Animegate

Animegate was a series of controversies in the English-speaking anime fandom. The event is named for Gamergate, and shares similar throughlines of conflict over diversity/representation, feminism, and the #metoo movement.
== 2018 ==
Know Your Meme counts the January 2018 English release of Goblin Slayer as the first part of Animegate.Know Your Meme: "Animegate" (last updated April 5, 2019) The first episode was posted with what many felt was an inappropriately low rating, as it contained both graphic violence and an onscreen rape scene. Some fans spoke up regarding their discomfort with the way the onscreen rape was sexualized, while others felt they were jumping to conclusions and missing the point of the scene.MyAnimeList Forum Discussion: "Does Goblin Slayer deserve all the hate?" (posted by HauntedDoll77 and others starting on Nov. 29, 2018)Reddit: r/CharacterRant: "Why is the rape scene in Goblin Slayer making people squeamish?" (posted by Indigoveil on Dec 30, 2018) 
The year 2018 was also marked by several conflicts over translation. In March, a joke in the Funimation dub of Ms. Kobayashi's Dragon Maid changed a character's remark about how dressing more modestly didn't divert male attention to one about the character being forced to conform to patriarchal standards, leaving some fans frustrated with a perceived SJW bias in the company.GameFAQs Forums: "Man, what the f*** is up with FUNI's dub Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid" (posted by WellKnownNomad and others starting March 16, 2018) In November, the 8th episode of the anime Zombie Land Saga revealed that one of the characters was a trans girl; again, some fans suspected that this was a mistranslation fueled by SJW biases.Medium: "Are SJWs Taking Over Anime?" (posted by Anthony Gramgulla on November 26, 2018) 
== 2019 ==
=== Vic Mignogna Misconduct Allegations ===
On January 16, 2019 (the same day as the Dragonball Super: Broly movie's US premiere (which featured Vic Mignogna playing Broly)Anime News Network: "Dragon Ball Super: Broly Film is 1st Anime to Screen in IMAX in U.S."(posted by Karen Ressler on Jan 9, 2019), Twitter user hanleia posted a thread:
None of these allegations were particularly new; similar opinions had been shared online as early as 2011. Reddit: Reply to "Anyone here have any bad experiences meeting any Anime Voice actor/actresses?" (posted by KinkyCreamPuff on Aug 29, 2011) However, in the wake of the #metoo movement, this post gained more traction than others, especially after it was retweeted by voice actress Monica Rial. Over the next week, Rial and another voice actress, Jamie Marchi, alleged that Mignogna sexually harassed them. Several other fans shared stories of times they felt uncomfortable around him. At the same time, Mignogna's fan club, the Risembool Rangers, rallied in defense of their favorite voice actors. Many otherwise uninvolved fans shared their opinions on the quality of the evidence, and made judgements on the topic.The Dallas Morning News: "Anime gets its #MeToo moment in clash between Dallas-area voice actors" (posted by Sharon Grigsby on Aug 3, 2019)
==== #KickVic vs. #IStandWithVic ====
==== Court Battles and "The Threadnought" ====
In February 2019, Mignogna made public his intention to take legal action regarding the allegations made against him, and said that "a friend" had set up a GoFundMe for his legal expenses. Twitter: "Words cannot express the depth of my gratitude..." (posted by Vic Mignogna on February 20, 2019) The resulting GoFundMe, given the name "Vic Kicks Back," was set up by Ty Beard of Texas law firm Beard & Harris.GoFundMe: "Vic Kicks Back" (posted by Ty Beard Febrary 19, 2019) Also involved was Minnesota lawyer and Youtuber Nick Rekieta, who was not able to participate directly in the lawsuit due to not being licensed to practice in Texas.Reddit: "[Anime | LawTwitter Weeb War I: How a Sex Pest Voice Actor took on LawTwitter"] (posted October 20, 2019 by u/A_Crazy_Canadian)
Mignogna's legal strategy focused on framing the allegations against him as defamatory. However, many of the specific charges were fairly weak from a legal standpoint, and observers began to allege that what Mignogna was doing qualified as "strategic lawsuits against public participation," commonly known as SLAPP. In SLAPP lawsuits, the goal is not to win the case, but to intimidate the accused defamer into silence via repeated, expensive lawsuits.The Verge: "Anime trolls tried to silence a #MeToo campaign with legal threats — and got shut down hard" (posted by Meredith Rose on September 18, 2019)
In addition to being the home of Funimation Entertainment, Texas is the US state with the strongest anti-SLAPP laws. This, coupled with several irregularities in the initial filings, attracted the attention of law experts outside of anime fandom. Most notable among these was T. Greg Doucette, a North Carolina lawyer and podcast host who used his Twitter to comment on the case. Ty Beard was unamused by his criticism, and encouraged Mignogna's supporters to "make him miserable;" in response, fans doxxed him and left numerous bad reviews on his law firm's Google page. Undaunted, Doucette continued commentating on the case as it developed, resulting in a massive Twitter thread that he and others referred to as "The Threadnought."
=== Todd Haberkorn Misconduct Allegations ===
=== The Rising of the Shield Hero ===
The Rising of the Shield Hero anime also sparked controversy, as the main character, Naofumi, is falsely accused of rape early in its run and then goes on to purchase several slaves, one of whom eventually becomes his romantic interest. Some fans were very concerned about the messages contained in this work, while others insisted it was good and that they needed to give it more of a chance. Anime News Network Forum: "Ep Review: The Rising of the Shield Hero" (started Sat. Jan 19, 2019) The series premiered in January, prompting fans who disbelieved the allegations against Mignogna to make comparisons between him and Naofumi. Youtube: "Rising of the Shield Hero Resonates With The Vic Mignogna Drama" (posted by MrSEN on Feb 15, 2019)One fan even made a Change.org petition to have him cast as Naofumi.Change.org: "Vic Mignogna to voice Naofumi in Rising of the Shield Hero Dub" (posted by Nahlon Itsuki on Feb 12, 2019)
== 2020 and After ==
== Additional Reading ==
== References ==
Category:Anime & Manga Fandom
Category:2018 Events
Category:2019 Events