching finding the content movie alike to something in his life.

Often, seeing a movie that features a cat, when you love cats, would make you want to see the movie, and that is common sense. But I also believe that if you found a movie, featuring for example a person or a story that would remind you about the past, that would make you want to see that movie, even if you don't know why, because your own subconsciousness answers to your thoughts.

So, that sounds weird, I thought. Why would watching animes that remind your about the past, give you feelings whilst you had while being a child? A silly question, since it makes sense that seeing something you've seen before, reminds you of that thing. It's "deja vu". Just despite the fact that it wouldn't affect what's in your head. It wouldn't make you feel different.

Then I emptied my head about these thoughts. I am still thinking about the same thing. Anime is a great thing, and I love thinking about my youth while watching. This is just a thought, and it's kind of interesting how music, picture and thoughts blend together in anime. You know that thinking about some anime, the intro song of that particular series would just pop up in your head, and you would be feeling calm, thinking about it.

I am screwed. But, if you were in my situation, sleeping 3-5 hours a day, having your head totally messed up, you would've been too. Good night, anime lovers.
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DomFortress



Joined: 13 Feb 2009
Posts: 751
Location: Richmond BC, Canada
PostPosted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 10:09 pm Reply with quote
Gabriel Osamu wrote:
Why would watching animes that remind your about the past, give you feelings whilst you had while being a child?
Call it sentimentality if you ask me, some of my best childhood memory were about the times that I span with my loved ones when we were watching those anime series on TV. So the series themselves became these memory triggers that can remind myself about happier times. But I'm talking about anime that were made 20 if not 30 years ago. The anime of today just aren't that sentimental nor innocent anymore.
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Craeyst Raygal



Joined: 30 Apr 2002
Posts: 1383
Location: In the garage, beneath a 1970 MGB GT.
PostPosted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 12:35 am Reply with quote
DomFortress, I'd be willing to argue your point about the sentimental qualities of today's anime and I have character witnesses around these parts that will assure you I'm about as recalcitrant as they come on the subject of new shows.

Today's anime, I feel, will become the nostalgic favorites of anime fans who in ten or so years will be much like you or I, longing for days where everything just felt more impressive and ingenius. Mark my words, just as there are now panels at conventions dedicated to "Remembering the Toonami Days" in place of "Remembering the Robotech Days", there will be panels in five or ten years wearing the title "Ninjas of Yesterday - A Naruto Retrospective".

Sentimentality rarely has much to do with intrinsic quality, but instead revolves around a much more complete experience. When we reflect in nostalgia about a particular show or movie, we think not only about the events and characters portrayed but also of what friends or relatives we were with, what foods were were eating, the time of day or the temperature, what was happening in our life that made that show or movie relevant to us.

As horrible an OAV as it is, All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku is a fondly remembered show in my past because it was a show that I enjoyed on a regular basis with my high school friends in between cheap pizza, root beer floats, and Dungeons & Dragons all nighters. It is a part of a cherished time in my life when I was really settling into my own identity and having a good time doing so. It's that time of my life, not the funny jokes, oddball action, or random fanservice of Nuku Nuku that makes it sentimental to me.

Certainly, if you look back, you'll find quite the same for yourself.
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DomFortress



Joined: 13 Feb 2009
Posts: 751
Location: Richmond BC, Canada
PostPosted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:57 pm Reply with quote
Craeyst Raygal wrote:
Sentimentality rarely has much to do with intrinsic quality, but instead revolves around a much more complete experience. When we reflect in nostalgia about a particular show or movie, we think not only about the events and characters portrayed but also of what friends or relatives we were with, what foods were were eating, the time of day or the temperature, what was happening in our life that made that show or movie relevant to us.

As horrible an OAV as it is, All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku is a fondly remembered show in my past because it was a show that I enjoyed on a regular basis with my high school friends in between cheap pizza, root beer floats, and Dungeons & Dragons all nighters. It is a part of a cherished time in my life when I was really settling into my own identity and having a good time doing so. It's that time of my life, not the funny jokes, oddball action, or random fanservice of Nuku Nuku that makes it sentimental to me.

Certainly, if you look back, you'll find quite the same for yourself.
That's understandable, however do keep in mind the recent anime fan base's viewing habits. And I would say that by a majority, the newer generation of anime fans aren't making their anime viewing experiences as special as both you and I were.

You and I both knew just what makes those anime series sentimental to us individually, but can I honestly say that's how today's anime fans are watching their anime? No, I don't think so. For today, more and more younger fans are watching anime on their own separate terms and not in a social gathering. While the only experience they could have that's even remotely sentimental if not memorable is anime convention. Their discussions about anime are mostly taken place on internet chat forum, where it's notoriously known for a lack of real emotional stimulants.

Therefore my last comment wasn't meant for myself, for I still prefer watching my anime DVD collections with my friends whenever I get a chance. When I would much prefer not to watch them alone.
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