Comments on: The strangeness and ambiguity of love in anime http://animeyume.com/blog/2009/11/03/the-strangeness-and-ambiguity-of-love-in-anime/ Mainichi Anime Yume Sun, 12 Feb 2012 04:16:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ashley http://animeyume.com/blog/2009/11/03/the-strangeness-and-ambiguity-of-love-in-anime/#comment-360549 Ashley Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:53:38 +0000 http://animeyume.com/blog/?p=857#comment-360549 This was was incredibly interesting! I think about this all the time when I watch anime! The relationships are based on traits that the other finds attractive not where they are from, race or age, but a bond, and ultimately a connecting between characters. I begun watching k-on a couple months ago l, and was thinking about introducing my little cousins to the anime. One of them is 9 and the other 6. Their parents heavily monitor what they watch, but allow me to show them things like sailor moon (classic, dubbed) and hamtaro (dubbed. They don't speak Japanese or are Japanese, for that matter) because they trust me. Upon watching K-on I can only say that the differences between Western world and Japanese/anime relationships differences are all too clear. Yui( the main character) and her sister and she have this relationship that is close and very loving,( too loving for the almost hands off relationship between most American siblings) up to the point where her little sister cries when her big sister goes on a field trip. Yui and her sister are both on high school. Yui and her sister occasionally sleep on the same bed when one is lonely, and hold hands sometimes too. -The members of their music club have a teacher/advisor that has huge a fetish for putting them in "cute" outfits such as maid outfits and things with cat ears also measuring who is cutest. -Yui is just about obsessed with a girl in their club because of how cute she is. Yui also calls her Azu-nya because of how cute the girl looked in cat ears. -And everything and everyone is cute cute cute. This series highlights how prominent cuteness is in the Japanese culture, but i can't show this series to my little cousins. Lol. A lot of it can be seen as lesbianism because of the distinct differences between the Western and Asian world. I don't want them doing things seemed weird or taboo in the eyes of Anericans, especially their censoring parents. This was was incredibly interesting! I think about this all the time when I watch anime! The relationships are based on traits that the other finds attractive not where they are from, race or age, but a bond, and ultimately a connecting between characters.

I begun watching k-on a couple months ago l, and was thinking about introducing my little cousins to the anime. One of them is 9 and the other 6. Their parents heavily monitor what they watch, but allow me to show them things like sailor moon (classic, dubbed) and hamtaro (dubbed. They don’t speak Japanese or are Japanese, for that matter) because they trust me.

Upon watching K-on I can only say that the differences between Western world and Japanese/anime relationships differences are all too clear.
Yui( the main character) and her sister and she have this relationship that is close and very loving,( too loving for the almost hands off relationship between most American siblings) up to the point where her little sister cries when her big sister goes on a field trip. Yui and her sister are both on high school. Yui and her sister occasionally sleep on the same bed when one is lonely, and hold hands sometimes too.

-The members of their music club have a teacher/advisor that has huge a fetish for putting them in “cute” outfits such as maid outfits and things with cat ears also measuring who is cutest.

-Yui is just about obsessed with a girl in their club because of how cute she is. Yui also calls her Azu-nya because of how cute the girl looked in cat ears.

-And everything and everyone is cute cute cute.

This series highlights how prominent cuteness is in the Japanese culture, but i can’t show this series to my little cousins. Lol. A lot of it can be seen as lesbianism because of the distinct differences between the Western and Asian world. I don’t want them doing things seemed weird or taboo in the eyes of Anericans, especially their censoring parents.

