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Old 2004-05-09, 04:27   Link #1
Khar
Shin-Otaku Editor
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: CA
Age: 41
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Exclamation Anime fans, I need your help

Hello. Some of you may know as Shin-Otaku's editor, others may not me because I've uh, well, not posted much here... lol. But regardless, I'm still here and need your help with a wee bit of something.

This is a survey I'm going to be using in an article I'm writing for a creative non-fiction class I'm in. It may show up published on a couple websites as well, who knows. I will not be using your screen names or any other way or identifying you in the article. The information will be given as strictly anonymous if quoted at all. You don't have to answer all the questions, just the once you feel comfortable answering.

I'm also going to post this up at some other anime message boards, so please only answer it once if you see it elsewhere.

So let's get to it, shall we?

1. Age:
2. Location (just country is fine):
3. Gender*:
4. Do you consider yourself to be an anime fan?
5. If yes, how much of one? (if no, why are you answering this? o.o)
6. Do you generally associate yourself with the shounen/shojo anime/manga genre of your gender (shounen = stereotypically "male", containing action, adventure, fights, etc. [examples: Naruto, InuYasha, DBZ]; shojo = stereotypically "female", containing romance, humor, "cutesy" characters [examples: Fushigi Yuugi, Chobits, Sailor Moon]?
7. Why or why not?
8. Do you think anime is becoming more mainstream where you are?
9. Why or why not?
10. What do you see for the "future" of anime where you are, that is, will every show become as popular as Pokemon? "Gotta jutsu 'em all" maybe? o.O Or will anime remain a somewhat-underground "geeky" pastime?
11. Speaking of stereotypes, is anime still a geeky pastime? This may tie in the "becoming mainstream" question, but perhaps not.
12. Why or why not?
13. If you could get rid of that stereotype of only geeks watching anime, the geeks that can't get girlfriends and can't get a life, would you want to?
14. Why or why not?
15. Will anime becoming more mainstream get rid of that stereotype, you think?
16. Why or why not?
17. Lastly, if there was anything you could say to the general mainstream television audience (think American Idol and Survivor fans here if need be) regarding anime and its sometimes-associated stereotypes, what would it be?

Okay, that's it. Do the best you can, and if you've any questions, feel free to ask. Thank you for you time.

*or gender group you associate yourself with
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Old 2004-05-09, 04:48   Link #2
Thany
Unfair
 
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Are we supposed to reply here?
Well I guess I'll reply to question I feel like replying

2. Location (just country is fine): France
4. Well I guess I do or I wouldn't be on an anime forum
5. Well most likely I only read topics and download animes, but I'm not the kind to talk much about it though I read topics about animes.
6-7. (so this was what sort of anime?) I watch mostly any type of anime though I'm not too much into ecchi or action but I tend to look at what's up ; I particulary like dramas or shoujos and of course comedies, but this depends if the characters are sympatics to me
10. I don't think so : there are animes that you might or might not like, that's up to your taste ; even if you really like an anime it doesn't mean everybody will like it or that it will eventually be licensed...

Well that's all I had to say, I hope it might help you (I have the feeling that I misunderstood some questions, but whatever...)
__________________

Last edited by Thany; 2004-05-09 at 06:51.
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Old 2004-05-09, 04:51   Link #3
7thMethuselah
Senior Member
 
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Antwerp area, Belgium, Europa
Age: 47
123 = male 28 Vlaanderen - Europe
45 = off course otherwise how stupid would I be visiting this forum. How big a fan? Well apart from anime and the daily news I don't watch any tv at all. I watch anime daily, buy alot of DVD and manga, collect action figures and resin statues, so yes I consier myself a big anime fan.
67 = Well I watch all types of anime, the stuff I watch is both shoujo and shounen, i like action, comedy, scifi, slice-of-life, ecchi, fantasy, ... Basically I switch between genres otherwise stuff can get boring. My preferred genre is ecchi/comedy/romance however
89 = well apart from shounen action anime nothing is shown on tv here (well almost no anime is shown at all) so everyone thinks all anime is like that.
10 11 12 = there will always be popular and nonpopular anime, and some genre's will never be shown on tv thus keeping them in the underground. The reason is simple, the perception of how anime is viewed is strongly dependant on the anime shown on tv
13 14 15 16= who cares, most anime loving people are not geeks, and the people that think so are usually people that do not watch anime or refuse to give it a chance. It is not important how other people view you, what important is how you view yourself ! If you like anime, by all means enjoy it, don' t let others tell yo what to like or dislike.
17 = Not really anything I wanna say but I've introduced my friends to some very different anime from the stereotypical image and most (not all ) liked it, the best way to change the view on anime is to introduce the people around you to stuff they'll never see otherwise

PS The anime I've shown them are KGNE, Full Metal Panic, Naruto, Chobits, ...

