2007-05-27, 13:34 | Link #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
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Vive Sarkozy! Vive l'Anime!
I'm sorry I didn't find this before the election, but even now it's too good not to post.
It's one thing to be a big-government socialist lefty, but when you plan to beat up on Rozen Maiden in order to create a socialist paradise, I say: Enough is enough. http://comipress.com/news/2006/10/07/837 France Presidential Candidate Anti-Anime France: On Sep 10th, Segolene Royal, a popular member of the French congress, announced her candidacy for the coming election for the President of France. Despite the dissenters inside her Socialist Party, Segolene Royal is one of the top presidential candidate according to most French opinion polls. Segolene Royal's opponent in the upcoming election in the May of next year will be Nicolas Sarkozy, the Minister of the Interior from the "Union for a Popular Movement." There is a possibility that France will see its first female President. Mrs. Royal is very popular among the French people, but the Japanese anime business will not be very happy if she becomes the president of France, because Segolene Royal is known for her anti-Japanese anime sentiment. In the 70's and 80's, when Japanese animation first became popular in France and many titles were aired on TV, Segolene Royal led the anti-Japanese animation movement of the time. Segolene Royal once wrote a book on the influence of anime on children. Mrs. Royal accused Japanese anime of their violent and vulgar tendencies, she insisted that the airing of Japanese anime need to be restricted. Her book aroused much reaction, and later became the mental support to the anti-anime movement in France. Later the French government introduced time zone restriction for the airing of Japanese anime. Today Japanese anime and manga enjoy high popularity in France. Both the previous President Mitterrand and the incumbent President Chirac favor Japan, and friction against Japanese culture has never happened until now. The next French president's attitude will not change French people's attitude for Japanese anime. On the other hand, the French President has larger authority and influence over the U.S. President on this matter. If Mrs. Royal is nominated to be the French President, she could make new political decisions in the education field where she "knows it well." |
2007-05-27, 13:47 | Link #3 |
俺様祭り
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: France
Age: 33
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This is a subject that has been discussed many times amongst French anime fans - and I don't see much point in bringing this up anymore. Pointing this out was nice and all, but people seem to be forgetting that the other candidate does not think very highly of Japanese culture either (you should be able to find articles reporting his criticism of sumo wrestling, for instance - yes, it's not manga, but I'm talking about Japanese culture in general here since previous presidents were mentioned for favoring it).
Plus, it's not like censoring manga was something that was definitely going to happen in case Royal became president... she obviously had more important matters to take care of. These arguments were ignored anyway and she ended up being disliked by most anime/manga fans. It doesn't matter much anymore, really.
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2007-05-27, 13:49 | Link #4 |
阿賀野型3番艦、矢矧 Lv180
Graphic Designer
Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Belgium, Brussels
Age: 37
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it is funny how people can be superficial. it would be rather fun to know how many "anime" she actually saw (mind you, until end of the 90's, very few "meaningful" animes were available in France)
I never saw much problems with advertising for violent movies, nor the "gangsta" rap, extremely rampant in france. (i don't have any clue why they even let such things sold in the market. it is beyond offensive for some of them. liberty of expression? very clever...) alas, this kind of superficial judgement is probably general anyway, not really restricted to specific countries or people... (this is the same for "violence in video games" usual rant...*shudders about the mere mention of "familles de France"*)
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2007-05-27, 13:54 | Link #5 |
Μ ε r c ü r υ
Join Date: Jun 2004
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I think that is just an excuse, similar to blaming American movies, other cultures, etc...
If it were the French who would have made those popular shows, those people would have done everything to support those shows so that their culture would gain a little more of the popularity it lost over the last 50-60 years or more. It is all about satisfying their narcissist side, I don't see anything more to that. |
2007-05-27, 13:58 | Link #7 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: France
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Well, she didn't lead an anti-japanese anime movement. She did lead a movement whose main point was that it is a really bad idea to air Hokuto no Ken at 9 AM on wedsneday (wedsneday is a day off for school in France). And she was absolutely right.
Sarkozy never said anything about animes, but has not a good opinion of Japan. BTW, did you know one of the major sumo competition in Japan is the Jacques Chirac Cup ? (Chirac is a notorious lover of sumo and Japan) Quote:
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2007-05-27, 14:07 | Link #9 | |
Μ ε r c ü r υ
Join Date: Jun 2004
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If I had a child belonging to another culture (and/or, maybe, money coming from that place), I wouldn't hesitate to show additional support for that culture.
