Show ‘em what you’re made of, Yunocchi!
UPDATE: Well, it was close, at least, with Yuno netting 47% of the vote. Not enough for a win, but a good showing nonetheless, going up against one of the contest’s favorites and all. Yuno fans fought the good fight to the very end.
I wonder… why does “angst” get such a bad rap among anime fans?
I suspect there are a number of factors at play here. For one, anime fans, in me experience, are more likely to be left brain sort of people. That is, logical and rational in their thinking. Hence, they’re more likely to be overly analytical in their understanding of the sort of emotional subject matter common in your typical dramatic anime series. I’m not saying they’re cold and heartless, by any means. Rather, I just don’t think your typical left brain anime fan connects with characters in drama series the way a more emotional right brain person might.
At the same time, I think the sort of myth-making that makes anime such an attractive diversion for fans gives rise to hero worship. And heroes don’t have problems. Well, not anime heroes, at least. Heroes in Greek mythology often have obvious flaws which they must overcome, but with the exception of the Gundam franchise and its copycats, anime heroes are more likely to be the heroes of our childhood: perfect and invincible. Clearly, there is no place for weakness in the story of a perfect hero. And there is no place for uncertainty in the world of the perfect hero. Black and white. Good and evil. Nothing in between. Of course, the real world doesn’t work that way, and a lot of dramatic anime reflects that fact. Even shounen fighting shows have trended toward presenting flawed and complicated protagonists. It’s probably lost on the kids at which those shows are targeted, but for adult anime fans nostalgic for the heroes of the their childhood, the trend is likely frustrating.
Another factor to consider is that of cultural differences. What anime fans in the West often label as “angst” in a show is, in many way, reasonably normal behavior in Japanese society. After all, we’re talking about a culture where things are more often left unsaid than said, and where frank and open expression of feeling and emotion is rare, if not discouraged. From a Western point of view, it may very well seem absurd for a character to stew over a seemingly minor problem alone, perhaps to the point of anguish. From the Japanese point of view, however, it can almost be considered expected behavior. This is a culture, for example, where’s its not entirely uncommon for a bullied and tormented high school student to throw himself off the roof of his school without ever having confided in a single soul. The same student being unable to express his love for the girl across the room, or being unable to decide what to do with his life after graduation, or whatever internal conflict common in “angsty” anime… well, it seems positively quaint compared to a leap from four stories up.
Yes, there are dramatic anime series that regularly crank the “angst” level up to eleven, so much that you can’t help but laugh in response. But not every drama series fits this mold, and not every troubled character or emotional story is an angst factory.
Sometimes, “angst” is just a reality check.
Sketchbook ~Full Colors~ is wonderful in so many ways.
As much as I enjoy the photo realistic backgrounds and detailed character animation in shows like Kanon and ef - a tale of memories, I really do prefer my anime a little more stylized in appearance. In a lot of ways, the animation in Sketchbook is the sort I like most: detailed as all get out, but still exaggerated and “cartoony” in presentation. It’s anime being anime.
And the clouds… they move!
Now that I’ve had a chance to check out most of the new season’s offerings, I have to say that I’m reasonably optimistic about the next few months.
There aren’t a lot of blockbusters this time around, but there are a fair number of decent shows. And I’d rather have a season full of decent shows than a season with a couple of blockbusters surrounded by a sea of garbage. I shall find comfort in mediocrity.
That said, some quick thoughts…
Bamboo Blade - The first episode felt a little uneven in spots, but it was genuinely funny. The light bulb gag cracked me up something awful. Must’ve been the timing. For some reason, I was expecting fanservice, but there wasn’t any. Definitely worth watching for the time being.
Mokke - The backgrounds are lavish, but the character designs are simple. Odd combination. The first episode didn’t necessarily grab me as much as I would’ve liked, but I think the show has a lot of potential. Just needs to find its groove. Benefits greatly from the presence of Kawasumi Ayako and Mizuki Nana. Wonderful OP sequence.
Kimikiss Pure Rouge - Have I mentioned how much I love these character designs? Mao is a beauty. The premise is generic, I suppose, but it’s in the hands of a competent director. And it shows in the first episode. Also, splitting the protagonist from the game into several different suitors is a clever idea. I suspect this will turn out to be one of the better shows of the season.
You’re Under Arrest: Full Throttle - More of the same, less Saori. I’m not too happy about that particular detail, but I’ll survive. I wish the animation was of a little higher quality. Whatever. Natsumi did the foot brake thing in the very first episode. It’s YUA, all right.
