Why modern anime sucks nowadays?

[Siren2011]

...I revisited Diebuster by watching the whole thing on Youtube...

Goddamnit. As much as I hate to admit it, as much as it pains me to admit it, the more I watched, the more Skykid's points started to make complete sense. His opinions lingered in the back of my head and haunted me as I slowly succumbed to their meaning. I didn't want that to be the case, but I'll say it. Skykid, you were spot on. After the insight I have now from seeing Gunbuster, and no longer going merely on memory of Diebuster alone, I can confidently say that the show falls into the average category, if even that. And after witnessing the battles once more, there is a sharp contrast between both OVAs. The only comparisons that should be made are merely references in the form of fan service (the infamous Gunbuster tracksuit on Lac'C during ep. 6, etc.) to it's much better predecessor. The first show was infinitely more riveting, and the battles were much more intense.

And the battles themselves, Jesus Christ. They were nowhere near as gripping as I remember them to be. They looked so pathetically carried out this time. The explosions no longer gripped my emotions like they used to. The crying of the main character is like nails on a chalkboard which I am NOT willing to look past. Skykid was so spot on it's crazy (Thanks for tearing my pleasant memories of the show into shreds, jackass! )

Aaaand lastly, we arrive at my final evaluation of the aesthetics. While at certain shots they can be somewhat pleasing to the eye, these moments comprise of (roughly) 13% of the show. By and large, a revision to one of the best anime shows I've ever seen does not deserve necromancy only to be slapped in the face and spat on. I don't think the Diebuster team were very aware of what old, true fans wanted (and if they did, they just didn't care). The characters (now that I've seen them in motion again for the first time in a long time) looked paler, trashier, and soulless. It should be very apparent now that Gainax had a different, much younger target audience in mind: those who have never seen, and have no fucking clue what "Gunbuster" is.

The opening song is complete ass. Same with the wonderfully gay ending theme.

There's just nothing worth salvaging, here. Saved me the trouble of buying the damn series on Ebay again, so gracias.

I don't normally submit to the opinions of another person this easily, but what I saw, heard, and felt were so correlative with what was said in this thread against the show it's crazy.

Noriko > Nono all the way.

You can't beat Dezaki Osamu's direction.

I like him already. Will definitely watch the original.

I think that Gainax really went totally apeshit with Abenobashi (not that Evangelion and Kare Kanno were that much better...). The mechas/pantsu episode (episode 3?) is everything bad in modern (...and old too) anime, from pretentious self-referentialism ("post-modernism") to, well, an entire episode based on a quest to retrieve a pair of pants. It could fall under the label "so bad it's actually good" (cue: lots of underage asses, no plot, nausea-inducing camera, etc.). Also, in Abenobashi the main character flirts with a younger version of his grandma that always dresses in thongs and see-through bras (no lie!).

It's not even worthy of falling under the category of "so bad, it's good." It's just plain bad, period. It marks the absolute end of Gainax. They are dead set on letting retarded non equiturs run their cartoons. The show is basically for all those annoying high schoolers who were in your anime club back in the day, but you didn't have the valor to put them out of their misery and hide the bodies. I.e. 20 little shitlings, fat and smelly emo chicks, and furries, eating Pocky and screaming "KAWAI DESU. ME AND WAIFU 4 EVARRR. HAI TO NING NANG, WAIFUSHIMASU!"

Yes! I am totally with you on the "no plot" thing. lol. They intentionally want to make their audience scratch their heads and have no idea what the fuck is going on throughout the entire show (which is a sign that all the talent they once had is gone). IF Gurren Lagann turns out to be like this, then I am tearing up my Eva wallscrolls and washing my hands clean of everything they put out. Freakin' cash cows...

[Skykid]

...I revisited Diebuster by watching the whole thing on Youtube...

Goddamnit. As much as I hate to admit it, as much as it pains me to admit it, the more I watched, the more Skykid's points started to make complete sense. His opinions lingered in the back of my head and haunted me as I slowly succumbed to their meaning. I didn't want that to be the case, but I'll say it. Skykid, you were spot on. After the insight I have now from seeing Gunbuster, and no longer going merely on memory of Diebuster alone, I can confidently say that the show falls into the average category, if even that. And after witnessing the battles once more, there is a sharp contrast between both OVAs. The only comparisons that should be made are merely references in the form of fan service (the infamous Gunbuster tracksuit on Lac'C during ep. 6, etc.) to it's much better predecessor. The first show was infinitely more riveting, and the battles were much more intense.