]]> By: mary joyce http://animeyume.com/blog/2009/11/03/the-strangeness-and-ambiguity-of-love-in-anime/#comment-235193 mary joyce Sun, 19 Jun 2011 00:15:54 +0000 http://animeyume.com/blog/?p=857#comment-235193 Generally, the real world is different from anime.Once a real person enters that other world, everything changes.In there(ANIME) anyone can fly--or be who they want to be. The secret is knowing where you are.When yyou watch a bizzare anime, you should think like an anime character yourself.Which would mean, you opened your mind to all the possibilities.That way, you'll avoid having culture shocks.When it is really important to know an anime's culture, it would help if you are ANIME MINDED.In my case, I'm not japanese and yet by and by, I've adjusted to anime styles. LOVE for example is different in anime.A boy gets to walk with a girl aND NEXT THING THEY KNOW--they're already lovers(or something like that).While in the real world, a man can't just marry a girl by walking beside her all day. =LOL (am I making sense here?) Oh well I love anime because it's weird after all. Generally, the real world is different from anime.Once a real person enters that other world, everything changes.In there(ANIME) anyone can fly–or be who they want to be.

The secret is knowing where you are.When yyou watch a bizzare anime, you should think like an anime character yourself.Which would mean, you opened your mind to all the possibilities.That way, you’ll avoid having culture shocks.When it is really important to know an anime’s culture, it would help if you are ANIME MINDED.In my case, I’m not japanese and yet by and by, I’ve adjusted to anime styles.
LOVE for example is different in anime.A boy gets to walk with a girl aND NEXT THING THEY KNOW–they’re already lovers(or something like that).While in the real world, a man can’t just marry a girl by walking beside her all day. =LOL (am I making sense here?) Oh well I love anime because it’s weird after all.

]]> By: Dani http://animeyume.com/blog/2009/11/03/the-strangeness-and-ambiguity-of-love-in-anime/#comment-226160 Dani Wed, 01 Jun 2011 01:55:59 +0000 http://animeyume.com/blog/?p=857#comment-226160 That was awesome. :) No one really understands anime in America but the few that do get this. Everyone else just thinks it is weird. That was awesome. :) No one really understands anime in America but the few that do get this. Everyone else just thinks it is weird.

]]> By: Koko http://animeyume.com/blog/2009/11/03/the-strangeness-and-ambiguity-of-love-in-anime/#comment-111534 Koko Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:31:40 +0000 http://animeyume.com/blog/?p=857#comment-111534 I believe anyone or anything can love watever they want. That's their thing. Um I'm used to watching strange things so it doesn't bother me and I think it makes the anime/show more interesting that way. Yes, some ppl who aren't used to it might be disgusted or shocked. It all depends on the person. :) Nice article. Plz check this poem out http://authspot.com/poetry/spellbinding-bliss/ I believe anyone or anything can love watever they want. That’s their thing. Um I’m used to watching strange things so it doesn’t bother me and I think it makes the anime/show more interesting that way. Yes, some ppl who aren’t used to it might be disgusted or shocked. It all depends on the person. :) Nice article.

Plz check this poem out
http://authspot.com/poetry/spellbinding-bliss/

]]> By: Clara http://animeyume.com/blog/2009/11/03/the-strangeness-and-ambiguity-of-love-in-anime/#comment-108749 Clara Thu, 17 Jun 2010 22:37:51 +0000 http://animeyume.com/blog/?p=857#comment-108749 This is definitely a good analysis/review over anime. I am an anime fan, and although I do notice this things in a little feeling of awkwardness, I am more or less familiar with it so it doesn't confuse me that much. But, if you think about it, not only in matters of anime, or TV shows for that matter, the Japanese thoughts and ideals are very apart from ours. It's a different culture in its whole. The culture, the way they live their lives, the way they deal with problems or react to them, even the expression of emotions is amazingly different. It has been like this almost since the beginning of times. In world's history there aren't many records of interactions between western and eastern people. Although we live and have always lived in the same planet, it's as though as if the planet was divided in two halves, and which way grew on it's own, and walked to different directions, getting further and further apart as the centuries went by. I probably wouldn't last long in Japan, not only because of the language, but because I would definitely be troubled by some of their traditions and ways. The same would probably happen to them if they were to come live to America or even Europe. This is definitely a good analysis/review over anime. I am an anime fan, and although I do notice this things in a little feeling of awkwardness, I am more or less familiar with it so it doesn’t confuse me that much.
But, if you think about it, not only in matters of anime, or TV shows for that matter, the Japanese thoughts and ideals are very apart from ours. It’s a different culture in its whole. The culture, the way they live their lives, the way they deal with problems or react to them, even the expression of emotions is amazingly different.
It has been like this almost since the beginning of times. In world’s history there aren’t many records of interactions between western and eastern people. Although we live and have always lived in the same planet, it’s as though as if the planet was divided in two halves, and which way grew on it’s own, and walked to different directions, getting further and further apart as the centuries went by.
I probably wouldn’t last long in Japan, not only because of the language, but because I would definitely be troubled by some of their traditions and ways. The same would probably happen to them if they were to come live to America or even Europe.

