[Robert Devlin]

Depends on your definition of "human". Do you mean you want them all to have boring lives, work 9-to-5, and do nothing significant all day?

Anime characters can act just as "human" as characters in television or movies.

Human emotions, flaws, reactions. advlt and mature, not immature and constantly insecure and dependent. Capable of higher complex thinking and reasoning.

[D LOpez]

Human emotions, flaws, reactions. advlt and mature, not immature and constantly insecure and dependent. Capable of higher complex thinking and reasoning.

All of that exists in anime.

[Spooky Angel]

Avatar: The Last Airbender is not an anime and is created and produced by two Americans.

Yes I know it was made by the USA, but its still of the anime style. Therefore, anime. Don't deny it.

[Laura Ellaby]

A large proportion of this community love Anime - it's in their names, avatars, sigs, etc. I basically created this thread for discussion of anime by people who aren't fans - are you not into it for a specific reason? Do you hate it? Do you not care about it? Etc. I'm not an anime fan, and I don't know all that much about it, apart from half the internet's obsession with it. I suppose I don't have any specific problems with it, it just doesn't really appeal to me. Anyway, discuss. Anime fans are welcome as well, to defend their genre.

A lot of the hate seems to stem from the misconception that every single anime out there is childish and that they're all exactly the same. There is a lot of mature anime out there, and I don't mean mature like gory or sixual, I mean mature, where the only difference between real life and the anime is that it's a cartoon. But sadly most people just see anime like Naruto, Bleach and One Piece and assume all anime is like that. That's basically the equivalent of a foreigner coming here, watching an episode of Barney and assuming all American shows are like that.

I agree

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/8791/38321569.jpg

I feel insulted.
Not every anime is made for perverts or made toward a sixual preference. Anime has all the categories of any type of show with real living people in it, except it's animated and things that normally don't happen in real life happen. And hating anime just because the stereotype that people who watch anime that seem like perverts is wrong. Unfortunately I lost some respect for some people here nothing else to say.

[Laura Ellaby]

I hate the art style. It is simplistic and derivative. It sixualizes young girls. The men are androgynous or overly muscled. I hate the faces - the bone structure, the eyes, the hair, the ears, the noses. Usually the bodies are poorly proportioned as well. I dislike most of the subject matter: romances (human x human, human x furry, human x cyborg, human x alien), what is the difference between a human and a machine/cyborg, epic magical adventures by the Chosen Ones (who are stupid school brats), constant competition (racing, fighting, etc). I hate the costumes (ranging from the unrealistic to the truly bizarre). Character emotions, responses, and dialog is unrealistic in a particularly disgusting manner - ranging from "social awkwardness" to "grandiose thuggish boasting." The bleeding nose, the blushing cheeks, the sparkly, teary eyes, the pulsing vain in the forehead.... :yuck: The constant text for sound effects and motion. If you can't convey the motion with the picture, then just stick with an illustrated novel. "bad ass" poses for some unknown reason seam to always consist of a wink (one eye close), the tongue sticking out, and some gesture with the fingers. Go figure. All the men look effeminate, clean shaven narrow chins with boyish (to unrealistic) hair styles, scrawny elongated bodies. All the characters look and behave like socially stunted children, thuggish brutes, egotists/narcissists, or six maniacs.

Bottom line: They don't look human, and they don't act human.

You are, without a doubt, completely right. This is why I can't stand most of the stuff anymore.

[Danel]

The one thing I have never understood about Anime is why do all the characters look either American or European? Their audience consists of of Asians and outcast Americans who want to be Asians, so making the characters non-Asian does not make much sense.

That's actually because of post-WW2 Japan. One reason Anime took off in Japan is because it was easier to draw western looking people than hire actual western actors for films, and the overall budget of producing a cartoon was much cheaper than producing a live action film (in far away places with foreign actors).

[Stephanie I]

I liked Pokemon ,Yug-ioh anime and the Halo anime is pretty good too but besides that no I don't like other anime.

[SUck MYdIck]

The only anime I have ever like were Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokemon, Naruto, and some of Bleach.

However, with that being said, I don't understand the fascination with such shows... I understand games... but cosplay... anime wallpapers... anime figurines...

