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Naked people.


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poilk92



Joined: 07 Aug 2010
Posts: 433
Location: Long Beach California
PostPosted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:21 pm Reply with quote
I have never been watching an anime and thought to myself "hey this scene would really be improved with nudity". But I have on the other hand been watching a scene with nudity in it finding myself thinking "really do the creators have such a low opinion of their viewers that they think they need to throw this in just to keep our eyes from glazing over?"

Now i really have no problem with nudity in anime but the more i think about it the more i feel it might actually cheapen the experience. I cannot think of any reason that would make nudity necessary for a scene and i honestly cant think of what it adds to anime in any situation.

I am just curious how you guys feel about it and if you think I'm am stupid and wrong by all means let me know why!
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HaruhiToy



Joined: 15 Apr 2008
Posts: 4118
PostPosted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:40 pm Reply with quote
poilk92 wrote:
I have never been watching an anime and thought to myself "hey this scene would really be improved with nudity".


Actually I have had that thought a number of times. Not that often.

The problem is that nudity is mostly used for fan service and it could be argued that there is no such thing as nudity that is not fan service. I don't agree with that but I can understand why someone would think that. I can also understand why many animators who want their story to be taken seriously would avoid it.

Nudity was used very effectively in Please Twins to entertain and fill out (so to speak) the personalities of the players. In Elfin Lied it was effectively used to amplify to brutality of the scene.

In Morobito it was completely avoided but could have been used, although it is hard to imagine that work being any more beautiful than it already is.

In both Noir and Madlax they also avoided it and I think it could have been used to help make the protagonists more accessible (for lack of a better word) to the audience.

So there are some examples.
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RHachicho



Joined: 07 Oct 2009
Posts: 897
Location: Essex, UK
PostPosted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:50 pm Reply with quote
Well you asked so ...

1. Anime characters are attractive to many including me.

Yep alot of people want to see Anime characters naked. No I don't care if you have some sort of dissaproving opinion on that. Before photography people made do with far less attractive illustrations than are present in most Anime. And thaught it was perfectly normal. I am of the belief that people who do not find Anime characters secretly attractive are in the minority. And most of the rest hide it out of embarassment.

I remember during my school days the kids would get into arguments about who was sexier cammy or chun - li. To a kid who hasn't been told it's wrong yet it's just common sense.

2. Nudity is often funny.

Peoples reactions to sudden or indeed not sudden nudity can be the seed for all sorts of lowbrough humor.

3. It can be used strategically to advance a romantic plotline.

Self explanitory really here an accidental run in or an illicit glance can allow such plots to bring feelings out in the open that would otherwise seem forced or stilted.

That all being said it is not as if I can't see where you are coming from. If I wanted to see non stop nudity and sex I would have downloaded a Hentai. I do not like nudity when it get's in the way of a plot. And I definately concur that there are shows where the fact that "fanservice" has been used to cover for a god awful narrative is brainslicingly obvious. But just because a show has an erotic slant to it does not mean it does not have something to say. Hell two of my favorite shows including the one my avatar is from where originally hentai games. The japanese do not seem to have the same stigma about mixing eroticism and serious drama as we do. And I think that is nothing but a good thing. I think that the attitude that eroticism somehow cheapens everything it touches is a very prudish western attitude and I certainly do not share it. I consider a show that covers for a poor narrative with fanservice to be on the same level as one that covers for it with non stop gore or totally unsubtle toilet humor. But for me it would be nonsensical to blame the cover for the lack of substance. It would be like blaming the sheath for the dullness of a blade.
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poilk92



Joined: 07 Aug 2010
Posts: 433
Location: Long Beach California
PostPosted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:23 pm Reply with quote
RHachicho wrote:
Well you asked so ...

1.
Yep alot of people want to see Anime characters naked. No I don't care if you have some sort of dissaproving opinion on that.