And the battles themselves, Jesus Christ. They were nowhere near as gripping as I remember them to be. They looked so pathetically carried out this time. The explosions no longer gripped my emotions like they used to. The crying of the main character is like nails on a chalkboard which I am NOT willing to look past. Skykid was so spot on it's crazy (Thanks for tearing my pleasant memories of the show into shreds, jackass! )

No problems asswipe, I did you a favour. Your critical perspectives are now more honed than one who is yet to identify the inherent flaws in such output (and there are many.)
Your enlightenment will help you in the ongoing battle to lambast the ill-educated with all the fury you have, and you shall enjoy it because you will be right.

I don't normally submit to the opinions of another person this easily, but what I saw, heard, and felt were so correlative with what was said in this thread against the show it's crazy.

Let it not be said I'm not a perceptive critic.

I will now retire to the smoking room to reflect on my victory over a glass of brandy and a cigar.

[Treasurance]

Anyway, yeah, loli Hitler doesn't cut it for me either. That thingo is definitely an H visual novel, right?

strategy eroge actually
it was pretty fun to beat even without an english patch

[Observer]

I will now retire to the smoking room to reflect on my victory over a glass of brandy and a cigar.

Ah, the way of the manly man. Great minds think alike. Skykid ftw!

Back to topic, I concurr regarding the cringe-worthy opening themes. My japanese professor commented everyone reads manga in Japan, right, but anime population "chotto sukoshi desu ne" (or something like that, translation: way smaller) but in the '80s it used to be way bigger. Openings would have some dude singing rockish tunes.

As I mentioned earlier, you guys should check Cromartie High School. The faces alone (16 year old dudes looking 30, an episode dedicated to turn everyone in the show into girls, Hokuto No Ken parodies, Internet Troll episode, and the infamous walk).

Our only hope is that younger generations (if there are any left there) rise and say: "Hold on a moment with this shit, I'm sick of it!" and decide to try something else. Again, just look at the season anime charts and you can tell something's going pretty wrong with the imoutos, style-over-substance and such. I watched Dennpa Otoko whateverthefuck is the title. What was its redeeming value? Prettiest fucking faces in a while. As empty as a freaking hollow planet. I cannot even describe at how many levels this series pissed me off. I admit I'm not the target of the series, but I love to watch these kind of shows just to Raaaaaaage.

I still think few things can match the battles between the Macross ships and the Zentraedi. Those guys truly set some standards of awesomeness. So many different kinds of ships all over shitting heavy ordnances at each other... And a trackball mouse-based shield, lol.

Does anyone remember Blue Seed and Zenki? Pretty kickass anime... Not sure if they held up too well though.

[Skykid]

Our only hope is that younger generations (if there are any left there) rise and say: "Hold on a moment with this shit, I'm sick of it!"

They won't, it's a pipe dream. One day Anime will undoubtedly reinvent itself and fall back on its original qualities (like storylines, imagination and characters and all that 'old' shit), but for the time being generations who grew up watching plastic wallpaper can't see the woods for the trees.

Figures in education are slipping, teenagers think R&B is real music, commercialism is all-pervasive and bad anime is, to that unfortunate generation raised on it, as good as it's going to get. You can't realign someone's expectations unless you educate them. If you were to show Diebuster and Gunbuster to a fan of modern anime, they'd likely choose Diebuster because it contains the hallmarks they have grown to love, the problem is those hallmarks are shit, and as a direct reflection of that, so is their brain.

I admit I'm not the target of the series, but I love to watch these kind of shows just to Raaaaaaage.

Don't bother. Breathe out, walk away and find something better.

[Siren2011]

I can tell just by looking at the design of that robot that it's from Manie Manie (A.K.A Neo Tokyo). I just bought the VHS and since I'm sick as a stray dog with canine AIDS, I might as well put in the 'ol VCR, get some soup, and take a load off.

Oh and one other thing.

It doesn't matter if you're bored retrospectively. I can't read a novel twice, it's a chore. Same could be said of an RPG. Does that make the initial experience any less of an achievement? Absolutely not.

Really great point you have. But at the same time, our memories of what we thought of the game in the past --when we enjoyed playing through it in 1998, or whatever-- would be nothing short of hazy, thus completely skewing our judgement of the game. Thus, how we review a game should depend on a recent impression of it.

Does anyone see the connections between this conversation and the one I had in this thread? I made the same mistake that I was condemning in that quote, in that I relied too much on my vague memory and nostalgic sentimentality to judge, not taking into consideration the fact that I am not the same person as I was when I first saw Diebuster. Hell, I was even impressed with FLCL's art direction back then, because I didn't know any better. I put this here so people could learn not to make the same mistake ever again in the forum.

