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Chicks On Anime - Representation of Anime Fans

misshope wrote:

I'm sure Sakuracon didn't mean this as a representation of anime fans-just the typical over enthusiasm you see in any bad commercial ("OMG this tampon is fabulous"-"Wow, I saved a mint on life insurance").

Semi-related <-- Make sure you wait for it.

the sushi chef irked me the most. The kids were more or less just embarrassing.

Like the panel said in the beginning.

I coudlnt tell if they were teasing white people, anime fans, or japanese people.

I was especially annoyed by the fact that these anime fans love everything from japan.

I feel so ashamed i don't think i can step on a ddr machine anymore. I wish I had never seen this video.

save shinobido imashime. its a good series.

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?shinoma1

Reinhard Von Lohengram wrote:

While it may not represent you, I don't see how you can be so mad about it when, by going to a convention, you choose willingly to associate with people like that. If it represents you, you have some maturing to do. If it doesn't, who cares and go enjoy yourself at the con. If you care that much about people seeing you in a negative light then don't let anyone know you watch anime, or anything related to it, and keep it to yourself, because a large number of people who don't really know about the various genres of anime are going to see you wearing an anime shirt and be like "huh, cartoon porn", anyway. Be proud of what you like, or at least secure in it, or don't.

By that assumption, you automatically condone anime to be something negative, which I do not agree. For that very act is like looking down on the very hobby that you're suppose to be passionate about. I'm very proud about the super robot anime that I like, but what I find it to be negative is the irresponsible and superficial attitudes of today's young anime fans, which are the results of their ignorant and shallow mindsets. Therefore, in order to be responsible for myself, I've decided not to associate with the negativity within the anime subcultural community.

And as an aside "Weeaboos" is an obnoxious mean spirited derogatory term. It's been considered for outright banning on many forums simply because it's so negative.

I think it's disgusting and right up there with the "N' word or any other racial slur. I can't understand why anyone would purposely use it or defend it.

"Domfortress"

Wow, you just continue to read way too much into this commercial.

Again, I find your overly exacting and argumentative nature on this, and insistence in reading WAY more into it than there actually is, the epitome of wretchedly nerdy/geeky uptightness. The way you twist what people are saying to suit your agenda is just plain rude.

And you absolutely come of as having some other agenda here beyond just critiquing a commercial-and not a very kind or respectable one at that.

Your insistence that there can be NO OTHER opinion on this subject is beyond ridiculous. You are not even considering what others have to say-instead you just quote them out of context and use what they say to set up your straw man.

And as an aside "Weeaboos" is an obnoxious mean spirited derogatory term. It's been considered for outright banning on many forums simply because it's so negative.

Even people who are overly excited or even ignorant about Japanese pop culture deserve some credit as human beings and that term is used decidedly to rob them of any humanity or respect.

I think it's disgusting and right up there with the "N' word or any other racial slur. I can't understand why anyone would purposely use it or defend it. It's just hateful and mean. And ultimately seems to be used by fans who are overly concerned about their own "cool" factor and thus make themselves feel better by picking on dorkier more intense fans. Same old shit different community. It's just the usual insecurities and cruelties of human nature-feel better by kicking others down. How dare they feel happy and secure while being so dorky? It's really pathetic and immature-much more so than any "weeaboo".

All I meant was that, if you can't stand the idea of somebody out there having a negative opinion of you, even if its based on a highly-inaccurate stereotype, then you should either not let it bother you, cover up your hobby, or find a new hobby.

In the times when Otakon had less than 500 people in attendance, I got used to not caring what people thought about my interest. It's just that: my interest. I would think in these days, with anime being as mainstream as it is, that thinking such things would be even easier. But, maybe it isn't.

misshope wrote:

And as an aside "Weeaboos" is an obnoxious mean spirited derogatory term. It's been considered for outright banning on many forums simply because it's so negative. I think it's disgusting and right up there with the "N' word or any other racial slur. I can't understand why anyone would purposely use it or defend it.

I'm having a hard time reconciling what you just said. You're saying that "weeaboo" is as offensive as "n*gger" or any other racial slur?

