I'd love your views...

[Raz]

Alright, so I'm doing this project for my tenth grade moderation and its regarding the effect of animation on people.
So, as one of the first stages, I'd love to know what you guys yourself think! Give me your take on the case, generally speaking, how do you think watching anime/cartoons and the entire otaku/fanboy culture that it carries affects us?

I think I'm being a little vague, so I've made a few questions. I'd appreciate all the replies I get.


- What is it about anime/cartoons, animated entertainment in general that appeals to you?


- Do you think the purpose of viewing these shows/movies are restricted to entertainment, relief, passing time, etc?


- Does the media have an effect on you're attitude, or perspective on certain things? For example school life/work/family/friends/society


- Do they leave a cultural or social impact? What kind?


- Has it become an obsession, or is it still just recreation?


- Has it affected you into being reclusive or outgoing?


- At the end of the day, what is the significance of animated entertainment in your life, what does it mean to you?

[Kury Wagner]

I'm bored, I'll bite.

- What is it about anime/cartoons, animated entertainment in general that appeals to you?
Honestly, cartoons are pretty. They're aesthetically pleasing. The look draws me in, good writing keeps me watching.

- Do you think the purpose of viewing these shows/movies are restricted to entertainment, relief, passing time, etc?
Pretty much, yeah, it's for entertainment.

- Does the media have an effect on your attitude, or perspective on certain things? For example school life/work/family/friends/society
It's actually the opposite. Friends and family have a different view of me because of what I watch.

- Do they leave a cultural or social impact? What kind?
Some do, especially the adult-humour cartoons. Those cartoons changed the standards. I also believe that Japanese animation greatly changed how cartoons are acknowledged. Moreso now, animation is more of an art form than just something to keep kids busy.

- Has it become an obsession, or is it still just recreation?
Personally, just a pastime. I actually don't watch nearly as much animation as I did, say, last year. I've never felt obsessed, though.

- Has it affected you into being reclusive or outgoing?
Some types do both. Watching and being able to discuss the new Family Guy episode makes it easier to be outgoing, watching Ah! My Goddess... not so much. I've always felt like people draw away from me and my interests, rather than me escaping from them.

- At the end of the day, what is the significance of animated entertainment in your life, what does it mean to you?
It's an art form, to me. I appreciate it and respect it more than live-action television. Though it's not currently heavy in my life, it has been, and probably will be again.

[Kitschensyngk]

- What is it about anime/cartoons, animated entertainment in general that appeals to you?

1. I'm something of an art enthusiast.
2. Anime rushes in where North American cartoons fear to tread.
3. I'm a kid at heart.

The list goes on and on.

- Do you think the purpose of viewing these shows/movies are restricted to entertainment, relief, passing time, etc?

Animation for animation's sake. Just because you can. Because you like to watch something crazy.

These reasons and others may apply.

- Does the media have an effect on you're attitude, or perspective on certain things? For example school life/work/family/friends/society

For one thing, it's made me a lot easier to shop for on Christmas and birthdays.

- Do they leave a cultural or social impact? What kind?

Well, for starters, I've started to get into drawing.

- Has it become an obsession, or is it still just recreation?

A little escapism now and then is a good thing.

- Has it affected you into being reclusive or outgoing?

I've joined an anime club earlier this year and have even signed up for forums such as this. At least I know I'm not alone.

- At the end of the day, what is the significance of animated entertainment in your life, what does it mean to you?

It's given me an appreciation of art for art's sake and the importance of creative expression.

That and it fulfills my need to watch something crazy.

[Nightwing]

This looks like fun. I wouldn't mind providing some insight into my cranium.

- What is it about anime/cartoons, animated entertainment in general that appeals to you?

What appeals to me about it is the old American precedent: "that which we do today, we do because we did it yesterday." Vague, I know, but children are impressionable, and the dreams they have as kids can grow into how they live when they grow up. That's my basis for my entire reply, in fact. I watched cartoons as a kid, and being a child of the 90s (and partial 80s) I happen to have grown up with some great stuff for kids, thanks to the industry at the time. So what I was a fan of really stuck in my head. As I grew up, I watched a bit less because of the simple fact that I grew up, but I still have an open scope to the world of animation.

- Do you think the purpose of viewing these shows/movies are restricted to entertainment, relief, passing time, etc?