Last edited by 7thMethuselah; 2004-05-09 at 10:03.
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Old 2004-05-09, 06:24   Link #4
Phoenix-kun
confused
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Germany
Age: 36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Khar
1. Age:
2. Location (just country is fine):
3. Gender*:
4. Do you consider yourself to be an anime fan?
5. If yes, how much of one? (if no, why are you answering this? o.o)
6. Do you generally associate yourself with the shounen/shojo anime/manga genre of your gender (shounen = stereotypically "male", containing action, adventure, fights, etc. [examples: Naruto, InuYasha, DBZ]; shojo = stereotypically "female", containing romance, humor, "cutesy" characters [examples: Fushigi Yuugi, Chobits, Sailor Moon]?
7. Why or why not?
8. Do you think anime is becoming more mainstream where you are?
9. Why or why not?
10. What do you see for the "future" of anime where you are, that is, will every show become as popular as Pokemon? "Gotta jutsu 'em all" maybe? o.O Or will anime remain a somewhat-underground "geeky" pastime?
11. Speaking of stereotypes, is anime still a geeky pastime? This may tie in the "becoming mainstream" question, but perhaps not.
12. Why or why not?
13. If you could get rid of that stereotype of only geeks watching anime, the geeks that can't get girlfriends and can't get a life, would you want to?
14. Why or why not?
15. Will anime becoming more mainstream get rid of that stereotype, you think?
16. Why or why not?
17. Lastly, if there was anything you could say to the general mainstream television audience (think American Idol and Survivor fans here if need be) regarding anime and its sometimes-associated stereotypes, what would it be?

1. 16
2. Germany
3. male
4. in a way
5. not that fanatic one. I enjoy watching some Anime, but that's all.
6. o,O? (sorry, I just can't understand this question //^_^, )
7. O,o?
8. well, for the younger audience there is Beyblade or Yu-Gi-Oh, for the older audience Hellsing, Cowboy Bebop or Escaflowne.
But all in all, Anime is not that popluar. It is seen as a comic, something for children.
But on the other hand, there are kids "fighting" with their Yu-Gi-Oh Trading Cards or playing with their Beybades while shouting: "Let it riiiip" -_-
9. see above

10. I'm not that sure. There was a time when Pokémon was "cool" among the kids, after that it was Dragon Ball. Shows like Cowboy Bebop were not that popluar. So as long as the series is something like Dragon Ball, Poké/Digimon Yu-Gi-Oh etc. it will become popluar. (lol I think I didn't answer this according to the question, but ... the heck ...)
11. Here in Germany it is, except for the Poké/ Dragon Ball shows. I can't stand for other countries though.
12. Beats me, maybe because people don't give anime a chance. But don't forget they aren't obligated to.
13 & 14. Well, I'm not an outsider because I am watching anime. My friends are living with it, also the females ones. They all treat me like a friend.

15. I hope not
16. Think for yourself, would it be still fun watching anime when everyone else is wacthing it ? Even though I sometimes miss someone with who I could talk about some series, I still prefer it the way it is now here.
Imagine, everyone in your social surrounding is talking about Naruto, like it is in a lot of anime boards. This would be getting on my nerves.
17. hm, there isn't something special to say.

I tried hard, but I'm sorry for any grammatical mistakes, english isn't my first language, you know.
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Old 2004-05-09, 06:52   Link #5
Mcdonalds
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 38
1. 18
2. UK
3. Male
4. Yes
5. not a fanatic, e.g. i will impersonate, advertist the anime, but i watch it more than normal tv
6 + 7. I enjoy all genres of anime although my preference would have to be adventure/tragic/serious with a good plot
8 + 9. Yes, although its still anime aimed at children on tv, they have started releasing anime DVDs in certain shops
10 + 11. It'll probably always be a geeky past time. They're are no terrestrial channels that show anime targeted for adult, so anime will always be a child/hentai thing. They're maybe anime on sky, but i don't have it.
13 + 14. Doesn't bother me, people i know, know what i am like. Although if they did begin to stereotype me i would probably question them why, and start saying how ignorant they are, but that hasn't happened yet even though i openly discuss it with my mate who i introduced it to.
15 + 16. No, as i doubt that UK would begin to accept anime onto mainstream tv. Although it may become a craze like yoyos and pokemon. I just doubt that mainstream tv in uk will get rid of soaps.
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Old 2004-05-09, 10:05   Link #6
CerealKiller
MoralMan
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Netherlands, near Leiden
Age: 37
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1. Age: 17
2. Location (just country is fine): Netherlands
3. Gender*: M
4. Do you consider yourself to be an anime fan? Yes
5. If yes, how much of one? Let's say i spend almost all of my spare time on it
6. Do you generally associate yourself with the shounen/shojo anime/manga genre of your gender? No, i prefer combinations
7. Why or why not? I think i like the humor, though some good action in a story can make it way better, also I like a good relationstoryline
8. Do you think anime is becoming more mainstream where you are? Yes
9. Why or why not? Most people have watched some anime (DBZ, Gundam or something like that) and when you talk about it they are really disapointed that there isn't more of it on tv
10. What do you see for the "future" of anime where you are, that is, will every show become as popular as Pokemon? "Gotta jutsu 'em all" maybe? o.O Or will anime remain a somewhat-underground "geeky" pastime? I think it will remain geeky because the ones that do watch anime are a litlle bit too hyped, so it scares away the mainstream
11. Speaking of stereotypes, is anime still a geeky pastime? This may tie in the "becoming mainstream" question, but perhaps not. Yes
12. Why or why not? People don't even know what anime (the word) is, so how can it be mainstream
13. If you could get rid of that stereotype of only geeks watching anime, the geeks that can't get girlfriends and can't get a life, would you want to? Dunno, i don't mind what the most people think of me, and the ones i do mind know me well enough to know i'm not a geek (or at least that's what I think)
14. Why or why not?
15. Will anime becoming more mainstream get rid of that stereotype, you think? Depends
16. Why or why not? if everyone gets really hyped about anime (as much as ppl in europe are about soccer) yes, if not that much, not
17. Lastly, if there was anything you could say to the general mainstream television audience (think American Idol and Survivor fans here if need be) regarding anime and its sometimes-associated stereotypes, what would it be?
Just watch it and find out why ppl get so hyped about it.
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Old 2004-05-09, 11:31   Link #7
harudasakurada
Member
 
