Anime: Its Place in Society, and why is it different from all the rest?
by "Mr_Trunks"

Originally Posted: 28 June 2000

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A pretty interesting title and it sometimes leaves something to wonder. Anime is well known throughout Japan, for it's timeless stories (except for Fist of the North Star) and wonderful characters. Then after all these years of the Japanese watching all of their stuff, the smalles of production companies like FUNimation and DiC import them to the United States. Anime is then reborn again in a new world, but then, there are other things that make my editorial so interesting. Why is anime tortured and harassed by the people in the United States? Are we prejudiced against Japan because of long-running feuds (Pearl Harbor comes to mind)? Do we consider ourselves the leader in animation and fun? Or maybe it's because of the sheer difference and style from other things? Well, I'm not sure what's the answer to all this, but maybe this editorial will help.

Anime is sometimes bashed and look away upon because of it's themes. Most parents regard animation (or "cartoons") as a kind, gentle, and happy moral to children. Anime can do that, but it's strongest point is action and adventure. Most of the series like Mobile Suit Gundam Wing and Dragonball Z, regard action to twine their stories together. What makes them different from all the rest is it's gritty nature. Most people think of anime as disgusting, violent, sexual, and (as my friend puts it) gay. Most parents regard the look of blood caked on an animated character's body (Son Gokou while battling Freezer), as tasteless, and think that the censors are not justified. Violence can sometimes show such beautiful and sad things such as the show of love, justice, and sacrifice. But it can't be done all the time, it has to work well with drama. Most American "cartoon" (shrug) today have a lot of action, but don't show drama. I think that most production companies' think that drama doesn't satisfy the young ones because they want to raise the children into happier surroundings. Anime conveys more emotion that American Animation because Japan regards it as a gem of greatness and it must be respected. Those are some of main themes that make anime so disregarded by Americans.

Anime is aimed for all ages, from the littlest child to the budding college student. But most people (especially my peers ranging from ages 14 to 16) think anime is a kid cartoon. It's gay and uncool and the animation sucks is what they say. They are so politically inept to what anime really is. We can thank that to one single mass-market show: Pokemon. Yes, the cash cow of Nintendo has a TV show and it's changing what teenagers and people think of anime: Cute, unjust, and way too gay to be even watched. That also happens to most college students and people that are from other places who are totally immersed in American fashion. America is ignorant of what anime can offer, such as these quotes from a guestbook entry from my friend (The bold italic letters stand forth for anime ignorance):

"people that do are gay,watch anime,jack off constantly,and will never be successful in life; because 75% of the people in the USA hate pokemon and anime and would perfer to live like an american; I AM ANTI-ANIME,it is not a crime.IT SHOULD BE IF YOU WATCH IT."

What a disgusting, outrageous baka he is. Not only is his guestbook response bad, but his grammar is atrocious. He doesn't know what anime can offer people. It's different from all the rest of the things on American television. Now don't get me wrong I enjoy Simpsons, South Park, and Malcolm in the Middle as much as the next person, but seriously the people of the United States are as ignorant as a 2 year old child when it comes to seeing the entertainment of the world. I mean... anime is different from all the rest so it sticks out. It is a beautiful storybook coming to life right before your eyes. I have seen no emotion in such American shows. But in Japanese animation, the show gives away it's emotion to show you that animation can be as moving as real life.

Episode 184 of Dragonball Z proved to be that part. The episode was the absolutely best of all the Dragonball Z episodes. You can instantly feel the pain and torment Gohan was going through to let loose his anger and become Super Saiya-jin Form 2. It's absolutely mindblowing to see such moving scenes like this come before your eyes. Along with that was the masterful Kageyama Hironobu's song "Unmei no Hi~Tamashii Tai Tama". It really captured the essence of rage. You can see tears flow out of Gohan's eyes as you see the hell he's actually been through. There should be such moving scenes like this in American television. As you can see, I can't really show you this very powerful scene but see for yourself. I mean... one can't immerse himself in American goods, he must expand anyway.

The place of anime in American society is actually (in my personal taste)... To show people that there are better things across the globe than what we have. On the other hand, like FUNimation they regard it to mass-market it and use it as a profit. As I can tell, it's trying to become the next Pokemon. Then they're making an absolute mockery of DBZ as we know it. Now don't get me wrong, FUNi has the potential to become a great company, but they don't unleash themselves well. People today think of anime as an art. They want to experience it like any other thing, so that's why there are companies' distributing animes throughout the nation. I mean, life's not always just South Park or Simpsons. That's why they're there. It is so weak that people would be prejudiced against anime. They haven't even seen anime before, so what's their verdict after all this bad stuff happening, bash it. It's so sad that they have to do that. If they even see a subbed anime, I highly think that they'll be swept into by lovable characters and an intrigueing storyline. That's what counts in an anime. But I reiterate the place of anime in society is to show that there are better things around the globe than America. Besides, it's Japan that gave us technology like Sony or Nintendo.

Thus concludes my editorial about Anime, it's place in society and why is it different? The American public is inept and dull in what other places have to offer. So that's why I made this editorial becaue I'm inspired to say what Americans think of anime, or as they say, Japanese cartoons. I tell you, sooner or later, we'll be flooding soon with more Japanese anime than you can imagine. But unfortunately they'll be ranging from Gundam greatness to FUNimation style crap, but that's okay. Although I dislike people bashing anime, it's wrong for them just to push it away as a kid show. If they have seen anime and hated it, I'll respect them for that. But wrong prejudice against it is... just not right.

Contact: aeinsel@yahoo.com