I am an honest guy for the most part. Yes, I do lie once in a while, although I can argue that I don’t lie as voraciously or as desperately as Satou from NHK. As I said in the previous post, I’d rather be honest with myself and admit that I’m an otaku, or whatever people like to call me, than dwell in a shell of lies and cowardice. Some people write me off as somebody helpless; they write me off as nothing more than an idiot. Some people, however, care to know more on why I like anime as a medium and why I love it more than most things (family excepted).
Yesterday, after having a reach-out to destitute children, some of us – totally new to one another, decided to eat together and share a meal, perhaps of quiet thanksgiving and celebration of the day done, of the children we tried to help, going beyond the requirement of the course (our school is society-oriented) and empathizing with the plight of the kids when that topic popped up in front of our very eyes.
One of the girls asked: ‘What’s your passion?’
Of course, I simply replied ‘anime.’
This was when she asked why, which made me think for quite some time. Here is what came up during the discussion:
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Unrequited love. Our country, even until now, is still gripped tightly by the colonial powers that once controlled it. Of course, I don’t pertain to this as a sense of physical bondage; however, our minds and thoughts are still predominantly towards these colonizers (and even I have myself to blame). Our mentality as a people was quite scarred by these countries (United States and Spain) that we have failed to develop ourselves as people with an identity. Why have I mentioned this? That is because our media reflect what Western minds have ingrained in our thoughts. We appeal to consumables: we like ideas that are easily internalized for the most part, and often times we simply love some primitive form of Marxist clash that doesn’t improve us as a people or as individuals. We love simple, circumambulating dramas: we love thesis-antithesis-catharsis formulas, and it really reflects in our television so much that (yes, there it is), even the extremely real situation of unrequited love fails to exist in television for the most part, or in the different TV programs seen here. Drama in television has become boy-meets-girl, boy-likes-girl, girl-likes boy, sofsdhguswgwuty38qtfsdjnfvsdgvq34qcw0fvzynvbyes0das0gnt (protracted static), and then a happy ending. There isn’t even a blurring of the world: the world is only seen a lot of times in black or white, which it isn’t supposed to be.
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Media as simply a consumable, and nothing more. Western media for the most part only serves to be consumed, whereas Eastern media would really force oneself to think (a lot). I think that I myself wouldn’t learn from watching these dramas on television that deal with the formula mentioned in the previous bulleted paragraph. I’d rather watch something like Hiatari Ryoukou, and it would be a lot more intelligent, because it lacks the protracted static of Philippine television. Compare watching Last Life in the Universe from Scary Movie 4. *shudders*
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Realism. If you can’t even have unrequited love in a supposedly live-action drama, how can you be realistic? Incidentally, that’s also among the main reasons why I love anime but am simply blasé about cartoons. There is simply no character development within cartoons (as expected, of course), but I’ll be damned if there is even character development a quarter as fast as Elfen Lied (melodramas included). The shows move at a pace that’s grindingly slow, which irks me, and character development ALWAYS happens near the end, where there are series of epiphanies, somewhat so OMFG UNBELIEVABLE that I find watching them simply proving that one is absurd. As much as I’ve tried to avoid mentioning H&C in this post, I can’t help but do so, as that’s simply the epitome of gradual, believable change within the characters without even saying a lot of ‘I love you’ from the characters or other bullshit. It’s also pathetic, not bathetic like most melodramas (Philippine and Western) I’ve watched some episodes of.
July 30, 2006 at 2:48 pm
Maybe you should rephrase your title since anime also appears on television lol.
The dramas that dominate Philippine television is just a reflection of the audience the TV stations cater to. One cannot always expect intelligent and realistic shows from TV since what viewers really want is an escape from reality. I think it’s safe to say that, unless Phillipine TV audience has matured enough, or there are enough such discriminating viewers, you can forgot about seeing realistic plot and character development ever.
And, cartoons and anime should not be compared completely at all. When I say not completely at all, it’s because there is a slight difference in their purpose. Cartoons serve to entertain little kids, whereas anime with its genres strive to cater to a wider audience, not just primarily kids.
