Forum - View topicHey, Answerman! [2006-12-01]
|
Goto page Previous Next Note: this is the discussion thread for this article |
| Author | Message | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Strephon
Posts: 177 |
|
|||
It looks like it is; the Blu-Ray/HD discs I've seen at Best Buy are both slimmer and shorter than current DVD cases (whose height seems to have been chosen so they could be stored on the same shelves as VHS tapes). Personally, I've been converting much of my collection to thinpaks anyway. Staples (and probably other places) sells 2-disc thinpaks that allow you to store an entire 4-disc series in roughly the space of one normal-sized case. You do have to be willing to cut up the covers, but you don't have to actually remove anything, and I've found the space savings are more than worth it. (Ironically, I've been somewhat reluctant to do this with my anime DVDs. Partially because an entire series looks good on the shelf, partially because I'm not yet at the point of using the artbox to store more than one series, and partially because anime discs just feel more like something to cherish to me--probably a holdover from my early days of fandom, plus you don't find them used at rental stores as often.) |
||||
|
||||
Kiyoko
 Posts: 131 Location: Pennsylvania |
|
|||
|
I loved Samurai Pizza Cats. It was actually the first anime I ever saw (that I realized was an anime anyway - I used to watch Unico when I was 5-8 but saw it as just a regular cartoon), and helped me get into my anime obcession.
I know there was an attempted release of SPC dub on DVD by Jade Entertainment that is available on Amazon. However it only contained the first 4 episodes, and the 4th episode was part 1 of a 2 part episode, and no other DVD's were released after that.  I can't even find a website for Jade Entertainment, so it's possible the company no longer exists.
|
||||
|
||||
cardcaptormanda
 Posts: 237 Location: United States |
|
|||
|
Regarding the rant... I don't like fanservice either, but I think a few panty shots in some obscure anime that perhaps a few thousand people will watch is the least of our worries. If you want to crusade against something, I say go for commercials that millions see everyday that treat women as sex objects or things put on the earth for men to play with or impress.
I guess what I mean to say is, if you replaced the word "anime" in that rant with "movies," "TV," or "video games," it would still make sense and be just as valid or invalid. It's media and society in general that leans that way, not just anime. We don't have to like it, but I doubt it'll be changing anytime soon. I avoid anime that has excessive fanservice for the most part, unless it's one of those few that manage to be really good despite it. Then, I just ignore it. In the end, I don't think it's the big deal the rant makes it out to be. As for anime depicting "perfect woman" who don't exist in real life, what about of those "too perfect" men in anime? It might be different if it was only done with one sex or the other, but that isn't the case. And again, they pack Hollywood movies with handsome faces and "unreal" woman too. It's hardly exclusive to anime, and I don't see it as a real problem. |
||||
|
||||
CrazyCanuck
 Posts: 101 Location: Canada |
|
|||
I can go further. I was best man at one such person's wedding 2 1/2 years ago. It will take a miracle for them to make it to 5 years. And this particular issue is one of the primary points of conflict for them. He married the first person he found that looked like Belldandy. The problem is in order to act like Belldandy she would need a frontal lobotomy. Personally I don't have a big problem with fanservice. I admit that I start to squirm when the object of said fanservice is very young. I've seen shows with T&A shots of eight year olds. That I'm uncomfortable with. The vast majority of them don't bother me. My wife and I watch what we refer to as 'jiggle shows' when the mood strikes us. Fanservice pops up in other, more serious shows, but sometimes fanservice is the only reason to watch at all. I mean, come on, is anybody going to really try to tell me they watch Plastic Little for the plot? |
||||
|
||||
|
artemisia60
Posts: 3 |
|
|||
|
Fanservice...if a show is good, I generally just ignore it. What is a mystery to me (and I watch a lot of shojo) is that fanservice for girls usually consists of shounen-ai references-what's with that?
I haven't been an anime fan for very long-about 2 years-so I may be wrong about this, but if anything, when I compare those shows that are considered classics to new anime, it seems that currently there is a lot more to choose from, and in many cases the overall quality of the shows is as good if not better. Some of the new shows-I'm thinking of Asatte no Houkou and Death Note especially-are really quite good, and I don't know of anything quite like them that existed 10 years ago. Lately, I've been watching Japanese live dramas as well as anime, and I can highly recommend one title for anime fans-Densha Otoko. Yes, there are several things that happen that really stretch credibility through the 11 episodes, but that shouldn't be a problem for anime fans. At the heart is a very sweet love story plus a funny look at Japan's otaku culture that is well worth the 11 hours you invest in the series. |
||||
|
||||
|
I.D. Evo
Posts: 14 |
|
|||
|
I agree that the fanservice needs to stop. It's pointless and doesn't add anything at all to the show.
I can't believe they mentioned Outlaw Star though, go you! |
||||
|
||||
The Shade
 Posts: 36 |
|
|||
|
Hey Answerman, a little warning about the pic next time. I had some major dental work done this morning, and it really hurt when I started laughing.