]]> By: Yumeka http://animeyume.com/blog/2009/11/03/the-strangeness-and-ambiguity-of-love-in-anime/#comment-98410 Yumeka Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:51:12 +0000 http://animeyume.com/blog/?p=857#comment-98410 @ 2DT Glad I gave you a good laugh XD And yes, Romeo x Juliet should have had more poetry. Though I wonder how good a Shakespeare sonnet would sound when translated in Japanese. @ 2DT

Glad I gave you a good laugh XD

And yes, Romeo x Juliet should have had more poetry. Though I wonder how good a Shakespeare sonnet would sound when translated in Japanese.

]]> By: 2DT http://animeyume.com/blog/2009/11/03/the-strangeness-and-ambiguity-of-love-in-anime/#comment-98405 2DT Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:40:51 +0000 http://animeyume.com/blog/?p=857#comment-98405 "The two talk constantly about how much they care about and need each other, but they never confess, kiss, or show any sexual interest." I don't know why, but this made me laugh out loud. Interesting point re: Romeo and Juliet. He didn't even write a sonnet for her, like a good Renaissance gentleman should. “The two talk constantly about how much they care about and need each other, but they never confess, kiss, or show any sexual interest.”

I don’t know why, but this made me laugh out loud.

Interesting point re: Romeo and Juliet. He didn’t even write a sonnet for her, like a good Renaissance gentleman should.

]]> By: RP http://animeyume.com/blog/2009/11/03/the-strangeness-and-ambiguity-of-love-in-anime/#comment-98357 RP Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:04:31 +0000 http://animeyume.com/blog/?p=857#comment-98357 Really interesting post. There are definitely some cultural issues at play, although I wonder how much of it is driven more by pandering to otaku fetishes vs. a broader cultural element. E.g., would the average non-anime watching Japanese person find the relationships in Sailor Moon, Canaan, Cardcaptor weird? The idea of the "confession" feels most definitely Japanese though. Or perhaps east-Asian, because it's also present in Korean dramas and comedies I've seen. I suppose there's a parallel in American tv, what with the asking of the first date, but that doesn't seem to have the same level of importance and reverence that the confession has. Really interesting post. There are definitely some cultural issues at play, although I wonder how much of it is driven more by pandering to otaku fetishes vs. a broader cultural element. E.g., would the average non-anime watching Japanese person find the relationships in Sailor Moon, Canaan, Cardcaptor weird?

The idea of the “confession” feels most definitely Japanese though. Or perhaps east-Asian, because it’s also present in Korean dramas and comedies I’ve seen. I suppose there’s a parallel in American tv, what with the asking of the first date, but that doesn’t seem to have the same level of importance and reverence that the confession has.

]]> By: Liza http://animeyume.com/blog/2009/11/03/the-strangeness-and-ambiguity-of-love-in-anime/#comment-98345 Liza Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:18:49 +0000 http://animeyume.com/blog/?p=857#comment-98345 I agree with everything you said. Many relationships in animes are left for the viewer's interpetation. I guess it's up the viewer to figure out what they think is a true romantic relationship and not. I agree with everything you said. Many relationships in animes are left for the viewer’s interpetation. I guess it’s up the viewer to figure out what they think is a true romantic relationship and not.

]]>