The Most Obvious Question...

[R. Daniel 01]

... For an animé forum, but one that few seem to ask is: why do you like animé?


I'm an imaginative glutton. I love looking at art and I love hearing stories. Animation is the wedding of the two, so it just about hypnotizes me.

Then, animé has more license. There's the privilege to make something that's doesn't end all wrapped up nice and neat, or that plays with a formula in an unusual way. Usually the privilege ends up abused or wasted, but it had the opportunity in the first place, so there's potential.

But the most decisive factor seems to be the art-appreciation part. Seems to me, a liking for form or for abstraction leads to animé.

[Mike]

Destruction on a massive scale, possibly including giant robots, makes the inner caveman happy.

Plus a lot of animes have a good story that really pulls you in.

And it's often drawn pretty.

[ooo shiny things]

[Dark-O]

Giant robots grab my interest for years since Transformers of the 80's.  Big-O would be my art decko anime in my favorite style of Batman The Animated Series.  Plus the infamous tag line from the commercials.  "Good guys still wear black".

[Galatea]

The fact that i now have a dancing konata from lucky star on my desktop is reason enough.

[Bllue]

Because it was sublimally inserted into my vitals as a child and ergo can no longer imagine my life with out it.

[EyeOfPain]

The fact that i now have a dancing konata from lucky star on my desktop is reason enough.

Heh, that's an awesome program, isn't it?

I've never been able to really pin down a reason I like anime, but do I really need one?

[R. Daniel 01]

I've never been able to really pin down a reason I like anime, but do I really need one?

You're right, and that's the philosophy I should adopt. Plus, there's plenty of conventional media that's worse than bad animé.

But I can't let it go! When I look at all the animé that's downright exploitative, and consider many peoples' reaction to anything besides Sports Center, I feel like I need a defense. I want something that puts animé into context with other media, while avoiding words like "adolescent" and "power fantasy."

I want it when I talk to that artistic acquaintance who's sitting on the fence, or to that interviewer, who wants to know just what drove your application to X-Studios.

So, I'm curious to see if anybody has thought up anything similar to my first post.

[shadowdorothy]

anime takes you places that you cant go without.

[Bllue]

I hate it when people fail to understand that we aren't retards or childish just because we like cartoons...

[EyeOfPain]

Bllue: Maybe we are? If we were retarded, would we really be able to understand that?

I understand what you're saying, Daniel, but it's a question you hae to find an answer to for yourself. After all, there are many good reasons to like any particular anime.

[DOMON KASSHU!]

I don't like animé overall. I like many different kinds of animation, and it just so happens my number one favorite animated show is from Japan. Astro Boy, Dragon Ball Z, Thundercats and He-Man, I like them all equally.

And Swat Kats. Can't forget the Swat Kats.
War.

[Professor Vogler]

I don't like animé overall. I like many different kinds of animation, and it just so happens my number one favorite animated show is from Japan. Astro Boy, Dragon Ball Z, Thundercats and He-Man, I like them all equally.

And Swat Kats. Can't forget the Swat Kats.
War.

This post needs more Megas XLR.

[The Final Negotiator]

...and a dash of Mach 5, Galaxy Rangers, and Mighty Orbots. Yes, must have Orbots...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=SLcJXR7twoQ
http://youtube.com/watch?v=gg_jOr0Hjvg

Megas XLR sounds cool, though. I've also got to look for Gurren Laggan...

I see anime as one art form showing the full potential of animation. I've been always been a fan of animation, from Warner Bros. Cartoons, MGM Cartoons, Disney, and Don Bluth; to the original animated versions of "Charlotte's Web", "The Hobbit", and "The Lord of the Rings"; to Speed Racer, G-Force, and Starblazers (as a kid, I didn't know the last 3 shows were dubbed). I even appreciate The Simpsons... Animation was always able to tell stories that you couldn't in real life. Even to this day, CGI and other special effects can only go so far.

Also yes, Mike, I do like to see stuff blown up...preferrably with hundreds of missiles launched from many small compartments.

Vegeta: Thundercats was a big win. Silverhawks, not so much, but OK. He-Man was cool, and actually made a great live-action movie. Astro Boy is cool. I may have seen Swat Cats, but unfortunately not Dragon Ball Z, which is surprising because it's everywhere.

.The Final Negotiator.

P.S. As kids, my friends and I were exposed to anime through toys. There used to be these 2-foot tall "Shogun Warriors" toys. One character was Mazinga...One hand shot 3 finger missiles, the other hand was launchable. Awesome! Gobots, Transformers, and Robotech arrived later. Somewhere, I've got a mini SDF-1, three superdeformed veritechs, an Alpha model, and a Cyclone model, and plenty of Transformers and Gobots.

[DOMON KASSHU!]

I got into Robotech through my dad's Macross sourcebooks from Palladium RPG. Interesting stuff, and fun. I got into Zoids from those old 80s figures that you built yourself, too. Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z... Oh, some anime on Sci-Fi channel, had a guy with an 8-ball for a helmet or a head or something...
War.

[Bllue]

... to the original animated versions of "Charlotte's Web", "The Hobbit", and "The Lord of the Rings";...

Can't say i agree there...

I don't think we are retarded. Maybe a little ADD, or ADHD, but most certainly not retarded. I have to figure out how to explian this to the parent of my anime kids...