The Quality of Anime: Has it Really Declined?

[TheVileOne]

There seems to be an argument here that anime has degraded because of too much fanservice. But I mean the fan service and girls with huge busts has been around forever.

Anyone remember Gatchaman? When it became Battle of the Planets, what they took out was how much of an utter dirty pervert Junpei was. Ken Washio had women throwing themselves at him while he generally ignored it like an idiot when he should've been stoking a clipper and being back for breakfast Ace Rimmer style with the ladies and Jun.

Lupin The 3rd? Fujiko, one of the hottest anime femmes ever.

Anime has always had this kind of odd sexuality to it. But I mean do the Tenchi fans dislike Tenchi Muyo because he has about a billion women including his aunt, cousins, and GRANDMOTHER that want to have you know what with him?

 

[Lynxara]

There seems to be an argument here that anime has degraded because of too much fanservice. But I mean the fan service and girls with huge busts has been around forever.

It's a lot more pronounced now, though. There are frequently multiple shows on-air that really serve no purpose beyond trying to sell merchandise of the girls. Even Tenchi was basically trying to offer some romantic escapism to lonely guys, but many "romances" don't even bother with the token guy anymore.

 

[TheVileOne]

It's a lot more pronounced now, though. There are frequently multiple shows on-air that really serve no purpose beyond trying to sell merchandise of the girls. Even Tenchi was basically trying to offer some romantic escapism to lonely guys, but many "romances" don't even bother with the token guy anymore.

I mean where's the lacking in romantic escapism in the fan service? People are raving about this new show Tora Dora. The original source material actually won some prolific writing awards in Japan. But is Tora Dora bad because there's a multiple school girl element to it and there's merch for it?

But what's wrong with the merchandise?

 

[OtakuX]

What I don't get is why so many people hate loli. It's one thing to not be interested in it, but lots of people seem to think FANS of loli stuff are horrible people with no taste. I've never seen people hate something so much.

 

[Roman Legion]

Higurashi? Then again, Higurashi's violence isn't sexualized.

Higurashi's source material also dates back to, what, 2001 or 2002? Even if the anime adaptation wasn't that long ago, I'd consider the original idea much to early to be a recent example of mixing moe with guro. Dokuro-chan, perhaps? Blegh.

--Romey

 

[garfield15]

What I don't get is why so many people hate loli. It's one thing to not be interested in it, but lots of people seem to think FANS of loli stuff are horrible people with no taste. I've never seen people hate something so much.

I don't really get it either. I guess it goes with the misguided perception that all people into anime are total perverts and the people into loli are just another nail to drive into the issue since they think they will or already are pedos or something like that. As for other anime fans who criticize those into loli...I really don't have an answer.

 

[GWOtaku]

What I don't get is why so many people hate loli. It's one thing to not be interested in it, but lots of people seem to think FANS of loli stuff are horrible people with no taste. I've never seen people hate something so much.

I have a major problem with childlike designs being portrayed in a suggestive manner. Not okay. There's a reason they cover for it by usually making loli characters about 16 officially, instead of how old they actually would be if it made sense.

 

[OtakuX]

I have a major problem with childlike designs being portrayed in a suggestive manner. Not okay. There's a reason they cover for it by usually making loli characters about 16 officially, instead of how old they actually would be if it made sense.

But that's my point, I don't see why people find it to be a problem.

 

[Kaiser0120]

But that's my point, I don't see why people find it to be a problem.

Because they're trying to pass of pedophilia by saying that these little girls aren't really little girls, they're just drawn that way.

It's disgusting and it has no place in the mainstream media. Keep that to the 18+ manga racks where it belongs.

 

[OtakuX]

Because they're trying to pass of pedophilia by saying that these little girls aren't really little girls, they're just drawn that way.

It's disgusting and it has no place in the mainstream media.

Did you ever think calling it disgusting might offend people? Pedophilia isn't a choice, just like any other sexual preference. Pedophilia isn't a crime. Child Molestation, Rape, and Possesion of Child Porn are crimes. Just because someone is attracted to children doesn't mean they're going to act on it. It IS possible for someone to obey the law. A legal alternative, like loli, is just fine.

 

[Kaiser0120]

Did you ever think calling it disgusting might offend people? Pedophilia isn't a choice, just like any other sexual preference. Pedophilia isn't a crime. Child Molestation, Rape, and Possesion of Child Porn are crimes. Just because someone is attracted to children doesn't mean they're going to act on it. It IS possible for someone to obey the law. A legal alternative, like loli, is just fine.

Listen, what someone does in their own time, alone, is their business. If a guy finds children sexually attractive but has no physical or mental impulse to actually touch a child that overrides their common sense, then that is their deal. However, projecting that child sexuality is acceptable in the media is just unattractive and immoral to me. There shouldn't be T.V. shows about little girls in tight, revealing outfits. I don't care if they remind us every other minute their 17, they're still showing off the asses and thighs of 12 year olds.

