Help a college student on her midterm!!!

[FascionViktem5k]

Ok.... I only need at least one person to do this, but i think if i get more people i might get a better grade... this is due on thurs. the 20th... so whoever responds by then... you will be famous!!! in my class...

Here is the topic: I have a class called Magic, Witchcraft and Religion (which has nothing to do with any of that except all we learn are theories) SO!!!! we are applying these "theories" to something that we like or are interested in and trying to analyze it in some way... guess what my topic is.... ANIME!!!! (your all in awe and amazed at my college coolness... oh yes...) I need to interview at least one person for this... and since i don't really have time to go up to somebody and interview them, i'll post my questions here and have one(or more) of you respond!

I'll tell you all what my argument is when I hand it in on thurs.... so it doesn't hinge on your responses...

QUESTIONS!!!
1. How often do you watch anime?

2. How often do think about anime? (Not watching and thinking about it... like riding the bus and thinking about it)

3. Have you ever been to an Anime Convention/Cosplay?

4. Do you believe Anime has changed the way America, or any country, views cartoons?

5. What do you think you benefit from Anime?

6. Would you consider Anime something that is becoming a capitalist fetish? (Fetish: something that is believed, an object that is given magical value(according to my professor... he's a quack...))

7. What do you think the original purpose of Anime was/ or do you think that it still hasn't changed?

8. Do you consider most of the stories to be myth/are they supposed to teach us a moral/or are they just there for our enjoyment?

AND FINALLY!!!! (since i don't know how many questions to ask... since my professor is a quack!)

9. Do you think Anime/Manga is becoming a new form of some sort of Religion?

BY THE WAY!!!! if you don't answer all of them... it's ok... i don't even know how many i'm supposed to have... since... my professor is a quack... in case i forgot to tell you.... ;b!!!

THANK YOU TO WHOMEVER RESPONDS!!! I LOVE YOU SO GREATLY!!!!

[Pipp-ORK]

1) About an hour or so a day.
2) It depends on how much I like that particular anime, but I'd have to say pretty often..
3) Nope.
4) Yes.
5) Entertainment.
6) Yes.
7) To entertain people! And I don't think it's changed, except material-wise; anime is anime!
8) It depends. Some animes aren't to be take seriously, while others are. 50/50..
9) No. O_o

[cetamora]

I wanna do it too...

1. about an hour a day maybe little more (like in the weekends)
2. Well, when I'm not thinkin about, sport, music, school or girls or games it's anime. Maybe atleast 30min (in a row in a day).
3. No, I live in sweden, heh we got this bookconvention where you can buy mangas n stuff but no, It would be fun though (dress like Zaraki and scare little children hehe).
4. Yea, animes are often more complicated but I like the Am style too. I think it's more hardcore fans now than before.
5. I learn japanese n a little about history n stuff (it depends on wich you are watching huh), I've gotten more hentai heh. They often have some kind of meaning that you can use in your real life. Can't say any specific but they got spirit ey.
6. Eh Don't get the question but as everything it is losing quality when massproduced (got ya right?)
7. It's like any cartoon, you have something to tell or want to bring people life. Some are good to express their feelings in books, some in comics and in anime.
8. As I said, it depends on the author. But many that isn't totaly unserious have some message (like in 95% of em protect the ones you love he)
9. No, I will quit watching when that happens.

Ok! Something you can use?

[konakona]

Sup? I'll do this...

1. An Hour or more
2. Whenever I'm bored...
3. Nope
4. it’s changed the cartooning world
5. Learning Japanese, passes the time and there are usually little moral values in each series.
6. What??
7. I think it was just made like any other cartoon was... to pass the time and for people to enjoy the show
8. All depends on the anime (It could just be a comedy which is just made for our enjoyment, while others take different approaches)
9. I hope not... If it does it, certainly has enough people to be a successful religion, but I wouldn’t watch any more if it "came to that" (Which it obviously wont)

[DragonLink]

QUESTIONS!!!
1. How often do you watch anime?
Every thursday

2. How often do think about anime? Every thursday

3. Have you ever been to an Anime Convention/Cosplay?
HELL NO!

4. Do you believe Anime has changed the way America, or any country, views cartoons?
Every Thursday

5. What do you think you benefit from Anime?
Less Boredom

6. Would you consider Anime something that is becoming a capitalist fetish?
Yea... some people are WAY too obsessed with anime, like (Ill be nice and not say anything)

7. What do you think the original purpose of Anime was/ or do you think that it still hasn't changed? The original purpose of anime was to take over the world
8. Do you consider most of the stories to be myth/are they supposed to teach us a moral/or are they just there for our enjoyment?
Most stories are just myths but My desire is to prove that false! Imagine our world over run with HUMPTY DUMPITYS and Dragons!