It's a tad too much for me.

[Rachel Hall]

I watch anime because I find it easier to take it more seriously(or get immersed in) than the crap that is CSI, Stargate, Smallville and whatever shows like that on TV.

Don't hate on Stargate,SG1 kicked ass.

The other Stargate series aren't very good,though.

[Aman Bhattal]

All of that exists in anime.

I somehow doubt it. From what I recall:

males:
- bullies
- insecure
- "teh hotness" + enigmatic
- brainiac + social ineptitude

females:
- gungho amazon
- insecure
- "teh hotness"+ enigmatic
- loving and caring and farting sunshine + social awkwardness

reactions to situations:
- shout boasts at it
- insult it
- cry about it
- get horny about it
- argue hotly about it
- reminisce about it
- vocalize utter confusion (Wh-wh-what?!)
- utter something gratutiously profound and noble
- say "..."

[Maeva]

It bores me. All the characters are the same in different shows.

Same can be said of Final Fantasy and a bunch of other stuff that comes from Japan. They seem to just re use the same character types, for example, from what i have observed there is usually a young, overly hyperactive lolita character.

It's why I never understand why anime fans may have a favourite character when you could find basically the exact same character in a bunch of other anime shows.

EDIT: The post above seems to be say what i was getting at.

[A Dardzz]

I liked Pokemon ,Yug-ioh anime and the Halo anime is pretty good too but besides that no I don't like other anime.

Haha oh wow they are doing a halo anime now?

I never understood what made a sub-par fps so popular (to anyone who isn't 12) and all of a sudden it has books, a movie in the making and now an anime?

[Trey Johnson]

I used to watch some anime, read some manga. Can't stand the stuff anymore.

I hate the art style. It is simplistic and derivative. It sixualizes young girls. The men are androgynous or overly muscled. I hate the faces - the bone structure, the eyes, the hair, the ears, the noses. Usually the bodies are poorly proportioned as well. I dislike most of the subject matter: romances (human x human, human x furry, human x cyborg, human x alien), what is the difference between a human and a machine/cyborg, epic magical adventures by the Chosen Ones (who are stupid school brats), constant competition (racing, fighting, etc). I hate the costumes (ranging from the unrealistic to the truly bizarre). Character emotions, responses, and dialog is unrealistic in a particularly disgusting manner - ranging from "social awkwardness" to "grandiose thuggish boasting." The bleeding nose, the blushing cheeks, the sparkly, teary eyes, the pulsing vain in the forehead.... :yuck: The constant text for sound effects and motion. If you can't convey the motion with the picture, then just stick with an illustrated novel. "bad ass" poses for some unknown reason seam to always consist of a wink (one eye close), the tongue sticking out, and some gesture with the fingers. Go figure. All the men look effeminate, clean shaven narrow chins with boyish (to unrealistic) hair styles, scrawny elongated bodies. All the characters look and behave like socially stunted children, thuggish brutes, egotists/narcissists, or six maniacs.

Bottom line: They don't look human, and they don't act human.

I'd point you towards http://thevideoplayback.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/ghostintheshell.jpg They are drawn realistically, and any oddities like purple hair (the Major) can be explained that she's a cyborg, and her overtly sixual one piece that she always seems to be wearing is also explained (the future has much more liberation, in addition to her flaw as a character. In the manga she seems to be some sort of omnisixual who is addicted to virtual six.) It all goes with the chilling vision of a future dominated by technology. The characters' conflicts are human, usually conflicts of understanding ones self. It is not uncommon to have several minutes of episodes dedicated to a philosophical discussion between characters about the nature of humans and technology and their mixing (and how that affects the world as a whole). There is not a single time in the series where I see an unrealistic or overly exaggerated thing like a sweat drop or an anger vein (or large eyes, hammer space, etc). Its all serious business. Although, Tachikomas are the most hilarious robots I've ever had the pleasure of watching.

[KU Fint]

ive seen a few animes myself, but there are a few i cant stand, Sailor Moon is one of em, good lord i still remember my brother duck taping me down to the chair and forcing me to watch it. but i did watch Tenchi muyo, mainly cause it was between Gundam wing, and Reboot, love all three of em.