2.
Peoples reactions to sudden or indeed not sudden nudity can be the seed for all sorts of lowbrough humor.

3.
It can be used strategically to advance a romantic plotline.


well i appreciate your point and i personally don't think there is anything wrong with finding anime attractive i don't think anyone would make that argument

1. I understand that, what i think i want to focus on is whether it can be used to improve the scene beyond appeasing our primal urge to see naked things

2. True but do we need to see the nudity to understand the joke as long as we know they are naked it comes across just as well

3. Basically the same as two

What i really want to know if anyone thinks there is value beyond the intrinsic value of how much we all like looking at naked anime characters
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KanjiiZ



Joined: 28 Jun 2009
Posts: 661
Location: Central Coast
PostPosted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:28 pm Reply with quote
Let's face it, otaku in Japan or even America are losers. They aren't the type of people to have lots of women jocking them, so they have to insert random panty shots for the guys watching the shows, don't you think?

[Mod Edit: Try to be a bit more respectful in the future. That could be taken as a direct attack on some users and this often causes threads to spiral out of control. Luckily this did not happen here, but just try and keep that in mind next time. - Keonyn]
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RHachicho



Joined: 07 Oct 2009
Posts: 897
Location: Essex, UK
PostPosted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:51 pm Reply with quote
The answer is yes, It can. In the same way that a firework can make the sky seem more appealing. The naked bod, especially the female form has been the subject of high art for centuries for a reason. It is highly appealing and not only in a sensual sense. To say that such a thing does not enhance the show is a bit far fetched to me. I mean if a gun or a mecha has a cool design it enhances the show. If a fight scene is beautifally choreographed it enhances the show. Nudity and eroticism is but one tool of many that an Anime can use.

The presence of sensuality and nudity can if used right be extremely beneficial to the plot. Of course this is often not the case and it simply is as you say an excuse to look at naked things. But by the same note no one is going hey those guns in the Gundam series where way too huge and awesome to be practical. They are obviously getting in the way of the plot. See where I am coming from Smile ?

Of course if you are going to say that Nudity and Eroticism is overused in Anime I would be the first one agreeing with you. But to say that it never contributes is something I can't agree to. Our desire to see beautiful people naked isn't something we should be ashamed of or shy away from. Just as a great mecha or an awesome fight or a meticulously crafted misunderstanding (Mitsudomoe is epic) is a joy to behold so to is a beautifully drawn body at the right time in the right place. And that is really the key isn't it. Because so many Anime get the "time and place" dead wrong these days.

I have also formed the opinion that having open eroticism in a series allows for a deeper connection with the characters if used correctly. Sexuality is a part of human nature and if the characters seem to treat it like it dousn't exist it just seems to make them a degree shallower in my estimation.

Quote:

Let's face it, otaku in Japan or even America are losers. They aren't the type of people to have lots of women jocking them, so they have to insert random panty shots for the guys watching the shows, don't you think?


Typical prudish response. What is wrong with people wanting to see erotic things? Men are basically hormonal gorillas. Otaku or not they are going to find such things pleasant. As long as they don't get in the way. Personally I think that the success a certain demographic has with women is irrelevany anyway. I hate that attitude of judging a persons worth based on their appeall to the opposite sex. It's servile and an insult to the variety of human experience.
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poilk92



Joined: 07 Aug 2010
Posts: 433
Location: Long Beach California
PostPosted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 11:07 pm Reply with quote
RHachicho wrote:
The answer is yes, It can. In the same way that a firework can make the sky seem more appealing. The naked bod, especially the female form has been the subject of high art for centuries for a reason. It is highly appealing and not only in a sensual sense. To say that such a thing does not enhance the show is a bit far fetched to me. I mean if a gun or a mecha has a cool design it enhances the show. If a fight scene is beautifally choreographed it enhances the show. Nudity and eroticism is but one tool of many that an Anime can use.

I have also formed the opinion that having open eroticism in a series allows for a deeper connection with the characters if used correctly. Sexuality is a part of human nature and if the characters seem to treat it like it dousn't exist it just seems to make them a degree shallower in my estimation.