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Age: 36
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1. 16
2. USA
3. Female
4. Yes
5. Well, I watch anime daily (if I can) and don't spend much time on much else, so I'd say I'm a pretty big fan.
6. No, I give almost everything a try and continue watching what I think is good, regardless of what gender it's aimed at.
7. As long as something has a really good plot or something else that draws me in, I don't care, as already stated. I like action, I like cute shoujo stuff, I like drama, I like almost everything.
8. Definitely.
9. All sorts of people are Inu Yasha fans, and lots of people seem to think the anime airing on CN are good.
10. I think that certainly some anime will be hyped up (Inu Yasha, anyone?), but apart from that it will remain a "geeky" past time.
11. Most certainly.
12. People either don't know of it or only know a couple of shows they saw dubbed on CN.
13. It doesn't really bother me.
14. People I know know that I'm not such a geek, and what those that don't know me think doesn't matter to me.
15. Maybe.
16. Maybe it'll be the next "cool" thing to watch, maybe not.
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Old 2004-05-09, 14:33   Link #8
Sparkie
キーウィ
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: The Netherlands
Age: 35
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1. 15
2. The Netherlands
3. Female
4. Yes
5. Well, in my free time I'm always busy with it and I don't think I can live without it anymore ^_^
6/7. No, I don't really mind, as long as it has an entertaining story, I'll watch it...
8/9. Well yes, but just a little bit...
10. I think it will remain "geeky" as you say it...because it's not very known here yet...
11/12. I'm sorry I didn't really get this question
13/14. If people think that only geeks watch anime, I don't care, because I know, for me, that it isn't true...
15/16. I have no idea, maybe it will, maybe it won't. I don't think you can predict this...
17. If you never watched it, I don't think you can say anything 'bout it...so...just try it...you might like it ^_^...but of course you don't have to
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Old 2004-05-09, 14:39   Link #9
SimplyEd
Claytard
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: U.M.N.
Age: 45
I'm aways willing to help out a fellow member in dire need for info^^