July 30, 2006 at 2:49 pm
Oops I meant forget not forgot.
July 30, 2006 at 2:53 pm
On one hand, it’s really realistic. On the other hand, which is most of te time, anime is the summit of fantasy.
July 30, 2006 at 3:25 pm
Interesting, because just today I was thinking the same kind of thing.. and on loose examination I’d say that pound for pound I get more value out of anime, as anime’s generic fluff is infinately more entertaining than the live-action TV version of generic fluff.
But then in regards to top tier entertainment, anime could never knock shows like Deadwood, Carnivale, or perhaps even The Wire off their pedestals for me.
They could probably reach the same level of story (although I’m not sure I’d neccessarily want to see it in anime), but I don’t know if they’d be able to duplicate a good ensemble piece given a 22 minute time format.. plus all the lovely acting would be stripped bare. And I am a whore for acting, so that does give them the edge
July 30, 2006 at 10:01 pm
Anime, when done well, is a lot better than consumerist TV.
On the other hand… … … people in Japan complain about anime the same way we complain about TV shows here.
July 30, 2006 at 11:41 pm
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July 31, 2006 at 4:23 am
Wow, this is whole thing is strawmanned.
For staters, anime is hyper-consumerist. The shows exist to sell goods. That is the business model. Honestly, the better comparison is between anime and Saturday morning cartoons. The difference is whether you’re selling action figures to 5 year olds or 25 year olds.
Second, when you set up statements like “Let’s compare Scary Movie 4 to Last Life in the Universe”, I can just as easily compare Musashi Gundou, Pretty Cure Splash Star, or Glass Fleet to Lost, The Sopranos, or The Shield.
Lastly, what is “realism” and additionally, why does it even matter?
Anime doesn’t consist purely of Honey and Clover, and American TV doesn’t consist purely of American Idol. I can just as easily make anime consist of Pokemon and make Western TV consist of Brideshead Revisited, but it’s so ridiculously inaccurate that my argument would get destroyed in a second.
July 31, 2006 at 4:26 am
I’m sorry if that comes off as harsh, but your post reads like nothing more than one of those “Isn’t anime just Pokemon and tentacle porn?” statements.
July 31, 2006 at 8:56 am
Well, that’s American TV you’re talking about. Although I’m partly talking about American TV, I’m not American, so the brunt of my post discusses Philippine television, which don’t have those things like Carnivale, The Sopranos, or BBC’s Brideshead Revisited starring Jeremy Irons. We have eunuchs acting here, and they aren’t fun watching. Yes, I liked Deadwood.
Honestly, comparing Gundoh Musashi to stuff like ‘Sa Piling Mo’ ROFL is still okay with me: I laugh more with Gundoh and can even put myself to tears laughing than the bathetic shit that is our television today.
Of course, you took it into your context, and I can’t blame you for finding fault with the entry. Do recognize, however, that I’m not American (despite what other people think), and that Philippine television is leagues away from American televsion.
You have to be here to feel the pain, but thanks for the cogent points stated. Besides, if we had a Last Life in the Universe, I wouldn’t be here complaining …
August 11, 2006 at 4:41 am
Dear Honest Guy,
I like anime. And even though I don’t watch it on a regular basis, I’ll still find time and somewhere to go to catch up. But again anime can sometimes be a very beautiful, powerful and total fantasy grabber, I also like television
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I’m certainly not going against you, but like another commentor had said, anime is currently on television. However, I think I know what you are trying to say. Anime is better then a phony reality T.V. series, or the soap operas, or even those silly old game shows a.k.a The Price Is Right, (that could be rigged). It’s true, some anime is better then all that.
Unfortunately, I like many others, have been sucked under the influence and watch those silly old game shows, probably cause they’re fun to watch.
But still I do agree that anime, at best, can be better then shows on T.V. (Not refering to any Anime on specific channels of course:|.).
Yours Opinions
Reviewed,
Carina