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Chanulus wrote:
try explaining that to my wife, she always has, and always will hate it.

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Chuui wrote:
This is a good question and
being Japanese myself, I find it funny that it *is* so popular in other
countries. I think there must be several reasons for this. There are
people out there who just *love* everything Japanese and regardless of
whether they understand it or not, they have to have it. I expect it
was these people, coupled with others who noticed that anime, in
general, has less restrictions than, say American cartoons. For
example, some anime has sexual content, extreme violence and is aimed
at adults. While most people get the impression the American cartoons
are only for kids. (I do remember some scenes of nudity and violence
being removed from anime before it was allowed in the US - Sailor Moon,
for example).

The nudity in shows (even children's *animated*
shows) is not a big deal over here. Probably a result of the whole
public bath thing. But imagine going to Japan and seeing an adult based
anime for the first time - say as your very first anime - you're going
to get the idea that that is cool. "Wow, they get sex in their
cartoons!!!!!" and you're gonna want to see more... Well I know for the
UK with their Manga Entertainment, that this is exactly what happened
when the UK first got anime.

That has now changed with the
bigger Japanese names seeing the potential market for anime, and they
now release their commercialised rubbish such as Pocket Monsters
(Pokemon, in the US I believe) just to be able to sell all the toys and
games. This is the current state of mainstream anime in Japan too. It's
only made to sell spin off products. Often with no, or very little,
story line. There is decent anime out there (good stories) but they are
sadly a rarity.

It also amazes me that anime is cheaper in the
US/UK. A 30 minute show on DVD in Japan can cost (approx.) anywhere
from 60 US dollars to 110 US dollars! Anime collections are the thing
of die hard fans with nothing better to spend their money on only, over
here. I think someone listed Tenchi Muyo as a story they liked in the
other thread on this subject, that currently sells for over 1000 US
dollars if you want the whole set! Anime here is no longer about the
story, but all about money.

I also feel that anime has suffered
with current trend of computer graphics, especially the children's
shows, that will switch from traditional 2D imagery to poorly rendered
3D and back at a moments notice. In general, for me, I really don't
like anime anymore. It was great when I was a kid, and young adult, but
the anime of today? I can't stand 99% of it.

Still, for a
industry pretty much started up by a doctor who copied Walt Disney's
character styles, it's done fairly well for itself, I guess. But it
certainly seems to be in the realm of kids and young single men now.

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:smileyhappy:



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