Anime discrimination - gets you feeling annoyed

[angellight]

many ppl don't really notice tt cos they follow more plot wise..like bleach and sam x and all those..more of slash and burn concepts..but then the elements of how the society runs is still there..tho rather subtle..=p

[Hatredcopter]

Originally Posted by CoolNard

Furthermore, for many of us, it was anime which helped us to take our baby steps into the Japanese culture, the first leap onto the ladder of loving Japan, and everything it stands for.[/font][/size][/color]

That's part of the problem right there. 80% of the traffic on this 'Japan Forum' is in the anime subforums. I like some anime, just as much as the next guy, but anime is a terrible representation of Japanese culture. My point being.. if you were to quiz all the posters on this forum (Japan Forum) on topics regarding Japanese history, language, geography, and politics, the results would not be pretty. I do realize that people come here to learn more about Japan, and I encourage those that are trying to learn more about the country and its people; however, the main focus around here seems to be anime.

[Haggis]

That's part of the problem right there. 80% of the traffic on this 'Japan Forum' is in the anime subforums. I like some anime, just as much as the next guy, but anime is a terrible representation of Japanese culture.

I don't think it's bad that anime is a starting point into Japanese culture. Watching films such as Spirited Away made me interested in Shintoism, watching Barefoot Gen made me read up more on what happened during the war. The point is my knowledge of Japan is not based on the anime but the anime led me to read well researched books instead.

I think what's worse is programs like Japanorama which although I love it, kind of portrays the Japanese as being a race of strange, wacky and unusual people, you go over there and it's like 'my god, they're all so normal'

[angie023]

my neibors 2 daughters were born in japan, so i can ask them what the culture is like. even though, they have spent most of their lives in america with their father. but, i can ask them if u want me to. i use to be best friends with one of their daughters, and my sister with the oldest one.

[Kanji_The_Wanderer]

Originally Posted by Hatredcopter

I encourage those that are trying to learn more about the country and its people; however, the main focus around here seems to be anime.

It's not just anime, it's the General Discussion area too. >_< I am trying so hard to get people out of General and to go to the other areas. Such as Travel to Japan, Language help. But the main problem is, we also need new Japan subforums. Such a J-politics, J-architecture, etc. We don't get many updates to the site often. So everyone posts in General. I loath that part of the forum now. But my efforts don't get more posters. So many people on this forum join and then leave. We have so many members, and not even 1/4 of them are active here. We need more Japanese themes. Seeing how not everyone here likes J-Sports, J-Food, and J-Travel, so they post about anime, and everything else. If a topic doesn't interest them, they go somewhere else. Seeing how anime is very popular.

[CoolNard]

Originally Posted by angellight

many ppl don't really notice tt cos they follow more plot wise..like bleach and sam x and all those..more of slash and burn concepts..but then the elements of how the society runs is still there..tho rather subtle..=p

Originally Posted by Hatredcopter

That's part of the problem right there. 80% of the traffic on this 'Japan Forum' is in the anime subforums. I like some anime, just as much as the next guy, but anime is a terrible representation of Japanese culture. My point being.. if you were to quiz all the posters on this forum (Japan Forum) on topics regarding Japanese history, language, geography, and politics, the results would not be pretty. I do realize that people come here to learn more about Japan, and I encourage those that are trying to learn more about the country and its people; however, the main focus around here seems to be anime.

But for some people, they wouldn't even have known Japan existed until they got into anime. I'm not saying anime represents Japan and neither will I, all I'm saying is that for some of us, it does play a role in leading people to recognize, like, gain an interest in, and appreciate Japanese culture and it is from there on, whereby we can begin to approach Japan; that's my point in this. Also, I wouldn't generalize about the amount of people/posts in a subforum.

P.S. I've been making other efforts too Kanji-kun, but I feel the emphasis now is more on J-music instead on anime or any others.

[KyuubiChan]

What gets me is when ppl just call anime cartoons! They are MOST deffinately NOT cartoons! Anime is very much more than that. They are, for the most part, more artistically drawn.

[tobi13]

Yeah,yeah we all know what a cartoon is. What everyone should be saying is that Anime is not like western animation. Anime has a continuous storyline, w. cartoons don't. Anime is funny and w. cartoon are just full of boring toilet humour.
If you got someone who's totally dissin' anime and sat them down in front of one, their IQ would (hopefully) increase. Too much of the world these days is being influenced with American culture. I'd prefer the Japanese way any day!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CoolNard]

Haha, guess how my friend learned about certain dishes served in typical Japanese restaurants and the arts of indulging in each of them? =P

[tobi13]

Okay that last entry i did might have been overboard. I apologise to anyone i offended...........yeah i suppose there are those who aren't above toilet humour.
The japanese have achieved so much and it can be seen in their anime.
These days everything is just a television show, it's how we learn....(sometimes not for the greater good) anime can convey the beliefs of shinto and buddhism. It sends messages out saying that everyones got an opinion even though their actions are erratic.

I'm just saying that most anime uses complex structures in their storyline, you have to pay attention to understand what is going on. (Neon Genisis)
It's not the same in western animations!!!!