Avatar the Last Airbender is a really good anime, it really is. Mako is great in that, he was also good in Samurai Jack, but his voice wont be in either of the movies, dont know about M Night Shymalin making a kung fu movie, when he normally makes suspense movies, like the Village, and Signs. dont know about JJ abrams making a samurai jack movie, he made Lost, as well as that new Star Trek.

i dont consider Samurai Jack an anime at all, the story may not have a point at much, but hes really just wandering the world, trying to go to all the places he used to be in the Past. i love the art style in it. it really isnt like any cartoon on TV.

teen titans is another question, it tries to be anime, but it isnt a normal anime, its more of a cartoon with a bit of anime in it, still wouldve liked to see Deadpool comment on how much he likes Duck Tape(I dont Like Duct Tape)

the voices in Teen Titans are good, namely one Tara Strong, who has been in just about every kid's cartoon Yet, even been in Jak and Daxter, Voiced Keira and Seem in Jak3. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0152839/ thats a lot.

@ the fishy wanderer, Tara Strong will be a voice in Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker, i wont get the game, but its nice to know.

[Jodie Bardgett]

snip

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster_%28manga%29 don't have any of that

Don't hate on Stargate,SG1 kicked ass.

The other Stargate series aren't very good,though

See my other post.

[D IV]

I'd point you towards http://thevideoplayback.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/ghostintheshell.jpg They are drawn realistically, and any oddities like purple hair (the Major) can be explained that she's a cyborg, and her overtly sixual one piece that she always seems to be wearing is also explained (the future has much more liberation, in addition to her flaw as a character. In the manga she seems to be some sort of omnisixual who is addicted to virtual six.) It all goes with the chilling vision of a future dominated by technology. The characters' conflicts are human, usually conflicts of understanding ones self. It is not uncommon to have several minutes of episodes dedicated to a philosophical discussion between characters about the nature of humans and technology and their mixing (and how that affects the world as a whole). There is not a single time in the series where I see an unrealistic or overly exaggerated thing like a sweat drop or an anger vein (or large eyes, hammer space, etc). Its all serious business. Although, Tachikomas are the most hilarious robots I've ever had the pleasure of watching.

Yes, I read Ghost in the Shell, the first volume. Very disjointed story-telling, can't say I was impressed with the art.

The only art I've been impressed with is the art for Battle Angel Alita, as long as you chop off everyone's heads. Very detailed and meticulous. Character building could have been better.

[Trish]

Not every anime is made for perverts or made toward a sixual preference. Anime has all the categories of any type of show with real living people in it, except it's animated and things that normally don't happen in real life happen. And hating anime just because the stereotype that people who watch anime that seem like perverts is wrong. Unfortunately I lost some respect for some people here nothing else to say.

I never said all the people that watch it were pedophilic pervs. I just think anime has a ridiculous emphasis on almost-nudity-but-not-quite situations.

[u gone see]

I was hoping to not post until I got home from work, but at the rate this thread was going it may reach post count before that happens.

last year i got into it for about three months, not interested anymore. It was a form of entertainment that didn't really do anything to make me popular with girls. Plus it was the most expensive form of entertainment ive ever persued apart from games. $50 for one season of a series.

Heh, I don't even want to admit to how much I have spent on anime/anime-related merchandise the last year (it is a bit depressing ), but we have it lucky: In Japan $50-60 for a two-episode DVD, Blu-ray can run $80. So I don't really consider it expensive, but glad I can get it so cheap (and I will usually only buy when there is a sale of some kind).


Anyways I like anime. YES, many anime share common attributes/cliches, especially those that make it states side, which are usually shounen. However the same can be said of mostly any media. Don't like it if you don't want to, I don't give a damn, but to say it is bad because it has cliches: newsflash: everything has cliches.

I personally prefer to watch lots of slice-of-life anime which avoid many of these action-oriented cliches. Go ahead and hate it, just avoid overgeneralizations (which I don't think is asking too much). Anime is a medium and as such quite diverse. It may not be to your tastes, but that is fine and dandy, there is plenty of other entertainment out there for you to enjoy and in the mean time I will kick back and watch some anime. That way we all can be happy ^_^.