Blue Drop - I kind of like the protagonist. She’s not angsty, really. Just pissy. I think there’s a distinction there. Art direction is interesting. As for the story… well, I wonder how they’re going to balance the drama with the sci-fi? The mix could get kind of weird.
Minami-ke - The show reminds me a lot of of Ichigo Mashimaro, but it takes a much more indirect approach to humor. It’s like the show doesn’t make any particular effort to be funny. It’s just funny by nature. I like it, but I can easily understand why others may not.
ef - a tale of memories - I was a little apprehensive about this one going in, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find the first episode fascinating. I was especially worried the funky visual stuff would be distracting, but it actually complemented the writing fairly well. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if the wheels come off at some point. It’s going to take a pretty high quality story to keep pace with such a high quality production, and the weirdness could very well become a crutch once the production staff starts feeling the burn in later episodes.
Genshiken 2 - Continuing from where we left off. I had forgotten how much I love these characters. The production values seemed a little higher, too. I hope that lasts. Genshiken can get away with looking like crap just fine, but it’s better when it doesn’t.
As Hung mentioned on his blog, the 9rules Network recently reworked its membership agreement to require that members participate in their new social networking thingamajig… or else.
The primary reason I joined 9rules in the first place was because I was asked nicely; fellow blogger Michael Ono was trying to get an anime community established there and asked for my help. Figuring I had nothing to lose, I joined. I did so, however, with the expectation that I’d keep blogging the way I’ve always blogged. After all, I had already figured out how to attract the sort of readers I wanted to attract, and since I’m not trying to make money here, I’ve never worried all that much about increasing my traffic beyond the healthy level I already receive. So, business as usual.
However, the new membership requirement didn’t really allow for “business as usual,” and seeing as I was getting little to no benefit out of my 9rules membership as was, I didn’t see any reason to change my methods in order to remain a member of their little club. So, business as usual continues… except, I’m no longer a member of the 9rules network. Que sera, sera.
Of course, this little episode got me to thinking: what makes a good member of a blogging community? Contribution? Or participation?
I’ll come right out and state the obvious: as a member of the anime blogging community, I’m more focused on contributing interesting content than I am on participating in the discussions that naturally arise in response to that content. It’s not that I’m anti-social by any means. Rather, I’m just not one to speak unless I have something worthwhile to say. Last week, a colleague at work described me as having a “quiet demeanor” - this was compliment, I should add - and it made me think, “Gee, I hope people understand that I’m just as involved in what’s going on as anyone else.”
In other words, even though it may seem like it at times, I’m not off in my own little world here. I could probably do a better job responding to comments or participating in discussions with other anime bloggers, but my lack of participation isn’t something born from arrogance. Not by any means. It’s just my personality.
But as our anime blogging Author points out, the anime blogging community is full of people like myself. I’m not surprised, really. I’m sure anime fans are more likely to be introverts than extroverts, and the oddball nature of our hobby probably leads us to hold our passions and opinions close to our chest, even when amongst our own kind. And if you consider that there’s little money to be made or recognition to be gained from anime blogging, why make a special effort to stand out from the crowd? A successful political blogger may one day net herself a sweet gig contributing to a newsweekly. An ambitious tech blogger may one day find his name on the shelves at Barnes & Noble. A dedicated link blogger may eventually grow fat on ad revenue. But an anime blogger?
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: the anime bloggers I enjoy reading most are those who write with a distinct personal voice. When an anime blogger can effectively convey their passion for anime in words, I pay attention. And I don’t think I’m alone in feeling that way. If you collected the authors of the most popular anime blogs in a room, I think you’d find yourself amongst a pretty opinionated group. Not a group that’s focused on ad revenue, recognition, or other personal gain, but rather on sharing their love for anime with anyone who cares to listen. And there’s no shortage of people out there who care to listen.
Does it get any better than that?
I don’t know. Everyone has their own idea what makes a blogging community successful. Perhaps the anime blogging community could benefit from more structured (or spontaneous) discussion and less lecturing from the front of the classroom. I recognize that there are anime bloggers out there who are trying to change things, and I suspect that as more and more anime fans jump on the blogging bandwagon, the increase in diversity will likely lead to an increase in interaction. I’m pretty well set in my ways at this point, so I doubt I’ll have much to contribute in the future, but I still want to see what becomes of our little community.
And that’s your monthly dose of pointless meta-blogging. Next time, we do battle with the Ministry of Gundam and Agriculture.