Well you defintely have a good point there even just the value of the beauty it can add to a scene is worthwhile and i probably did underestimate that. In fact i think you might have changed my point of view on that subject.

But i still disagree with the second part. Though sexuality is important i don't think you need nudity to express it just like contemporary western shows have tons of sexuality with almost no nudity. Though i can certainly see how it can enhance a scene with its inherent eroticism and or beauty.

Also upon reconsidering i think the anime Blue Gender uses nudity very well to show just how primal the characters lives are
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RHachicho



Joined: 07 Oct 2009
Posts: 897
Location: Essex, UK
PostPosted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 11:34 pm Reply with quote
Aye I can certainly see how there is sometimes no real place for nudity in a show. Moribito has already been mentioned as a show that is considered by many including me to be of a calibur most Anime should strive for and a show for which even eroticism let alone nudity is almost nonexistant. And the show certainly does not suffer from it's lack. Indeed Anime does not seem to suffer much from my second point. As has been mentioned before the japanese in general are not shy about including nudity when it is relevent (and even where it is not) It's not really my thinking that every show has to have sensuality in it to allow emotional attachment to the characters. But rather that sensuality where relevant is a mechanism for deeper insight into a character. Still it's probably a matter of opinion in the end and yours is no more or less relevant than mine Smile

Oh and I definately agree about blue gender.
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Rukiia



Joined: 30 Aug 2010
Posts: 1897
Location: British Columbia, Canada
PostPosted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 11:49 pm Reply with quote
I personally don't care either way if an anime contains nudity or not. I look for a good story/plot line to keep me interested. However, what would really grab my attention is fight scenes with two girls duking it out and you get a panty shot here and there. It certainly makes me want to watch more. And if it tells you anything, I'm a girl. Anime hyper

Ahem...anyway.... Embarassed

The one thing that makes me think they are trying a bit too hard is when they draw the female characters with torpedo sized boobs that would bounce in every direction. It would then make me think "Oh lord, another anime that is strickly aiming towards men. Go figure...". I think that is a bit excessive unless its for comical factors (I find it hilarious when they add the "boingy" sound effect for bouncing breasts). I could just go watch hentai if I wanted to see abnormal sized breasts.

I don't think that nudity is necessary to make the audience want to continue watching a series. Maybe for some but not for me. There are a number of series with nudity in it yet it would turn out to be a real snore fest. If they used nude scenes in a tasteful matter then sure, that might get most people's attention.
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar


Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 16963
PostPosted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 12:55 am Reply with quote
poilk92 wrote:
I have never been watching an anime and thought to myself "hey this scene would really be improved with nudity". But I have on the other hand been watching a scene with nudity in it finding myself thinking "really do the creators have such a low opinion of their viewers that they think they need to throw this in just to keep our eyes from glazing over?"

Now i really have no problem with nudity in anime but the more i think about it the more i feel it might actually cheapen the experience. I cannot think of any reason that would make nudity necessary for a scene and i honestly can't think of what it adds to anime in any situation.

I am just curious how you guys feel about it and if you think I'm am stupid and wrong by all means let me know why!

Actually I can think of a few shows where some nudity might have actually given the show something of merit to keep people watching. Shoot, half the new shows anymore without nudity, sexual fanservice, or loads of T&A would be half as long as they actually are because they have plot as complex as a speak and spell. That aide I do agree with you that often nudity or exorbitant sexual fanservice can cheapen the experience. I think nudity and sex are both perfectly fine plot devices if handled properly. Take the nudity and sex scene at the end of the Ai Yori Aoshi manga or in Please Teacher. Both were handled tastefully and added to the plot in a positive manner. There are also some comedies where the unexpected nudity moment where the character is accidentally walked in by someone etc actually is funny. But I think it is a fine line between being tasteful and a positive and as you said simply cheapen the experience. Obviously what side of the line a moment falls upon is subjective to the viewer.

KanjiiZ wrote:
Let's face it, otaku in Japan or even America are losers. They aren't the type of people to have lots of women jocking them, so they have to insert random panty shots for the guys watching the shows, don't you think?

