Forum - View topicHey, Answerman! [2007-05-11]
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Moros
Posts: 369 |
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XVII
Last edited by Moros on Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:52 am; edited 1 time in total |
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ANN_Bamboo
ANN Contributor
 Posts: 3904 Location: CO |
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(edit - crap-- I forgot to check the date of your post, so it's really just me that's late in responding to this. Sorry.  )
In both this thread and the SL one, you mention that I give the boys flak for dressing up as women, and point out the possibility homosexuality in that. However, I never said anything of the sort. My comments on homosexuality are not aimed at the men dressing up as the princesses-- but at the other boys in the school who are inspired by the Princesses. I realize that it's supposed to be funny, and there is supposed to be a suspension of disbelief, but from a psychological standpoint, I don't see how anyone could will themselves to fantasize, even more a moment, that their fellow classmates are anything but their classmates. If you sit next to someone all year round, ad they come in the next day as the next Princess, no matter how badly you want to pretend they're sweet, gentle girls, there has to be some part of you that sees the original person under the dresses and wigs, or at least knows intellectually that you are still seeing your friend. The fact that these men are so easily willing to suspend their skepticism, disbelief, or what have you, goes against human nature. *Especially* since they recognize the original identity of the boys. My comments are not against the Princesses, but rather, the reality of the other boys in the school and their opinions/feelings toward the Princesses. This is not typical behavior amongst high-school aged boys, especially one that's spread throughout an entire school. As the ranter pointed out, things like cross-dressing are oftentimes only used for comedy. However, these kinds of situations typically only work when there are people in a scene that are not aware that the cross-dresser is of the opposite gender. But, when everyone knows, and chooses to pretend that the cross-dresser is a separate persona, then that changes the situation. *My* problem with Princess Princess is that I don't think it's realistic. I'm okay with giant robots and vengeful spirits of dead sisters, but when it comes to a high school character-driven comedy about high school boys that act counter to the vast majority of American high school boys, I have a very hard time swallowing the storyline. Perhaps that's my shortcoming, but that is why I'm not the target demographic. Also, to people who are complaining that the ranter is "boring" or needs to use shorter sentences.... damn, yo. There's no reason for the writer to have to dumb anything down. The rants should be sparking debate, and if you can't get through it, it's your loss. And fyi, academic != pretentious. Last edited by ANN_Bamboo on Sat May 12, 2007 3:47 am; edited 1 time in total |
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ikillchicken
 Posts: 7272 Location: Vancouver |
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Firstly, I didn't say it should relate to ALL Anime. However, it should be something of a scale large enough that it has some sort of impact or connection to the industry or general fanbase on the whole. I cant really comment on the whole yaoi/yuri thing without an actual rant to compare it to. I will say though, that yaoi/yuri effects Anime as a whole because its relatively common and is much more prevalent then transgendered people in Anime.
Secondly, So now what? its a crime for me to not want to expand my horizons? I dont know anything about this issue because i dont really want to. I have no interest in it. if i wanted to learn about stuff like this I wouldnt be reading Hey Awnserman! id be reading Hey ExpandYourHirizonsMan! The reason Im reading hey Awnserman is becuase I wanna read about Anime. A lack of knowledge isnt even the issue, its a lack of interest. That last sentence is just illogical. it may be relevant to Daniel Thompson, but Im NOT Daniel Thompson. You could maybe claim that it could have been interesting or something if i tried, but no matter how hard i "try" Its not gonna be relevant to me. |
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Moros
Posts: 369 |
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XVII
Last edited by Moros on Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:52 am; edited 1 time in total |
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teh*darkness
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Ahha... sorry if it sounded like I was complaining about the "immaturity" of fans nowadays. I do realize that there are fans who are older and more mature. I was in no way trying to classify all anime fans as immature. I was more commenting on how I do not personally know many fans my age with which I can actually have discussions, since most fans are "tweens and teens". This is not a major problem, seeing as how they will get older, and I realize that they will 'seem' immature, though they are just acting their age. I realize that older fans are not always more mature either, I was simply lamenting that I have very few people to discuss anime with, in depth. That's all. @moros: It's quite possible people have no comments on the rant, because they have no opinion on the rant, such as myself. Most of the series mentioned, I have neither read, nor watched. As someone else pointed out, most of what it mentioned is shoujo, a genre I do not particularly care for. I have no experience with GLBT in anime/manga, and I don't really care for the lifestyle either, so I don't associate with them in my everyday life. That does not make me a homophobe, simply an unopinionated third party, so I simply did not comment on it. Though I did read the whole thing, and I see why it won since it was very well-written and thought-provoking, I just did not find it very personally interesting, so no need to talk about it. |
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violetsquirrel
 Posts: 69 Location: Australia |
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The thing is, it's not a case of them being normal schoolboys one day and then Princesses the next, they're treated like Princesses the entire time, whether they're dressed up or not. The only friend they have other than each other is placed on almost as high a pedestal as they are, and there are numerous times when they're asked for a smile or a kind word or whatever while they're in their normal uniforms. Even before the main character is chosen to be a Princess he's being treated like one because the rest of the school recognises that he's just that pretty. They may know intellectually somewhere that these are guys, but people are very good at believing what they want to believe, and it's consistent, it's not a case of suddenly treating the guy you sit next to in class as if he's a completely different person. |
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Moros
Posts: 369 |