[Randorama]

The show is basically for all those annoying high schoolers who were in your anime club back in the day, but you didn't have the valor to put them out of their misery and hide the bodies. I.e. 20 little shitlings, fat and smelly emo chicks, and furries, eating Pocky and screaming "KAWAI DESU. ME AND WAIFU 4 EVARRR. HAI TO NING NANG, WAIFUSHIMASU!"

Down the memory lane! In my days ('80s/'90s), manly men met to watch manly anime together, at the "all round" geek club (RPGs/books/board- and war-games). Well, ok, we also saw Maison Ikkoku together, but the "president", a chiropractor & judo teacher married with a japanese woman, decked everyone who *proposed* comedy at meetings and other "simpleton" anime (say, Macross[i/]). We had an all-out brawl because someone proposed to watch the decentish Ushio & Tora and Slayers.

Rites of passage included: discussing until 6 am in the cold Christmas holidays (-10 C, up in those cold Italian mountains) the infinite thematic complexity of Ghost in the shell, while drinking stupidly strong spirits; playing SPQR or advanced squad leader until 6 am; or playing neo-geo games (because consoles were banned, dammit!) until 6am. RPG-wise, AD&D was off-limits, Call of Chtulhu and Role-master the norm. Myself, I refereed for three years in Elric!, CyberPunk and various GURPS, including The prisoner expansion, all before 18. We boasted something like 5,000 sci-fi books and all members at some point had to read River world.

Waifu what?

Yes! I am totally with you on the "no plot" thing. lol. They intentionally want to make their audience scratch their heads and have no idea what the fuck is going on throughout the entire show (which is a sign that all the talent they once had is gone). IF Gurren Lagann turns out to be like this, then I am tearing up my Eva wallscrolls and washing my hands clean of everything they put out. Freakin' cash cows...

Word says that in Lagann they tried to make an old school, exaggerated and very manly anime. Might be good.

Also, I officially declare banned the use of giant pics in this thread, as well as discussions on the intellectual depths of Ghost in the shell, at least until Christmas (the discussions, not the pics).

[Skykid]

I can tell just by looking at the design of that robot that it's from Manie Manie (A.K.A Neo Tokyo). I just bought the VHS and since I'm sick as a stray dog with canine AIDS, I might as well put in the 'ol VCR, get some soup, and take a load off.

Construction Cancellation Order.

It might just be the best eighteen anime minutes of your entire life.

[greg]

I hope you guys don't mind if I ask what a shut in is... I've seen it mentioned quite a lot recently. (Bear in mind english isn't my first language so at times I get moments like this, heh)

A shut-in is a person who shuts himself into his house and won't leave. Japan has a notorious propblem with these people, called hikikomori. They can't cope with being a productive member of society, so they live with their parents and won't leave the house. These people are mostly otaku-types, afraid of mingling with the opposite sex. I guess there are female hikikomori as well, but I imagine that they're largely male.

And yeah, Cromartie high school is awesome. Undamned introduced me to that show. I started collecting the manga, but it really wasn't all that different than the show.

No problems asswipe, I did you a favour. Your critical perspectives are now more honed than one who is yet to identify the inherent flaws in such output (and there are many.)
Your enlightenment will help you in the ongoing battle to lambast the ill-educated with all the fury you have, and you shall enjoy it because you will be right.

HA! I love you. Really.

Figures in education are slipping, teenagers think R&B is real music, commercialism is all-pervasive and bad anime is, to that unfortunate generation raised on it, as good as it's going to get. You can't realign someone's expectations unless you educate them. If you were to show Diebuster and Gunbuster to a fan of modern anime, they'd likely choose Diebuster because it contains the hallmarks they have grown to love, the problem is those hallmarks are shit, and as a direct reflection of that, so is their brain.

This is so true. This is also why I will not go to an anime convention. They're full of young putzes who think that modern anime is so great. "Gundam Seed Destiny is way better than Zeta Gundam. Just look at the quality of animation!" Facepalm.org. (From what I know, Destiny is basically plagiarism of Zeta.) At the local comic con, there were a few anime panels I attended, and each one pissed me off. Going from a Star Trek panel to one of the anime panels made me feel like I'd sat at the kid's table at Christmas. One panel was about mecha anime, so I decided to go check it out. The presenter didn't have his act together, wasted time blabbering about bullcrap, and the actual footage was stupid. He did show some older, decent shows, but for example when he showed a clip from Xabungle, he didn't show any footage of the mecha. NO, he had to show a clip of the characters sitting around the campfire teasing each other, and it lasted forever. Then he showed Diebuster, which I haven't seen. All he showed was a part when she's working in a bar or something, and the bar gets trashed or whatever by some superhero chick. I was like, "How can they even dare to call this a sequel to Gunbuster?"

