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Chicks On Anime - Representation of Anime Fans

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. I said,

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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?

In that quote, not only did I acknowledge how derogatory the word was, I also said that it was not a flattering label, and that that commercial was painting everyone with that negative brush. I was not criticizing people by using that word, I was saying that the commercial insulted anime fans by using that exaggerated stereotype to portray anime fans.

If this commercial gets onto regular rotation on some TV channel, I'm going to stop wearing my Gunslinger Girl t-shirt in public.

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.

Cloe wrote:

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.

I would like to make a suggestion on a future column to be a follow up of this one, by discussing just what kind of "NEW people" this ad campaign had drawn into this year's Sakura Con. So that anime fans like this one here will see for themselves just how degenerated the anime fandom's collective mentality had become.

I'm not saying that "weeaboo" isn't derogatory. It is. I just think comparing it to racial slurs is a bit ridiculous.

Please, you didn't have to be so derogatory. And what? I said a few years ago that I went to my first con for the fun of it, wanting to be a crazy idiot. Does that make me a terrible person? Now I want to go for the party AND to the panels. Other's can't find out that there's more to it than shows, music, pocky, and sushi?

Of course, maybe the part that you were truly angry about was that I said it is bad to call people derogatory names because they act differently than you or like different things?

Oh, and why does it have to be a "colective mentality"? You people talk about them all being the same "Japanophile", yet you say that all fans must be the same, composed type of person, or they're embarrasing you? No freedom or individuality allowed then? They don't fit your picture of what a person who likes anime should be, so they are out?

If ANN hosts it, then doesn't it in some way represent ANN?

Now if you want bizarre animu-themed commercials done right, you should watch the Adult Swim "Swimcon" ones (BACK IN THE DAY):

link one
link two

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.

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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.

I think DomFortress is also vastly overstating his case, to be honest.

You did acknowledge it's bad. But later it was used by someone else and claimed the commercial was a "celebration" of it and "fan douche baggery". I was surprised that tact was taken at all.

I disagree that the commercial was about "weeaboos". That is a label/perception applied to it-not something I think they were intentionally trying to do.

Vic is not someone that's going to be mean to his fans-whatever nasty rumour crap is bandied about-he has always worked hard to reach out to and be kind to his fans. Neither do I think Sakuracon would purposely be mean to their fans.

I think the more logical conclusion-it's a corny/crappy commercial not a statement about fandom.

Please, you didn't have to be so derogatory. And what? I said a few years ago that I went to my first con for the fun of it, wanting to be a crazy idiot. Does that make me a terrible person? Now I want to go for the party AND to the panels. Other's can't find out that there's more to it than shows, music, pocky, and sushi?

Of course, maybe the part that you were truly angry about was that I said it is bad to call people derogatory names because they act differently than you or like different things?

Oh, and why does it have to be a "colective mentality"? You people talk about them all being the same "Japanophile", yet you say that all fans must be the same, composed type of person, or they're embarrasing you? No freedom or individuality allowed then? They don't fit your picture of what a person who likes anime should be, so they are out?

If you're gonna comment on something I say, at least bother to read. I never said I was one of them. Also, most cons have become a place FOR that, though they have other things, like the more "mature"(though I don't really agree calling it that). They appeal to a wide audience.

Sure, stupid people, fine. But what's so stupid? There not insulting anyone. It is there own community. They're just as bad as any person who looks at the clothes they buy before buying them, has a preference in food or snacks, and talk similarly. Do you relate to a few people? Yes? Then by your definition it makes you an idiot.

I wasn't saying they're different. I was just saying, quit calling it stupid just because you don't like it. There's nothing necessarily stupid. Stupid comes by a case-to-case basis. I'm not one of them. Honestly, I'm not outgoing or friendly enough to fit in with people having fun together like that. They don't hurt or bother anyone. You're just a whiny little CBingFT.

Oh, and the teacher of mine who introduced us to the existence of an anime fandom was both deeply immersed in the subjects, knew a lot of key people on a first name basis, went to panels, and screeched n' glomped. So really, you're just steriotyping. That makes you a hypocrite.

even if the commercial may portray stereotypes that the anime community doesn't support, isn't the majority of the audience that sakura con attracts already know that this isn't what the con is about?

I came to my first sakura con as a nine year old kid who had only been exposed to DBZ, Martian Successor Nadesico, and Inuyasha,(This was back when the con was held in the hilton) yet I was after that immersed in the world of anime and came to know more and more about it.

Anybody who really wants to understand what the anime community is about will find out for themselves when they meet members of that community.

For years there has been an ongoing problem with stereotypes directed at anime viewers.

Complaining so ardently about a 30 second TV spot that as a Seattlite I didn't see seems a little bit too much.

I understand that people don't appreciate the content of the commercial, but while the commercial doesn't help our image, I think the real problem is the preconception in itself, and as a society we need to change that.

If you're gonna comment on something I say, at least bother to read. I never said I was one of them.

But what's so stupid?

They're just as bad as any person who looks at the clothes they buy before buying them

Do you relate to a few people? Yes? Then by your definition it makes you an idiot.

I was just saying, quit calling it stupid just because you don't like it.

There's nothing necessarily stupid.

So really, you're just steriotyping. That makes you a hypocrite.

Now if you want bizarre animu-themed commercials done right, you should watch the Adult Swim "Swimcon" ones (BACK IN THE DAY):

link one
link two

evilnekohilda wrote:

Now if you want bizarre animu-themed commercials done right, you should watch the Adult Swim "Swimcon" ones (BACK IN THE DAY): link one link two

See, these look good and to the point. You can even laugh at it and not feel offended. It feels like you want to go because of the upbeat attitude of the folks in the commercial. Sakuracon's one looks forced and tries to throw every Anime stereotype within the precious few seconds it has. I can even see Vic Mangina also had to whore out his role in Ouran HS Club as well via the Shojo Beat Manga.

A people's culture is their ways of life, and the last time I check, the Japanese people aren't being publicly irresponsible for recklessly exploiting themselves. Just why is it that the "Japanophile" are behaving so negatively irresponsible, while excusing themselves for their ignorance and shallowness by saying "it's anime", or even worst "it's Japanese", is completely beyond me. So those "Japanophile" had better explain themselves to people like us, the anime fans, just exactly who they are, if they can. Otherwise don't even bother coming to us, and asking for respect, equality, acceptance, understanding. When they had done absolutely nothing positive to our anime fandom community.