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Hey, Answerman! - Gender Rolls

Then we have series with characters who I believe show symptoms, with recent examples such as the casts of Haganai and Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun, Mei Tachibana of Suki-tte Ii na yo, and especially Mashiro Shiina from Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo...

While I didn't hate the show, I don't get why it was championed by so many people. It was a story that's been told before and felt phoned in starting with episode 10.

I like that he lumped it in with lost property, strike witches and bund. Not because I agree, but I figured it would make for good comment reading material.

Also, it's not exactly open minded to dump hate on this guy because he doesn't like a show you liked.

I've watched anime since I got into DVDs in the 90's. I'm disappointed to see how the rise of web streaming has all but eliminated the DVD/Blu-Ray purchasing aspect of calling one's self an “anime fan”, but I'm far more worried about what I see as the collateral damage being done to anime in general over the last half decade or so. The shift to web-based delivery of content, including anime, has shifted the mindsets of consumers to viewing all content as something you “consume” rather than “collect”. I see this emerging in what types of shows are offered up for sale now as well as what gets streamed. Complicated stories and character-driven plotlines are out- girls in skimpy outfits are in.

What was the cause of the shift? I began to wonder. By chance I then watched the Genshiken series, and got some insight into how a good number of Japanese fans like to use doujinshi to basically “consumerize” anime by taking the characters and replacing plots with nudity and sex. Then it hit me: most of the anime I see offered up in the US now has skipped the first step of making characters that get converted to doujinshi - the anime itself has become its own doujinshi. No girl too young to have giant boobs and no clothes. Just give 'em what they want.

I look at a show like Madoka Magica (which ANN was raving about) and see a viciously manipulative story where young girls run around in outfits that would make strippers blush, engage in pointless magic battles, and then are denied escape from the story even when they (SPOILERS REMOVED). And don't forget to have them run around naked some as well- fans love that. If this was a live action show with 14 year old-girls performing, it would probably be described as child abuse.

Most of these new anime are built to be consumed once, remembered briefly, then forgotten as the next series starts streaming. No need to think about characters or plots because no one watching it will ponder the show long enough to make that kind of writing effort pay off. The same thing can be seen if you browse the new releases of licensed anime at the stores - Heaven's Lost Property, Strike Witches, Sekirei, Vampire Bund. If the latest anime tells us anything, it's that in the near future clothing will be a rare item, at least for girls.

Maybe with the collapse of the consumer demand to own anime the the publishers found that only the shows featuring regular doses of titillation could be counted on to make a profit, so that's about all that gets licensed. But even when I look at what is getting released in Japan it feels like the inmates are running the asylum now: too many pointless recycled plots looking for excuses to blend up a mix of sci-fi mumbo-jumbo, explosions, and short skirts. Just give 'em what they want.

Then we have series with characters who I believe show symptoms [of being on the Spectrum]....Now why is that?

Did someone just use Madoka as a non-collectable and shallow storied anime series? It has DVD/BRD to buy and they sell for $90 a pop for special edition, it's super collectable. Also the story is rather serious and deep. I can't say this person actually watched the series.

So I'll put this to you: how weird would it be if Dragon Ball Z took a time out to explain to the audience that Goten had Asperger's?

here-and-faraway I wonder if authors you mentioned actually meant the characters to have any specific disorder, or just put some observations, without wondering about reasons.

Complicated stories and character-driven plotlines are out- girls in skimpy outfits are in.

So I've been wondering, what is it about the audience of anime that is more accepting of strong, female lead characters? Or is it that Hollywood and TV has had it all wrong all this time, and really audiences of both genders would gladly accept a female in a lead action role?