Anime and Adult


Ad: Buy Girls Und Panzer Merch from Play Asia!
I was at my Dad's place a few weeks ago for the Holidays, and was watching an episode of Ghost in the Shell 2nd Gig (on a freaking 100" High-def set with high-end surround sound!!! WOOT!! [sorry, I geek out about that kind of thing
tongue.gif
]), with my younger brother-in-law-in-all-but-name. It's late at night, and my dear Father came down to wish me goodnight. He sees the intro to the show (in all it's hardcore techno glory!), and says, "Oh, so you're watching some of your cartoons". A little part of me dies inside, and I say "yup". He then sees about 1 minute of the show (I think there was a 1-minute philosophical discussion, followed by this guys head getting graphically blown to smithereens). He shrugged a little, then walked upstairs to sleep without saying a word.

I'm not exactly sure what went through his head. He knows the stuff I watch isn't meant for 10-year-olds (despite my younger brother-in-law-in-all-but-name watching it with me
laugh.gif
), but neither did he really show any interest in it. Maybe it's just because he doesn't like violent shows.
tongue.gif


Oh! The worst question I've ever heard was when a buddy of me asked, "So, what's the storyline of animes?", as if all animes were a genre, as opposed to a medium (anime is an animation style, right? The awesome subject matter are all a result of the minds of Japan, right?). He also said, "Dang, why are 90% of anime characters females with huge breasts?" Couldn't argue with him about that.
tongue.gif


But I guess anime isn't for everyone, the same way reality-tv shows aren't for everyone (reality tv?
ohmy.gif
Gross!!!).
 
QUOTE (khael @ Nov 20 2007, 06:58 PM) The animation itself and the immediate story is childish i think, but there are some underlying issues and morals that only us mature viewers can understand/appreciate and not the kiddies. So that allows us to enjoy anime to a much more deeper extent, i think. I think that's what he was trying to say.
Even full metal alchemist has some deep meaning and same with death note.
 
I think adults don't really shun anime as a whole.
There are some genres which will appeal to adults as well.
Ghost Hound and such.
I'm thinking when they see animes(Most of them being about high-school life) they'll think it's for kids.
But, when you introduce them to animes with deep psychological issues, like Ghost in the shell and such like, I'm sure they'll appreciate it.
Even american movie directors like Richard Linklater, Wachowski Brothers, Quentin Tarantino get inspirations from Animes. And they're directors who make Cult movies which generally get a huge number of followers(mostly adults).
 
QUOTE (maqubex @ Jan 01 2008, 03:17 AM)I think adults don't really shun anime as a whole.
There are some genres which will appeal to adults as well.
Ghost Hound and such.
I'm thinking when they see animes(Most of them being about high-school life) they'll think it's for kids.
But, when you introduce them to animes with deep psychological issues, like Ghost in the shell and such like, I'm sure they'll appreciate it.
Even american movie directors like Richard Linklater, Wachowski Brothers, Quentin Tarantino get inspirations from Animes. And they're directors who make Cult movies which generally get a huge number of followers(mostly adults).


Yeah, but when I think of those directors I think that they normally don't think inside the box. They don't cater to the main "big bux" of Hollywood and that style. So of course they will lean to other genres for inspiration.

Also, you first have to get the said "adults" down to actually watch it. It's the sitting down and getting them to agree to do it that's the hard part. Because they are already set in their way of thinking. My mom is always wondering what I'm watching, so it's not too hard. Pretty much, if it draws her interest she'll watch it. I like alot of the everyday, silly anime like Azumanga Diaoh and Strawberry Marshmallow, but my mom is not a big fan of all the face faults. But she did like My Neighbors the Yamadas that was produced by Studio Ghibli and she absolutely adores Howl's Moving Castle.
 
