Forum - View topicHey, Answerman! [2006-04-28]
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Demon Crow
Posts: 9 |
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I have to completely agree , like most people, with the rant. I my self am a regular looking anime fan, usually with a good shirt and a good jeans too. When I just got into this anime club in my university, I got this weird disregard from the members, I don't know if it's from the way I looked/dressed or something else, but it sure got something to do with my appearance. Dont' judge people by their looks, talk to them, discuss, if possible play a video game or any other activity, then you can say if he is good or bad depending on your point of view.
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RyoShin
 Posts: 83 Location: Michigan |
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You won't see hentai come to the states in mass quantities because of the culture. In Japan, while sex may not be the bees' knees, it's not looked at with the same disdain that it is in American culture. Anything involving sex (or related things, OMG BRESTISIES) is frowned upon, thanks mostly to our Christian fundies*.
Bookstores can get away with Yaoi for the reasons that Zac gave- to the average onlooker, it's just some guys standing around. Could be a book about gangs, or high school life. Most wouldn't think of homosexuality just when seeing some guys standing around, unless they know a bit about the context. However, most Hentai manga, even if it doesn't have nudity on the cover itself, certainly implies stuff. And while we have the 17-and-up rating on many Mangas, Hentai would require the equivalent of an AO rating, which would infuriate many. Ironicly (and possibly hipocritically), many of these same stores that wouldn't want to carry an AO comic are host to many of those cheesey smut love books (popular among women, I believe.) What is the difference between seeing sex and describing sex? Is it the up in your face attitude? What? I can remember reading books in high school (sometimes in class) that had something lewd in them. Nobody had a problem with that- I suppose they could site that it's exposing us to literature, but I believe the pieces in question were boring regardless. So, naughty thoughts in the form of words are okay, but heaven forbid we have a picture of a girl in a bikini. Hmm, I believe I've gone off topic. Rant rant rant. Wonk wonk wonk. *It should be noted that I am a Christian, albeit a more moderate one that doesn't care much for the fundies. So don't worry, Phelps hates me, too. |
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Vikio
 Posts: 60 Location: tropical volcano |
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OMG,
 this is replying to RyoShin's last words. When I was in High School, I had to read "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison. 0_0 The opening paragraph of that book goes something like this:
"It was a bad summer that year,maybe it was because the flowers in our yard died, or maybe because my father had raped me and I was carrying his baby." Now, this isn't an exact quote, but trust me, that opening is burned into my mind, especially cause the book gets worse from that point. I would SO have traded that book for "boysmut". I would have been less scarred by seeing yaoi manga, than reading that book. In my experience, that book and the movie "Happieness" rate at the top for "mental scars", not any hentai. Or for that matter, anything else that currently has parents crusading against. They should instead be checking up on what schools force the kids to read. *shivers at memory* |
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matthewlow
 Posts: 147 Location: San Ramon, California |
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According to lazuline's defintions, I'd be a nerd since I fit that pretty closely. Though I already knew that...
