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Shelf Life - All the Gintama In the World


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Keichitsu0305





PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:37 am Reply with quote
Kikaioh wrote:
Keichitsu0305 wrote:
1. To Kikaioh There is no Ho-yay in Tsuritama. As a proud Fujoshi, who is also well-inform in real-life LGBTQ issues, I can attest to that. The story of how Yuki eventually blossoms from his shell to become a more self-confident individual is the highlight to the entire series.
[...]
I even have a number of Shojo series in my manga collection (Skip Beat, Ouran High School Host Club, Fruits Basket, Fushigi Yugi, Kare Kano), so I think even girl-oriented series can be appreciated by guys. Perhaps what bothers me is the creeping feeling that so many characters in anime these days seem to be designed to appeal to a target-demographic --- it comes across as fan-pandering, and the subsequent lack of variability in character designs bothers me.


I believe you when you say that Tsuritama's plot and execution don't suggest anything more than a platonic relationship between the characters. What puts my sensors on alert is that the main characters are such attractive teenage youths --- it's hard to deny that the character designs (and even their personalities) are appealing to the characterXcharacter pairing mentality of fujoshi.


Well, Haru was a total uke but, luckily, he gets better.

There are fan arts, fan fiction, fan comics, and even online communities where slash fangirls (and guys) come together to talk about their favorite pairings from ANY anime/manga/video game/American comic/live action movie/TV show imaginable. I'm not even joking.

Heck, ever since The Avengers came out I've seen a ton of fan art over the main cast like Iron Man shipped w/ the Hulk or Captain America. Homestuck, a webcomic where the character are not attractive at all, have so many slash pairings, a Hetalia slash fan girl would blush! While I understand that not everybody will like fan bait & pandering of any kind (I don't mind fanservice of any kind so long as the show or characters are interesting), that's perfectly fine. I don't blame you for not liking any kind of pandering because, after awhile, it gets old.

I just [u]mainly
wanted to correct 050795 for saying that we BL fans are somehow a threat to the anime/manga.

Animegomaniac wrote:
Keichitsu0305 wrote:
Would you rather have panty shots of the female characters of the series or have Yurika giggle her breast toward the camera? Razz


...yes...


Than I suggest Witchblade. Has nothing to do with jazz, 1960s Japan, or has strong character building. That should be perfect for you! Very Happy

Last edited by Keichitsu0305 on Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:24 pm; edited 2 times in total
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ABCBTom



Joined: 10 Sep 2009
Posts: 183
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:54 am Reply with quote
Keichitsu0305 wrote:
Besides, the strength of the series is the friendship among the trio: Karou, Ritsuko, and Sentaro. The fact that Yoko Kanno & Shinichirō Watanabe are part of this series is simply the icing on the cake. So, unless your slasher glasses are on too tight, try to be more open minded about this show.


But I think that's the problem. The friendship isn't fully explored because Ritsuko is a cipher. She has no passion, and she has no interests. Her character is that of the ever supportive housewife. Belldandy has more motivation.

She exists only to like boys. She's not a person, she's a plot device.

Slope would have been so much more interesting and courageous if they dropped the women and made it about two gay lovers in a time that did not accept their love. At least then it would have been honest.
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thenix



Joined: 18 Apr 2012
Posts: 265
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 9:08 am Reply with quote
I think I have to watch kids on the slope. That's 2 reviews that make me really want to watch it and think I'll really like it.
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Maigraith



Joined: 25 May 2010
Posts: 80
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 9:52 am Reply with quote
Animegomaniac wrote:

...yes...

Male fanservice: Easily known, it's seen and then it's gone {So like real life, you know}


This made me laugh. Male fanservice is not just "seen and then it's gone", it is seen again and again and again for over 75% of the episode. I don't have anything against it but when an episode becomes a series of boob, butt, and panty shots with (shoddy)dialogue voiced over it just seems incredibly lazy.
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vashfanatic



Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 3489
Location: Back stateside
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 9:53 am Reply with quote
050795 wrote:
Why do the fusjoshi have to ruin everything for the rest of us?

I'm sorry, but how the heck does getting a fujoshi following "ruin" a series for you? Does the merest hint of there being something potentially interpreted as homoerotic make the whole series dirty? Is the gay just that icky to you?

I've loved a ton of shows/series/movies where there has been an active fanbody shipping male characters where I definitely don't (Lord of the Rings, Fullmetal Alchemist, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the list goes on...). Did it ruin those series? No, I just ignored those sections of the fandom.

