Posted by DarrenW
Good evening readers,
So today I decided to go on a random rambling about anime & manga, and generally the perceptions my immediate society has on the genre this website so proudly displays and discusses.
The Argument On Anime & Manga (Observations from a fellow Singaporean Otaku)
So Anime & Manga is a new genre of entertainment, an alternative to the mainstream cartoons that we watch on television, and in Singapore, just in its infancy, with a exponentially increasing number of viewers and fans.
Yes, an exponential increase, but by those who are not fans of this form of entertainment, for some reason, we are looked down upon, because this form of entertainment brings about negative connotations in their point of view.And why so? Well, because of these two outstanding arguments.
1. Anime & Manga is childish
To any person not watching anime or reading manga, the fact that a person watching cartoons and reading comics is generally very childish, just like what a 6 or 10 year old would do for entertainment, instead of watching mature films or adventuring into the outside.
I would like to strongly refute that argument. While it is certainly true that anime and manga are projected in the same way as cartoons and comics for children, the material inside is not. Certain, if not the majority, of animes catered for young teens and adults, do not carry the same light-hearted content. I might add, even carry materials that sometimes emulate real-life scenarios and along with it, life lessons that one can discover.
I would also like to argue that for those people who don't watch anime or read manga, that categorizing the them to the same level as the childish material is a thought which is simply naive and exemplifies a sense of ignorance. The fact that we watch what we watch and read what we read has a very definitive reason, of which, is that we recieve a great deal of satisfaction from having such media types presented before us. Some anime & manga teach you life skills, others, bring great humour, inspire us, create interesting topics for discussion and even make us feel special.
2. Anime & Manga carries sexually suggestive material (ECCHI & the likes)
The problematic issue brought about through the category of ECCHI are endless. Sadly though, the perverted nature of some animes cast doubt on the others, and members of society view such genres of entertainment as a demerit, of negative influence.
I do not disagree that the ECCHI genre does bring about the perverted nature in its viewers and followers, but the fault lies in categorising the entirety of anime & manga the same way. Not all animes have ECCHI, and the ones that don't are normally created by people who truly want to make an image in the world of entertainment, to create an honest, down to heart anime which is able to touch and inspire the life of others.
----------
Only at a late age of 16, did I realize what anime or manga was about. And after a hundred animes and manga volumes, I still hold the same ideal. I used to be one of those who looked down upon this genre, and boy was I wrong.
Anime and Manga has the ability to truly touch people in ways I couldn't have though imaginable. It is able to trigger emotions and incite beliefs. It also serves as a sociable topic whereby has became international, linking like-minded otakus alike. It has created a culture by itself, formed and forged by people such as you and me, fellow supporters and possible future promoters of this genre of entertainment.
I would like to end off by saying thank-you for reading my reviews. Though you may not totally agree with what I say, I still thank you for reading it. You are making a difference to me and our society.
And to those people who do not watch anime or manga, think twice before you make your remarks. Thank you.
DarrenW
WOW.
ReplyDeleteYou have made my day, and I shall forever respect you from this point onwards.
Continue to fight for us DarrenW!
I think the definition of "childish" is rapidly changing. Anime has been gradually perceived more as an art than a cartoon. Also science fiction and fantasy in media have become mainstream while they were considered "childish" in the past.
ReplyDeleteRegarding ecchi anime, I do believe some adults are more prone to dislike anime if you show them ecchi. Even me, as a long time anime fan, tend to dislike ecchi anime. It all depends on the series. If a series is ecchi but still maintains high production values and an engrossing story I think it still can appeal to a broad audience.
Hmm... I definitely agree with you on this. With the advancement of a few years give or take, anime has generally been regarded as a proper source of entertainment due to the large difference in quality and content. Though I am not sure of the situation in SG, I certainly feel that in my surroundings, more people are more acceptive of anime.
ReplyDeleteIt do understand it for a fact that it becomes annoying when people do make judgements on their own, because all of us love anime, right?
But with relation to ECCHI... Yea, I'm pretty much on the fence with that one.
Just my two cents' worth of adding on...
ReplyDeleteI find that anime is an alternative form of entertainment, like DarrenW said, just like how audiobooks/graphic novels/etc serve as alternative forms to present a plot like a book. While I cannot deny that most of the anime/manga I have seen appear to cater to the young below-25 group (and of course, not excluding those young at heart as well), there certainly are many mature topics covered by anime/manga. (clear example: hentai. no please don't judge me haha but I'm quite serious) If there's a demand, there will be a supply. (ooh, econs!)
But on a more contextual note, I honestly doubt that the "reputation" of anime/manga in Singapore can and/or will get significantly better than this. (also, I should stop before I ramble on about the government and I will suddenly vanish from existence as I am taken to a small and quiet cell to be interrogated for spreading "anti-government" sentiments and the like) Nonetheless, I genuinely hope that such stereotypes of anime/manga will be reduced, or even removed. After all, diversity is still important, no matter in entertainment or otherwise.