[Skykid]

HA! I love you. Really.

I know.







(That was my Han Solo impression.)

[Observer]

If anyone is doing a mecha panel, you only need to show this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzXfVgYCxWI

There is no kill like overkill.

Ichiro Itano is god. Shoji Kawamori too I guess. Polyphony Digital are a bunch of bloody idiots. You can't even find Omega Boost in their portfolio last time I checked...

[greg]

If anyone is doing a mecha panel, you only need to show this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzXfVgYCxWI

There is no kill like overkill.

Ichiro Itano is god. Shoji Kawamori too I guess. Polyphony Digital are a bunch of bloody idiots. You can't even find Omega Boost in their portfolio last time I checked...

That video is FAWESOME. Thanks for the link! Itano sure loves missile trails. Yes, I was expecting some sort of montage of badass mecha in action at that con panel. Total fail. I could have put together a better panel than that guy. The rest of the time, I had to watch him load up episodes on his hard drive and fast forward to the scenes he wanted to show (which were the boring scenes).

I ought to get around to watching Macross F. I want to find Macross II on DVD as well. People may not like it, but the Valkyrie II design is so cool, partially done by the guy responsible for the Z Gundam.

[Skykid]

If anyone is doing a mecha panel, you only need to show this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzXfVgYCxWI

There is no kill like overkill.

Wow.

Some of that is incredible. Whats the anime toward the end with the sky surfing mechs?!

[Observer]

Guys, guys, I thought you were always looking at stuff like that just like I did? Then you wonder why I'm all over Ether Vapor and its missile barrages, the Ray series and the old Macross arcade games.

I even installed Itano Circus mod for Freelancer so if anyone saw that game for, like, 1 dollar in a lost store, go get it now... Kind of expresses how I dislike the current trends. PC games and mods ftw. I just learned to be a little less, ummm, noisy about all this stuff after getting spanked for calling out "LOLISHIT" on Death Smiles, Photoshopping the cover art with Rambo for the US version and all that.

The anime is Eureka Seven, which I already mentioned. Sadly, you have to go through a lot of boring shit and dramalalala (things kind of go to hell towards the end) to get to the awesome parts. But it's worth it, the series is pretty neat and it was one of the lasts that used more traditionally animated mechas. There are some nice moments as well.

I'm also repeating myself here but Bounen No Xam'd it's like "mechas meet Miyazaki" with a character that looks like a carbon copy of Bayonetta (so now you know where the design came from so I can't stop frowning when I see the game =P).

Kishin Taisen Gigantic Formula was also pretty fun but clichéd in most fronts. The mechas are different tributes to the genre as well, including a Chavez-powered Venezuelan mecha. Mr. Danger fears it! After that series I'm kind of at a loss. And what do I end up watching? Kami-sama no Memo Chou. Alias, Gosick in the present day with a black-haired loli instead of a blonde one. It's like switching settings and characters...

Argh, guys, stop making me repeat stuff. QuoVadis 2 ftw. Assault Suits Valken, Gigantic Army (GIGANTIKU) and Turrican forever! Now, where is that bloody brandy...

[Siren2011]

Waifu what?

I was just making fun of otaku who completely destroy the Japanese language with a single sentence. I went to Japan in 2008 with a tour group (it was cheaper that way) of some of the most immature brats I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. They were all two faced and loved talking shit about other members within audible range of them. I told one of the fat otaku/ visual kei bitches that the group has had enough of her BS commentary and that she should consider shutting the fuck up. My tour leader's eyes widened like "oh, shit. He said what we were all thinking...". Afterwards, she passive aggressively hinted at wanting to "be friends". I regret not spitting in her face. Everyone there must have had a miserable upbringing, so they took pleasure in making the lives of those who were happier and more fortunate a little bit more miserable. Straight up, if it wasn't for the group, I would have had a much nicer experience in the country I dreamed about visiting since I was a child.

Observer, thanks for posting that video! I favorited it within nanoseconds of watching it.

[greg]

GuysArgh, guys, stop making me repeat stuff. QuoVadis 2 ftw.

I've seen Quo Vadis, and I nearly bought it for the Mikimoto character designs alone. I just didn't know the level of Japanese ability at the time. Nowadays, that doesn't intimidate me as much. What kind of game is it?