1) 25
2) Germany
3) Male..very much so (still, my online avatar is female..it's a nice contrast, i have to say)
4) Yes
5) 16 years of fandom..is this long enough? It's probably my most important hobby ever
6) I associate myself with any kind of genre, i'm not very biased if that's what you're getting at. Lately i do prefer shoujo manga/anime over shounen stuff, but that could change very fast. It all depends on how much a certain story catches my eye. I don't like to read/watch shounen-ai/yaoi that much, but that's just personal taste, i still tolerate this stuff since it has a lot of fan-base and they all tend to be nice folks. On the other hand i like shoujo-ai/yuri stuff, which is also shunned by many people..oh well^^
7) That's a tough nut to crack...i don't know. I have yet to find a shoujo manga/anime that i didn't like, but there are lots of shounen ones that don't hold much interest for me. Like many shows with sports-themes for example.
8) Definately, but i don't care. There are lots of ways to aquire anime/manga, so i don't depend on a given "mainstream-level" anyway. "Mainstream" has its ups and downs..and most of the time it has a rather bitter aftertaste.
9) Well, it is becoming more poplular because of the reason we are all smitten with this kind of medium. To put it more bluntly..it's just more people interested in anime/manga..that's all in a nutshell
10) It wasn't "geeky" to begin with..such a viewpoint would already be ignorant. And i'm not too fond of this "underground" thought..real life can be a drag and more often than not i don't like to do things that i have to do. I usually vent all this stored-up steam by watching anime/ reading manga. Furthermore i don't make a big secret of my preferences and i most certainly don't give in to group pressure or the thoughts of other people..unless of course these thoughts would benefit me in some way.
I don't think that every show would be as "popular" as Pokemon..there are too many different genre and peoples tastes very almost infinitely. I don't even see a need why a show should be popular at all. That's all in the heads of a bunch of people who form a certain "pro" or "contra" collective, and doesn't say anything about the actual value of a certain show.
11) Who exactly makes it a "geeky pastime"? Popular people at your school,work, hang-out places? Who has the right to judge over something other than the person whos actually very involved with the issue at hand? My interests are mine alone..there may or may not be others that share some of my interests, but nobody has the right to tell me what i have to believe in and what i have to like or not.
12) As long as there is ignorance it will always be shunned by some people..that's no reason to fret over it
13) That's not even a problem since not all anime watchers are "geeks"..i would even say not a single person would qualify for a geek since i don't believe in such childish categories
14) I don't intend to try to convince anybody of "loving" anime/manga..everybody has to figure out his/her own problems to some extend. Speaking from experience, it doesn't pay off to try to get rid of "stereotypes"..so let them be, i don't care^^
15) No but there will be an increased tolerance level
16) Mainstream doesn't equal "right" or "good"
17) "Go figure out your own interests, i won't blame you for anything unless you are challenging my private sphere." That's what i would say.
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Old 2004-05-10, 02:25   Link #10
Khar
Shin-Otaku Editor
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: CA
Age: 41
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Thanks, guys. I knew I'd get some good info here.

If anyone else wants to participate, feel free.
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Old 2004-05-10, 03:53   Link #11
Marine-RX179
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
1. 22
2. UK
3. Male
4. Yes
5. On the level of a Otaku I guess (I have about 200 anime DVDs and closet full of Manga)
6&7. Mainly shounen, but also a lot which is in between shounen/shojo like Lova Hina, Ah! My Goddess, Shugugetten etc.
I do watch/read some shojo anime/manga series like Chobits/CCS/Sailormoon/Pita-ten, but it's mainly under the influence of my close cousin who is 6 months younger than me, and is like a little sister to me (don't get me wrong, I do enjoy watching/reading them)
8. Yes
9. There are lot more anime on TV than when I first came to UK 10 years ago.
10. Probably not every show, as most of the anime have different targetted audiences.
11-16. Sorry, these questions require too much time to take into consideration, I'm a bit busy revising for my exams that is going to start in 2 days' time T.T
17. Not watching anime is like missing out on other great things such that playing the Final Fantasy game series (I still haven't played any FF games yet because of no PS/PS2 console T.T)
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Old 2004-05-10, 11:27   Link #12
GipFace
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Questionnaire Answers

ASL: 18/M/Toronto

4+5: Sure. But I don't really have too much spare time to watch it on a daily basis, so sadly I'm not a hardcore watcher. I also don't have much anime paraphernalia around.

6+7: Not really; I don't typically like shounen stuff. But ... bishoujo items are targeted at young horny males such as myself, and I do like most of that.

8+9: It sure is. One look at YTV's afternoon lineup proves this. Pokemon, DBZ, and Yu-Gi-Oh really helped to push anime forward.

10-12: Until mainstream video rental stores hold most of Geneon's and ADV's new R1 DVDs, no. The barrier of entry is too high for most people, so stuff on TV channels like YTV is all they're going to get. Those who are into it either have the money, or have friends who also like it very much.

13+14: Only the R1 companies can do that by marketing to a wider audience. But when looking at my school's anime club ... they aren't helping themselves. No one wants to be associated with some of the people in there.

15+16: No. Mainstream anime isn't ... well, "thought-provoking". Pushing this stuff further would actually enhance the current stereotypes. Besides, people would simply stick to their beliefs. A company called Hirameki International recently put out two non-adult bishoujo games for the mainstream market. However, the ESRB still slapped an "M" rating on them even though it doesn't have violence or sex.