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It is not that much different than claiming: "I am an ateist, so I don't want religious programs to be broadcasted at an early time, since they give psychological harm to my children." Last edited by Sazelyt; 2007-05-27 at 14:19. |
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2007-05-27, 14:40 | Link #10 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Age: 40
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2007-05-27, 15:10 | Link #11 |
RUN, YOU FOOLS!
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Formerly Iwakawa base and Chaldea. Now Teyvat, the Astral Express & the Outpost
Age: 44
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Both candidates may be very well aware that the manga/anime industry brings a lot of money in france, I don't think they are dumb enough to alienate a part of their voting pool.
I am actually more worried about our president's stance over the downloading issue (both music and visual medias). Wait and see, etc... PS: I did not vote Nicolas either and chose to cast a blank vote in the ballot. |
2007-05-28, 02:22 | Link #13 |
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 66
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From across the water, it looked like ya'll had two mediocre choices.
Bush-lite 2.0 or "think of the children" Nanny .... bleh. Not that most of *our* choices are any better lately.... Choose from Corporati #1, #2, #3 ....
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2007-05-28, 04:23 | Link #14 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
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I'll bet Le Pen wouldn't have freaked out about anime on TV.
Le Pen is freaking awesome. Anyone who was in the OAS desrves to be President of, like, anything they want. And I'm pretty sure I could sit down and watch Shakugan no Shana with him without him blowing a fuse about how it was going to make the children of the world go crazy and all do drugs and have wild sex and stuff. If he wasn't afraid of the FLN or of De Gaulle, he won't be afraid of a little anime. Really, people like Royale need to get a life. |
2007-05-28, 11:07 | Link #15 |
mind the gap
Artist
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Honestly, that doesn't make Sarkozy any better, now, does it?! He's manipulating the media, so what's worse?
..Sometimes I just can't understand you French people (no offense, really). (It occurs to me that every (European) country needs to have a Berlusconi-type politician once in a while, just so they notice.. certain things) |
2007-05-28, 13:07 | Link #17 | |
RUN, YOU FOOLS!
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Formerly Iwakawa base and Chaldea. Now Teyvat, the Astral Express & the Outpost
Age: 44
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Maybe the next five years will be another rude cold shower for those who really hoped the coming of a new age of glory for a declining country, maybe it will be the other way around. I just don't know. French left-wing parties needs to revamp their own politics and image if they want to hope to beat Sarkozy in 2012. You put it the best way I could think of. |
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2007-05-28, 15:25 | Link #19 |
Yuuki Aoi
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Interesting topic. Thanks for starting it. Although the fact is that just because Segolene was bad doesn't mean Sarkozy is good. And it appears that later posters give a more balanced and accurate view of the situation: that she was against violence on TV, not just certain anime.
Vexx sums up the situation as I saw it from North America. I really, really wanted to be a wholehearted supporter of Segolene, but.... However, the one thing that gave me a bit of hope was an interview with a black Parisian truck driver who was in favor of stricter immigration controls. Every country has problems, and France's appear to be immigration/acculturation/prejudice and unemployment. However, French lifestyle and culture (in the broadest sense) are so enviable. There are many nice places in the world to live, and France is one of the best, in my limited experience of it. I should say that I didn't like the violent, sexist comments (in French) in Lawfer's first post. And although I don't think of Le Pen as the devil, I think that fighting the FLN is far from a sufficient qualification to be president, as Nergol suggested. As a North American, I have to say, however, that I admire even small steps toward racial harmony taken in European countries, which have been unicultural and uniracial for centuries, which makes accepting new cultures more difficult. I expect more from North America, which has always been a land of immigrants.
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2007-05-28, 18:38 | Link #20 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Age: 40
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Let me get the facts straight though, sarkozy ain't any good, segolene royale ain't any good as well. But it seems you are in favor of LePen, even if you only half admitted it, I am sure you know that LePen is one hell of a racist SOB? But hey Sarkozy ain't any better either, he's racist too. So actually, we are stuck with 3 crappy choices: 1st choice LePen: A Full blown 70-80 years old racist. 2nd choice Sarkozy: A closet racist who hates arabs (the guy is jewish by the way, no wonder) and 3rd Royale: Some kind of mix between a soccer mom and some kind of next-gen feminist wannabe, who's against alot of stuff like anime etc... So really, what's your choice gonna be? Between worse and worse? All those 3 guys are reformists who have their very own agendas in mind, that are definitly not wanting to be elected for president to serve France, but instead to do what they want. Kinda like Bush. |
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