Ms. Answerman

Dark Water

I'd like to apologize for posting a quote and link in a previous column that was not only inappropriate but false. My intention had been to give an idea of how punishment in schools was more common and rougher, but I should've found a factual quote to do that instead. For those of you who were offended, I'm terribly sorry. I've re-written a factual response and included it, along with the original correction, below.

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What's the logic behind Japanese schools having their kids hold water buckets in the hall as punishment? I've seen this is Azumanga Daioh! and Project A-ko. and it just doesn't seem punitive.

Its effectiveness really depends upon the student and school they're at. For some, standing outside in the hallway while holding buckets of water is not only embarrassing but somewhat painful (those buckets get very heavy when your muscles start to tire out). For others, such punishment is seen as a red badge of courage and stand outside with pride.
This method of punishment is similar to that of writing lines or running laps. In all of these, the teacher doesn't have to lay a hand on the student and the student suffers pain from fatigue rather than physical abuse. It's sort of a safe middle ground between doing nothing and doing something to directly harm the student. Detention, sitting in the corner or certain spot, and other “wasters of time” are also used since time spent doing nothing is time not spent cramming.
There are cases where extreme violence, however rare, still occur in Japan. Most have heard of a case where the student, late for school, tries to squeeze past the closing gate. The teachers, unwilling to stop the gate because they wished to enforce the tardy rules, watched on as the student was crushed to death. There have been others as well, but it's important to remember that THESE ARE RARE AND EXTREME CASES. Lesser forms of abuse happen as well (and again, aren't common), though it's rare for such things to get out to the public, otherwise parents might think twice about sending their students to a certain school.

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Hey Mrs. Answerman!
I've got a question for you concerning something that I have seen done in several anime. I have on occasion seen people pouring water out in front of their homes or small businesses. They just seem to be wetting the ground, however, since I imagine there's some reason for this, I was hoping you could shed some light on the subject for me. So, What is that whole thing about?
Thanks for you help!
Shin-Sensei
(Shinotaku14)

Why did the boy throw water out the window? Because he wanted to see a waterfall! (Yes, this is supposed to be a popular joke).
In reality, this was an extremely common sight hundreds of years ago when buildings started becoming taller and indoor plumbing was the last thing on people's minds. The ‘water’, however, didn't consist of savory things and lead to the spread of disease and sickness. As time passed and toilets became popular, this unique form of water disposal was reserved for water used to wash smaller things such as clothes (which were then left to dry on a balcony or window). Some also toss water out onto friends or family as a joke, though one they hopefully saved for the summer and not the winter time.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: Shin posted on the message boards that he was talking about people who would actually water or hose down the front of their homes or businesses, not throw a small amount outside (which is what I thought he meant). Ampersand confirmed what would've been my first guess (as did Bamboo with her little summer story), which is the fact that pouring extra water on the ground promotes evaporation and cools the air inside the home/store and out. Raja also brought up the fact that it also keeps the dust and dirt from blowing around. So here's a lesson for all the otaku out there: Water is good. Even the Japanese think so.

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hello,
I just "finished" watching Samurai Champloo...but I'm confused. I bought it and there were only 17 eps. I didnt think of anything till I got home and realized that there should be 26 eps. I went back and asked the guys at the shop about it, and they said that were only 17 so I kept it.
So my question is, what happened?? Was there only 17 eps in the first season, and 9 in the second?? Or did I get jimped (boo-urns!)??
Thanks,
dani

Yes and no, and yes and no.
Yes, technically there are two ‘seasons’ of Samurai Champloo. The first 17 episodes were shown on Fuji TV and, due to low ratings (though some believe it's due to violence), Samurai Champloo was moved to BS Fuji and started over at episode 1. Since there were 17 weeks separating the first episodes from the last 9, many believe that it is the second season. There's also the fact that the Japanese were calling it the ‘second season’ since the show was ‘canceled’ after episode 17.
No, because many believe that the episode count and not the move determine a season. I don't even think that Geneon is marketing it as a second season. Personally I don't think it matters if they call it one season or two, but it still seems to be confusing people who try to buy “the first season” and aren't sure what they're getting from bootleggers.
Yes, you probably got ripped off. Especially since the DVD that has episodes 13-16 doesn't come out until the end of this month so there's no way you bought legal copies of this show.
No, you got exactly what you paid for. A bootleg. Complaining about a bootlegger lying to you is like complaining about getting a bad bag of weed. Unless of course you didn't know they were bootlegs, then I'm sure you thought you were buying a bag of grass.

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hi i a big fan for anime , but i live far from any anime conventions area WAAA :( so i ask humbly if u have any idea if there is any in the uk comeing this june and the next few months sniff sniff greatly aperacated i have tried looking but foung some for 2002 and i cannot go back and time travel :( , so please help oh great in my hour of need please or direct to a site or place to call thank u ...
anime needy

Sigh. Sometimes I wonder why I bother asking people to use common sense/English when composing emails.
Here's a list of possible "conventions" you could attend, depending on where you live in the UK.
Ayacon
TOMO-DACHI
TokoNATSU ~ This is more of a large, outdoor gathering for anime fans to do anime-related things, but still sounds interesting enough to mention.
EirtaKon ~ Located in Ireland.
If you're willing to travel a bit, there's also one in France (MangaCity) and Germany (Hon-kon), though you might have to speak and/or read French or German to register for either of these conventions.

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Hello, quick question:
Are there any plans in Japan to keep making Hunter X Hunter OAVs that continue following the manga after the Greed Island arc? Or is Greed Island the last arc they plan on animating? Thanks for your time!
-Alec

There are three OVAs for Hunter x Hunter: the original OVA, with 8 episodes, the Greed Island OVA, with another 8 episodes, and the G.I. Final OVA, with 14 episodes that were spread out on a whopping 7 DVDs in Japan. G.I. Final is the final OVA in the series, marking the end of an unusually long string of OVAs and 62 episodes over the course of six years. There aren't any rumors outside of ones created by hopeful fans.