I never said all the people that watch it were pedophilic pervs. I just think anime has a ridiculous emphasis on almost-nudity-but-not-quite situations.

I would say sixual focus is no more or less than American movies. There are titles that focus greatly on it, but the same can be said for some movies; most titles don't do much with it.

[Alexander Lee]

Yes I know it was made by the USA, but its still of the anime style. Therefore, anime. Don't deny it.

Anime style? What, realistic? Because if so, then all the people claiming anime looks unrealistic are wrong. Their faces are emotive (as compared to simplistic). Does that make it anime? What EXACTLY is anime style? Is Samurai Jack anime? I've seen anime that look a lot like it. What defines anime style? http://albotas.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Crayon-Shin-chan-1.jpg is an anime, yet because of its style you would deny that truth?

Anime does not stand for a style, but an origin. You might say Avatar looks like anime (it does not, honestly, from someone who watches many anime and many western animated shows as well), but that doesn't make it one.

[Yonah]

I somehow doubt it. From what I recall:

males:
- bullies
- insecure
- "teh hotness" + enigmatic
- brainiac + social ineptitude

females:
- gungho amazon
- insecure
- "teh hotness"+ enigmatic
- loving and caring and farting sunshine + social awkwardness

reactions to situations:
- shout boasts at it
- insult it
- cry about it
- get horny about it
- argue hotly about it
- reminisce about it
- vocalize utter confusion (Wh-wh-what?!)
- utter something gratutiously profound and noble
- say "..."

Doesn't seem all that different than anything else I've seen on TV. :shrug:

[kelly thomson]

i try to keep away from the hard stuff, cant understand why any one person could sit through even 1 minute of Sailor moon, or anything like it...

[Miguel]

Something that annoys me is people who say *name*+kun or chan, doesn't make any sense.

[Marquis T]

ive seen a few animes myself, but there are a few i cant stand, Sailor Moon is one of em, good lord i still remember my brother duck taping me down to the chair and forcing me to watch it. but i did watch Tenchi muyo, mainly cause it was between Gundam wing, and Reboot, love all three of em.

Avatar the Last Airbender is a really good anime, it really is. Mako is great in that, he was also good in Samurai Jack, but his voice wont be in either of the movies, dont know about M Night Shymalin making a kung fu movie, when he normally makes suspense movies, like the Village, and Signs. dont know about JJ abrams making a samurai jack movie, he made Lost, as well as that new Star Trek.

i dont consider Samurai Jack an anime at all, the story may not have a point at much, but hes really just wandering the world, trying to go to all the places he used to be in the Past. i love the art style in it. it really isnt like any cartoon on TV.

teen titans is another question, it tries to be anime, but it isnt a normal anime, its more of a cartoon with a bit of anime in it, still wouldve liked to see Deadpool comment on how much he likes Duck Tape(I dont Like Duct Tape)

the voices in Teen Titans are good, namely one Tara Strong, who has been in just about every kid's cartoon Yet, even been in Jak and Daxter, Voiced Keira and Seem in Jak3. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0152839/ thats a lot.

@ the fishy wanderer, Tara Strong will be a voice in Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker, i wont get the game, but its nice to know.

Avatar is not an anime, and neither is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReBoot, which was a Canadian show.

And I don't know anyone who would even mention Samurai Jack and anime in the same paragraph. They have little in relation, especially not art style.

Nor was Teen Titans an anime, but it certainly tried to be one (obnoxiously so).

[Lizzie]

Well you have to take into the account most anime is focused toward a Japanese audience. It looks totally foreign to you because you are more used to American shows , it's not your fault that you don't like it. You weren't in the "right" surrounds to adapt to it. Then again , it's different for everyone.

Either way, I was being a bit stereotypical, and I can apologize for that.

[Sammi Jones]

I took out the last posts... the discussion is about anime, or rather, apparently, why some people aren't fans. If you can keep the discussion to the various shows, pros and cons of the form and so on, then carry on. Don't get into a discussion that would have you making rude or thoughtless judgments about different members or any people who like or don't like a particular form of entertainment.