Fuck Anime
I try not to begrudge the nerds their interests. I understand the basics of a computer and I like Harry Potter (and musicals). I don't have any problems with comic books and I find "Star Trek" fans to be quite good-natured. Live and live, really. But...I don't understand anime. I don't understand the people who like anime. I don't understand why shitty hyper-sexualized Japanese cartoons about 12-year-old demons are so popular with American basement-dwellers. And I'm not talking about stoned 20somethings who accidental enjoy an episode of "Inuyasha" on Adult Swim, I mean the people who are into it.
When did this happen? Why did this happen? Were there cosplay fanatics before anime, just like there were homosexuals before the 1970s? Why are hardcore anime fans so sexually immature? Why are they so often white women? Why are they so goddamn insistent anime represents a proud Japanese tradition any more than the Smurfs represent Belgium?
I don't like the way they think they know Japan. I'm willing to bet most have been there the same number of times I have (ZERO) which means they don't understand it all, no matter how many messageboards they read. I'm willing to bet anime equals Japan as much as ESPN equals America - they're both popular, but it ain't the whole story.
Why are they so creepy? Where is all their disposable income coming from? Will they grow out of it? Are there anime fans over the age of 45? Why did they decide to make liking cartoons the most important aspect of their personality? Why do they turn anthropomorphic animals into fetish objects? That's fucked up.
I'm afraid this trend I don't want to understand is only going to get worse before it gets better. I noticed an abundance of anime-style Saturday morning cartoons this weekend - making sure the kids are indoctrinated to inane storylines, bad animation, and exaggerated breasts early, are you Fox? Hopefully they'll grow out of it. Pick up a guitar or a pen or take apart an alarm clock and learn something about the world - the real world, not the fantasy one their virginal brothers and sisters pretend they live in.
Yes yes - I'm stereotyping, and isn't it a shame? But sometimes stereotypes are grounded in the truth, and I'm genuinely curious why this bizarre, aesthetically repulsive took over the senses of millions of people who have the gall to call it 'art.'
Labels: Bitchface
posted by Trashley at 12:30 AM
11 Comments:
Word.
And word again.
Some anime is cute. Some anime is thought provoking. Some of it is pervy. There is more perviness than thought usually, but then that's true of most things.
Anyway, anything is better than that piece of shit The Simpsons Movie. God, did that ever suck. It's all lazy jokes. No musical number. If they had to rehash a bunch of old plots (Marge leaves Homer, Lisa gets a crush, Simpsons move to..., Homer does stupid, Bart adopted by the Flanders) at least they could have rehashed a good one. Like Tomacco or The Monorail. And what moronic test screening told them to replace President Wolfcastle with President Schwartzenegger? At least they could have made him President McBain.
Damnit Ashley. I'm trying to come to terms with my fiance's fascination with anime (and Japan...) and I don't need you planting your accusations of pervertedness and losery in my mind. I'm talking about MARRIAGE here. Do you want to be responsible for screwing that up?
I specifically left out any mention of D&D on Lee's behalf. Now that I know there's anime in the mix as well - it's certainly troublesome.
Of course, the fact that he has a real job and a grown-up relationship puts him miles ahead of the others. Also, he has the proper shame to not let everyone know about his interest. I've never seen him in costume.
My 14 months at Books-A-Million put me face to face with this phenomenon. There was always at least 1 pre-teen nerdtastic girl with her face an inch from some anime. Always. And the Yu-Gi-Oh tournaments on Saturday, oh man. It's crazy. My nephew just got addicted to Pokemon. POKEMON! I though that shit was gone and done with, how did it attach itself to my nephew?
I can't stand anime, mostly. I mean, Spirited Away is a great movie, but that whole robot-schoolgirl-piloting giant-roboat -and-getting-raped by- tentacled-aliens thing that 99% of anime seems to be about leaves me cold.
Also, most of it is really ugly to watch.
It's fun to trash things you know virtually nothing about, isn't it? So much easier than doing research and writing an informed critique!
Yes, some anime is just fanservice for horny nerds, but if you don't like giant robot battles or ridiculously large-breasted schoolgirls, you still have a hell of a lot to choose from. What next, swearing off all movies because you don't like porn? There are anime out there that don't rely on sexual objectification for humor, anime that revolve around well-developed characters that do more than bounce and flash their panties, anime with dialogue that goes far beyond shouting out the names of various special attacks. There's anime out there that explores human psychology, morality, philosophy, politics and religion. There's anime out there based on historical figures, literature, and classic films. All of these anime exist--with nary a tentacle rape in sight--for anyone who isn't so self-righteously above it all to take the time to look for them.
Who'd have guessed? Not you, obviously.
I do hope you're not one of the six people directed to Made of Trash from the google search "anime fuck."
I came here via a link left in a comment on a Feministing thread, actually.
Props to you... Couldn't have said it better.
Obviously I'm not the same 'anonymous' as the one just above.
Sadly most of us anime geeks make more money than you isn't that a shame. <--- Network Engineer
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