17: Go to a store and pick up a couple of R1 DVDs. Ask the store owner what would be right for you. That $100 you spend might fuel you into a new hobby.
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Old 2004-05-10, 11:51   Link #13
Arwyn
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: God forsaken middle of nowhere, Texas
1. Age: 35
2. Location (just country is fine): US
3. Gender*: Male
4. Do you consider yourself to be an anime fan? Yes
5. If yes, how much of one? casual
6. I read anything as long as it has a decent plot and well done characters, basically fairly serious stuff. I do reay some comedy/romance type stuff, as long as it doesnt get idiotic. I dont care for the excessivly silly stuff, or manga that uses tons of SD and other graphic devices.
7. See above.
8. Yes and No.
9. Yes there is more awareness, but its limited to kiddie type stuff or hentai. You dont see a lot of other genres yet, but its slowly getting better.
10. I think anime as a whole is going to become more mainstream. There is a craving for decent shows that Hollywood just doesnt provide.
11. Anime is seen as ok for younger audiences, but there is still a stigma for older viewers because animation is seen as "for kids" despite things like Heavy Metal and other animation aimed at adults.
12. Why or why not? Anime is still seen as a "kids" medium.
13- 16 I think that will take care of itself as anime becomes more mainstream.
17. Anime in general covers the same spectrum as regular TV. There are serious dramas, romances, action, and sci fi. And for the reality TV folks there are plenty of shows aimed at the mentally deficent crowd as well.......
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Old 2004-05-10, 12:21   Link #14
Kracus
Cute Killer
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Land of Mary
Age: 43
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1. Age: 23
2. Location (just country is fine): USA
3. Gender*: Male
4. Do you consider yourself to be an anime fan? Yes
5. If yes, how much of one? Should have given me some kind of level to go off of. Ummm, I'm not Otaku. I watch anime as I watch anything else I'm hooked on. I have a few posters. I do talk to other people about it outside of messageboards. It is an interest of mine like a hobby.
6. Do you generally associate yourself with the shounen/shojo anime/manga genre of your gender (shounen = stereotypically "male", containing action, adventure, fights, etc. [examples: Naruto, InuYasha, DBZ]; shojo = stereotypically "female", containing romance, humor, "cutesy" characters [examples: Fushigi Yuugi, Chobits, Sailor Moon]? Never thought of this, and no. I hate Naruto and Inuyasha (ironically my girl loves those two), but I also hate Fushigi Yuugi, Chobits and anything after the first season of Sailor Moon (I watched it when it was on in the morning before I went to school). I like action, and dark animes, but I also like cute comedy ones like Tenchi, Daphne in the brillant blue, I like KGNE. It just depends on the anime for me, not the genre it is in. I've liked DBZ for years, regardless of all the complaints people have of it.
7. Why or why not? Guess I kinda answered that already. =) Depends on the anime, not the genre. I dislike racing animes and sports related ones.
8. Do you think anime is becoming more mainstream where you are? Yes, it is getting alot of the younger generation. That's why there is such a saturation of anime like Pokemon, DBZ, Digimon and the like, kids like it and as they grow they stay attached to it. My hope is that they move on.
9. Why or why not? Did it again. =)
10. What do you see for the "future" of anime where you are, that is, will every show become as popular as Pokemon? "Gotta jutsu 'em all" maybe? o.O Or will anime remain a somewhat-underground "geeky" pastime? I look at it as I look at Music nowadays, there are a bunch of genres and certain genres are mainstream. I see anime being close to that. An anime like Helsing my never be as out in the open as a pokemon like series. But they will still exist for the more underground goer. But Anime will grow, it is already major in USA as it is. I remember 10 years ago being in the Suncoast and people talking about this series or that series. Or maybe more like Comics. Comics are well known to just about everyone, but not everyone collects them. They've been around for decades and they are making a mainstream hit on the blockbuster scene at the moment. Anime has been around for a good 30 years now, and they have already hit public movie screens.
11. Speaking of stereotypes, is anime still a geeky pastime? Well a geeky pasttime to me incluces a lot of things, people geek out about lots of things like cars. Street racers are geeks to me. Getting hooked on a movie and everything involved with it is geeky. So it will always be a geeky pasttime. But there will be people who will just look at it for what it is and not care to go after another title to watch.
12. Why or why not? Also, peole geek out about music as well. Geeks everywhere.
13. If you could get rid of that stereotype of only geeks watching anime, the geeks that can't get girlfriends and can't get a life, would you want to? eh
14. Why or why not? Never heard of that stereotype. I wish I could get rid of the stereotype of the anime geeks all dress up like the freaks who love Star wars and LoTR/Fantasy. Cause I never have and never intend on doing that. I've only gone as far as to make AMVs.
15. Will anime becoming more mainstream get rid of that stereotype, you think? eh
16. Why or why not? No, it will get more mainstream when the younger generation becomes a more viable consumer.
17. Lastly, if there was anything you could say to the general mainstream television audience (think American Idol and Survivor fans here if need be) regarding anime and its sometimes-associated stereotypes, what would it be? If you like it, you do, if you don't, you don't. Don't make any excuses.
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Old 2004-05-10, 13:29   Link #15
MrMonkey
Meeeeeeee!!
 