AND FINALLY!!!! (since i don't know how many questions to ask... since my professor is a quack!)

9. Do you think Anime/Manga is becoming a new form of some sort of Religion?
....OK I was gonna be nice for this but I changed my mind, Only RETARDS would even think of ANIME to be a religion.


THANK YOU TO WHOMEVER RESPONDS!!! I LOVE YOU SO GREATLY!!!!

I love me too


I love me too

[cetamora]

Whatte heck are you talkin about D-link (O i'm the god of funniness)

[Lunar]

QUESTIONS!!!
1. How often do you watch anime?

not often... only sometimes, like when bleach and naruto comes out.. then i watch.. but if i have time, i watch some

2. How often do think about anime? (Not watching and thinking about it... like riding the bus and thinking about it)

not really much, my head is going thro alot of things....

3. Have you ever been to an Anime Convention/Cosplay?

never, i am in a anime animation club in my school

4. Do you believe Anime has changed the way America, or any country, views cartoons?

proberly yes.. cuz like naruto, they changed the whole concept of being bloody, and protecting kids from being violent and such

5. What do you think you benefit from Anime?

u can learn something... thats all i have to say

6. Would you consider Anime something that is becoming a capitalist fetish? (Fetish: something that is believed, an object that is given magical value(according to my professor... he's a quack...))

dont belive that anime should be a capitalist fetish.. yes anime is popluar around the world... but its odd

7. What do you think the original purpose of Anime was/ or do you think that it still hasn't changed?

violent... sex.... boobies =]

8. Do you consider most of the stories to be myth/are they supposed to teach us a moral/or are they just there for our enjoyment?

i consider most of anime supposed to teach us some sort of moral.. but mostly enjoyment ^^

AND FINALLY!!!! (since i don't know how many questions to ask... since my professor is a quack!)

9. Do you think Anime/Manga is becoming a new form of some sort of Religion?

Religion no...

[a sexy penguin]

1.everyday
2.when im bored
3.not yet
4.no
5.entertainment
6.ehhh
7.to keep people on their butts lol
8.all three
9.no but is their

[Thaliel]

1. How often do you watch anime?
2-3 times a week usually.

2. How often do think about anime? (Not watching and thinking about it... like riding the bus and thinking about it)
Very often, at least 40 % of the day (yeah, my life's so boring LOL)

3. Have you ever been to an Anime Convention/Cosplay?
Yesssssssssssss, been to AnimagiC convention in 2003, 2004 and 2005-ahhh, the memories...

4. Do you believe Anime has changed the way America, or any country, views cartoons?
Uhm, maybe, though I wouldn't be able to tell if it is a change to the better or to the worse.

5. What do you think you benefit from Anime?
Distraction from my boring life for at least 25 minutes ^.^

6. Would you consider Anime something that is becoming a capitalist fetish? (Fetish: something that is believed, an object that is given magical value(according to my professor... he's a quack...))
Well, the "kid" shows like Pokemon and YGO are practically 25 minutes of advertising, but there's enough series that are solely made for the entertainment of the viewer.

7. What do you think the original purpose of Anime was/ or do you think that it still hasn't changed?
Same purpose as american cartoons, to bring the heroes from the comics/Manga to the TV screen.

8. Do you consider most of the stories to be myth/are they supposed to teach us a moral/or are they just there for our enjoyment?
Well, there is a lot of deep series and movies and there is also a lot of "Pure fun" series. I think it depends on the viewer, if they want to see a message behind it, so let them see it so.

9. Do you think Anime/Manga is becoming a new form of some sort of Religion?
Oh holy mangaka in heaven, blessed be thy name...just joking, religion is really not a suitable term for anime/manga fandom. Religion is something rooted in old ages and is a very complex system, so I really find this question rather silly.

[FascionViktem5k]

So many people responded this is so awesome!!!!! I guess i'll just have to use all of you in my paper!!!! oh and if any of you want i can actually put my paper on here after i hand it in... if you want to see what you contributed to... and no i won't mention individual people.. i'll probably refer to your answers as like "an anime fan would answer blah blah.."