I agree with Lauren's rant, which was definitely well thought out. After reading it twice, I realized what she was saying, which is really something overarching. This should really apply to everyone/everything, not just otaku: Don't be ashamed to not fit in on the outside when you know you do on the inside. Everyday I wear the same thing: t-shirt and pair of khaki pants. Perennial nerd thing; Asian, glasses, etc... all the standard nerd stuff. Thing is, I have no problem with that. I don't care to fit into what society deems worthy to wear. I'd much rather be spotted wearing my Dragon Ball Z or Inuyasha t-shirt than wearing something with some random name brand. I'm proud of what I like, go figure. If you think I'm strange and have no business being your friend... there's nothing I can do, similar to another post previous on this thread. On the flip side, if you like wearing suits, go wear them. Wear what you want, be who you are. Just make sure you're following the right thing. |
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hanachan01
 Posts: 504 |
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There are such things as underage yaoi fangirls (and boys I guess). Some are smart enough to know smut is not for them and stick to Gravitation and Only the Ring Finger Knows. That's okay, and as long as the parents aren't homophobes, the kid can be honest about it. However, there are those who are reading smut. There shouldn't be that, not because they are to young to comprehend sex, but because it's illegal. They can't watch porn, so why should they read manga like Kizuna or Yellow, or a fair share of the yaoi doujinshi out there? Anyways, back on topic. I am an obvious anime fan by appareal. My bag is an FMA messenger bag I named Nicholas D. Wolfwood (long story). I wear many anime shirts. I even own hats of Kyo and Momiji from Fruits Basket! However, one thing I don't flaunt is my love of yaoi. I'll wear a gay pride shirt or something like that, but not a yaoi shirt that explicitly says 'I like anime boys bonking each other!'(I actually prefer plot with no smut, but whatever). I have a Gravitation shirt, but it has Nittle Grasper, not Shu and Yuki making out. I'm also planning to get a 'Yaoi-My anti-drug' shirt, but if a non-anime fan askes "What's yaoi?", I'd reply "It's a genre of anime." It is, but I don't need to really explain it. I'm not emabarrased about liking yaoi, expecially not since it's gay(I just did Day of Silence; I don't think I'm embarrased about supporting gays). I just know that there are both homophobic people and people who aren't anime fans and don't 'get' yaoi fangirls/boys(as in they don't know much about them, not that it makes no sense for them. A lot of yaoi fangirls make no sense to non-yaoi/yuri freaks). But I am not afraid to flaunt I'm an anime fan. It's a good way to attract other fans to me, and possibly make new friends. |
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FuuH
 Posts: 23 Location: middle-earth!:D |
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This is such an interesting topic!
In all honesty, I'm kind of afraid of kids in my school who fanatically dress in FMA shirts, carry around Kenshin messenger bags, carry their manga's with them..^^; I think I just can't relate to them. I've been a fan on anime since 4th grade, obsessing over Rayearth and slowly getting into the whole world of it. However, I feel somewhat disconnected to most anime fans my age, because I dress so normally, and they shout their fandom. On the occasions I've talked to them, they've seemed very... I don't know, as if they thought because they liked anime, they had this weird cultural superiority that I did not have because they loved anime and flaunted it. But I love anime too, I just don't decorate myself in it... I suppose I just feel sad when I look at them, like we love the same thing, but we're disconnected. I wish I could talk to them somehow, but instead I just let them be. :) There are a lot more fans around me than when I was in 4th grade, I can say. |
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SecretSquirrel
Posts: 6 |
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There's a difference between hiding a hobby and flamboyantly showing it. What's wrong with simply not showing? Who says the businessman is hiding it by his outfit? That's ridiculous!!
If someone asks me if I like anime, I say yes, but I don't let people know all the time that I do. That would just be annoying. Dress how you want -- who's cares? |
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xanbcoo
 Posts: 245 Location: Houston/Austin Tx |
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I agree most with the last two posts (and all others providing similar arguments). One shouldn't be judged based on what they wear in any situation, but I think it's worse when anime fans are negatively judged by other anime fans just because they are not as expressive about their fandom. It's creating a cult instead of creating a group of people who simply enjoy the same type of entertainment. I guess what I'm saying is that I agree with Lauren's rant. People shouldn't be judged so superficially. I actually love meeting anime fans who don't fit the stereotype. It just reaffirms the fact that anime doesn't only appeal to a certain "type" of person.