Hmm, I think it's because most adult these days lack experience in watching anime. If people only watch anime in a glance or for a few minutes, 90% of them won't be interested at all. Really, most people not get absorbed to even the most popular anime if they don't at least finish an episode. I have a friend who hates anime like hell except naruto (haha, typical), but one day he got nothing to do and just watch my anime collection, and u know what, after an episode he just can't stop watching another.
 
Most people outside Japan associate animation with Disney or cartoons like Tom and Jerry and will automatically assume the show is for kids. Popular series like Pokemon and Digimon does not help peoples' attitudes towards anime as it reinforces the idea that anime only caters to kids. One example I can think of that illustrates my point was when my parents came and saw I was watching Ninja Scroll. They just thought it was some kids show until they saw this rock guy tearing people apart (quite literaly) and were completely shocked!

Speaking of oldish anime films I remember my dad coming into my room late at night while me and a mate were watching Wicked City (this was years ago). I switched the tape off almost immediately because he came just as were a sexually explicit scene (does anyone remember the spider woman in it). I was quite young then (10ish) so I didn't want him to see us watching that!
 
Pfft. WTF. I'm 32 and I f*&^ing love anime... Alway will. And uh, my mom loves Akira and all the Miyazaki stuffs too. My ex gf's mom watches all sorts of anime with her (and with us when I was still there), including Naruto, Avatar, Inuyasha, Bleach, Ghost in the Shell, Full Metal Alchemist, and plenty more. Also her aunt and uncle own pretty much every single damned anime DVD movie and series ever released, including Japanese only releases. And they both speak Japanese fluently
tongue.gif
(And no, they're not azn.)
 
in the west most adfults have mainly only experience cartoons made by western society which are aimed at kids as either marketting ploys or just chiuldrens entertainment, thus a great many do not realise their IS a difference between anime and other cartoons
 
QUOTE (aquaspirit39 @ Jul 08 2007, 03:41 PM) Today I want to open a topic...I do not know whether you all have experience the same thing or not but I am wondering why cant adut come to appreciate anime...

Geez...when I try talk my way out of them...they will keep saying "When you become adult you will understand" or something like that...well(do not include the hentai anime though)...Do you think that I will come to understand just as my parent says? Even my friend who is just two years older say so....
sad.gif

Its all about frame of refrence. Most adults didn't watch nearly as much TV as kids do now. Thus they probably watched even less animation. Its probably why they don't get it. Myself (34), grew up watching Saturday moring cartoons. I love anime. Heck with a few minor exceptions I'd rather watch most anime series than the live action / sitcom crap that is on the tv right now. I know that this is because of the influences in my life at a young age. If I didn't watch all those morning and afternoon cartoons growing up, I'd probably not appreate anime today.
 
I'm 34 and I love anime. In fact I started getting into anime about 8 years ago and I was already an adult then. I really don't think age has much to do with it. Some people are willing to give it a try and maybe they like it, or maybe they don't. Then there are others who just won't even give it a chance. I think you'll find that in any age group.
 
I'm 28 and i grew up watching anime and so does my girlfriend. Only now because we are an adults do we have more time to watch anime, and a writers strike that just ended helped too. More so now because I don't have the restrictions that I had when I was a kid.
 
it should be more like parent's do get anime, because from different time then them. I'm 23 almost 24 (so considered adult...go fig
tongue.gif
) but if I watch something like samuria jack my mom like what the hell how can you stand watching something that looks like that (not realistic looking). It's like when you look at different art work some people just don't get modern art...yeah i rambled
 
I grew up in an artistic background for instance; drawing, painting and sculpting, and my parents are more accepting of things anime. Mostly based on the fact they were exposed to different types of art as i was growing up. I believe it's more because of the parents background.
 
Sometimes i feel that older people or adults are usually closed minded they believe that they are always right just because they are older than us. For example my dad always tells me that he is experienced in life and i should listen to him but if i did that i would probably get beat up everyday(he wants me to get to know teachers, dress more formally etc so you get the point).
 