 

[KarlOlson]

Pre-emptive cool it off before the thread implodes, though my experience is that noone reads in-thread pokes.​

-Karl Olson
Head Anime Forum Mod

 

[Alucard]

Did you ever think calling it disgusting might offend people? Pedophilia isn't a choice, just like any other sexual preference. Pedophilia isn't a crime. Child Molestation, Rape, and Possesion of Child Porn are crimes. Just because someone is attracted to children doesn't mean they're going to act on it. It IS possible for someone to obey the law. A legal alternative, like loli, is just fine.

While I hate loli and shotacon I do agree that it shouldn't be a crime. I'm personally disgusted that in Ohio a man has been arrested simply for owning Yaoi which features androgynous characters. I wouldn't want to be arrested for my Yaoi collection, so I understand how Loli fans feel, even if it does kinda... Creep me out.

What annoys me is all this Loli stuff is sneaking into the kinda shows I like. You can have your Moe and your Loli stuff, but I don't want it in my Mecha and Sci Fi shows. This fetisization rarely, if ever adds anything to the show (other than doujinshi sales)

 

[OtakuX]

While I hate loli and shotacon I do agree that it shouldn't be a crime. I'm personally disgusted that in Ohio a man has been arrested simply for owning Yaoi which features androgynous characters. I wouldn't want to be arrested for my Yaoi collection, so I understand how Loli fans feel, even if it does kinda... Creep me out.

What annoys me is all this Loli stuff is sneaking into the kinda shows I like. You can have your Moe and your Loli stuff, but I don't want it in my Mecha and Sci Fi shows. This fetisization rarely, if ever adds anything to the show (other than doujinshi sales)

I like it in mech or sci fi shows, as long as they don't over do it. It adds diversity to the characters, but if it's not a loli or moe show, there don't need to be a bunch of such characters. Seems like most shows have one, and that's not a problem.

 

[Alucard]

I don't think its adds diversity, or adds anything, especially since it doesn't happen in any non anime sci fi. Its not like Dr Who ever had a latex wearing 12 year old sisekick, and Kirk was never married to a 12 year old Alien princess And they never needed to be either.

 

[Mynd Hed]

I'm personally disgusted that in Ohio a man has been arrested simply for owning Yaoi which features androgynous characters.

What? When was this? Link, please.

 

[Classic Speedy]

What? When was this? Link, please.

It was an Iowa man, actually. Follow-up story.

 

[OtakuX]

I don't think its adds diversity,

How can you think it doesn't add diversity? Not LIKING it is one thing, but isn't having characters who are different the definition of diversity? and if most of the characters are standard anime 16-24 age, isn't having a 12 year old different from the rest of them?

 

[Alucard]

How can you think it doesn't add diversity? Not LIKING it is one thing, but isn't having characters who are different the definition of diversity? and if most of the characters are standard anime 16-24 age, isn't having a 12 year old different from the rest of them?

Ok fine, its diverse, but its not good. It doesn't add anything to the cast, and I've never seen it happen where it wasn't annoying. It was even annoying in the 80's mecha stuff when there would be the signature kids on the spaceship. Unless there's a good reason for children being in the show then I don't want to see it. Neither do I want to see women who sound and act like 5 year old girls, in a show which should be about mecha and sci fi (i.e. Ranka from Macross F)

 

[Kaiser0120]

How can you think it doesn't add diversity? Not LIKING it is one thing, but isn't having characters who are different the definition of diversity? and if most of the characters are standard anime 16-24 age, isn't having a 12 year old different from the rest of them?

Put a 12 year old in there, if they're appropriate for the storyline and show. However, I don't see how fanservice with a 12 year olds is acceptable in a mainstream show. What about us who don't find underaged children sexually attractive? What about us who do find it gross? I would go far and away to say we're the majority. Furthermore, the sexualization of children is immoral. If you want to see sexualized children, pick up a fetish manga, find one of those obscure OVAs on DVD.

But keep it out of the mainstream media, it has no place there. It degrades the quality of the programming for people who aren't watching it for those factors. If any of the Azumanga Daioh girls had been overtly sexualized, it would have really degraded the quality of the show for me. What if Yoko from Gurren Lagann had actually looked 14 and had the same clothes, revealing just as much? That would have been disturbing for a lot of people. I keep seeing more and more shows prominantly portraying sexualized children masquerading as legal by the mere mentioning of their obnoxiously impossible 'ages' and it's becoming increasingly harder to support my fandom or even enjoy a lot of it's content.

I hope this doesn't become a flame war, but that is my opinion on this. I don't mean to insult anyone while doing it, because again, I have no judgement or opinion on anyone who keeps their hands off of illegal material and actual children.