If even the implied idea of homosexuality truly ruins a series for you, I think you need to have a good long look at what your own issues might be.



Ftr, I haven't seen Kids on the Slope yet, but watching the first few trailers I did think it might be BL. I'm still very curious about the show... if only I wasn't bloody region blocked on everything. Sad
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Surrender Artist



Joined: 01 May 2011
Posts: 3264
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 10:01 am Reply with quote
I've been enjoying Kids on the Slope immensely. I did notice lines thrown to fujoshi, yet somehow I justdon't mind. I honestly haven't found it all that intrusive or at all disruptive the way that appeals to the prurient interests of male fans might be. Perhaps the Japanese consider women more imaginative and so don't spoon-feed them eroticism.

I do wish that the female characters had more depth independent of their relationships with the male characters. (Intriguingly, more men than women seem to have complained along these lines)

I think that I'll get that collection of Dirty Pair films, especially for the old Streamline English dubs. They should be entertaining, although I was lukewarm toward the only one I have seen, Project Eden, perhaps because it seemed like Kei and Yuri were subordinated a little in favor of Carson D. Carson.


Last edited by Surrender Artist on Tue Jun 12, 2012 5:13 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Thatguy3331



Joined: 18 Feb 2012
Posts: 1790
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 10:19 am Reply with quote
Fujoshi? whats that?

well judging from the comments its the ho-yay aspects of a series, which I will say now, I'm not a fan of. But ignoring it is definetly a option if everything else about the show is good enough. If I only paid attention to those aspects, HxH wouldn't be one of my favorite mangas and I would have dropped it a long time ago
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ABCBTom



Joined: 10 Sep 2009
Posts: 183
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 10:33 am Reply with quote
Surrender Artist wrote:
I do wish that the female characters had more depth independent of their relationships with the male characters. (Intriguingly, more men than women seem to have complained along these lines)

That's me. I think it's because I just can't get any vicarious thrills out of shipping Kaoru and Sentaro. Another romance might take its place, but none of the women are worth romancing. Ritsuko likes boys and Sound of Music. Yurika likes boys and painting. There's nothing there outside of that.

Plus, Kaoru is such a loathsome whiner, and can always be counted on to do the wrong thing and stew in his misery. At least Shinji got in the mecha and fought a few angels. Kaoru can't even handle Sentaro getting another friend without running home and crying.

Sentaro might be able to carry the show himself, but the show seems to be nothing more than the terrible things that happen to him. Sentaro cannot catch a break.
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Keichitsu0305





PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:21 pm Reply with quote
ABCBTom wrote:
Keichitsu0305 wrote:
Besides, the strength of the series is the friendship among the trio: Karou, Ritsuko, and Sentaro.


But I think that's the problem. The friendship isn't fully explored because Ritsuko is a cipher. [...]
She exists only to like boys. She's not a person, she's a plot device.

Slope would have been so much more interesting and courageous [u]if they dropped the women and made it about two gay lovers in a time that did not accept their love. At least then it would have been honest.[/u


Sadly, I'm going have to completely agree with you. One major flaw of the trio (possibly the reason why people think there is so much Ho-yay) is because Ritsuko was not written very well; I even think of Yurika as simply filling the spoiler["Rich Girl Falls for Poor Guy"] role. Don't get me wrong, I get irritated when any character (regardless of gender) are written poorly and are only meant to serve as "that Romantic Lead".

I mean spoiler[ in total honesty, I thought the scenes where Sentaro climbs into Karou's room and went with him to see Karou's mom were absolutely sweet. But that's me personally.] As it is, the show could have been spoiler[ a great "coming out of the closet" anime.]

I have been meaning to buy the box set of the Dirty Pair films since I enjoyed the TV series and a few of the OVAs so it's great that Erin considers it Shelf-Worthy. ^__^
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bravetailor



Joined: 30 May 2009
Posts: 817
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 1:17 pm Reply with quote
I was surprised to find that I liked Project Eden the least of the "films" in the Dirty Pair set. Oh, it's certainly tasty visually, and the opening sequence is just WOW. But it often feels like Kei and Yuri actually don't get enough SCREEN TIME in their OWN film! I know that's not truly the case, but I feel like there are too many scenes of the professor talking and the male protagonist upstaging the girls. There's also the sense that it doesn't have quite enough story to fill 80 minutes.

