Letters

I was really swamped with email this month, so several good letters aren't going to be printed. I don't want to turn the letters column into "Aardvark Comment". (Let's see how many people get that reference.)

First off, thanks to the umpteen billion people who explained to me that "Ding Dong" was once the name for Doraemon used in Hong Kong and Taiwan. I understand now! :-)

Comments on my comments about fandom...

In the course of working on my film about N.A. otaku (Otakumentary) I've met quite a few fans and all have been pretty nice. Perhaps this will change when I attend Otakon, but I doubt it.

I did have a very bad experience with fans during Cosplay at Animazement a few years ago. I worked very hard on my costume (Video Girl Ai) and tried doing a serious skit during cosplay (big mistake) and I was booed and heckled off. Later online I was told that another reason is that I looked nothing like the character since I am overweight. I understand that I am big, that's one reason I had the good taste to choose a costume that wasn't the typical skimpy one that many anime females wear. I was still booed and heckled though. The experience was very damaging to my self-esteem (not good for someone battling severe depression) and has turned me off cosplay. I've finally gotten up the courage to try dressing up at a con again (as animals that fit my weight such as Pikachu), but I will still stay away from the Masqerade if I can help it.

Since I had this experience I can somewhat understand what you mean about the fans. But that's NOT all fans. I've pretty much gotten over my experience and again accepted that fact. I hope you will have some good experiences that help show you the better side of our subculture.
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Anne Packrat annepackrat@hotmail.com
Otakumentary - http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/8094/oment1.html

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You lash out against con-goers - "overweight, pedophiles" etc...But I think the thing here is that cons ARE the one place, really, when these people who, for whatever reason, can't really deal with the "world" on everybody else's terms can relax and just be true to themselves. (Notice how many animes/manga focus on being true to one's self!) And I think the least we can do is give them this luxury once, maybe a few times, per year. And honestly - I know, I've only attended three cons, which is nothing, in comparison to some people - but I think that this is an instance of looking for something specifically, and unsurprisingly finding it. Probably like 95% of people who go to cons are just "normal", who are there the once or twice per year to watch a few tapes they've never seen before. And the unfortunate five percent are no greater a percentage than you're likely to run into anywhere else in life...

- Mikhail Koulikov Undrblksky@aol.com [http://gwu.edu/~koulikom]

In my defense here, let me reiterate that these were the views of the friends I attended Anime Central with, not my own. I do agree with them regarding the odd-ness of many congoers; it just doesn't bother me like it does them. My point was that one can enjoy anime and yet not be into Japanese pop culture or even the convention scene in general. It's not a contradiction.

After the above folks defended fandom, the below attacked them:

I don't attend anime cons anymore. Haven't since AX 98. American fans are by and large annoying, especially the I-must-pepper-my-speech-with- Japanese crowd, and the cons themselves tend to lack in organization. Perhaps the organization will get better, but I don't see the fans improving - quite the opposite, in fact, the polite and serious fans are becoming more and more outnumbered by the recent crop of rather spoiled types.

I do attend San Diego Comic Con - or whatever they're calling themselves these days - every year, though, and have for the last five. The anime content is almost as high as an anime-specific con, the guests are handled better, and the con staff know how to deal with crowd control.

Oh - and if someone bumps into you, you'll probably get an "excuse me" instead of an aren't-I-cute "gomen"... and the accidental collision isn't likely to be because some cosplayer has brought his six-foot-long sword into the dealer's area in defiance of all common sense..

Gus gus@hiwire.com

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Hey Ryan. Touching on a subject that steers me away from anime cons... Wow! While I think cosplay is >interesting<, ahem, it still makes me nervous. I consider my passion for anime to be on the level. The high point is over for me. Had it been several years ago I still wouldn't have engaged in such a thing, nor do I understand the drive that causes them to do it. I suppose it would be best to interview a professional Japanese cosplayer. Curious? I am. Most women were not gifted with Bakuretsu Hunter bodies... Please stop dressing like them, it's embarassing.

Physics nerds who discuss the feasability of Shirow's landmates need to take a shower and get some exercise. Do they realize how bad they smell? I knew some in college,when you were within 20 feet of them it was impossible to carry out simple instructions. When passion blinds you to the sensibilities of the natural world you have gone too far! These people need to get off the high of coke, pizza and no-doz and come to their senses.