I was just making fun of otaku who completely destroy the Japanese language with a single sentence. I went to Japan in 2008 with a tour group (it was cheaper that way) of some of the most immature brats I have ever had the displeasure of meeting.

Whoah. No disrespect, but what kind of tour was that? Anime tour for retards or something? I've never been on a tour, but this sounds like it's some sort of youngster/anime tour or something. Not the gray haired tourist type of tour. I've seen these types of tours advertised and I'd be wary of such a thing myself. Something tells me that you could've saved even more money by ditching what sounds like a high school field trip and do it yourself. You may not cover as much ground in the same time frame, but you can see what you want to see and not have to put up with idiots and their constant commentaries. If you go back, I recommend doing it yourself, especially since you have the experience.

[Siren2011]

Whoah. No disrespect, but what kind of tour was that? Anime tour for retards or something?

No disrespect taken, and you're exactly right. It was definitely for retards, and I was one of them for thinking that it would be a good idea. I loved my host families, but I was crushed whenever we'd have to meet again (and trust me, the "meet again" part was mandatory.). My friend of 3 years basically encouraged me to save the money to go with him and his girlfriend to Japan next summer. Naturally, I was down as hell. But with the insight I have now, I would definitely go the way you suggested and enjoy Japan by myself. The best part of that trip was being alone in Tokyo for 3 days (I didn't get wasted and make a disgrace out of myself like some of Gaijin), because the tour was basically over. I was scheduled to get a flight separate from the one with the crazy mob I was previously chained to. I even bought Evangelion 64 with the money that I was supposed to save for meals. I mean, shit, it doesn't get much nerdier than that. FYI, the fast was well worth it.

What kind of game is it?

IIRC, it's a real time strategy game that plays like shit. I do not have good feelings when I remember little details about it. However, the anime intro was boss.

[xbl0x180]

2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNGCiTHVIsM

Gah!

Surely adults aren't watching this stuff? It's a kids show right?

Real kids would hate this s**t outright. If this had been marketed 30 years ago, there wouldn't be a Japanese animation scene outside of Japan to speak of.

2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNGCiTHVIsM

better

...

even better

Sad.

To think what I just watched in Gunbuster has fallen this far.

still better than some boring mecha stuff though

btw does this look any good

No.

Oh, GOD. HELLNAW! How the hell can mecha ever be "boring"? We are in a forum solely dedicated to discussing (more like WORSHIPPING) the attributes of shoot-'em-ups! Robots should be the be-all, end-all of discussions.

Robots blowing s**t up >>>> animoe



You know, for a moment there, going back-and-forth with obiwanshinobi and reading a couple of Randorama's posts, it made me think I was on some alternate universe. I have to admit, I don't have the vocabulary and the capacity for putting intelligent thoughts and observations so that others may understand and see for themselves. I'm more of a grunt, one-word-command type of person. For me, it's perfectly fine to just say, '"This sucks because it's full of things that suck." Hell, even if I could write well, I don't think I'd have the kind of patience to discuss it further than just saying, "F**k this moeloli s**t"

I will now retire to the smoking room to reflect on my victory over a glass of brandy and a cigar.

Ah, the way of the manly man. Great minds think alike. Skykid ftw!

Back to topic, I concurr regarding the cringe-worthy opening themes. My japanese professor commented everyone reads manga in Japan, right, but anime population "chotto sukoshi desu ne" (or something like that, translation: way smaller) but in the '80s it used to be way bigger. Openings would have some dude singing rockish tunes.

As I mentioned earlier, you guys should check Cromartie High School. The faces alone (16 year old dudes looking 30, an episode dedicated to turn everyone in the show into girls, Hokuto No Ken parodies, Internet Troll episode, and the infamous walk).

Our only hope is that younger generations (if there are any left there) rise and say: "Hold on a moment with this shit, I'm sick of it!" and decide to try something else. Again, just look at the season anime charts and you can tell something's going pretty wrong with the imoutos, style-over-substance and such. I watched Dennpa Otoko whateverthefuck is the title. What was its redeeming value? Prettiest fucking faces in a while. As empty as a freaking hollow planet. I cannot even describe at how many levels this series pissed me off. I admit I'm not the target of the series, but I love to watch these kind of shows just to Raaaaaaage.

I still think few things can match the battles between the Macross ships and the Zentraedi. Those guys truly set some standards of awesomeness. So many different kinds of ships all over shitting heavy ordnances at each other... And a trackball mouse-based shield, lol.

Does anyone remember Blue Seed and Zenki? Pretty kickass anime... Not sure if they held up too well though.

