"Just Watch Out for the Fox Demon in the Ninja's Body"

Here's an interesting NY Times article about anime, naturally, brought to us by the good folks over at ANN. (I'm not sure if it requires a membership to the site to read; my brother automatically has my comp subscribed to it.)

Don't forget to notice the subtle criticisms towards Cartoon Network's domestic kids' shows! The author uses Naruto as an example against the otherwise vapid natures of American cartoons on the network. (Although, personally, I wish they would have talked about Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex, since that show is BAD-ASS and also effortlessly puts all the American shows to shame. Not to mention it's not as butchered as Naruto.)

Meh, I don't like how they highlighted Naruto as a paragon of good anime on American TV. Or that they even mentioned the horrible dub of One Piece. Or that the caption on the picture said Samurai Champloo was about a "ninja in training".

Let good anime stay out of the mainstream and let the idiots think it's all Pokemon and Yu-gi-oh. I'm still happy.

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Originally posted by Lt. Sanji Let good anime stay out of the mainstream and let the idiots think it's all Pokemon and Yu-gi-oh. I'm still happy.

I hear that and regarding Samurai Champloo, which one is the 'ninja in training'? Also its a plus for me when they talked about Tintin. Oh, that brings back the memories I'll tell you what.

And I thought this was interesting:

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"Samurai Champloo" throws together three misfits straight out of a high-class teen movie - "Crazy/Beautiful," say - and sends them on a quest in a semirealistic 19th-century Japan that looks like ukiyo-e as rendered by a graffiti artist.

I'm no Kirsten Dunst fan (who is?) but has anybody else gotten this impression from Champloo because I sure as hell haven't.
Peace.

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I wish they would have talked about Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex, since that show is BAD-ASS

There should just be an OP-ED piece, thats nothing but "Oh God this show is awesome" over and over again for a good three paragraphs.

Especially when it gets into really lengthy explanations of political schemes and whatnot. Frankly I consider that the shows fanservice quotient, and sometimes expect a gratuitous five minute bit about income tax law in the future.

It's giving me that log-in thing, so I'm assuming this is just about the anime on AS. And the author didn't try to deconstruct 12 oz mouse. Because that way lies madness...glorious, hysterical, entertaining madness.

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I like how FLCL was mentioned, since it's the best thing to ever be aired on TV.

Seconded.

I like how FLCL was mentioned, since it's the best thing to ever be aired on TV.

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Originally posted by Cerpin Taxt I like how FLCL was mentioned, since it's the best thing to ever be aired on TV.

Was it really? *checks* Well I'll be damned.

Best show on TV, definitely. I watched it last night. FLCL > sleep.

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Originally posted by Lt. Sanji quote: Originally posted by Cerpin Taxt I like how FLCL was mentioned, since it's the best thing to ever be aired on TV. Was it really? *checks* Well I'll be damned. Best show on TV, definitely. I watched it last night. FLCL > sleep.

I agree with you all, flcl is great. If i understand correctly, it is saying japanese animation is more relevant?

Basically all it says is Japanese animation has more substance and is more entertaining to adults than most American animation. It's just another long-winded "ANIME IS NOT CARTOONS" article. Though more dumbed down for the general populace.

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Originally posted by Lt. Sanji Basically all it says is Japanese animation has more substance and is more entertaining to adults than most American animation. It's just another long-winded "ANIME IS NOT CARTOONS" article. Though more dumbed down for the general populace.

thats true, they should give toonami its own channel, like in england

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Originally posted by corrupt thats true, they should give toonami its own channel, like in england

I mean, I agree, but why do you always have to throw in that English superiority stuff?

It is a fact that Japanese animation exceeds the quality of American animation.
It's not just creatively better, it's also technically and executively superior.

It's also intended for more mature people. Namely, Japanese youth, who are exponentially more mature by the age of five than any American kid.
It's through no fault of ours, mind. It's just the Japanese raise them differently.
On a slightly different grainy white substance than our beloved sugar,
the all-powerful source of bulk, rice.

Anime generally discusses much headier subjects than distorted
character images hitting eachother with overlarge objects.
In America, the appeals that it may have for a Japanese kid don't
roll quite the same.

And so... snip, snip, snip.
Sad, really. If only our kids would grow up a bit quicker,
we wouldn't have this problem.