What I think is you shouldn't be rude and blanket stereotype an entire group of people by calling them losers. Unless you want to look like a rude ass, which if you do by all means keep it up. Wink Mind telling us btw if you're an otaku and if so when the last time you went on a date was? I just want to add some validity to your statement of course. Smile
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KanjiiZ



Joined: 28 Jun 2009
Posts: 661
Location: Central Coast
PostPosted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 1:51 am Reply with quote
Two or three months ago, and no I'm not an otaku. I like anime and all, but I love too many things more than anime. If you want to deny it, fine but just take a peek at your typical con attendees.

I'll be the first to admit, not all your typical anime fans are losers but in my experience, their the type to just be awkward to be around.


Last edited by KanjiiZ on Sun Sep 19, 2010 3:09 am; edited 1 time in total
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poilk92



Joined: 07 Aug 2010
Posts: 433
Location: Long Beach California
PostPosted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 3:01 am Reply with quote
KanjiiZ wrote:
Two or three months ago, and no I'm not an otaku. I like anime and all, but I love too many things more than anime. If you want to deny it, fine but just take a peek at your typical con attendees.

I'll be the first to admit, not all your typical anime fans but in my experience, their the type to just be awkward to be around.


haha you might be in the wrong forum but i can't tell you that there is a large number of people like that and you cant blame creators for playing that audience

P.S. keep on trollin buddy
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EricDent



Joined: 28 May 2008
Posts: 997
Location: Georgetown, TX
PostPosted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 3:30 am Reply with quote
Personally I don't mind if once in a while they show the characters naked, if it fits the story.

If it is just thrown in for no good reason, then it is not really needed.

Sure Fanservice is OK once in a while, just don't get too caried away with it (like in Eiken for example).

IMO even though the show Strike Witches had a mess of Fanservice, it really did not get in the way of the show. Because it made sense for the story. They were always on alert, and needed to be unhindered to fly in the striker units, thus they usually did not wear any skirts/shorts/pants.
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DuelLadyS



Joined: 17 Mar 2006
Posts: 1705
Location: WA state
PostPosted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:56 am Reply with quote
EricDent wrote:

IMO even though the show Strike Witches had a mess of Fanservice, it really did not get in the way of the show. Because it made sense for the story. They were always on alert, and needed to be unhindered to fly in the striker units, thus they usually did not wear any skirts/shorts/pants.


But then why not wear legging or pantyhose or plug suits?

Actually, I like the solution they came up with in that show... if you pay attention, only the very young or the very old women are actually wearing leg coverings... everyone else, witch or not, is pantless. It's largely ingored in the story, no one ever makes a lewd comments about the girls for it. I always kinda liked how that part was simply worked in as the clothing style of that world.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 24157
PostPosted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 7:56 am Reply with quote
KanjiiZ wrote:
Two or three months ago, and no I'm not an otaku. I like anime and all, but I love too many things more than anime. If you want to deny it, fine but just take a peek at your typical con attendees.

I'll be the first to admit, not all your typical anime fans are losers but in my experience, their the type to just be awkward to be around.


I don't know what kind of cons you've attended, but I was at the last Anime North in Toronto at the end of May and while there was definitely some of the stereotypical otakus (like me) there, you know what I saw a lot of? Great gaggles of guys and girls mixed together - and usually pretty damn good-looking, too. I was kicking myself that this kind of scene wasn't around when I was 18. When I was in my D'n'D phase in high school, there wasn't a XX-chromosome type to found within a thousand elvish miles.

You young anime freaks got it EASY, man! Wink

Oh, but to stay on topic: I like nudity and fanservice in shows were it is appropriate, like say Ikki Tousen or Najica Blitz Tactics. Obviously, I wouldn't appreciate it in shows like Cross Game or Erin the Beast Player. I'm not embarrassed or frightened by being titillated whether said titillation is caused by real life, live-action or animated femmes.
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