Which is why I'm still offended by the fact how those who were responsible for the Sakura Con ad, are now forcing what should have been viewed as a negative behavior among the anime fandom, to be something that could be publicly allowed and socially acceptable.

I find it ironic that people are up in arms about how NERDY this makes anime fans look-when it's NERDY to expect so much out of a COMMERCIAL anyway.

I see why you all are getting offended, but do you really have to be such jerks about it? I’m not even that much of an anime fan and I eat both sushi AND pocky. You don’t have to put down people who happen to like all three. I like the way it tastes, okay? And you people have the nerve to talk about being stereotyped.

I have always thought of you guys as a respectable news site that at least attempts to have some integrity in what you report. But using the word "weeaboo" to criticize something really compromises you guys in my eyes.

A while back on the ANN forums, we were considering banning people for using the term "weeaboo." There's a lot of negative feelings associated with that word—both for the people being called a weeaboo, and for the people who are doing the name-calling. I don't think anime fans are at all flattered by this depiction. On either side of the argument. If there are that many negative feelings towards just a word—which was meant to replace another word... how are we supposed to react to this exaggerated, yet disturbingly sincere rendition?

misshope wrote:

I find it ironic that people are up in arms about how NERDY this makes anime fans look-when it's NERDY to expect so much out of a COMMERCIAL anyway.

I find it ironic that you're making this statement, considering you're so up in arms about an opinion column that you think it "compromises" the entire website. These opinions are only mine, Bamboo's and Casey's and do not represent ANN as a whole. And it's not even like we have anything against the con. Heck, I'll even be attending Sakuracon, myself. We were just commenting on an embarrassingly terrible, condescending commercial. You're free to disagree with us, obviously, but let's be a little more self-aware here, and realize that "OMG OMG I disagree in ALL CAPS" kind of negates the whole "You're overreacting" thing.

I found the commercials to be funny in a stupid kinda of way. The purpose was just to list out all the events that were going to happen and you must be pretty thin-skinned to be offended by that.

ANN did something similar before. I wonder why that didn't enter the discussion.

misshope wrote:

I have always thought of you guys as a respectable news site that at least attempts to have some integrity in what you report. But using the word "weeaboo" to criticize something really compromises you guys in my eyes.

Um, I'm not sure where you got that we used weeaboo to criticize something.

This commercial is rather like the terrible manifestation (and celebration?) of the "weeaboo." But that's what makes it so downright confounding to me—it's like... if your TV was an anime forum, this commercial would be sasuke28745 showing up and saying "I think Japan is awesome and American cartoons are dumb amirite?" How, as the viewer, do I respond to that?

My main frustration is that the use of the term "weeaboo" legitimizes negatively stereotyping someone based on what they like-and not showing respect for the fact that all people are more complicated and worthwhile than a nasty name.

Though I'd hope I get no more flak for overstating my case than anyone else in here that agrees with you. I don't think that would be quite fair.

SakechanBD wrote:

I'm having a hard time reconciling what you just said. You're saying that "weeaboo" is as offensive as "n*gger" or any other racial slur?

I think it's disgusting in the same way any name calling is-but point taken. It is not as offensive as a racial slur-and I apologize for the overstatement.

My main frustration is that the use of the term "weeaboo" legitimizes negatively stereotyping someone based on what they like-and not showing respect for the fact that all people are more complicated and worthwhile than a nasty name.

But using the word "weeaboo" to criticize something really compromises you guys in my eyes.

Again, I fail to see the problem with anime fans becoming enthralled with all things Japanese-and neither does the Japanese government (heck, your own site is running "otaku" tours for their tourism board).

Nor does apparently a lot of our community given the number of us that travel to Japan, speak Japanese, and seek to learn about Japan.

Instead of looking at this commercial and seeing it for the goofy amateur thing it is-you've read this "weeaboo" nonsense into it, called it a "satire" and even accused them of trying to insult or hurt fans.

And yeah, you chalk those kids up to being "weeaboos" instead of even considering the fact that Vic probably directed them all to be really excited, etc. Which is pretty much how his stuff plays out. Dorky. Sure. Dumb. Sure. But you just bashed a lot of people not to mention a very decent convention-and overstated your case entirely.

No balance in this at all.