New g/f likes anime

[Guest ShooterJay]

This girl I've been dating the past few weeks is a huge fan of anime, something that has never appealed to me. However, since she tolerates, and even appears to like discussion of, as DEAN~! would say, the Professional Wrestling, I figure I owe to her to at least learn a little bit about anime. I read the one and only thread, and I don't understand a whole lot of it, so just some basic blanket knowledge would help. Thanks.

[Guest CED Ordonez]

The thing about anime is that it's far less concise than pro-wrestling. Anime spreads out into every possible genre, from the comedic to the serious to the downright pornographic.

 

Ask your g/f about the specific anime titles she likes and watch some of those titles with her. You get your feet wet that way and you may possibly find something you like. And if you need any information about a certain title, that's what the One & Only Anime thread is for.

[Guest KingOfOldSchool]

The genre of anime has something for everyone.

 

First off, a lot of anime is based on manga, which can be best described as a japanese comic book. Plenty of anime is simply the animated form of these stories.

 

One way I learned about anime, was by watching Cartoon Network's Toonami block. However, I'm not up to date on what they're showing now, but I don't think any of the series now featured are japanese originals, except for Dragonball/Dragonball Z and maybe Hamtaro... But catching some Toonami is a decent way of at least getting to know what one of the most popular animes in the world is about, that being the Dragonball/DBZ series. It's shown in a lot of the countries around the world, even if these days a lot of people look down on it.

 

There's another block on CN, called Adult Swim on Saturday nights, beginning at Midnight. This block features Inuyasha, Yu Yu Hakusho, Cowboy Bebop and Outlaw Star...along with some others. I don't know about how well the first two gauge with anime fans, but Bebop and Outlaw Star are generally favorites of the community.

 

Of course, these cover only the most basic of shows, and what's shown is just the tip of the iceberg... but it's at least a good way of introducing yourself. Sadly, the stuff they show on CN is the only exposure anime gets in America, on tv, aside from Pokemon, and other stuff on Kids WB (shows which appeal to a different demographic). If you have digital cable, then maybe you have the Action Network, a movie channel. They show anime sometimes, but that's also limited.

 

I'm not qualified enough to go into more depth, but here's a simple Q&A (http://www.anime-genesis.com/101/index.shtml). You could probably find a lot more faq/q&a/basic into pages like these, as this is just one of them.

 

So, get yourself introduced by watching Adult Swim on Cartoon Network...begin watching titles with your girlfriend...and you may wind up a fan.

[Guest EricMM]

Go rent/buy the first two seasons of Ranma 1/2, the whole series of Trigun, and EVANGELION~!

 

And watch it all in Japanese.

 

If she doesn't want to watch it in Japanese, dump her, she's only interested in the tip of the iceberg, she's a selfish bitch, and no good for you!

 

That's not the Sonny test, that's the Eric test

[Guest razazteca]

how much of a fan of Anime is she? Is she the type that go to conventions with costumes of her favorite show.

 

Ranma 1/2 is one of the greatest comedies ever

Sailor Moon

Akira

Wicked City think MIB

Hammtaro has the cute factor that everone loves

Bubble Gum Crisis

[Guest Mad Dog]

Ask her to educate you on the subject.

[Guest HellSpawn]

Something something Rayearth is good too.

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

Dump her. Fast. And hard. It's been my experience that any girl that has an even somewhat large interest in anime will cause you to ask why you even like her in the first place, which leads to heartache when she dumps you for a fanboy.

[Guest El Psycho Diablo]

Either that, or the interest will grow into an obsession, and they forget you exist entirely.

 

Have fun!

[Guest Ravenbomb]

Rounded eyes = good guy

slanty eyes = bad guy

[Guest razazteca]

white man = evil

young child/teenager = hero

 

save the forest or fear natures wrath

[Guest chirs3]

Rounded eyes = good guy

slanty eyes = bad guy

 

Ha!

 

Anywho, I'm not too big into anime`(Cowboy Bebop and Outlaw Star are the only ones I watch regularly), but some of the shows on the Saturday Night Adult Swim are starting to appeal to me, so like the guy said, if you don't mind staying up late, that's a good place to start.

[Guest Ravenbomb]

oh, and everybody in anime has either an airplane, a giant robot suit, or M-16 Machine Gun in their back pocket, even if they're wearing a bikini.

