From: eaiu146@orion.oac.uci.edu (Larry Mann)
Subject: Oh, for God's sake!!  (was Anime Expo '93)  [Warning: mild flame]
Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime
Organization: University of California, Irvine
Date: 14 Sep 92 04:17:20 GMT


I've had enough of this, and I need to say my peace.  I apologize in
advance to anyone who is easily offended.

[Flame on >]

To everyone who has been part of the '93 Project:

	You have all blown it, big time.  None of you really ever gave
a damn about the fans; everything I heard was all talk and no honesty.
You know, you remind me of the candidates in this election.  They hype
about certain things but don't provide workable solutions to deal with
a real problem.  You say you have the best interests of the fans at
heart.  If so, why do you continue to backstab each other and treat us
like shit?

	When I go to an anime convention, I want to have an experience
that's not overshadowed by corporate hotheads glaring at each other and
trying to figure the best way to weasel out a profit, even if that
means the fans, the people who are here because they want to have fun,
are given a totally unfair deal.

	In the process of doing what you have done, you have ruined
everything that's been worked for up to now, and probably done
irreparable damage to our image in Japan.  You have sought a profit
at our expense, and you would rather fight each other instead of
trying to promote a more positive image of our genre in the mainstream.
So long as you continue this bickering, both Japan and America will
consider us a bunch of losers.  I ask you this: how can I hope to
sell my artwork if it is recognized as coming from a group that is "a
bunch of losers?"

	To the anime community in general: I propose that we take a
step that has happened on the national and [California] state levels:
CLEAN THE HOUSE.  Perhaps it's time for new leaders to take command,
perhaps it's time to bring in fresh talent which is worthy of respect
both in Japan and here.  Or at the very least, see to it that our
existing leadership cleans up its act in a big way.  We cannot trust
anyone who insists on putting their own interests ahead of the fans,
and that includes the business people who market our genre at
substandard quality.  I've heard the argument that the American
public expects something of lesser quality in animated media, and
to that I say: that argument is a crock of shit.  This material is
high quality storytelling and filmmaking, and should be portrayed
as such, not shrugged off like media for non-intelligent humans.

	Mr. Medinnus, and everyone who has "resigned in disgust":
your actions are reminding me of all the voters nationwide who said
they would not vote.  This will accomplish absolutely nothing.  If
anything you will leave the situation in the hands of those who
will support the exact same people you do not wish to deal with.
You may have made public your feelings on the situation, but what
do you intend to DO about it?  By resigning you gave up a lot of
your power to do anything.

	I've said it time and again to various parties: DO NOT LOSE
SIGHT OF THE FANS!  Why do you insist on treating us like trash and
working towards your own self-serving goals without real regard to
anime fandom!?  I can understand the desire to gain power and
recognition; I would like very much to have some of that myself.
But this is getting way out of hand.  You've dropped nukes on each
other and left us to die in the fallout.  It's WRONG!!

	I hope for all our sakes I never see the day when I am
ashamed to call myself an anime fan.  But with the way things are
going, that day is liable to arrive sooner than I think.

	Please, everyone, work this shit out and get us back in
a good situation.  I'm tired of all this bullshit.

[Flame off.]


Guys, it has to be dealt with.  Comments and *honest* followups would
be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

- Larry Mann  [.sig missing; replacement ordered]