It isn't just anime cons that provide these individuals. The San Diego Comic Con also produces a fine lot of them. Cosplay and conviction about anime is fine, just take it with a grain of salt. Take a shower before you go. Yeah, I've got some J-pop, and the school girl theme doesn't elude me either. Pocky sticks? Sorry I had to ask someone what they were before writing. Yeah, I also know Meryl does sit-ups in her underware in MetalGear Solid too... Point is I don't feel like I have to expound on the subject to get attention or make me feel special. Perhaps this is the very theme that drives some otaku to do what they do. In a hall full of people with a common purpose, some feel the obligation to separate themselves from the pack...? Yes? I thought so. Stop thinking like your going to be some strangers future memory. Trust me, we'll forget you, just enjoy the medium with us.

-Thomas Stubbs
stubbs@agames.com
Home account: vecster@pacbell.net
Web Page: http://www.vecster.com

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We at Team Sexy Madam respectfully direct your attention to our 95 Theses Against Fandumb. For anyone who's ever heard "oh no, so and so is ruining anime," "it's okay that I buy the fansub/SM CD 'cause I wouldn't buy the real version anyway," "glad I got my fansubs," "you like dubs? you're not a real fan," "your prices are too high, can you lower them for me?," and would have felt perfectly justified slugging the speaker.

95 Theses Against Fandumb: http://mircette.megami.net/95.html

TSM teamsexymadam@magicgirl.com

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I've never been to a con, and your column this month has helped to make me feel a little better about that fact. To tell the truth, I've always been a bit... intimidated by the hardcore fandom of some people... I've believed that if I went to a con I would be positively overwhelmed by how much otaku-ness I just didn't get to be a part of, and how everyone else just has *more stuff* and knows *more trivia* than I do, and that I wouldn't even be considered a "fan" by most of the folks I met.

Now that I think about it, and now that I've read your latest column, I wonder, do I really want to be one of these people? Can't I enjoy anime for myself and not to satisfy some expectations of what I should see and what I should think of it? Can't I enjoy anime without owning its soundtracks, console games, and collector's books/figures/models/stationery? Do I *really* want to cosplay as Dilandau(I was quite determined to at one point), listen to music I wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole were it in English, and spend every dollar and minute procuring the latest hot discs and fansubs? Well, no. Intense fanship doesn't make someone better or cooler than me. In fact, while they're freaking out at cons, trying their best to be Japanese, I can be *in* Japan (actually enjoying Japan for being Japan, not for being the place that anime comes from), in another country (I think many otaku wouldn't even bother to acknowledge that other countries exist or are worth visiting), or even(Kami-sama forbid[ha]) enjoying myself in the United States...

I suppose it's not so bad to be a second-rate otaku. Many, though they may be up on the latest anime and video game hotties, wouldn't have an inkling of what to do when encountering the woman of their dreams(this is my favorite line of reasoning). Many, though they have memorized every heroic episode of the best mecha series, wouldn't have an ounce of heroism in their body given the necessary situation.

So maybe I(we) am(are) not simply inferior otaku... Maybe we just have our priorites in whack; anime is about life, we value that life, the message, more than the anime itself, the vessel. Ne?

jetfuel@mac.com...
http://jetfuel.tripod.com

And a couple more letters on heckling...

Last fall, when I went to see Princess Mononoke at the local theater, I had a wonderful time because most of the anime fans present behaved themselves. Sadly, there were a few morons who laughed during the most poignant and violent scenes.

For some reason, people think that a movie theater anime showing is the same as a club showing, and that's obnoxious. It's one thing when you're heckling End of Evangelion at a comic store and get complimented for it afterwards. (Mind you, it was my second time seeing that movie, and I needed to heckle it in order to preserve my sanity.) But it's totally another to pay to watch a movie and hear someone deriding *name this anime movie*. Waste of my time, waste of my money.

-Carlos Ross themreviews@AnimeLovers.zzn.com
THEM Anime Reviews

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In your June edition, you responded to a letter from someone who heckled X. You remember that viewer sitting in silent anger wishing they'd shut up that you mentioned? That would be me in this case. I read in the newspaper that X was showing at a local art theater, so I think "great! I read about this in Animerica! I love Rintaro! I love CLAMP! this is gonna be great!".

