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Tenchi



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 4462
Location: Ottawa... now I'm an ex-Anglo Montrealer.
PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 3:39 pm Reply with quote
I don't really have any anime-related resolutions for 2012 beyond "import the K-On! movie on Blu-Ray" because I have a sneaking suspicion that it won't get a western release until 2013 at the earliest. Also, to buy A Certain Scientific Railgun should Funimation actually release it this coming year.
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Bluel



Joined: 30 Dec 2011
Posts: 1
PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 3:45 pm Reply with quote
I would say, as fan-girlish as sounds, that my resolution would be to try to complete my fanfiction within the next year.
It'll help me with my writing skills, and accustom me to working on a deadline- especially since it's going to take probably thirty-eight chapters to wrap up.
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Shenl742



Joined: 11 Feb 2010
Posts: 1524
PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:10 pm Reply with quote
Yeah, although I'm a gay man who sin't really all that big about "gay issues", I still have to say that I'm continuilly disappointed by a lot of depictions in anime and manga the more popular anime and manga.

If a character isn't an enormous stereotype, then they're pretty much making lurid advancements toward eachother in order provide titliation toward fans of the opposite gender.

Of course, that won't stop me from reading and enjoying stuff like Loveless or almost everything CLAMP puts out, or even gropey crap like Negima, and I'm sure there's a lot of stuff I've never heard of that's a bit better about it, I'm just saying that from what I've seen it's not that pretty.

And I'm not saying that things are exactly sunny on the western end, but as Brian says at least it kind of feels like we're starting to be a bit more progressive about it...
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Vaisaga



Joined: 07 Oct 2011
Posts: 13224
PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:22 pm Reply with quote
So I looked on Amazon and saw that some one was selling the Oreimo set for $2,000. Wow. I'm glad I got it when it first came out.
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Anime_Otaku35



Joined: 01 Sep 2010
Posts: 74
Location: USA
PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:27 pm Reply with quote
Vaisaga wrote:
So I looked on Amazon and saw that some one was selling the Oreimo set for $2,000. Wow. I'm glad I got it when it first came out.


I'm with you on that one. The markup on this set is ridiculous.
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The King of Harts



Joined: 05 May 2009
Posts: 6712
Location: Mount Crawford, Virginia
PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:30 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
I am very angry with Aniplex, but rather than go into some rant I'll ask ya some questions

Let me get this straight. You, knowing full well that this was a LIMITED edition, didn't buy it before it sold out and now you're mad at Aniplex?

No. You should be mad at yourself. Aniplex didn't tell you to wait until Christmas for a LIMITED edition.
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Haterater



Joined: 30 Apr 2006
Posts: 1727
PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:43 pm Reply with quote
Must have thought that it wouldn't have sold very well and there would be many copies flooding around. A hard to believe other option is that they thought there would being many copies despite it being limited edition based on other encounters with limited edition products.
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Sailor S





PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:05 pm Reply with quote
The King of Harts wrote:
Quote:
I am very angry with Aniplex, but rather than go into some rant I'll ask ya some questions

Let me get this straight. You, knowing full well that this was a LIMITED edition, didn't buy it before it sold out and now you're mad at Aniplex?

No. You should be mad at yourself. Aniplex didn't tell you to wait until Christmas for a LIMITED edition.


Glad I'm not the only one who thought that was a bit ridiculous. Whenever I see Limited Edition put on any title that I'm interested in, or think I may be interested in watching at some point, I snap it up immediately. Setting aside the fact that waiting on a sale for Aniplex titles isn't terribly likely, and even then the sale price isn't usually spectacularly lower than the usual price, I'd rather not run the risk of something selling out while I hem and haw over it.

Maybe that's why I'm 2+ years behind in my viewing...
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dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:22 pm Reply with quote
I cringed when I read Mitamaking state that they thought Infinite Stratos was a good Anime, let alone one of the best of the year.

Ano Hana was great until the last two episodes, whereupon the script turned the waterworks up to the 'Biblical Flood' setting. How am I supposed to take it seriously when the tears are so farcical? I spent the last episode rolling my eyes and snickering the entire time, which is pretty sad for a so-called drama.