I mentioned Blue Seed a few pages back in comparison to how much chara designs have deteriorated. I loved Blue Seed when it premiered and it was one of the first box sets I bought a couple of years ago when I began collecting Japanese animation again. I liked Takada Yuzo's designs so much, I even buckled and got Bannou Bunka Neko Musume (i.e., "Nuku Nuku"), which was 90s moe... and I wasn't that much into it when I first saw it in the 90s (I know. SHOCKING ).




I also bought Cromartie High School because it reminded me a lot of Let's Go! Inachu Ping-Pong Club



It's like Porky's combined with Cachun Ra-Ra

[greg]

My friend of 3 years basically encouraged me to save the money to go with him and his girlfriend to Japan next summer. Naturally, I was down as hell. But with the insight I have now, I would definitely go the way you suggested and enjoy Japan by myself.

Yeah, do it. You've been there before, so now you know what's it's like and can find your way around. Stay at Hotel Meigetsu for less than 3,000 yen per night and get your own room. For that price, it's not a capsule hotel, nor is it a youth hostel (in which you run the risk of having to listen to some guy masturbate in a bunk near you (which happened to me twice, both times were Japanese guys)). It's north of the Asakusa area, in Arakawa-ku. It's a quick subway ride to Akihabara from the nearby station, or take the train to Ueno.

[Randorama]

Some of that is incredible. Whats the anime toward the end with the sky surfing mechs?!

It is Eureka Seven, if you mean the material at the 12.00-13.00 mark. Beautiful anime, although it feels a lot as if the authors really wanted to do Nausicaa with Mechas, i.e. it is quite derivative in its setting (e.g. early teenagehood love). It includes an episode which is a spoof of Captain Tsubasa; a homage to Gaiapolis, since it includes a geo-stable satellite; and several other interesting details that make it a lovely, lovely anime. Sadly it has silly science in it, but if you need to see mechas surfing in the air (as everyone *should*), then it's a 100% safe watch.

I have to admit, I don't have the vocabulary and the capacity for putting intelligent thoughts and observations so that others may understand and see for themselves.

Never trust the men with the fancy words, especially if Italians! (...I think Obiwan is also Italian, is that correct?).

Aside silly jokes, I think that once we look a bit at the basic aspects of how anime were "then" and are marketed "now", it is somehow obvious that some anime trends started when the manga market differentiated into shonen and seinen. Seinen manga remained more or less stimulating, but they were affected by general trends (i.e. depressingly "local" sci-fi), shounen went down the drain and became ultra-commercial stuff for kids, for the most part.

On top of that, since adults usually work, go out or do something else at "anime time", seinen anime have always been few and far in between. I'd say that a bunch of us old fogeys liked the more mature stuff already when we were kiddos, so the current general trends feel three times more annoying than they could originally be.

waifu what?

Ok, sorry, I meant: back in the day my club of geeks was quite more oriented towards the "Japanophile" attitude (and "xeno"-phile: we played RPGs by using English handbooks; also had tons of US/French/other comics, books). Among other things, my president's wife offered classes of Japanese and Japanese culture, so mis-use of the Language was prevented by a proper introduction to the culture, I think. Average age was 20+ (BA, Master/Ph.D. students) with most people studying Science/Engineering; youngsters like me were tolerated if they could behave, become good at games quickly and show adult behaviour...and kept the hentai section secret (wtf, we were Italians after all).

I haven't lived in Italy for 8 years so I don't know current trends, but I never saw the otaku-style stupid fans, not even at comic fairs, except maybe for cosplay. I may be completely wrong, but I think that animu, weeabus or other random weirdos are an anglophonic thing. There should even be books explaining the reasons behind the phenomenon, but it is something I saw like once in my life, by mistake, so it is something really alien to my long-time anime experience.

[Siren2011]

in which you run the risk of having to listen to some guy masturbate in a bunk near you (which happened to me twice, both times were Japanese guys.

Oh my god this had me in stitches. lmao. It's kinda crazy you know? We fork up a couple thousand dollars to fly to the land of the rising sun, only to check into a hostel and hear some dude breathing heavily with euphoria. How could you tell he was Japanese, though? Was he muttering to himself in his own language? God, hostels are so shady. I stayed in one in Seattle (besides the one in Japan) and there was some smelly, muscular man hitting on me and eyeing my belongings like he was going to rape me in my sleep first, then steal them. For one of the only times in my life, I had my eyes wide open all night.

Stay at Hotel Meigetsu for less than 3,000 yen per night and get your own room.

