From: ken@austin.ibm.com
Subject: Sex/violence in anime? (Re: Japanimation reviews con't (may contain SPOILERS))
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 23:22:07 GMT
Reply-To: ken@austin.ibm.com
Organization: IBM Austin

Kevin.Kline@ofa123.fidonet.org posts:

# OK OK OK... I know that there is Lesbian character in "Roseanne" (for
#American TV example) but there is never any actuall kissing or anything
sexual 

That's where you are WRONG, bucko. You obviously missed the "Roseanne"
Christmas episode that had Sandra Bernhard and Morgan Fairchild
under the mistletoe.

Not to mention the famous "L.A. Law" kiss.

Not to mention the gay men *in bed* on "thirty something."

#done like in the one Japanimation I saw where 2 girls were KISSING each other 
#at the beginning and in bed with each other!!! 

(sarcasm on) Oh GROSS! Isn't that just sick? Two girls kissing!
Yuck yuck yuck!
(sarcasm off)

Grow up, O.K.? I'm not here to be Mr. P.C., or defend anybody, but
you seem like a bit homophobic. What would you do if you saw that
"2 girls were KISSING each other" in a restaurant? Tell them it's
gross? Make a scene? I'm straight and one of the most irreverant,
non-PC people I know (some would call me "tasteless"), but I'm not
gonna just sit there and make fun of somebody or say "GROSS OUT!"

# I for one just don't want to see animation go into the garbage can with
#lesbians kissing each other.

Let's see - gay people are depicted on network TV, cable TV, and movies,
but animation is some sacred temple that shouldn't be violated? Right...

Think about it this way: there's a lot of crappy animation, both made
for U.S. distribution and made as "anime." There are some gems, but
like anything there's garbage. Go to any video store and see how much
crap they have. See how many times you say, "Why would anyone rent
movie Z?" "Why would anyone rent movie Y?"

Well, some crap anime will inevitably make it to the U.S. It won't
all be some socially-conscious, traditional values, non-violent
(a la Disney) story-telling. I was surprised "Project A-Ko" was
released here - I thought it was the worst anime I'd seen to date.
I just didn't like it. I liked "Fist of the North Star," but the
production was not as slick - the animation was pretty weak.
Now don't flame me, I'm just pointing out that every individual
will find something that is, in their humble opinion, crap.

Now, think about the small list of titles that have been released
in the U.S. *at all*! By Streamline, AnimEigo, U.S. Manga Corps, 
etc. Think about the few places that even carry this stuff - I've
never seen any at a major chain like Blockbuster, only smaller
specialty or mom-and-pop stores. Now think about the average yo-yo
who goes to rent a movie - are Mr. and Mrs. America really likely
to rent "Windaria" or "Castle Caglistro"? No. Why?

1. The small number of stores that carry anime.
2. The small number of the general public (not people looking for
   specialty stuff or LD's, just regular people) who go to these
   stores - why do you think the chain stores are growing?
3. The notion that "That's little kids stuff."

So most of the American public is not going to see anime at all!
Unless someone stumbles upon it, or are introduced to it by
friends, or happen to see a snippet on T.V. (thank heaven for
Liquid Television!), the only people who are going to rent it
are the anime fans.

Now, some OVA's and series and shows have been mentioned that
haven't even been released in the U.S. yet. Fans beg/borrow/steal
tapes and circulate them. Some of it is crap. Some is radically
violent. Some is porno. But it's all really come into the U.S.
illicitly (I didn't use illegally here on purpose), so you really
can't fault the AnimEigos and Streamlines of the world for this.

Lastly, quit being so ethnocentric! Anime was made in Japan for
the Japanese. Would you expect to eat prime rib in India? Does
it disgust you that the Japanese eat raw fish, seaweed, and
other things you don't readily find on the average American
dinner table (right by the proverbial apple pie, no less)?

The simple solution is not to watch it. You were never intended 
to watch it in the first place. You're not part of the original
target audience. TURN IT OFF OR SUFFER, BUT QUIT BMC'ING!

And learn to spell porno (not "prono").


=============================================================
THIS POSTING DOES NOT REPRESENT THE OPINIONS OF MY EMPLOYERS.
-------------------------------------------------------------
"The killer awoke before dawn, he put his clown shoes on, and
             he ... flopped on down the hall..."
=============================================================