The thing about Oreimo was that it was a horrible show, and yet tons of people loved it anyway. I should have bought a half-dozen boxsets and then held onto then until I could extract the maximum price from the fans. Would have been a perfect revenge I reckon.
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gordok



Joined: 12 Jul 2009
Posts: 22
Location: San Diego, CA
PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:26 pm Reply with quote
Speaking of both LGBT and Tenchi Muyo . . . I did find it interesting that the 1990's Cartoon Network run of the OAV series changed things a bit in this regards:

Specifically (Spoiler Warning): In the episode wherein Sasami (as a magical girl) decides the best way to end the feud between Ayaka and Ryoko is to cast a spell that makes them love each other. Fair to guess, Sasami's spell goes perhaps a bit too far, and Ayaka and Ryoko end up REALLY in love with each other.

At this point, Mihoshi (in the role of a teacher) discovers Ayaka and Ryoko's altered feelings for each other. What then interests me: In the original OAV (English version) sold, Mihoshi suggests it is an inappropriate relationship; but in the Cartoon Network broadcast, she doesn't!

So, it makes me wonder: In the process of either localization or making a series broadcast-ready, is "political correctness" introduced into the final product? If so, perhaps this might "offend" me, by (a) portraying Japan as being more tolerant than it actually is, and (b) pretending that the anti-gay ideas/people do not exist.
[The question having been asked, I do know that consumption of pork products is edited out of cartoons sent to Islamic countries, and we (the US) tend to edit out cigarette smoking, booze drinking, outright gambling, etc. from shows like Outlaw Star. Nevertheless, am I then to infer that the expression of anti-Gay sentiments is to be omitted for being offensive?]

On a different question: I wonder if much of the presence of LGBT characters in anime and manga is due in part from the Japan's theater and cultural history--e.g., there was a time when Kibuki theater was not allowed to use actresses (i.e., women) onstage, and men had to fill in for the women's roles . . . and hence said men often gained strong . . . er, um . . . male fans. There's also the . . . er, um . . . occasional alternate "mentorship" that some samuri masters would engage with their students . . .

No comment here either way on the "appropriateness" of such actions . . . just wondering if, born from that context, it's "natural" for more LGBT characters show in later entertainment media (like anime).


Last edited by gordok on Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:29 pm; edited 1 time in total
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CG-LOVER



Joined: 22 Mar 2010
Posts: 355
Location: East Lansing, MI
PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:29 pm Reply with quote
Another great Answerman! I can really get behind his answers in regards to Limited Editions, making English dubs, and stereotypes in anime. I will say one thing about making English dubs though. I know that the Answerman said companies always know beforehand whether or not they will dub a title, though I am not completely certain if this is true. In the case of BANDAI Entertainment, I remember a couple of times during cons where BANDAI reps were asked if they would dub a title, and their answer was "we aren't sure yet". Though, in all of those cases I think the fact ended up being that they did not dub the title, so I'm not sure if that con answer was just to prevent an uproar from the fans or what. Still, it may be the case that a little bit of time is taken to determine whether or not fans are excited enough about a title for it to be dubbed after the license is announced.

For my New Year's resolution, I'm not really sure exactly what I should say. I guess, if anything, it would be that I'd like to better manage my anime expenditures but I don't that ain't gonna happen. Sales always pop up left and right that you sometimes just gotta take advantage of. Still, I would just love it if I didn't always have to be worried about how much money I'm actually losing on this hobby.
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VicMcDastardly



Joined: 10 Dec 2011
Posts: 10
PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:48 pm Reply with quote
My resolution is to be a kinder, gentler per- AHAHA, just kidding. My real goal is to expand my manga collection to at least 200 volumes by the end of the year and to finish all of the Shin Megami Tensei Persona games. Seriously they're great games, but dang they are a time sink, I'm about 30 hours in to Persona 3 and there's no end in sight.
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merr



Joined: 11 Dec 2004
Posts: 462
PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:55 pm Reply with quote
The King of Harts wrote:
Quote:
I am very angry with Aniplex, but rather than go into some rant I'll ask ya some questions

Let me get this straight. You, knowing full well that this was a LIMITED edition, didn't buy it before it sold out and now you're mad at Aniplex?

No. You should be mad at yourself. Aniplex didn't tell you to wait until Christmas for a LIMITED edition.

Please. Limited editions, especially for anime, are almost never actually in limited supply. Go check out Rightstuf's bargain bin and you'll probably find at least 70 "limited edition" items that came out five years ago and now sell for $3. Hell, I remember back when Bandai made so many LE copies of Galaxy Angel that Rightstuf literally had to give them away at one point. Even when stuff gets a low print run, LEs tend to stay on the market for at least a year. You can still find LE copies of Toradora vol. 2 and Persona Trinity Soul, for instance.

You can't really blame the OP for not guessing that Oreimo would be the one LE title to actually sell out in under a year. While Aniplex may use the term "limited edition" in its literal sense, the rest of the industry does not.