For adults it could be about relief and passing time. Cartoons might be viewed by many as something like, 'that which doesn't apply to or have anything to do with the real world that I have to deal with everyday.' So this is a fun little escape and maybe, if it's good quality stuff, an escape for my imagination too. And for those adults, I think it's about passing time but primarily to keep their kids busy, knowing that if something is "a cartoon" then it doesn't need to be regulated with Parental Guidance or anything, so that's less work they have to do. This is a result of and excuse for not-thinking and is therefore innacurate and wrong.

- Does the media have an effect on you're attitude, or perspective on certain things? For example school life/work/family/friends/society

It broadens your imagination. It's like you're using muscles you previously didn't. You learn things you wouldn't, or before most, for example. Your mind is a sponge, and the world is a HUGE place filled with SO much to absorb and create. This is especially true for a child. Why do you think they love Spongebob Squarepants so much! They can relate to him!!! Zing!! Seriously, though, the more one absorbs and learns the better, wouldn't you think? You get stronger as a result. Whatever doesn't kill ya.

- Do they leave a cultural or social impact? What kind?

Not directly, or in a way that all of Pop Culture and/or American Culture would remember, because when one piece of media does, it doesn't broaden their minds to the Animation Industry any.

- Has it become an obsession, or is it still just recreation?

Imagination above all else is what is accented here, so obsession isn't a bad thing, since it would be no worse than having too much or being too excessive with anything else in this world. The things that happen from obsession with THIS industry are things like making people learn to draw, or write, or make MORE of these pieces of media. I know a guy, for example, who knows The Joker better than The Joker does, thanks to his fandom with Batman (1989) and Batman Mask of The Phantasm.

- Has it affected you into being reclusive or outgoing?

Not for any fan, no. By reason of what I mentioned about American Culture wearing Horse Blinders when it comes to the Animation Industry, fans aren't as outgoing with their fandoms. It's not right, it's not wrong, it's just how things are. This industry is a growing one albeit slowly, having started for a point where cartoons were just for kids....like Trix.

- At the end of the day, what is the significance of animated entertainment in your life, what does it mean to you?

[/quote]

It's different for everyone. Some owe their careers to it. Some owe nothing to it but a thanks for growing up with me. To me it's only as big as the kids it can relate to, inspire, and touch like it did to me when I was younger. That's its first priority: touching our imagination, and doing things that dramas, action shows, and cop movies would never think of.

It's also worth noting that ANIME is an entirely different story. For years in the mid 90s, huge fans of Animation wouldn't think anything of it, because it hasn't consciously and unconsciously sunk in yet that those shows are the product of a different culture. Once you get by that, you'll be a fan just like the people who come from Japanese cultures.

"Ya know," they'd say, "it's really pretty looking but I think I know where Poster #1 is coming from when he says he doesn't follow the flow and presentation of the characters." What they didn't realize was, that place they're "coming from" was simply just America.

[Kagetsu]

Fanboy? Yes bigtime.

- What is it about anime/cartoons, animated entertainment in general that appeals to you?

I'm drawn to strange/quirky stories. This has been completely lacking in live action outside of Eureka.
The idea that abstract drawings can evoke empathy.
The characters are just more fun to watch.

- Do you think the purpose of viewing these shows/movies are restricted to entertainment, relief, passing time, etc?

Pure entertainment.

- Does the media have an effect on you're attitude, or perspective on certain things? For example school life/work/family/friends/society

No one really understands me anyway. My animation and anyone I know generally stay separate.

- Do they leave a cultural or social impact? What kind?

Not to me, but I've never been to a con.

- Has it become an obsession, or is it still just recreation?

I'm bordering on obsession, but it's only been in the past few years that anything I'd call good animation has really appeared in abundance.

- Has it affected you into being reclusive or outgoing?

Both actually. I'm naturally reclusive. No one talks animation beyond "oh SouthParks is sOOo cool" but on the rare ocassions I do find someone who actually likes a show I watch, I can jabber for hours.

- At the end of the day, what is the significance of animated entertainment in your life, what does it mean to you?

A fun story with appealing characters. There is an element of visual art, both in backgrounds and the characters form. I enjoy styles from 3D CGI (code Lyoko) through anime to watercolour abstract (Jacob Two-Two)