Why Anime?

[Gerard]

Originally Posted by Riku8

I know its probably a bad thing but yes, yes I do, I find myself extraordinary bored in reality and I day dream a lot

HUH.. what do u daydream about?

something like having speciel powers and being strong and can teleport, fly and such things?
Going to school in Japan..
Doing it with Japanese women all the time..

^^^^^all that is my daydreaming

[CountessDarkRose]

) Do you like anime more than live-action films? If yes (or no), why?

Yes because I think it takes more talent to draw something to look realistic then to act emotion.

2) When you watch anime, does that encourage you to like Japan?
(*never mind the fact that I'm Japanese You can say whatever you want.)

Why of course! It spurred me to learn the history, the culture, and even teach myself the language.

3) Do you find anime characters look like Western people or Asians, or something else? Do you identify yourself with anime characters?

I think they do have a tendency to look like Western People and yes I do identify myself with anime characters.

4) If there is any, what do you learn from anime?

Culture, language..some of the meanings behind the way Japanese people think and thier beliefs.

5) Have you ever talked to any Japanese people about anime, and found something different in your understanding of anime and theirs?

Not particularly really o.o

[Samael]

1) Do you like anime more than live-action films? If yes (or no), why?

Yes and no. I probably watch a fair bit more anime than live action films, but that's as a result of there being a lot more anime availible that interests me thematically. Firstly I think American television has gone to crap, so I avoid it. Anime, being series usually have a lot more time to develope stories and characters and use multiple themes. It basically takes the place of my television watching, so I think of them differently. But technically no, I don't prefer one over the other. There are good series and movies, bad series and movies, and everything in between. I try not to think of things in terms of medium.

2) When you watch anime, does that encourage you to like Japan?

Not really. I think America and Japan share a sort of mutual facination in eachother's culture because to this day there's a large gulf of seperation. I've always been facinated with all sorts of cultures, Japan stands out to me for a lot of reasons, such a Samurai lore and artistic history, but it's not really as a result of anime. I was introduced to it through anime, the same way one can discover another culture through food or music. It progressed on it's own really.

3) Do you find anime characters look like Western people or Asians, or something else? Do you identify yourself with anime characters?

I never really thought about it much. I suppose one could say the races are a bit unclear unless otherwise noted, but I never really felt it mattered.

4) If there is any, what do you learn from anime?

Like I said, anime introduced me to a culture I previously knew nothing about. I developed an interest in it, which caused me to pursue other aspects of Japanese culture. I'm now a huge fan of Japanese film and art as well as anime and of course, video games. I didn't really learn much from anime directly, but it spurred me into learning things.

5) Have you ever talked to any Japanese people about anime, and found something different in your understanding of anime and theirs?

Absolutly. I've encountered a lot of racial predjudice in some instances. No offense of course, but I've been told (and seen first hand) Japan is somewhat less tolerant of foreigners than the US, and as a result of anime's worldwide popularity I've run into all sorts of purists ranting about America stealing their culture for selfish reasons and other rediculous nonsense. We didn't steal anime any more than you stole baseball. I see all sorts of comments about the artistic inferiority of the American people, when the truth is American cartoons have a whole different target audience than Japanese cartoons, it's it's almost never fair to compare the two.


Hope this helps. I'd love to read a copy off your writings on the subject. I've always wanted a comprehensive look into the way Japanese people view anime.

[Seiryuu]

Originally Posted by jeppy325

Hello, everyone!
I'm a Japanese student working on my master's thesis on Anime.

I would like to know few things from American anime fans:

1) Do you like anime more than live-action films? If yes (or no), why?

I like anime more. Don't ask me why. I just do.

2) When you watch anime, does that encourage you to like Japan?
(*never mind the fact that I'm Japanese You can say whatever you want.)

I'm embarrassed to say it, but that's what got me going. The other thing that also drove me was video games. A LOT OF VIDEO GAMES THAT I LIKE ARE FROM JAPAN.