I'm also not particularly bothered by "the ugly otaku" mentioned in the last rant. I tend not to let over-obsessiveness get to me, that is, as long as they keep me out of it - that's the key. I'll admit my first thoughts when seeing such people are often "Wow...they're such an anime geek." but I try to let that go realizing that I enjoy the same things they do, they just like to have more fun with it. A little off topic: I confess, one type of anime fan that I judge superficially is the antisocial type...which is probably worse =/. I can't help it. I just can't seem to connect to the skinny kid sitting in the corner wearing a black hoodie who can't socially assert themselves. I have been proven wrong many times before based on this judgement, though. I've met some real friendly guys who, at a glance, seem to be kinda scary. It's something I need to work on I guess. |
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kizoku
 Posts: 47 Location: Ypsilanti, MI |
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"Dress how you like, who cares?" Well, unfortunately, some people do and those people tend to be the ones who wear the "uniforms" when they don't have to. 10 to 1, a person in a suit outside of business will be wearing it to show their allegiance to a specific group and will be very condescending to people who dress differently. Same goes for people who clearly dress as anti-suits. During the 20 years I had to wear a suit to work I ran into people who really believed that a person in a suit worked harder then a person who dressed casually. I just figured they were paying me to wear a clown suit and blended in (and occassionally ranted about it to my friends). If you're willing to wear a suit to blend in at work then why not be willing to ditch it at conventions for the same reason? Once people get to know you they won't care.[/i]
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hanachan01
Posts: 504 |
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What I find strange is that you people say to those who wear suits, etc. "Dress how you want!", but to those who wear their love of anime on their sleeve, it's-
I do wear other things than anime shirts(I'm actually wearing my RENT shirt at the moment). I usually don't wear my silly anime hats. However, I do carry an FMA bag everywhere. Why? Well, the reason I carry it everywhere since it has all my stuff in it(cell phone, wallet, etc.). But the reason why it's an FMA bag instead of a non-anime bag is because I find that I can find fellow people who like anime easily if I show them. It's not like I cosplay at work! I've actually met people who've seen my bag and said, "Hey, I like FMA also!" And I carry manga with me so I have something to do if I'm waiting or something. It's no different than carrying around a novel or a crossword puzzle. Also, I have other intrests than anime I like to flaunt, like my love of RENT and Invader Zim. I find me wearing anime shirts is no different than my RENT and IZ shirts, or than a band shirt. I know a lot of girls who wear Fall Out Boy shirts more than I wear anime shirts. |
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Jadress
 Posts: 807 Location: Seattle. It purdy and nerdy! |
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Oh my God, that is exactly the same case with me. I do have some anime clothing, but really I am just very casual about my fandom, since I've been with it since the 4th grade and all too, so I don't feel the need to be obnoxious about it, or shout it out. There are a decent amount of anime fans at my college (an art school, so they abound in the animation department particularly), but when I meet them, I find that I can't really connect to them, because they are just.. I dunno.. too extreme about their hobby, sometimes to the point of being ridiculous. I kind of wanted to make a rant about how so many anime fans are gross social lepers (when I meet a person and find out they're an anime fan, 90% of the time, that person ends up being an incredibly annoying individual, to my disappointment), but I couldn't think of a way to do it without sounding horribly elitist and mean. Maybe I already do sound mean ^^;;; Anyway, I think this was a good rant, it's definitely sparked some discussion with people who have had similar experiences. I know I have had to deal with people judging/being surprised by my level of nerdiness before. It's very irritating (especially because I suspect some people to be closet fans), but a part of life I guess.. so long as anime is considered a "nerd hobby."[/i] |
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Guyvernight
Posts: 3 |
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Eros Comix has been licensing, publishing and distributing H-manga in the US for years. Everything from Bondage Fairies to Slut Girl and from Hot Tails to Secret Plot. They have Slut Girl at the comic shop I go to and all you have to do to get it is ask and be over 18.