Wow, thanks for the recommendation! That location is perfect for my needs, and the place looks tranquil. The exterior reminds me of the hotel that Ryo Hazuki stayed at in Shenmue II (the one with the cat perched on the window ledge when you peer outside, remember?). *Bookmarked the page

[Skykid]

Waifu what?

I was just making fun of otaku who completely destroy the Japanese language with a single sentence. I went to Japan in 2008 with a tour group (it was cheaper that way) of some of the most immature brats I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. They were all two faced and loved talking shit about other members within audible range of them. I told one of the fat otaku/ visual kei bitches that the group has had enough of her BS commentary and that she should consider shutting the fuck up. My tour leader's eyes widened like "oh, shit. He said what we were all thinking...".

I could never have dealt with that. Hanging around with a bunch of anime infatuated losers would have ruined the entire country for me, letalone the holiday.

I just would have gone AWOL for a week and met them at the airport for my ticket.

[Naryoril]

i'v been to japan with a friend and we travelled around on our own and it was really fun (and funny if you can laugh at "WTF?!" situations) and i can really recommend doing it that way. If you want to see the country go for the Japan Rail Pass (you must buy it outside of Japan, and make sure you order it a few weeks before the actual trip).
About accomonation: we mostly stayed in ryokans, you can almost always find one for around 5'000 JPY per night, sometimes including breakfast (japanese style breakfast is something you have to experience and see if you can stomach it i took quite a liking to it, as long as the leave out the natto and dried whole fish) in a japanese style room. Those tatami rooms with a futon and the houses they are usually in (including the japanese style bath every evening) really enhance the trip to another culture.

[greg]

Oh my god this had me in stitches. lmao. It's kinda crazy you know? We fork up a couple thousand dollars to fly to the land of the rising sun, only to check into a hostel and hear some dude breathing heavily with euphoria. How could you tell he was Japanese, though? Was he muttering to himself in his own language? God, hostels are so shady. I stayed in one in Seattle (besides the one in Japan) and there was some smelly, muscular man hitting on me and eyeing my belongings like he was going to rape me in my sleep first, then steal them. For one of the only times in my life, I had my eyes wide open all night.

Man, that's scary. My situations were just comical. Both times were definitely Japanese because I met them before we went to sleep. Once was in a hostel in Matsumoto, and it was some stuttering weird guy. I mean, I stutter a bit too sometimes, but this guy seemed to have some sort of mental issue. I was half asleep, but I heard the tissue wiping and that token Japanese nervous chuckle. The other time was in the Tokyo International YH, which doesn't exist anymore. IIRC, it was near Ochanomizu station. I was asleep and I woke to hearing the fapping going on. I stayed there only once. I usually would stay at the Yoyogi YH, which is awesome and you get your own room! No bunk beds! But, that place gets filled up, fast. I stayed at the Tokyo International one While I was living in Japan, sometime in February 2001, and it was crowded with students studying for entrance exams. Apparently there are many prep schools in Ochanomizu, and my cousin recently lived there while he was a ronin for a couple years. Anyhow, now that that one is gone, the Yoyogi one fills up even more. The Yoyogi one is near the back door to the Meiji shrine, and it's a pleasant walk through the park all the way to the Harajuku station exit.

Oh yeah, and there was a sign on the mirror in the bathroom of the Tokyo International YH that said "PLEASE DO NOT WASH HAIR IN TOILET." That was totally LOLworthy, and I wish I'd taken a picture of it. I can't remember if I even knew about Engrish.com back in 2001. I think what they meant by the sign was to request people to not wash their hair in the bathroom sinks, but Japanese makes a distinction between "bathroom" and "toilet."

Wow, thanks for the recommendation! That location is perfect for my needs, and the place looks tranquil.

It is a quiet neighborhood, and the people who work there are fantastic. You don't get your own bathroom/toilet, so all that is shared. But, I haven't seen a line forming for people waiting to take a shower. There are some interesting things to do in the area, off the beaten path that don't get mentioned much in the tour guides. This adventure I went on started just south of that hotel. That street car line goes all the way to Waseda University, and I'd been meaning to take a ride on that for many years after spotting it from the Yamanote line.

I could never have dealt with that. Hanging around with a bunch of anime infatuated losers would have ruined the entire country for me, letalone the holiday.

I just would have gone AWOL for a week and met them at the airport for my ticket.