I actually really liked 005 Conspiracy. In fact, i would have preferred if this was the feature film, because it moves along at a breakneck speed--some might argue too fast. But there's a ton of action, plot twists, and variety of settings packed into its 55 minute runtime. If it were 80 minutes, it would have been perfectly paced. It's definitely a ride.

Nolandia is pretty dodgy animation wise. Forget the strange character designs, the animation sometimes looks like it came out of 1979. Still, it has a truly epic 20 minute chase scene. Wow, Yuri sure is fit. Cool
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jr240483



Joined: 24 Dec 2005
Posts: 4369
Location: New York City,New York,USA
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 2:25 pm Reply with quote
050795 wrote:
The Gintama dub.... I won't say a lot other then it really pissed me off, and has made me question buying any future Sentai release.

Anyways I think it is funny you didn't like the seriousness of the movie, because it's the semi-serious arcs (there is still plenty of humor in them) are what make the show go from good to great. Really I thought they did a good job fitting the arc into a movie.


I find it's weird that they have the Movie with an english dub,but NOT the TV series.If they was anytime to release an english dub is when CN brough back Toonami.
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Chagen46



Joined: 27 Jun 2010
Posts: 4377
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 3:43 pm Reply with quote
jr0904 wrote:

I find it's weird that they have the Movie with an english dub,but NOT the TV series.If they was anytime to release an english dub is when CN brough back Toonami.


Yeah, from what my friend told me about the series (he loves it, I'd love to read it but haven't), it would be PERFECT for Toonami.
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Agent355



Joined: 12 Dec 2008
Posts: 5113
Location: Crackberry in hand, thumbs at the ready...
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:25 pm Reply with quote
Yes, Gintama has Adult Swim friendly humor and Bleach style action, but as much as I love to remind folks that Gintama was broadcast dubbed on MTV Italia (which looked like it had an awesome run of anime over the years), nobody thinks it should be given a chance on American TV. They say it's too long, the jokes are too "culturally obscure" (really? since when is slapstick, sexual innuendo, and bathroom humor culturally specific? Sure, there are Japanese-specific puns, jokes and routines, but the humor runs a broad range in most episodes), it can't be dubbed (except, apparently, in Italian. And Spanish. And Chinese...), etc, etc, etc... Rolling Eyes

I just take it as "too expensive and risky to dub and air" and leave it at that.

I do not understand the attitude that fandom's imagination ruins stories for people. That mean you can't read Arthur Conan Doyle because people like to see Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as a couple? What about Star Trek? Fans have been slashing Kirk and Spock for decades. Give me a break.
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walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:39 pm Reply with quote
ABCBTom wrote:
But I think that's the problem. The friendship isn't fully explored because Ritsuko is a cipher. She has no passion, and she has no interests. Her character is that of the ever supportive housewife. Belldandy has more motivation.

She exists only to like boys. She's not a person, she's a plot device.

Slope would have been so much more interesting and courageous if they dropped the women and made it about two gay lovers in a time that did not accept their love. At least then it would have been honest.


I mostly agree, the women in that show are the worst aspect. They add nothing but screen-hogging that could better be devoted to jazz and a growing brohood between the two male characters. In other josei manga that have a theme like music or fashion, that's what tends to take center stage. Almost every episode of Nodame has them playing music at some point or another, for long periods of time. Slope has been a little too dry when it comes to the music making. Just a little bit of Sen and Kaoru down in the basement, and then a cutaway to something else. Jazz is just a side dish in this show, unfortunately, where the real meal is apparently love triangles; if Brother Jun expressed a like for, Kaoru we'd have come full circle. That would have been amusing and unique.

bravetailor wrote:
Nolandia is pretty dodgy animation wise. Forget the strange character designs, the animation sometimes looks like it came out of 1979. Still, it has a truly epic 20 minute chase scene. Wow, Yuri sure is fit. Cool


Nolandia is sort of early on in the lifespan of the OVA, maybe Sunrise wasn't sure how much to budget it and just gave it the same as the TV series. The Last Red Shoulder wasn't too spectacular in animation either, when compared to later VOTOMS projects in that decade. Seems like Pierrot was well ahead of them, with Dallos and Area 88, and Kaname Pro with Birth and Leda.
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Fencedude5609



Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 5088
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:55 pm Reply with quote
I am terribly amused by all the people who crawl out of the woodwork whenever its suggested that Sakamichi might, just maybe, be pandering to yaoi shippers.

OH NO! NO GAY HERE! NOT AT ALL! I TOTALLY WOULD NEVER WATCH A GAY SHOW!!
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