[Guest Renegade]

oh, and everybody in anime has either an airplane, a giant robot suit, or M-16 Machine Gun in their back pocket, even if they're wearing a bikini.

lol, you forgot motorbike

[Guest cynicalprofit]

Your best bet, DUMP HER LIKE A BAD FUCKING HABIT.

Ever been around about 600 anime fans on a 20 hour a week basis? I have....they are all very blind to what good animation is and they are all very obessive over anime and they can be very distrubing to annoying in their obession. "I want to get sparkle eye contacts", ainme and the stupiditity that comes from it amazes me some days.

 

Find a girl thats normal and likes to do it...itll be more entertaining then a 20 hour anime marathon that she WILL drag you to.

[Guest Ravenbomb]

a motorbike is only under certain circumstances, those 3 objects can be pulled out any time, any place, except I forgot to add one important thing:

for cartoons for the younger set, replace the M-16 Machine gun with a mallet or hammer of some kind

[Guest What?]

meh....I've never dated a chick that liked Anime, but I hang around plenty that do. They're all nice, decent people, and most likely your g/f is too...

 

 

 

Yah, have fun

[Guest CED Ordonez]

If you can accept her anime fandom as much as she can accept your wrestling fandom, then all will be OK as my history has taught me.

 

And cynicalprofit, the only anime fans to be truly afraid of are the ones that dress up and do cosplay. Even though I'm an anime fan myself, they tend to scare the shit out of me.

[Guest Kagato Otaku]

Ever been around about 600 anime fans on a 20 hour a week basis? I have....they are all very blind to what good animation is and they are all very obessive over anime and they can be very distrubing to annoying in their obession. "I want to get sparkle eye contacts", ainme and the stupiditity that comes from it amazes me some days.

 

Yep. Much like the wrestling fanbase can be judged by their inability to spell the simplest of words. That, and a toss-up of what's lower, their IQ or number of teeth.

 

There are some scary anime cultists to be sure, but no more than the nuts who frequent our ranks.

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

Ever been around about 600 anime fans on a 20 hour a week basis? I have....they are all very blind to what good animation is and they are all very obessive over anime and they can be very distrubing to annoying in their obession. "I want to get sparkle eye contacts", ainme and the stupiditity that comes from it amazes me some days.

 

Yep. Much like the wrestling fanbase can be judged by their inability to spell the simplest of words. That, and a toss-up of what's lower, their IQ or number of teeth.

 

Damn... that made my side hurt from laughing so hard.

 

[Guest cynicalprofit]

Did i ever say i won a spelling be, nope. Im a lousy speller, i dont care.

 

And full set of teeth, despite lack of truly proper cleaning, i dont floss. And I graduated with 3.0+ in college and HS. I just suck at spelling.

 

Anime, sucks, go watch some real animation, stuff thats not done in color and shade of color only. Ive just graduated with about 150 kids, and about 40 of them were in animation, and the bad anime ripping-off was nothing short of amazing. To see 30 kids, some of who had 4 year degrees, ripping off dragonballz is nothing short of craptacular. You sepnd 60 grand to rip-off Drangonballz and pokemon and other animes that ive never heard of? WHY. Untill you can say, ive been there, dont even tell what you think of anime, you havent seen the amount of utter CRAP it inspires in art students. Watching demo reels of kids who so blantanly stole their ideas from Dragonballz makes me want to puke. Ive seen it now for 2 fucking years.

 

"I'm so great cause I can copy anime." No you're not.

 

Ya know there is a reason real animators DESPIES anime. Its no where near as good as some americans have shown it to be. Bill Plympton comes to mind, and what Disney did for animation, despite alot of bad things else where, is truly amazing. The basic techniques are still being used over 50 years later.

 

If you know who Angela Love is, and I doubt you do, but if youre in animation, the name brings fear, she starts her classes with the first quarter kids, about how much anime sucks. This comming from a WOMAN animator(i only mention woman because of their rarity in the field of animation), who has taught at the Disney University, which is like THE school for animation. Anime is despied by those who know what animation can do.

[Guest Kagato Otaku]

I'm sorry, did I insult you? I certainly didn't mean to, but if you'd like me to insult you, I can.

 

You seem to have very hurty feelings about the subject. Such a vendetta I fear is too much to overcome. And about your bad teeth...I truly am sorry. I was just making a sweeping generalization about wrestling fans, just as you were about those of anime. I really didn't know you had such bad grammar and a mouthful of rotted pearly whites. Apologies.