I thought no one would answer... you guys just totally blew me away!!!! like the title says... never underestimate the anime fan!!! i should've known would get more than one person answering... THANK YOU ALL!!!! and by all means... you can keep answering... i haven't gotten to the part where i'll be putting the answers in there yet... i'm still on the first page... and it has to be like... 5 pages... lol!!! yeah... me lazy...

I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(PS: that last question you can choose not to answer... i'm trying to make my professor happy... he's a quack remember?) Just put omit if you don't want to answer it..

[konakona]

No problem, It was mildly entertaining ^^, Good luck, I hope you pass!

[dark_kitsune]

ooooh....a survey! hope i'm not to late in my reply.

QUESTIONS!!!
1. How often do you watch anime?

A: about two hours a week

2. How often do think about anime? (Not watching and thinking about it... like riding the bus and thinking about it)

A: well since i lucid dream - about 8 hrs a night *evil monkey grin* but seriously - probably a couple hours out of my day.

3. Have you ever been to an Anime Convention/Cosplay?

A: yep - been to anime expo and comic con.

4. Do you believe Anime has changed the way America, or any country, views cartoons?

A: as in the majority of people in america? nah - probably not. but as the popularity of anime continues to grow, then yes i think the views will change.

5. What do you think you benefit from Anime?

A: it has a lightening effect on my wallet. pretty amazing, ne?

6. Would you consider Anime something that is becoming a capitalist fetish? (Fetish: something that is believed, an object that is given magical value(according to my professor... he's a quack...))

A: to some misguided souls - yes. but hey, some people believe in "the force" a la - george lucas/star wars. whatever.

7. What do you think the original purpose of Anime was/ or do you think that it still hasn't changed?

A: entertainment. hasn't changed.

8. Do you consider most of the stories to be myth/are they supposed to teach us a moral/or are they just there for our enjoyment?

A: i think anime is too broad a medium to place in just one category. some are for teaching morals/fitting into society/blah, blah blah and others are for entertainment purposes only. kinda like american cartoons - you can't put captain planet and ren and stimpy in the same category.

AND FINALLY!!!! (since i don't know how many questions to ask... since my professor is a quack!)

9. Do you think Anime/Manga is becoming a new form of some sort of Religion?

A: i think some people would take it over the top and base their religious views on it..sure. they would be the extreme minority though.

[DragonLink]

I submitted one in quotes in case you didnt know,

[FascionViktem5k]

I submitted one in quotes in case you didnt know,

yes i noticed... and thank you... because i might not have.. knowing how much of a ditz i am... and do not worry... i have counted every answer with everyone elses.... yes even the funny ones... it is a survey!!!

and by the way... if anyone fills it out after this... i probably won't count it... BUT THANK YOU ANYWAY!!!! you guys just rock!!! and i'm glad it was mildly entertaining as well! lol!!!! but yeah... thank you all!!! perhaps my quack teacher won't fail me now... even though the Teaching Assistant is withdrawing because our proffesor is such a horrible teacher... oh and the TA withdrawing is not normal... so feel a little pity for the people in my class... not me ... i'm used to quack teachers... lol!

AGAIN!! THANK YOU!!!!

[FascionViktem5k]

do you guys even want to see the paper i wrote? i'm wondering if i should post it... cuz it is more of an introduction to the final paper... if your interested just say yes or no if your not... and i'll ask someone to close the thread..

[konakona]

I want to see it ^^ (if you just want to email it to me my msn is in my profile)

[cetamora]

Mee to, these things are always the most intresting.

btw I'm suprised that people wathed so few hours a week. Well um yesterday I went nuts and watched 6h GTO well um it doesn't happen all of the time.

Well just say "Yellow cucumber" and we will gladly comment your results (yea we are all stalkers)

[konakona]

(yea we are all stalkers)

Yes... yes we are...

[FascionViktem5k]

Oh you guys!!!!!! .... there's so many funny people here!!!! well... here it is... and keep in mind... this is a midterm paper... if it seems like BS ... it most likely is.... this was double spaced.. 5 pages... grrrrrr.....