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Oxford, UK
1. 18
2. Oxford, England
3. Male
4. Yes
5. Well, thats hard to answer myself. I think I watch a very large amount of anime, but I havent gone as far as the stereotypical "fanatic otaku" stage yet. If I had to say, I'd say I'm probably a huge fan of anime itself, but not AS MUCH of the whole "culture" thats seems to surround it.
6. No
7. I watch what I enjoy, be it "for guys" or "for girls". I'm no good at explaining why I like/dislike something, so I dont really think about it too much. I prefer not to catagorize an anime as either shounen or shoujo anyway, since while there are the somewhat blatantly shounen shows, such as the "tournament/fighting style" shows like Naruto, DBZ etc, there are many more which are technically shounen, but may not contain the elements which you'd typically associate with that genre. Sometimes its hard to tell which a show is, theres been occasions in the past where a show that I've thought was definately shoujo turned out to be shounen, so as I said, I'd rather not think too much about it and just enjoy the shows. Interestingly, it seems lately I'm enjoying more anime with typically "shoujo" elements (such as an increasing number of romance titles) rather than the "shounen".
8. Nope
9. Anime still doesn't have the exposure in the UK that it does in the US yet. Although anime has advanced leaps and bounds in the US in the past few years, the same can't be said about here. I can only be optimistic and say we'll "catch up" someday.
10. It depends on how far into the future we're looking. I'd like to think that one day, even though it may be far off, anime will be generally accepted into the mainstream, but we'll have to see what happens.
11. Depends who you ask. Its certainly seen that way by many people. I don't really have an opinion on the matter. It's just something I enjoy and "to hell with everyone else" so to speak.
12. See Above.
13. Not really "get rid of", I'd just like for people to be "better informed" shall we say, but really being called <whatever> doesn't bother me. As for the whole "get a life" thing, thats one of my pet peeves. I have a life, I'm really enjoying it at the moment, **** you if you think I'm gonna stop doing something I enjoy to satisfy you, is the general response to that.
14. See above
15. Most definately.
16. After all, its only fun to look down on another group of people when you arent yourself part of that group.
17. Just as there are many varieties of "normal" tv shows, there are many varieties of anime shows. Don't just see one and think that they're all the same. I'm confident that theres an anime out there for everyone, but you'll never find it if you dont give anime try, and that might mean missing out on something you'll enjoy.


heh </end run on crap>
If anyone can make sense of any of that, kudos to you :P
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Old 2004-05-10, 14:13   Link #16
HoboGod
Necromancer
 
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Cardboard Box
Age: 38
1. Age: 18
2. Location: United States
3. Gender: Male
4. Do you consider yourself to be an anime fan? yes.
5. If yes, how much of one? not much, i wont watch anime just because it is anime.
6. Do you generally associate yourself with the shounen/shojo anime/manga genre of your gender. FUCK NO.
7. Why or why not? The genre I could care less about, I watch anime for only three reasons: violence, gore, and humor. If it doesn't have enough of those 3 parts, i'm not going to watch it because it falls in the genre I like.
8. Do you think anime is becoming more mainstream where you are? yes.
9. Why or why not? don't know, don't care, i'm anti-social, I just notice more people watching anime.
10. What do you see for the "future" of anime where you are? as anime becomes popular, people are going to bitch about it being too violent. many shows will be censored extensively for television. hopefully as a result, somebody with enough balls will run uncencored anime on free TV and run it with a mature rating.
11. Speaking of stereotypes, is anime still a geeky pastime? yep.
12. Why or why not? Because there are still geeks who watch anime. You could put geekyness in anything if alot of geeks liked it.
13. If you could get rid of that stereotype of only geeks watching anime, would you want to? I don't care, so I wouldn't bother.
14. Why or why not? I'm anti-social, i don't care what people think.
15. Will anime becoming more mainstream get rid of that stereotype, you think? don't know, don't care.
16. Why or why not? see answer 14.
17. Lastly, if there was anything you could say to the general mainstream television audience regarding anime and its sometimes-associated stereotypes, what would it be? "Send me money."
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Old 2004-05-11, 18:08   Link #17
cindialai
Tsukimori
 
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Canada
Send a message via MSN to cindialai
1. Age: 18
2. Location: Canada, Toronto
3. Gender*: Female
4. Do you consider yourself to be an anime fan? Yes
5. If yes, how much of one? (if no, why are you answering this? o.o) There is nothing better to do than watch anime.
6. Do you generally associate yourself with the shounen/shojo anime/manga genre of your gender (shounen = stereotypically "male", containing action, adventure, fights, etc. [examples: Naruto, InuYasha, DBZ]; shojo = stereotypically "female", containing romance, humor, "cutesy" characters [examples: Fushigi Yuugi, Chobits, Sailor Moon]? No, nothing really.
7. Why or why not? I like to see variety of anime types.
8. Do you think anime is becoming more mainstream where you are? No
9. Why or why not? There is only a limited amount of anime here, mainly crappy ones.
10. What do you see for the "future" of anime where you are, that is, will every show become as popular as Pokemon? "Gotta jutsu 'em all" maybe? o.O Or will anime remain a somewhat-underground "geeky" pastime? In Canada, they'll just show more crappy anime.
11. Speaking of stereotypes, is anime still a geeky pastime? This may tie in the "becoming mainstream" question, but perhaps not. No
12. Why or why not? Anime is creative and not geeky.
13. If you could get rid of that stereotype of only geeks watching anime, the geeks that can't get girlfriends and can't get a life, would you want to? Doesn't matter to me.
14. Why or why not? Doesn't matter
15. Will anime becoming more mainstream get rid of that stereotype, you think? Don't think it matters.
16. Why or why not? Don't think it matters.
17. Lastly, if there was anything you could say to the general mainstream television audience (think American Idol and Survivor fans here if need be) regarding anime and its sometimes-associated stereotypes, what would it be? Nothing to say but mainstream stuff are crappy.
__________________
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Old 2004-05-11, 20:14   Link #18
Radd
Just Married, Oct. 28th!
 
