Just thinking, do we really want anime to become mainstream in the west?

[I.R Joey]

Another topic from the IGN anime boards. But I guess it can kinda go for serious America cartoons as well.


I mean the law of averages seems to show that when something becomes popular, a greater demographic must be satesfied, and it begins to inevitably suck. I mean if companies in Japan need to start appealing to people in other parts of the world, instead of just jappanesse people (which most anime is targeted at) a primary element of what we call anime may disappear (you know like the quirky Jappanesse humor)

And then we'll have the ignorant parents who will place a copy of some DVD/VHS in their kids hands saying "oh a nice cartoon for them to watch, now I don't need to hire a babysitter" and then be shocked, and cry foul to congress when they here a charecter cuss, or when they see someone die or bleed. Then a bunch of soccer moms come after anime, and no matter how much people like us try and explain it to them, they refuse to think that a cartoon can "not" be targeted at kids. They then go on a tangent about how these companies are trying to corrupt America's youth (sorta like the music industry) and then congress comes in with all kinds of new rules and regulations. So I'm thinking maybe its best that anime (and I don't mean DBZ, Pokemon, and the other Toonami stuff though they have their place) is still relatively under the radar?

[Calhoun07]

I think if it went "mainstream" by the way fans want it to be mainstream, then the pre conceptions we worry about now with soccer moms (heheeehe) getting their knickers in a bundle over these cartoons would be a non issue, because the point of them being mainstream would mean they would be taken at face value, as are all live action movies today. People as a whole would know a great deal more about animation so they would know what to steer their kids away from. And has this type of thing been a problem in the past? Do we have records of parents putting in Akira or Twin Angels for their kids and then turning around and getting all upset over the sex and violence?

So, in response to your question, yeah, I want it to be mainstream. I want there to be a better market for serious anime titles to get great theatrical exposure here, and at the same time people will take them as seriously as they would any live action movie, and they wouldn't have any preconceptions of it. If it became popular over night, yeah, you'd have problems with movie studios trying to make it appeal to the lowest common denominator, but if people are turned onto animation one by one, as I suggested in my recent Matrix thread, then I think over time it could be mainstream and it wouldn't be seen as a sudden fad.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

One half of it already is mainstream--kid's anime. The "adult" half of anime is fighting the same fight all "adult" animation has to do.

[Psycho Fox]

Well right now I can walk into a number of stores and pick up Anime DVD's what I would like is to be able to do the same with European animation do you know how hard it is to get a Watership down plushe on this side of the alantic. So for me I would like to have this industry more global where it is easy to get animation no mater where it was made.

[Calhoun07]

Thanks for reminding us about European animation. I think the only European animation movie I own right now is Fantastic Planet. I read about quite a few I'd like to see (and our own resident Fish has been a great source for some of that material on these boards!).

[I.R Joey]

I haven't seen much European animation myself, unless you count Sherlock homes in the 22nd century, which I sorta liked.

[Psycho Fox]

Originally posted by calhoun07
Thanks for reminding us about European animation. I think the only European animation movie I own right now is Fantastic Planet. I read about quite a few I'd like to see (and our own resident Fish has been a great source for some of that material on these boards!).

My absolute favorite cartoon from europe is Night Hood you can go here to find out more about but in short it is about a retired clever burgular in the 30s that since he is rich he goes off and fights wrong. My only problems with it is they mediocre animation quality and and Kelly Kincaid doesn't look very uhhh feminine. For the some time I wondered what would happen if Batman and Arsène Lupin tried to out smart each other

[Fish]

Aye folks.

This following pictures are from the Danish cartoon Valhalla. It was made back in 1986 and was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid.




The Valhalla comic homepage

Another cartoon I have mentioned before is the movie " Help I'm Fish" from where my current avatar is from.


help i'm a fish's english homepage

Another danish production, Jungledyret Hugo, which I have found out was called Jungle Jim in english (eek!)



...there is also a sequal to this movie "Hugo, the big moviestar"


Then there is Asterix and Obelix (belgian I think)...I love those movies!


And then there is TinTin, Another belgian cartoon



well I hope all these pictures will show up...sorry for the loading time...

<>< F I S H ><>

[Psycho Fox]

I mostly watch UK and French animation for Europe. I would like to see animation from other European countries but it is hard to get a hold of.