3) Do you find anime characters look like Western people or Asians, or something else? Do you identify yourself with anime characters?

Neither. They don't look like any race on earth.

4) If there is any, what do you learn from anime?

Nothing much, though xxxHolic was an exception.

5) Have you ever talked to any Japanese people about anime, and found something different in your understanding of anime and theirs?

No, but I've met several people on forums that have lived in Japan. I still don't know, though.


And the otaku questions:

Does any one of you consider yourself Otaku?

NO. Big NO here.

What do you think of being one, or being considered to be one??

I've never considered, and never will.

What do you think of people called Otaku?

I grow wary of them. If they start talking about anime non-stop, I run for it.

After you find yourself so drawn (if you are) to the world of anime, do you find the reality as boring??

No. Not boring as in the sense of something exciting happening all the time, whether it be good or bad. (A bad example be the Virginia Tech shootout)

[samokan]

can other alien answer this question?

[nbnelson]

Originally Posted by terra104

hmmmmm... only americans????

Some question.....
Only Americans?

[takara]

1) i think it depends. but mostly yeahh(:
they just are, most of them i mean.
2) slightly.
3) haha i think they look very asian.
4) yeah nothing much. XD
5) no i haven't.

[jeppy325]

Originally Posted by nbnelson

Some question.....
Only Americans?

Sorry for my ignorance,,, I'm amazed and happy to hear that people from many nations like anime!

Please feel free to write your opinion regardless of where you're from.
Only if you don't mind, I'd like to know where you're from.

Arigato-gozaimasu!

[April]

1) Do you like anime more than live-action films? If yes (or no), why?

Yes, I do. There are things done in anime that you could NEVER get away with in live action (such as the insane hairstyles and livid facial expressions).

2) When you watch anime, does that encourage you to like Japan?
(*never mind the fact that I'm Japanese You can say whatever you want.)

Well, I definitely appreciate the culture, but as with any country, there are things I don't like. Some of it gets a little too bizarre or sexually tense, but overall I like.

3) Do you find anime characters look like Western people or Asians, or something else? Do you identify yourself with anime characters?

I think it depends on the series, but for the most part I'd say the character's look Western. They're tall, Caucasian, and have a huge variety of hair and eye color. I identify myself with many fictional characters, whether they be from anime, books, movies, or whatever.

4) If there is any, what do you learn from anime?

Mostly I learn about the culture and Japanese language.

5) Have you ever talked to any Japanese people about anime, and found something different in your understanding of anime and theirs?

Umm... Well, the only Japanese person I've talked to was Kotone, who liked to read manga and occasionally watch anime. For the most part, I've learned enough about Japanese culture that we didn't have different conceptions.

Does any one of you consider yourself Otaku?

Sadly, yes. In both the American definition of otaku and the Japanese one.

What do you think of being one, or being considered to be one??

Well, I'm proud to be a hardcore anime fan, I guess XDD... Or at least I'm not ashamed of it. But if you are an otaku in the American sense you're kind of automatically one in the Japanese sense too, in that you're a freak, outcast, etc.

What do you think of people called Otaku?

I am one, so... some of them get a little TOO eccentric, I know a few... it's not healthy to not have... any form of life outside of anime or similiar obsessions...

After you find yourself so drawn (if you are) to the world of anime, do you find the reality as boring??

Not at all, I'm having lots of fun in real life.

My name's April and I'm an Anime Addict from America =D

[Acidreptile]

1) It depends,at the moment I prefer animes because they are more complex and interesting than most of movies nowadays.

2) Yes that helped me liking Japan because it introduced me to japanese culture aspects I liked.

3) I guess usually the characters represents different kinds of people,and the only one I ever identified myself with was Hiei.

4) many things,there is usually lessons to learn in animes,even in Gantz or Sakura Card Captors.

5) Unfortunatelly i never spoke to any japanese people.