Aside from that, good column this week. |
||||
|
||||
Keonyn
 Subscriber Posts: 5567 Location: Coon Rapids, MN |
|
|||
While an admirable goal it hardly applies to anime so he can't really write in to Zac about that. I agree with the ranter to a degree though, I also tire of fanservice tossed in obviously for the sake of having it. It just doesn't fit and in some cases cheapens the experience. Maybe it's not as bad as the rant makes it out to be but it is a rant, that's what a rant is basically. I also don't mind them singling out anime, while Hollywood and domestic shows or commercials also have fanservice of sorts, I rarely see it as common and as obvious and as extreme as what we see in anime. Honestly though I don't think fanservice is as abundant and bad as it used to be, but it's still very present. I don't think fanservice needs to stop, I just wish it would stop in the shows where it really has no place. There's a specific group of the anime fandom that thrives on fanservice and some series make good use of it, usually the kind I don't personally watch or enjoy, but others do. Fanservice is part of anime, could use some toning down in certain areas of the medium but there's no need for a call to arms about it. |
||||
|
||||
Eos
 Posts: 168 Location: Jersey |
|
|||
Dr. Phil would have a field day. As someone mentioned, fanservice in anime is fine as long as the show can hold up without it (provided it isn't laid on too thick). What annoys me is the treatment of women in sex objects outside of anime. Excessive fanservice tailored for Japanese viewers is a product of Japanese society, but things like Jessica Chobot getting a job at IGN for sending in a picture of herself licking a PSP spawns from our society (in this case being America). I'm more concerned with what grows from American culture, because it's the culture I'm a part of. It makes me happy to see fans voicing their concerns, a reminder that we’re not so mindless as to think of women simply as sex objects (and that we can enjoy shows with fanservice without resorting to this thinking). As for Samurai Pizza Cats, you can argue till the cows come home about if it's an hack job of the original. But overall it's a part of a lot of people's childhood, and for that reason alone it's a beloved show. |
||||
|
||||
Delphina
 Posts: 12 Location: Southern California |
|
|||
I can guarantee you that less than 1% of real women go look up Misato's height and bust size, either. Much less assume anything from looking at her character about how they should live up to her "standards". spoiler[Much less assume they should take away any life lessons from Evangelion whatsoever.] Can't say I've met people who are dumb enough to associate the blue-haired elementary school girl who loves her "niichan" a little too much with anyone they know in real life, but if they exist, that's learning the difference between cartoons and real-life children. I want to agree with the rant, I really do. Yes, it sickens me that fanservice is thrown into contexts where it doesn't belong. But the ranter mentions things that were one-time shots in an otherwise mentally-engaging show, or shows where there isn't really any other point than showcasing a gaggle of girls' wacky yet lovable pursuit of the guy no one in her right mind wants to date, and "Whoops, I fell over on top of him and gave him a faceful of breasts again. I'd better kick his ass." If you look for new series to watch and all you find is MaburahoTenchiNejiHinaYoriyosh, try some shonen stuff like One Piece or Full Metal Panic if you want to stay light-hearted, or some of the more serious stuff like Monster or Death Note. Good stuff may seem daunting to find, and stupid stuff will always exist so long as there are stupid people to buy it, but I daresay you wouldn't have so much trouble finding stuff you liked if you were looking in the right places. |
||||
|
||||
|
jsevakis
Former ANN Editor in Chief
 Posts: 1684 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
|
|||
I'm all in favor for women being treated as sex objects as long as men can be treated that way as well. Having seen how fangirls react to even the slightest yaoi moments, I'd say we're well on our way towards equality in this regard, much moreso than mainstream America. 
|
||||
|
||||
|
minakichan
|
|
|||
|
I agree with the rant, but the writer, I think, forgot the other side too. Yes, women and young girls are terribly objectified in manga and anime, but it's not exclusive; I would venture to say that men, young boys, at homosexual males are objectified just as much in shoujo and jyosei and yaoi. Sure, it's more common to talk about femporn and panty shots, but again, it's not one-sided.
|
||||
klewis
 Posts: 1 Location: Ann Arbor, MI USA |
|
|||
But, this is precisely how I choose to support the industry! I enjoy immersing myself in a story - as much as I can at the moment. Sometimes, I can eek out enough time to watch as much as six half-hour episodes at a time. With as few as three episodes on some disks and a month between releases, I'd never be able to watch as much as I'd like. It makes more sense to buy the box and watch as large a chunk as I can manage. For shows like Gundam SEED Destiny, Eureka Seven and Bleach, that means that I won't be buying anytime this year. If a company continues to put out all the volumes of a show with dropping or discontinuing it (I'm looking at you, Viz), I think it's worth waiting to pick up the whole thing in a box or thinkpak. |
||||
|
||||
E-Arkham
 Posts: 53 |
|
|||
|
Re: thinpaks.
Depends on the series. If it's series that strikes me as mediocre but still enjoyable (something like Chrno Crusade), I'll only consider buying it as thinpak. For series I enjoy, I vastly prefer normal sized DVDs in a collector's box. One of my favourite series, The Twelve Kingdoms, isn't available here in the US with a collector's box. Yet in this case, I'm doing the reverse of "waiting for a thinpak": I'm waiting until I can get just the collector's box from Australia so I can fill it with normal sized (US version) DVDs. For me, and true of my circle of friends, cost is only one factor in determining if I'll "wait for a thinpak." Of more importance are my desire for the series and the shelf space I have available for it. More desirable series get the "star treatment" with full sized DVDs. The less desirable ones are relegated to thinpaks. Kep |
||||
|
||||
Unholy_Nny
 Posts: 622 |
|
|||
Those two have already said what I was gonna say ^ Although, I would like to add, that fanservice really shouldn't be there if it's not needed.... On the other hand, I'm a fan of: Ichigo 100%, Negima!, DearS, Chobits, Burn Up/W/Excess, and the list goes on..... Hell, I was just playing Dead Or Alive Xtreme 2. So, what I'd like to say is, no. It's not bad. It's fine. But, it shouldn't be where it doesn't belong. Fanservice in a random harem title? Okay! Fanservice in a shoujo drama? Not so much..... But, it's OK if the fanservice in that depicts two men, right? Right? |
||||
|
||||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group