 

You take this far too personal than most otaku I've ever seen. But I'm not here to "learn" you that all anime isn't Pokemon or Dragonball Z. And the fact that there's a teacher out there that doesn't *gasp* like anime doesn't astonish me. Feel free to drop this wonderful knowledge on someone else and see if they care. I somehow doubt they will.

 

Like or dislike whatever you want. I promise I'll have no hard feelings about failing to win you over.

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

Did i ever say i won a spelling be, nope. Im a lousy speller, i dont care.

 

And full set of teeth, despite lack of truly proper cleaning, i dont floss. And I graduated with 3.0+ in college and HS. I just suck at spelling.

Ummm.... he wasn't saying that about YOU specifically, so simmer down.

 

 

As far as the anime thing goes, okay, you hate it, so why bother posting in this topic? I mean, it's not like saying some female animator who teaches a college class is really going to sway anybody's opinion on the subject, so why bother in bringing it up in the first place? And, to be perfectly honest, most Disney stuff makes me puke. Also, why should we give a damn about what a bunch of guys who graduated with you ripped off anyway? Hey, they copied DBZ!!!! They copied Pokemon!!! Big fucking deal.

[Guest El Psycho Diablo]

Y'know..you think by being a wrestling fan..something -else- that tends to get a lot of heat..you'd learn not to bash stuff other people like just because it seems stupid.

 

Lay off, allright? He asked a question, not for some sort of vengeful rant.

[Guest cynicalprofit]

It has become a rant, sorry.

 

Ok, when you go to an art school, and it feels like anime is the only animation you see, it gets alittle sickening. You havent been their, you dont know what its like to be sourrounded by hack artist who have no emotion in what they do, all they do is what they are told. They steal the dragonball idea over and over and think its hip and cool. Its not.

 

I have yet to meet an anime fan who isnt obessive, who doesnt own a collection of videos or dvds, i havent met one. Me im a wrestling obessive, but ya know, im not trying to make bad animation because of it. These kids are. Anime is influencing kids to think bad animation is good. Anyone can be taught to do anime, thats why there is TONS of it. Can you draw and copy, you can do anime.

 

Disney is composed of a select group of artist and animatores, thats why there isnt tons and tons of animated movies, while im not saying everthing they do is great or grand, the home video stuff is all student work and you can tell by its crapiness in comparison to the movies, not everyone can do it, it takes talent.

 

Over 60% of the animation kids drop or switch majors at where i went to school, IN THEIR FIRST QUARTER. They dont have the talent or drive to do it. In one of my gfs, shes in animation, starting classes had 32 kids, its final class only 8 were left cause the rest couldnt hack it. And i doubt few of those 8 got better then a b, but atleast they had the drive to finish.

 

Anime is influencing kids to think that they to can do bad animation. Im gonna be in the field with these ppl and I dont want them anywhere near me.

 

Copying one-dimensional characters over and over is not talent.

2 color system animation is not talent.

 

You really cant get this till youve been to an art school.

 

And everywhere i go, all i hear is how great anime is, its not. Seen the new transformers, anime art style, and guess what, it sucks.

 

Pokemon, keymaster(or dragonmaster or some other title master), and monster rancher, and all those other anime shows, are really bad animation. Ive seen some that dont even do anything for backgrounds except a photoshop effect. Lazy and talentless. It sells, so they keep making them. it is in the words of bill hicks it, "lowering the standards" for what animation can be. Yet everyone and their mother thinks anime is all cool.

 

And while im not opposed to some of animes techniques or styles, its just seeing them 30 billion times makes them seem so less special, just like matrixs 360 shots, god can they put ANOTHER one of those in a movie where they dont belong.

 

You have never dealt with these people on a professional level, you dont know what its like to have to hear them complain how all the professionals wont hire them and their teachers hate them, because all they do is anime. And it doesnt click in their heads to do something different.

 

Im willing to be right now theres probably over 100000 kids trying to be anime artist. None of them will achieve their goal state side.

 

ok rant over untill someone says something else.

 

(Man my spelling gets worse and worse, what happened to the spell check on the board anyways?)

[Guest Kagato Otaku]

Pokemon, keymaster(or dragonmaster or some other title master), and monster rancher, and all those other anime shows, are really bad animation.

 

Of course all those shows are going to pale in comparison to something like "Beauty & the Beast" and "Aladdin". They're made for TV. I can take any number of Disney television shows and straight-to-video projects and they'd look like roadkill to mainstream films. That argument's moot.