Anime in American Society
In its original form Anime, is Manga. The Manga, translated into what is called a graphic novel, is basically a comic book. Anime is the animated version of Manga, the comic book is taken, colored, animated, and a voice is added for the full effect, perhaps even some music for dramatic effect. This form of animation and cartooning is becoming more popular in the United States as time, and resources, have gone on. In the most extreme form, Anime can be seen as a religion; in the very mellow form, it is purely for entertainment, just like the movies. It is becoming a very big economic boost since the genres can please fans of all ages, races, sexes and nationalities. It is becoming a culture in itself and one that is growing rapidly as time continues to move forward.
Just like anything else that is entertaining there are different levels of being a fan to it. What I consider the extreme fan of Anime, is the person who religiously follows the shows and characters. I am using the term “religiously” very loosely but I can try and elaborate more on that. This person has a set of rules they follow, perhaps a set date on which an episode from a show must be watched, some kind of ritual performed so that others can join this person, a set of beliefs about a certain show, etc. This person does not “believe” in the dubbing of Anime, which is having English voices in place of the Japanese ones so that people do not have to read subtitles. They may use certain Japanese words in their daily lives to feel as though they are becoming a part of what they see. A type of ritual this person or group of people has could be simply going to an Anime Convention or Cosplay. At one of these events they could “dress up” and be a character from the show, and if the event allows, they can even “role-play”, create their own skit, and perform something to entertain all the other Anime fans that attended this event. These “extreme fanatics” exist for everything ranging from popular music, to movies, to pretty much anything that can one can be a fan of. These religious followers of Anime could come up with their own words and phrases that have a special meaning to them, or they could have a certain object or something that symbolizes a certain show could accomplish that 1. They place a certain meaning on that object, or a certain kind of ‘power’ that it is capable of possessing.
Anime, or as the media calls it Japanimation, has created new sets of norms or realities for the people who watch it and follow it. The fan will view Anime as a parallel to their own lives, or understand what characters go through, and even incorporate the Anime reality with the life they are living and combine the two in a way. It becomes an outlet of actions and feelings, and it is made possible by the reality that is created in between the Anime and real life 2.
On a less extreme scale the average Anime fan would probably watch and think about Anime during the day about twenty minutes to an hour, give or take a few minutes. This is the approximate amount of time it would take for one to go on a walk or maybe even do a work out. As a part of this semi-religious ritual of taking ones time out of the day in order to watch a show, or read a chapter of the Manga, the creators are very careful at picking what they will put into their material along with what sort of message should be portrayed. Of course depending on each individual show itself there could not be a message or moral of some sort but it could just be for entertaining purposes. Just like movies and books Manga and Anime both have their own separate genres ranging from action/thriller to comedy to romance to even sports. Some of the genres and topics tend to require some kind of a message be incorporated into the storyline however for others it simply just is not necessary for such a thing to even exist. Some of the shows or comics use actual Japanese myths as their storylines, I do not know why because I have not asked the actual creators themselves, but I am assuming it could be mainly because it is a simple thing to make into a story and the moral/message is easy to pick up; for example one such Anime that I can name could be one called Fruits Basket, which has incorporated the myth about how the Asian zodiac came to be.
Looking at the fans from the inside and analyzing how Anime affects them is a very interesting thing. In some instances, of course this a few, among a certain “group” of fans there will be a type of hierarchy or levels of being a fan in that group. Generally there would be a type of leader to the group who is more experienced with Anime than the other group members; he/she could even be compared to a type of shaman 3. This person is looked up to and sometimes even believed to be able to actually acquire some kind of special powers that the others do not, or this person has more knowledge (about Anime of course) and this is who the other group members turn to in order to clarify something or discuss about what happened to a character and what the importance of it could be. Of course groups like these are few and far between and what I believe to be the “extreme” fans. Normally you would encounter a group of friends just “hanging out” talking and amongst other things Anime would come up as something to discuss, like last weeks movie or the new line of cosmetics from so and so.
Just like everything else that is fan based there is not anything bad or evil about Anime, it is just that some people just so happened to be a little too out there and sometimes make something what it should not be. I believe Manga and Anime were created for the enjoyment of those who watched/read it, just like any other cartoon, movie, and book out there.
On a more corporate/money making level Anime, paired with Manga, has become a fetish in itself and source for good profit of companies. I say fetish because when the fans of a certain show go out and buy things from their favorite show, they sometimes believe that they are perhaps owning a piece of the show or character from the show. They are ready and willing to give up their money for something that they actually and honestly believe whole-heartedly is an actual piece from that world. They use one kind of fetish, which is money, to acquire the other kind of fetish that they are more interested in, which is the object being sold from the Anime show.
This is a very smart idea on the part of the companies selling these products. For one thing I know that I myself have spent money to acquire an object that was designed or modeled after something that was from show I enjoyed a lot. I did not believe I was on some spiritual level owning a part of the character or thing, but it made it easier to remember some funny scenes that occurred in the show that I enjoyed a lot. As an Anime fan myself I can say for most fans like myself that we are very willing to pay for Anime, as a product we can possess and as a commodity for the public.
Of course having the money to pay for such things comes from different places. A younger fan that is unable to attain a job might get the money from friends or parents or have some kind of Anime gift bought for them for some kind of a holiday present. An older fan, would probably do that same, but on many instances they would get a part time job to buy the stuff they were not allowed to have before or were told they could not have them unless a job was attained. I personally have not had an experience with the even older fans out there, however I am sure that they probably have some kind of jobs as well that allows them to pay for it. Of course just like any other product out there, there is more than one way of attaining it, even if one of those ways happened to be against a law or two. The internet being a very big place and high traffic area, an Anime fan, looking for a quick way to get a hold of an Anime that is not available in a store near them or just do not want to pay money for it, can easily download it off of some kind of server that has it available in an easy to download format.