Then, I get to the theater, pay my 7 dollars and find that it's been sold out! I was one of the lucky few who got to see this single time showing! I find a nice seat close to the back, with a lucky empty seat for my personal space, and sit back to watch the movie. Little did I realize I had some of the worst hecklers ever spawned sitting right behind me.

Yes, MST3K style is one of the most obnoxious things you can do in a theater. it's rude, impolite, and overall just unpleasant, but then there's just plain stupidity.

This was the worst breed of hecklers. the "wish they were as witty as MST3K" type. I was angered immensely at "ah ha! the dubbing isn't lining up with her lips" in reference to a character engaging in psychic communication. and it only went downhill from there. during the post climax mourning of dead friends, when the X Japan theme started, one of them shouted. "that little fairy's crying!" which, disgustingly enough, was greeted with a wave of laughter from the others.

Now, to reiterate points you've made before, I've reached the following conclusions. People who find dubs that are of lower quality than the Japanese version so awful they need to laugh, should stay home and watch subs exclusively. next, people who find violence or tragic moments for the on screen characters to be humorous should stay home and find SOMETHING to do. Lastly, people who try to enjoy a serious movie without heckling and without inappropriate laughter should consider coming to movie theaters armed with Mace, a Wiffle Bat, or some other implement of politely pointing out to someone they need to shut up and watch the movie.

On an additional note, on the way out, I heard one of the hecklers say in all seriousness he considers what DIC did to Sailor Moon to be an ideal way of handling dubs, so perhaps it's just raw stupidity and not lack of manners that has to do with heckling.

Lord Jubb Jubb karpad@postnet.com

I should point out that Conrad Seeto, the writer I took to task for heckling X, wrote me a followup letter in which he explained that there was no actual heckling out loud, just laughing. That's not as bad, but it's still bad. If something cracks you up so much you can't stand it, there's nothing you can do, but you should always at least try to stay quiet.

And finally, a few miscellaneous letters:

In your section on Dominion websites you write "When it looks like someone may be ripping off someone else, and I don't know who's the ripper and who's the rippee, I feel it best to highlight both sights." In fact, both these sites rip off material from a website of mine (long since vanished) that detailed various Shirow mecha for the Heavy Gear roleplaying game. The descriptions of the landmate, Fuchikoma and Bonaparte on http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/1073/mecha.htm are taken almost word for word from my website. For example, when the description of Bonaparte mentions "Depending on whether you believe the manga or the anime Bonaparte is either limited production or scratch built. The 'new' Bonaparte MT-9 in Dominion Conflict 1 are massed produced." it is specifically referring to vehicle production codes used in Heavy Gear. I wouldn't mind this so much if someone had ever bothered to ask me if they could use this material and that http://home2.swipnet.se/~w-25313/index.htm (The VAP room) didn't state at the bottom "You may not use anything on this page without asking me first or I will take you downtown for a little questioning!". What bloody cheek!

Alistair Gillies alistair.gillies@artsit.usyd.edu.au

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Chibi Pop is only dead in the printed format. But, it's still available and updated bi-monthly online! Thy still have the same manga and the cosplay gallery but if memory serves correct, tke Ask Takashi (sp?) and some of the other smaller stuff is missing. the link to it is:

http://www.tokyokid.com

Hope that helps you a bit. ^_^

Brian Papp
figure4@networkone.net

You're darn right it does!! Thank you!

I read your Anime Central thing on Last Exit, and it sort of reminded me of my stay at the con. You can read about it here:

http://omocha.shc.uiowa.edu/scp/

In the "con reports" section, and under Anime Central 2k, and my review is under my name, Chad Gombosi.

A few other things: Dancing Blade is not only on the Playstation game console, but also the Sega Dreamcast. The video is better on the DC too. So if you want to get it, and you have a DC, you probably want that version.

Chad Gombosi signofzeta@hotmail.com
Member SCP http://omocha.shc.uiowa.edu/scp
Chad's Game Music Page http://chadsgamemusic.webjump.com