That's an extrapolated transliteration of my name that is.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Otaku from USA: Part 2
This is the second instalment of subtitled TV concerning the troupe of manga and anime fans that visited Tokyo over Golden Week that I wrote about last week. Despite only being a third of the length of the first, it also appears to have about 3 times the worthwhile content. Bit of a rush job again though, so apologies for any mistakes or timing errors...
Update Wow, I got Boingboinged! That would explain why my hits are through the roof. Hey everybody here via Boingboing! If this is your first time, try the fish!
On 4/17/03, at the Philadelphia Film Festival, the festival of independents featured a little film called "Otaku Unite!", the Philadelphia film fest site has a brief description: http://www.phillyfests.com/pff/2004/templates/film_details.cfm?id=2911 history of Otaku, the name with Japanese stigma "loner", with negative connotation is worn as a badge of honor by those who are Manga/ Anime /JPop fans J/T/U
I think what he was saying was that western toons tend to look at good guys and bad guys with a very black and white absoluteism. One is either good, or one is evil, and there is no in-between or redemption for those that are bad. Japanese toons tend to focus a lot on the grey area where people in some contexts can appear to be evil but later come across as good, and at the end of the day it's just different priorities coming into conflict. In that sense, the Japanese are more realistic. Personally, I'd say that comparison was valid between say Disney and Ghibli Studios (Miyazaki), not that I'm one o'dem kureeeezy "otaku" or nuffin mind.
I agree on what he said, the thing is when you see Naruto, for instance, the bad guys have traumas from their childhood, something that marked them. They are not bad without reasons.(yes, they are psycos but at least you can try to understand them). Our culture still thinks animation is basically for kids that´s why the plots are so simple.
PD: Thanks for the translation! I don´t consider myself an otaku but If I ever go to Japan to buy anime merchandising like crazy, then I wouldn´t mind being called an otaku:)
A news piece about nerds, on a TV program called 'The Daily Planet'? The Irony is strong in this one.
ReplyDeleteThat one went right under my radar!
ReplyDelete"...leaving its mark across the glove" Ooohh, so close.
ReplyDeleteYeah, spotted that just after I uploaded it. Was gonna change it but it would have broken all the links...
ReplyDeleteboing boing here
ReplyDeleteboing boing there
boing boing everywhere
now where is that fish
What friggin' fish? I've got the rod out but nothing's biting. ;-)
ReplyDeleteVia BoingBoing
Mal at www.welcometowallyworld.com
Love the bit at the end of the vid - "Japanese anime "leaving its mark across the glove". Ha Ha.
ReplyDeleteYes yes, dunno about yours but V is right next to B on my keyboard... >:-(
ReplyDeleteFish is currently unavailable due to excruciating demand. Will rectify this imminently.
I'm glad the BB guys posted this!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the translation.
Yours,
Gavin (TV in Japan)
On 4/17/03, at the Philadelphia Film Festival, the festival of independents featured a little film called "Otaku Unite!", the Philadelphia film fest site has a brief description: http://www.phillyfests.com/pff/2004/templates/film_details.cfm?id=2911 history of Otaku, the name with Japanese stigma "loner", with negative connotation is worn as a badge of honor by those who are Manga/ Anime /JPop fans J/T/U
ReplyDeleteI was in Japan for Golden Week too. I'm just glad I was in Sapporo and away from those cameras.
ReplyDeleteSo long, and thanks for all the fish!
ReplyDeleteHa! That's the guide from http://www.popjapantravel.com, as seen in this film!
ReplyDeletehttp://popcultureshock.com/sevendays/
http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=reviews&Id=8228
Fun stuff
i disagree with his opinion about American toons.
ReplyDeleteand how exactly is anime realistic?
then again...these are quote "Otaku" who think anything in Japan is great
I think what he was saying was that western toons tend to look at good guys and bad guys with a very black and white absoluteism. One is either good, or one is evil, and there is no in-between or redemption for those that are bad. Japanese toons tend to focus a lot on the grey area where people in some contexts can appear to be evil but later come across as good, and at the end of the day it's just different priorities coming into conflict. In that sense, the Japanese are more realistic. Personally, I'd say that comparison was valid between say Disney and Ghibli Studios (Miyazaki), not that I'm one o'dem kureeeezy "otaku" or nuffin mind.
ReplyDeleteI agree on what he said, the thing is when you see Naruto, for instance, the bad guys have traumas from their childhood, something that marked them. They are not bad without reasons.(yes, they are psycos but at least you can try to understand them).
ReplyDeleteOur culture still thinks animation is basically for kids that´s why the plots are so simple.
PD: Thanks for the translation! I don´t consider myself an otaku but If I ever go to Japan to buy anime merchandising like crazy, then I wouldn´t mind being called an otaku:)