San Japan 4TW was this past weekend and it was a BLAST. Except for some technical issues at the concert and the general lunacy that went on in Con Alley before the rave, I had a great time.
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The Loliholix are no more, we are now NeRiMa ねりま
To someone raised on a pop-culture diet of Mickey Mouse, Spider-man and Star Wars, the world of anime is an alien landscape filled with big eyes and its own set of strange rules. When new friends learn that I watch anime, the question of just why I watch it inevitably comes up, assuming they don’t themselves.
I watch anime because it is just so different from American animation.
I enjoy anime’s distinct visuals, ranging from the hyper-stylized look of 80’s action shows like Voltron to the beautiful scenery associated with Studio Ghibli productions. Detractors say “it all looks the same” but the same could also be said about comics and Disney productions. Now, anime does have its own set of visual cues and tropes that have to be learned, but once you learn the ‘rules’ it makes much more sense and becomes more enjoyable.
Secondly, nearly all genres are represented in anime: comedy, drama, horror, science fiction, mystery, fantasy, and yes, even fairy tales. As cliché as it sounds, there really is “something for everyone.” I steer more toward science fiction and comedy myself, in my opinion, there isn’t nearly enough sci-fi to be found in western animation and Japanese comedy (animated or otherwise) is just bonkers.
Finally, anime is not confined to being “just for kids.” Mature themes are more prevalent than they are in Western animation. They also don’t feel forced, instead they’re just there. Contrast this to many American cartoons, where characters don’t get injured unless it advances the plot. Powerful, moving stories can be told as just effectively in animation as they are in live-action.
I cite “Grave of the Fireflies” as the best example of this: there are no giant robots, no hyperactive girls or pretty-boys, instead it is the sobering tale of two children trying to survive in World War 2 Japan.
That’s not to say that US animation is bad, mind you. I grew up on the works of Disney, Warner Brothers and Hanna-Barbera and I enjoy them on their own merits. For what its worth, though, I think animation in the United States is slowly but surely growing up.
For me, at least, US cartoons were the appetizer, and anime is the main course. Interesting visuals, genres that are underrepresented in US animation, and more mature content will keep me watching. The next time that inevitable question arises, I’ll probably reply by asking that person: “Why don’t you watch anime?”
“Death Note” is the name of a suspense manga series that was been adapted into a pair of live-action films. I learned from San Japan’s website that a special showing of “Death Note II” was scheduled for tonight at a local movie theater. I saw Metropolis on the big screen a few years back and enjoyed it immensely, returning for a second viewing the next week.
I am something of a casual anime and manga fan; I have a sprinkling of anime in my DVD collection, and a few manga sitting among the comic books. I went to the San Japan anime con a few months ago and except for the heat and crappy parking, I enjoyed myself. I was overjoyed to recently see Robot Carnival again for the first time in about twenty years, and think that our friends in Japan make some pretty cool stuff.
I figured, why not watch a live-action suspense film from the Land of The Rising Sun? While I’m not a big fan of the genre, I figured it would be a good way to burn a Thursday evening usually spent playing Rock Band (sorry, RavynX).
So I hopped into the Reliant and headed out to the theater across town, stopping for a quick burger on the way. I was surprised to see the price for the movie was $10, but hey, its a limited engagement and I don’t go to the movies very often, so why not? Of course, for all I know all movies are $10 here in San Antonio now…
Watching the movie, I learned why it was a limited engagement. While there was an interesting story at it core, it had a “Godzilla” quality to it that made it unintentionally funny. I may track down the anime or the manga to get a better idea of how the story should be told.
The experience itself was also ruined by a portion of the audience (the aforementioned otaku) many of whom insisted on making loud snarky comments throughout the movie and laughing and ooh-ing and aah-ing very loudly at certain points. It was like being at a kids’ movie; actually it was worse, considering there weren’t many kids in the audience. It was funny for about the first 10 minutes, but grated on me as it continued. If this was supposed to be something like watching the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” it should have been advertised as such. I paid to watch a movie, not Amateur Night at the Otaku Comedy Club.
Ironically, those who were looking forward to the movie the most ruined it for everyone else. More events like are needed to expose people to anime and manga and Japanese media, but I can’t see anyone ‘on the fence’ wanting to be associated with the otaku after sitting through their poor behavior tonight. I certainly would not want to be labeled as such.
I am still looking forward to future events related to Japanese media, but will think twice the next time Viz decides to come into town.
Eduardo Soliz 