Join Date: May 2003
Age: 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Khar
1. Age:
25

Quote:
2. Location (just country is fine):
United States

Quote:
3. Gender*:
Male

Quote:
4. Do you consider yourself to be an anime fan?
A fan of animation in general.

Quote:
5. If yes, how much of one? (if no, why are you answering this? o.o)
I'll give most anime a chance, but I'm very picky as to what I like.

Quote:
6. Do you generally associate yourself with the shounen/shojo anime/manga genre of your gender (shounen = stereotypically "male", containing action, adventure, fights, etc. [examples: Naruto, InuYasha, DBZ]; shojo = stereotypically "female", containing romance, humor, "cutesy" characters [examples: Fushigi Yuugi, Chobits, Sailor Moon]?
Not really.

Quote:
7. Why or why not?
The best stories (anime, books, whatever) are often appealing despite any illusionary gender gap.

Quote:
8. Do you think anime is becoming more mainstream where you are?
I think anime has been mainstream for quite some time where I live now, and in many places I've lived in or visited across the country.

Quote:
9. Why or why not?
Anime conventions are seeing larger and larger attendance every year, well into the thousands. Anime is not only found on regular television (wich it has for years, ever since Fred Ladd brought over Tetsujin 28 and Tetsuwan Atom as Gigantor and Astroboy), but most people these days realize it's origins. Nearly every videostore or rental place has a section devoted to Japanese animation, and we even see it being released in theatres, both in limited releases (Cowboy Bebop and Spirited Away) and in wide releases (The Pokemon movies).

Quote:
10. What do you see for the "future" of anime where you are, that is, will every show become as popular as Pokemon? "Gotta jutsu 'em all" maybe? o.O Or will anime remain a somewhat-underground "geeky" pastime?
I think the cultural fascination Americans have with the Japanese will die down in the coming years, just as our facination with Australians and the British did in decades past. However, I think the anime industry will continue to have a strong following in America for as long as there are few alternatives in the animation industry. A part of the popularity of anime is that in america, the animation industry is so small, and shrinking all the time, with a heavy emphasis on the idea that animation is for small children. There's simply no competition in the mainstream market.

There is a similar situation with the american comic book industry. It is failing because of falsely percived beliefs of the american comic market held by the companies making the comics, leaving the market wide open for anyone that better understands the consumers to come in and take over.

Quote:
11. Speaking of stereotypes, is anime still a geeky pastime? This may tie in the "becoming mainstream" question, but perhaps not.
Not really, though society has changed to the point where people who would have been considered geeks and outcasts 5-10 years ago are now the majority, and don't always consider themselves to fit into that category.

Quote:
12. Why or why not?
See above.

Quote:
13. If you could get rid of that stereotype of only geeks watching anime, the geeks that can't get girlfriends and can't get a life, would you want to?
I wasn't aware any of these stereotypes still existed now. Apparently my girlfriend didn't either. See above.

Quote:
14. Why or why not?
See above.

Quote:
15. Will anime becoming more mainstream get rid of that stereotype, you think?
I think it already has. See above.

Quote:
16. Why or why not?
See above.

Quote:
17. Lastly, if there was anything you could say to the general mainstream television audience (think American Idol and Survivor fans here if need be) regarding anime and its sometimes-associated stereotypes, what would it be?
This question implies that I care what they may or may not think. I don't. Additionally, I don't think they do either, so what is there to say?


However, I do think that those running the american animation industry are digging a hole that I'm not really certain they will ever be able to recover from if they allow this state of affairs to continue. I also think the average anime 'otaku' is helping this situation either, both with the common anime fanatics belief that american animation is somehow inately inferior to that produced by the japanese, or by the masses' habit of glorifying the aspects of anime drive off potential fans. (Sex, violence, and the stereotype of big eyes and small mouths that was only ever really true for a short time during the 80's and even then not completely so).
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Old 2004-05-11, 21:01   Link #19
relentlessflame
 
*Administrator
 
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 41
Credentials?
21/m from Ontario, Canada

Anime Fan?
Yes, I've become a fairly big anime fan - I have a growing DVD collection, and am always looking out for new shows that may interest me.