But, that's life.

I don't know, they say humor is a sign of intelligence. Unfortunately, most American cartoons these days are not funny at all. Check the Nick thread for a discussion of great cartoons. The only thing funny we have today, and I will get flack for this, is Spongebob.

I don't know if you can say Japanese kids are "smarter" because they eat rice. Or even if they're smarter at all. But I can safely agree that parents in America are dolts.

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Originally posted by Cerpin Taxt I like how FLCL was mentioned, since it's the best thing to ever be aired on TV.

I contest that. Tekkaman Blade is.

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Originally posted by Zaphod Beeblebrox quote: Originally posted by Cerpin Taxt I like how FLCL was mentioned, since it's the best thing to ever be aired on TV. I contest that. Tekkaman Blade is.

I disagree, i've never even heard of it... I heard of flcl even before i was in america (twasn't on in england)

quote:

Originally posted by corrupt quote: Originally posted by Zaphod Beeblebrox quote: Originally posted by Cerpin Taxt I like how FLCL was mentioned, since it's the best thing to ever be aired on TV. I contest that. Tekkaman Blade is. I disagree, i've never even heard of it... I heard of flcl even before i was in america (twasn't on in england)

Just cause it isn't overtly popular, doesn't mean it doesnt kick ass.

quote:

Originally posted by Zaphod Beeblebrox quote: Originally posted by corrupt quote: Originally posted by Zaphod Beeblebrox quote: Originally posted by Cerpin Taxt I like how FLCL was mentioned, since it's the best thing to ever be aired on TV. I contest that. Tekkaman Blade is. I disagree, i've never even heard of it... I heard of flcl even before i was in america (twasn't on in england) Just cause it isn't overtly popular, doesn't mean it doesnt kick ass.

I stand corrected,
and btw sanji, i'm not throwing english superuiorty stuff (see I can't even spell taht) but i geuss if I say england i'm throwing superioriety stuff... this'll probably get delted by the mederatord tho...

I like the articles they have in Time Magazine better than the ones in the Times. They're not opinionated, more factual, and sometimes discuss the lesser-known anime titles (not that I really watch any).

Hmmm. Not quite the reactions I was predicting...

Obviously, an article like this one is not written by and for diehard otaku such as ourselves. It's a little too easy for an otaku to turn his or her nose up over it. Rather than nitpick, I suggest taking time to consider the real audience this article is targeted towards: regular news readers who otherwise have next to no clue what anime really is.

I know I am thankful merely for any type of article that sheds a bit of light onto the topic of anime for general public. It may not be much, but if you look back, there hasn't been very many stories about anime aimed towards those not well-informed about it. So I take what I can get.

Besides, it's journalism. As a bit of a journalist myself, and not to mention having penned two articles about anime, too, I can't afford to go full-out otaku and write over the heads of my readers, and I must include facts relevant to the reader. (For example, focusing on Cartoon Network was a wise move since it's a TV station many readers get, and therefore it was a valid example.) In fact, if I had to write the exact same article as this NY Times one, my version would be pretty close to it.

Oh, well. Maybe I'm just overreacting, and I'm just writing this long-winded post out of habit. Please, just think of it as something to consider, then.

*hobbles away to go find her unfinished muffin to eat*

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In America, the appeals that it may have for a Japanese kid don't

Except for yu-gi-oh and pokemon and...I'm sure theres another one hawking playing cards.

The fact of the matter is..wherever you go, children are weird and sort of frightening (because they're smaller than us, and filled with whimsy as well as a gelatinous black substance which aerosolizes upon contact with oxygen and contains a lethal pathogen), and aren't usually that swift.

Also sugar can be counteracted by ritalin. Or my new invention "super ritalin", which is merely a mixture of opiates and laudanum in the form of a pill.

Also as long as we're plugging periodicals. I sort of have a strange fixation with the economist, and I'm pretty sure if they wrote an article about anime it would blow my mind. It also might (would, it's been a while since I've read it, it could be either or both really) focus on the money side of things, which would be interesting.

edit: Didn't time magazine go out of circulation? Or am I thinking of life magazine...or did they just sort of merge into one.

Wow thats a pretty interesting artcile and so true that Anime is out doing American Cartoons. I just wish that Naruto was not so highly prized. Thanks for posting this!

-Beth