It's not that is not there it's just most people either don't talk about it or get it off the internet. |
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Cave
Posts: 80 |
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In regards to the Japanese pronounciation, I think Answerman hit it really well. A couple years ago, I actually got into an argument with a guy in a chatroom over the pronounciation with the name "Akito". I simply said, "When a dubbing company pronounces that name right...." kind of statement and he immediately lunged at me spewing his little "they're are saying it right!!" So, I even pulled out my Fruits Basket and he pulled out his Nadesico and he -still- insisted that the name was being said a-KEE-toe. Which, in this respective manner, is incorrect. (And then he had to go and play the "well I'm president of my anime club!" card which just ticks me off. T_T d00d, I don't care if you are president of an anime club or president of Shueisha (okay, well... if it were Shueisha xD))
Zalis116 said it best:
Reminds me of Rurouni Kenshin. In the series, AnimeWorks actually got Sanosuke right while in one of the movies ADV messed it up (and their dubbing of the OVA too. "Tomo" instead of "Tomoe" which is simply confusing....) As for the otaku dressing... Well, fans will always be different. Its just like the way of thinking that we should move into a perfect little world where everybody has a good paying job, grammar nazis, etc. But this can never be true since there will always be people with disabilities as there will always be the anime otaku who has a well-paying job that they must dress well for. Its the way the world works. Anybody can be an otaku. And as for Jigoku Shoujo~ Everyone has their opinion of the series. You can say all you want that it out-right sucked, but there are still plenty of people who enjoy it and that is undeniable. People will come up to me a bash Digimon, I don't care as long as I can bash the FMA anime back at ya. ^_- Back on track, it'll get licensed when it gets licensed. Look at KKJ, its been finished for years now and still needs licensing. Don't go whining about zOMG when will so-and-so be licensed? Nobody knows. Naruto was extremely popular and took what? 2 years to get licensed? And Bleach somehow was able to go for over 60 episodes before getting licensed. That's well over a year. And Prince of Tennis ended a year ago at 178 episodes and it maybe has now just gotten licensed. |
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wchase
Posts: 2 Location: North Syracuse, NY |
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This is a great rant topic.
Like so many people replying to this topic, I side with the "you don't have to look like an Otaku to be one". I am one of those guys pushing 40 that loves to watches anime, reads manga, and likes to talk about it with other fans. But I dress in casual office attire because that's kind of where I am in life and work. 20 years ago, I was a DJ and music director at an alternative radio station and you would have caught me in my purple Chuck Taylors, some band t-shirt and spiked punk haircut. (Not enough hair on top now, I miss my spikes.) I have a slightly different perspective since I own an anime/comic/manga/toy store so I see fans and customers of all shapes, sizes, and ages. I can pick out anime fans even though they are dressed in a suit or scrubs or even a Fallout Boy t-shirt. I am usually surprised by what shows or genre they are a fan of though. I guess I only have a sixth sense but not a seventh one to distinguish the Hellsing fan from the Fruits Basket fan. Instead I actually ask them what they are watching/reading or dying to see be licensed in the US. No judgements about the response either. If they are looking for a Yaoi title we don't have, I can order it for them. Same thing if they are looking for Bleach #1 (we are have one left on the shelf). It's all the same good anime to me. I just wanted to put my thoughts out there because I don't look like the comic store owner on the Simpsons (I get that one all the time when I tell someone I own a store that also sells comics) and I don't look like an Otaku either. Actually one of the things about anime I like is the idea that people are often not what they seem to be on the outside. Don't most classic anime stories have the "undiscovered super powers" in their main characters? I just choose to use my powers for good rather than evil. Yup- there goes another Otaku, I'll bet she has a Maes Hughes keychain. Thanks for letting me rant. |
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CorneredAngel
 Posts: 854 Location: New York, NY |
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Exactly! Over the last couple of years, people have made such a huge deal about how manga has now come out of the comic shop and into the bookstore...but you walk into any decent comic shop, and there will be *piles* of hentai, put out by companies that are not marketing to the general community of anime/manga fans out there, do not particularly *care* for the general community of anime/manga fans out there, and have nothing to do with the "manga industry." --- ...and as far as the rant, my point of view is: being an anime fan is one thing, but being an otaku is another entirely. Becoming otaku means joining a community with its own beliefs, its own behavior patterns, its own life goals and its own dress codes. Not anyone can be otaku, and in fact, there is nothing particularly *good* about being an otaku. It's a way of resistance, a counterculture, and simply liking anime is not enough. |
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There are a lot more fans around me than when I was in 4th grade, I can say.  |
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