Fit the gender genre stereotype?
Well, not as defined in the original post. I generally watch shows that are aimed for guys (which makes them shounen), but not usually in the action/fighting genre.

Anime becoming mainstream here?
As cindialai alluded to, in Canada, what is aired on TV is generally only the most mainstream of shows aimed at children. In that sense, anime is becoming mainstream, but I'm not sure that it is recognized as different from other forms of cartoons. To me, at least, I generally associate anime with a more diverse range of offerings aimed at a lot of different age groups and demographics - that diversity is not getting reflected. I imagine that's the same in most countries, though, except to a certain degree in the U.S.

Future of anime here?
There just really aren't enough anime fans in Canada for other genres of anime to grow; plus, Canadian content laws make it difficult (you have to show a certain % of Canadian content to get a license). There are apparently some stores that sell anime DVDs, but I haven't found many - it's really treated more like a hobby, like collecting comic books. As anime gains more acceptance in America, though, I'm sure it will spread here too.

Is it really a geeky pastime?
Well, I don't believe that any pastime is any more geeky than any other. What's "geeky" is obsession with a given thing to the point that it negatively impacts your physical and social well-being. I even don't have a problem being geeky in that way sometimes, but that's not anime's doing. That's just a part of my more introverted personality.

Would I get rid of the stereotype?
If I could get rid of ignorance and close-mindedness in general, a lot of problems would be solved. The old "jock vs. geek" mentality perpetuated by society was always rediculous, and finally society is beginning to see that as the so-called "geeks" begin to control the global economic stage.

Will becoming mainstream get rid of the stereotype?
Yes, mainstream acceptance always gets rid of the stereotypes (because stereotypes are always maintained by the majority - nobody wants to feel bad about things they like, so when the majority likes something, society eventually deems it to be okay). But, the anime world is so varied, that I'm sure there are some genres that will continue to be judged and misunderstood. We have to keep in mind, also, that the "anime otaku" stereotype is still alive and well even in Japan - most anime airs well after midnight, and only the most popular of shows gain acceptance. I'd even say venture to guess that, in America at least, anime is probably more publicly accepted than it is, for the most part, in Japan.

What would you say to the mainstream?
Open your minds, and stop being so quick to judge things you don't know... Also, it's okay if other people like things that you aren't interested in. Life's too short, so it's best to enjoy every moment you've got, and each person finds enjoyment in different things. Don't be so arrogant as to tell other people what they need to be happy, and you'll find the world a much more peaceful place.
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Old 2004-05-11, 22:16   Link #20
zalas
tsubasa o sagashite
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Send a message via ICQ to zalas
1. Age: 22
2. Location (just country is fine): USA
3. Gender*: M
4. Do you consider yourself to be an anime fan? yes
5. If yes, how much of one? (if no, why are you answering this? o.o)
very much a fan
6. Do you generally associate yourself with the shounen/shojo anime/manga genre of your gender (shounen = stereotypically "male", containing action, adventure, fights, etc. [examples: Naruto, InuYasha, DBZ]; shojo = stereotypically "female", containing romance, humor, "cutesy" characters [examples: Fushigi Yuugi, Chobits, Sailor Moon]?
Actually, I watch/read a lot of shoujo, but i counterbalance that with bishoujo stuff >.>
7. Why or why not?
I feel that a lot of Shounen action anime is too dry for me. If there is no underlying social concerns being addressed, it seems to be too flat for me to focus time on it.
8. Do you think anime is becoming more mainstream where you are?
9. Why or why not?
Yes, because I find anime in bookstores now, along with shelves of manga.

10. What do you see for the "future" of anime where you are, that is, will every show become as popular as Pokemon? "Gotta jutsu 'em all" maybe? o.O Or will anime remain a somewhat-underground "geeky" pastime?
Anime will eventually become a popular art form. However, there will be a 'underground' for the more experimental stuff, just as music has the popular ones, and the more underground revolutionary types.
11. Speaking of stereotypes, is anime still a geeky pastime? This may tie in the "becoming mainstream" question, but perhaps not.
Anime is still kinda considered geeky here.
12. Why or why not?
You don't see many people watching anime and truly realizing it's anime and not just cartoons.
13. If you could get rid of that stereotype of only geeks watching anime, the geeks that can't get girlfriends and can't get a life, would you want to?
Yes
14. Why or why not?
Anime is an art form that should be enjoyed by all.
15. Will anime becoming more mainstream get rid of that stereotype, you think?
16. Why or why not?
Yes, because you don't see people listening to pop music considered as geeks, although they are condemned by the alternative movement as brainless zombies

17. Lastly, if there was anything you could say to the general mainstream television audience (think American Idol and Survivor fans here if need be) regarding anime and its sometimes-associated stereotypes, what would it be?
Anime is an art form, just as music and live action motion pictures. It by itself is not good or bad, but only the way it is used.
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