QUOTE (haseeb @ Feb 17 2008, 11:26 PM) Sometimes i feel that older people or adults are usually closed minded they believe that they are always right just because they are older than us. For example my dad always tells me that he is experienced in life and i should listen to him but if i did that i would probably get beat up everyday(he wants me to get to know teachers, dress more formally etc so you get the point).
xD...
I'm at a loss for words on this one.

I'm a 19 year old University student, and as I grew up through middle/high school, I got to know my teachers and got A's because of it. I dressed nice, and had girls hitting on me because of it. And I never got picked on because people knew that just because I dressed nice and talked to my teacher, I wasn't a kid to mess with. All my friends were the same way, and my 'group' practically ruled the school. Now in University I'm much more...introverted, but either way, I just felt I'd throw out there that sometimes your parents actually know what they're talking about...


Anyway~
My parents never really got at me because of my tendency to watch anime. When I first started getting into it, they did, until I talked to them about the kind of stuff I watched, and showed them some stuff - now they accept it and life goes on. Was kind of funny because when I visited this Uni back when I was trying to decide where to go, there was an anime-con going on; and my parents were like "OMG, you have to go here, you'll fit right in!" xD Was pretty funny. Unfortunately, the con (called Momo-con), is being held Spring Break every year, and so far I haven't had a chance to attend because I've been doing things during Spring Break (and will be doing things again this year T_T).

Every now and then my parents refer to what I watch as 'cartoons' but I let it go and don't bother. It doesn't really matter, and I couldn't care less what they called it.
 
QUOTE Every now and then my parents refer to what I watch as 'cartoons' but I let it go and don't bother. It doesn't really matter, and I couldn't care less what they called it.

It's more the culture I believe. I have friends that are the same way and they are younger that myself. Or it could be that they were neglected when they were young.
 
QUOTE (KittenEatCorpse @ Feb 18 2008, 11:58 AM) It's more the culture I believe. I have friends that are the same way and they are younger that myself. Or it could be that they were neglected when they were young.
More exactly, people outside this area don't need to make the distinction between American animated series and Japanese animated series.
A bit like somebody will say "I don't like sport" instead of "I don't like football".

Moreover, the lines between American animated series and Japanese animated series are blurry.
First, as said before, all the comical cartoons like The simpsons, Daria, South Park, Family guy, Beavis and Butthead are aimed at grown-ups (not always adults, but not children).
Second, it's hard to classify cartons like Jayce and the wheeled warriors, GI Joe, Thundercats, MASK (on the American side) or Ulysses 31, The mysterious cities of gold, Spartakus and the sun beneath the sea or the various Once upon a time... (one the European side). And it doesn't make me feel younger.
sad.gif
 
As an adult who watches anime, I just want to ask that younger people don't fall into the 'us versus them' type of thinking. Particularly because there ARE older people here. And who wants to be characterized as ignorant and intolerant?

I think a lot of adults "stay in the closet" because a good portion of the kids who love anime look at us like we're the ones who are abnormal. And make fun of us. So what if someone is 40 and goes to a convention dressed up as a character? What's the big deal? I think the more the merrier and hey, wouldn't it be cool if anime helped bridge the generation gap?
 
Well i know of a few(but some) older people(50+) that i introduced anime to and one of them keeps up with it pretty well, which is my grandma. but she is also open minded and did not pass judgement till the end of it... so i think it is more accepted by open minded people because in this(and around this) generation we find more open minded people than we do in the past(even though they do exist)...
 
QUOTE So what if someone is 40 and goes to a convention dressed up as a character? What's the big deal?

I completely agree with you. Really what is the big deal? I do feel that some people shouldn't wear spandex or anything of the likes to conventions (myself included) but doesn't have anything to do with age.

Animes and mangas evolve further because of who enjoys it. Age only brings perspective.
 
Playasia - Play-Asia.com: Online Shopping for Digital Codes, Video Games, Toys, Music, Electronics & more
Back
Top