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XVII
Last edited by Moros on Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:52 am; edited 1 time in total |
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teh*darkness
Posts: 901 |
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Mmm, I see your point. There could have been a great discussion about the portrayal of the GLBT community in anime/manga, what with the rant being about the lack of a decent realistic example in said medium. The problem is, the majority of anime/manga fans probably do not care much for/about that particular community, and so felt no need to comment, or simply said that they did not care, which many did without bashing the rant. The problem comes with those who enjoy using the internet anonymously as a place to argue, and go so far as to attack Zac for providing a free service. If you have nothing constructive to say, don't say anything. If you feel strongly that it could have been a more relevant rant (which I do believe it was slightly irrelevant), why not say so in a more civil manner, rather than flaming? My problem with the rant is that it was "too academic" in a good way. It presented the author's thoughts and opinions very well, and it wasn't really a complaint (read 'rant') about anything, more of an explanation of his opinion on something, which does not lend very well to being discussed. The reason I say it could have been more relevant is because it dove into how anime/manga does not portray GLBTs, rather than how it does. I, and apparently many others, do not take issue with this aspect of anime/manga, as we have no, or little, connection to this commnunity, or we realize it is used mainly for comedic purposes and do not have a problem with that. As I said in my last post, I thought it was very well-written, but it simply hit on a subject that is not very relevant in the minds of many. I hope we can see more "rants" like this, except hopefully, they won't so fully explore the subject matter, as to leave something for the forums to discuss  .
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Mohawk52
 Posts: 8202 Location: England, UK |
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Moros
Posts: 369 |
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XVII
Last edited by Moros on Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:52 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Moros
Posts: 369 |
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XVII
Last edited by Moros on Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:52 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Jerseymilk
 Posts: 157 Location: Wouldn't YOU like to know. |
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I believe the big issue with that particular adaptation was that the producers assured the author Le Guin that they would stay true to her novel when asking for the rights. Then they turn around and make the main character Ged, a very blond, very white looking boy. I know that in the story, Ged's ethnicity and skin colour is not white, but more like a Native American. Le Guin created him as dark-skinned because it was meant to be a very important statement by her concerning civil rights and colour at the time she wrote the stories. Basically, it was a significant aspect of the books and one that she felt very strongly and protective about keeping. So it's where a lot of the controversy and hate by fans of the Earthsea series comes from. |
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wynden
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I'll only say this once and then bow out. Because as much as I love to achieve an understanding between people (a cousin to friendship) I'm not lately in the habit of engaging in dispute. It's not that I don't love an enlightening discussion or even a good philosophical spar; but I lived my rebellious teens in my tweens and in my twenties I'm like an old man in some practices. It's been my observation that most people are too lazy, indifferent or defensive to try to really understand someone else's perspective. People have to arrive at it themselves; even when influenced by the words of others it must be their decision to be influenced. And rarely is that decision made in the heat of debate.
Everyone will learn as their attitudes evolve with experience that opening yourself up to previously unconsidered possibilities is like opening the door to a new world. Like it was when you first discovered anime: worlds of expanded identity and camaraderie. Taking the time to determine which beliefs are personal revelation or the incomplete result of unmeditated external influence can be exhilarating. Challenging your own principles in order to determine why you believe them only strengthens your identity and convictions and the power behind them. Discarding a prejudice will feel within time like a shackle has been released from your mind; but it's a weight that lifts slowly. And don't be confused about the definition of prejudice; any time you count yourself superior to another - even, for example, in purity and proximity to Heaven - you are inadvertently committing a prejudice. No one's perfect, but if we try to be we might end up at half decent. And my theory is, a lot happier. I'd like to ask everyone in the world to try once in their lives to let everyone else seek happiness in any way they choose - provided it doesn't encroach on another's welfare in a manner which is inescapable - without judgment or rebuke. Just to see what it's like. There was a not too distant time when anything foreign to my experience repelled me. But it's amazing what you can get used to. You may argue that you have no desire to do so, but you'll never know what you might've discovered on the other end. Normalcy, none here need reminding, is not commonly provocative, exciting or enriching but rather tends to tedium and stagnation. The most outlandish fantasies still have roots of inspiration in fact. Life can compete with fiction if you investigate. Consciously or no, there's never been a time when I've regretted becoming accustomed to a previously foreign concept, regardless of whether I was formerly curious, disconcerted or apathetic in it's regard. In the least eventful result, unrealized tension dissolves into expanded calm. And it's funny how infectious a stranger's happiness can be, even when you're not a fan of the human race. We all know the sting of disappointment and the euphoria of unexpected acceptance, and there's nothing to be lost in living and letting live. -- If you are an explorer of the realities and mysteries of life and want to research transgenderism further, here's a couple of recommendations: She's Not There Transgeneration Enjoy. Life, that is. |
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Moros
Posts: 369 |
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XVII
Last edited by Moros on Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:52 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Mohawk52
Posts: 8202 Location: England, UK |
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Last edited by Mohawk52 on Sat May 12, 2007 1:23 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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