I'm totally with you. There was this video on Youtube or somewhere that was taken from a Japanese TV show that covered these American anime fans who went on some otaku tour of Tokyo. They attended the Tokyo Anime Fair (or whatever it's called), went on anime shopping sprees, visited some animation studios, etc. Some even dressed up cosplay when they went to Akihabara. They were the biggest pack of weeaboo dingbats I've ever seen. They even did some anime karaoke. One dude could actually sing the songs, and he was the only one who seemed to pay attention to the classic shows. But, with everything else on Japanese TV, it was totally contrived and artificial. Later, the people in the video complained that the show made them appear stupid. Well, if some Japanese TV show asked to follow me around with a camera and asked me to do stupid stuff, I would have no part of it.

[Observer]

I'm totally with you. There was this video on Youtube or somewhere that was taken from a Japanese TV show that covered these American anime fans who went on some otaku tour of Tokyo. They attended the Tokyo Anime Fair (or whatever it's called), went on anime shopping sprees, visited some animation studios, etc. Some even dressed up cosplay when they went to Akihabara. They were the biggest pack of weeaboo dingbats I've ever seen. They even did some anime karaoke. One dude could actually sing the songs, and he was the only one who seemed to pay attention to the classic shows. But, with everything else on Japanese TV, it was totally contrived and artificial. Later, the people in the video complained that the show made them appear stupid. Well, if some Japanese TV show asked to follow me around with a camera and asked me to do stupid stuff, I would have no part of it.

Mmm, from what I see japanese TV just follows the same trends of the global agenda. You have one dancing/singing/shit contests shows, they exported that damn moving wall show everywhere in the world, talk shows and all that crap. Each fucking country seems to be running the same, consensual media brainwash program...

Anyway, speaking of weeaboos and all, our japanese professor (a 65 year old guy) always asks at some point WHY are we studying nihongo (he kind of never says "japanese", lol). And he wanted the honest answer. We have our fair share of goth girls (with those pin bags you all hate), the anime freak, the manga freak. Then we have the normal people... to some extent. I'm studying it because I already did a translation but using rudimentary knowledge and the english script. That doesn't cut it at all. I'm also working at a publicity agency only to find out half the entrepreneurship people are japanese. So, yeah, what the hell, I might as well learn the language and build the contacts. Classes are proving to be hilariously ridiculous at time.

So, he asks these goth high school kids and they tell him: "Because I love anime of course!"

You can't imagine that moment. It was comedy gold. He took out his glasses, facepalmed, grabbed his head with both hands, almost as if saying "I quit teaching". Then he uttered: "Manga, yes, yes. Anime, no. NO. Anime, NO. J-POP, NO. Anime talks like theatrical works, it's not like real japanese. J-Pop is horrible. Once or twice is fine, but not all the time. Now, have at you!" Then he starts playing old '80s songs and Konnichiwa Akachan. And tango. And he actually sings pretty damn well.

If there is something Japan seems to love from us, that is tango. Guess its inherent melancholy and ultra-frontal style of singing gets to them.

So that's that. Anime is definitely hitting a low point. Well, it's been in pretty bad shape for a while. Manga seems to be doing fine though.

edit: I shouldn't be allowed to write sleep deprived. My apologies.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Anime talks like theatrical works, it's not like real japanese.

At least it's pleasing to the ear, unlike BBC English.

[greg]

At least it's pleasing to the ear, unlike BBC English.

That's just a matter of reference. For us Americans, any English accent sounds pleasing to the ear, unless it's a Cockney accent or something.

[Obiwanshinobi]

That aside, I enjoy Japanese voice acting without assumig it's the exact way people over there talk on a daily basis (of course it is not; it's ACTING). Theatrical/radio-like quality of it is pretty obvious.

[Skykid]

Anime talks like theatrical works, it's not like real japanese.

At least it's pleasing to the ear, unlike BBC English.

Courtesty of Kernow and her Majesty the Queen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om7O0MFkmpw

[greg]

That aside, I enjoy Japanese voice acting without assumig it's the exact way people over there talk on a daily basis (of course it is not; it's ACTING). Theatrical/radio-like quality of it is pretty obvious.

Observer's teacher has a point, to an extent. It really depends on the type of show. If it's a more serious anime, I think the way they speak sounds fine to me, at least. Watching anime movies like Umi ga Kikoeru/I Can Hear The Sea and Omoide Poroporo/Only Yesterday is rather "slice of life" and therefore the characters don't talk goofy. In fact, both movies provide an excellent opportunity to hear regional dialects (Tosa-ben in the former and I forget where the latter movie takes place). Most anime is basically Tokyo-style speaking, but characters that speak Kansai-ben are mostly stereotyped as being goofy comic relief-types, unfortunately. Much of Kansai-ben had infiltrated my Japanese speaking from living there, so I personally don't appreciate that stereotype.