 

And not a *one* of those shows has been cited as the absolute paragon of animation. That's like me bitching out Disney because of freakin' Bonkers. The majority of anime IS crap, but that's the nature of everything. Movies, books, TV shows, Pepsi flavors...the key is to find the sliver that is good and entertains YOU and seek it out.

 

If an animator can't draw something and adapt, they never had a knack for it in the first place, and are better off seeking new employment. Better they find out sooner than later.

[Guest KingOfOldSchool]

You should know, that Pokemon isn't exactly liked by the anime community, like those othe shows you've listed. It is hacky, and is a poor example of the genre. It gives a bad representation of anime, much like DBZ (of course, take into account that DBZ was first transferred into animated form in the 80s, and like any normal tv show, isn't up to standard with what they do in full theatrical movies, overseas or in the states. Thus, the show hasn't aged very well.

 

Plenty of japanese animation, can be just as beautiful and breathtaking and credible, as what the animators at Disney do.

 

Some japanese anime, admittedly is bad, and a lot of artists and writers who are unoriginal hacks aren't helping matters. But don't shit on the genre because of the acts of a few. I'm not trying to convince you of wrong or right, but just to have an open mind, and not base your opinions on low-grade anime fare and the fans which you've met, who are a very small slice of those who enjoy anime.

[Guest CED Ordonez]

Alright, this has become a heated debate. Time to throw my hat in the ring.

 

Points taken, cynicalprofit. I can see a little bit clearly why you have a cynical opinion of anime and while you feel anime is such a blight in terms of animation.

 

Well, when you say kids being influenced by anime, do you mean the 8 to 12-ish age group at which stuff like Pokemon is directed? Well, I can't fault you on your feelings there since Pokemon, Monster Rancher, and the like do, in fact, have awful animation production values. I'm nowhere involved in the field of animation, but if we're going to talk about anime from an animation standpoint, yes, their are quite a few anime titles that fall way on and underneath the level of shoddy animation values. However, from my vantage point, I look to animation more as a source of entertainment than anything. In my normal frame of mind, I'm not really thinking about anything except, "Will this entertain me?".

 

Take my opinion of wrestling as an analogy since it's similar to my thoughts about animation: I can be critical of the workrate and flow from an insider point of view, but if I'm sitting there, the bottom line is that I'm sitting there to be entertained. If I can sit there at the end of the match and say something along the lines of "Hey, that was a good match.", I'm happy because I've been entertained . It doesn't matter whether it'd be from the U.S., Mexico, Japan, Australia, etc.

 

Entertainment: In the end, it's what it all boils down to for me.

[Guest cynicalprofit]

While its true those shows are done for tv, and its production may not be as good, pokemon has a bigger budget then Transformers 1 did, even when you scale in inflation, it still sucks the dogs dick in comparison animation wise. And im willing to bet diggion(sp) probably has a considerbly high budget too.

 

While they are not the paragon of animation, they are what is influencing kids and people who want to be professionals, therefore it lowers the standards. Its like Britney Spears, this is the influence you give to your kids, and you wonder why they act like sluts and dress provocative. Both create nothing but bad ideas and leave a bad influence. I mean anyone who watches these shows thinks thats what anime is.

 

I will admit to liking Akira, and thats it anime wise of what ive seen. Ive sat through dragonballz, Salior Moon, which i liked when i was like 12(it was differnt then cause it was the first anime art i ever saw), Ronjin(sp) Warriors, Ninja Scroll, Vash the Stampeed(which seemed to have good production value and plot, even if it was a little strange where it starts), and numerous others whos names escape me because they werent good enough to warrant a remembering of.

 

And bad anime porn, how much of it does exist, im curious as one of my old roomies had like 50 dvds of it and a few gigs on his computer.

 

Still want to see Spring & Chaos because animation wise it looks like fantastic, heard the story sucks though.

 

Ok, yes there are some good anime, just there so rare, not alot of ppl know of them. Its just dealing with anime freaks daily about how great really crappy shows are...its just mind boggling.

 

Entertainment is waht i call plot, if the plots good, im entertained. Case in point, the movie boys club and foxglove(i believe that was the title), low budget, not the greatest of acting cast in either movie, but the plots were great, and therefore i was entertained. Anime like comic books usually follow a stadard plot of guy, girl, and gun, i dont find that entertaining. Maybe when i was 13, but now i seek substance.

 

Done.

 

Of course if a plot is so stinking god awful, im entertained too, see starrcared 94 and my repetaed view of it.

[Guest El Psycho Diablo]

To be fair..not all anime is "girl/guy and gun". It's just the example you hear about the most.