That said, if those sets are going for $2000 (and actually selling at that price), Aniplex is moronic for not printing more.

gordok wrote:
Speaking of both LGBT and Tenchi Muyo . . . I did find it interesting that the 1990's Cartoon Network run of the OAV series changed things a bit in this regards:

Specifically (Spoiler Warning): In the episode wherein Sasami (as a magical girl) decides the best way to end the feud between Ayaka and Ryoko is to cast a spell that makes them love each other. Fair to guess, Sasami's spell goes perhaps a bit too far, and Ayaka and Ryoko end up REALLY in love with each other.

At this point, Mihoshi (in the role of a teacher) discovers Ayaka and Ryoko's altered feelings for each other. What then interests me: In the original OAV (English version) sold, Mihoshi suggests it is an inappropriate relationship; but in the Cartoon Network broadcast, she doesn't!

So, it makes me wonder: In the process of either localization or making a series broadcast-ready, is "political correctness" introduced into the final product? If so, perhaps this might "offend" me, by (a) portraying Japan as being more tolerant than it actually is, and (b) pretending that the anti-gay ideas/people do not exist.

You might be putting too much faith in CN there... As I remember it, the scene was edited to make it look like Ryoko and Ayeka weren't in love at all, just suddenly good friends. The intent was to erase the homosexual undertones entirely... though the editors did a pretty crummy job at it. After all, that was also the episode where "tea" made half the characters act sloshed (complete with Asian glow). Clearly CN's standards department was phoning it in that week.


Last edited by merr on Fri Dec 30, 2011 6:09 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor


Joined: 05 Jan 2002
Posts: 7912
Location: Anime News Network Technodrome
PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 6:06 pm Reply with quote
merr wrote:
The King of Harts wrote:
Quote:
I am very angry with Aniplex, but rather than go into some rant I'll ask ya some questions

Let me get this straight. You, knowing full well that this was a LIMITED edition, didn't buy it before it sold out and now you're mad at Aniplex?

No. You should be mad at yourself. Aniplex didn't tell you to wait until Christmas for a LIMITED edition.

Please. Limited editions, especially for anime, are almost never actually in limited supply. Go check out Rightstuf's bargain bin and you'll probably find at least 70 "limited edition" items that came out five years ago and now sell for $3. Hell, I remember back when Bandai made so many LE copies of Galaxy Angel that Rightstuf literally had to give them away at one point. Even when stuff gets a low print run, LEs tend to stay on the market for at least a year. You can still find LE copies of Toradora vol. 2 and Persona Trinity Soul, for instance.

You can't really blame the OP for not guessing that Oreimo would be the one LE title to actually sell out in under a year. While Aniplex may use the term "limited edition" in its literal sense, the rest of the industry does not.

That said, if those sets are going for $2000 (and actually selling at that price), Aniplex is moronic for not printing more.


Aniplex is different; when they say a release is limited, they mean it - these are Japanese print runs, not "Limited" in the American sense (where 'limited' can mean they printed 150,000 of something). If you want an Aniplex BD release that says 'limited', you'd better preorder it or prepare to pay some ridiculous prices.
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Melanchthon



Joined: 02 Oct 2010
Posts: 550
Location: Northwest from Here
PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 6:14 pm Reply with quote
dtm42 wrote:
The thing about Oreimo was that it was a horrible show, and yet tons of people loved it anyway. I should have bought a half-dozen boxsets and then held onto then until I could extract the maximum price from the fans. Would have been a perfect revenge I reckon.

I hear ya, bro. I really wish I did the same thing. It really tears me up inside when I see how much people are willing to pay for such garbage.

For the gay stuff, it really depends on the story. You can get really good, sensitive yuri drama anime (Aoi Hana and Sasameki Koto spring to mind), or you can get the quick stereotypical gag stuff that populates most shounen anime. It's really no different that any other medium. I remember seeing an old, 90's anime that I can't recall the title, but a character exclaims something along the lines "You can't have a same sex relationship, it's immoral", but I also remember the Space Alien from Kashimashi quizzically asking why a same sex relationship was wrong. But want I would really like is for a show to not care about a character's sexual preference, kind of like in a Venture Brothers way. I haven't seen that yet. (Possibly the best I've seen was the crossing dressing sub-boss in the Kenshin Kyoto Arc. But even that portrayal was somewhat crude)

And for best anime of 2011, Madoka wins by default. PenguinDrum just couldn't overtake it, and Steins;Gate had too many otaku plot cliches.
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