Footnotes
1. References used on the meaning of symbolism Page 92 from Reader in Comparative Religion Fourth Edition by William A. Lessa and Evon Z. Vogt.
2. Reference to, Religion as a cultural system, Page 78 from Reader in Comparative Religion Fourth Edition by William A. Lessa and Evon Z. Vogt.
3. Reference from Page 301 of shamanism from Reader in Comparative Religion Fourth Edition by William A. Lessa and Evon Z. Vogt.




complete with foot notes and everything!!!!!

[jodec123]

so....much....writing... (faints)

yea, i do hope its not too late for me to submit these cause it took me a while to answer all of 'em!

1. How often do you watch anime?
at least 2 times a week

2. How often do think about anime? (Not watching and thinking about it... like riding the bus and thinking about it)
probably at least 30 minutes a day

3. Have you ever been to an Anime Convention/Cosplay?
nope

4. Do you believe Anime has changed the way America, or any country, views cartoons?
yea, just go to Cartoon Network and watch Teen Titans

5. What do you think you benefit from Anime?
a knowledge of Japanese culture and Japanese

6. Would you consider Anime something that is becoming a capitalist fetish? (Fetish: something that is believed, an object that is given magical value(according to my professor... he's a quack...))
not really...

7. What do you think the original purpose of Anime was/ or do you think that it still hasn't changed?
i dont think it has changed very much...

8. Do you consider most of the stories to be myth/are they supposed to teach us a moral/or are they just there for our enjoyment?
enjoyment

AND FINALLY!!!! (since i don't know how many questions to ask... since my professor is a quack!)

9. Do you think Anime/Manga is becoming a new form of some sort of Religion?
no...

[konakona]

wow, nicley done Fascion...

[cetamora]

Well that was a massive text. Read the whole thing and I must say that it seems like we are some special species or somethin. The "anime people", it's like bein gay, your'e born to it. He sry 4 being harsh, great work couldn't done it better (or wouldn't have the strenght). Was it your teacher that insisted on having the religous perspective or? Cuz I felt a litle bad after hearing that I'm in a Hare Krishna thing kind of he. Keep up the good work and convert more people to the Anime religion will ya!?!?

[FascionViktem5k]

Well that was a massive text. Read the whole thing and I must say that it seems like we are some special species or somethin. The "anime people", it's like bein gay, your'e born to it. He sry 4 being harsh, great work couldn't done it better (or wouldn't have the strenght). Was it your teacher that insisted on having the religous perspective or? Cuz I felt a litle bad after hearing that I'm in a Hare Krishna thing kind of he. Keep up the good work and convert more people to the Anime religion will ya!?!?


sadly enough..... i don't know what my teacher wanted... but when i told him my topic he was so bent on the fact that it has become some new form of religion that i figured he'd like it if i did that.... and it really wasn't that hard relating it to religion... just use some b/s and it'll work! lol! sorry it was long... but you asked for it!!! lol!!! i'm at least glad you guys liked it... that means that maybe my teacher'll like it too!!! (crosses fingers)

PS: i've converted about 30 people to anime.... mwahahahahahah!!!!!!!!!

AND I"M SO SORRY JODEC123!!!!!!!!! but you are a little late... but thanks anyway!!! i think it might actually help me for my final..... this paper was supposed to be an introduction to what my final will be like.... so.... thank you!!!

and thanks to everyone who filled it out! ... and whoever read it too... i feel all warm and fuzzy inside.. sniffle...

ok! love you all!!!!

and we can talk about my paper if you guys want... one thing i would love is if we could critique it in some way.. (i hate only teacher feedback)

[FascionViktem5k]

I got a C ..... and apparently he thinks i didn't do an interview... if only he would turn to the last page and open his eyes!! (sigh) oh well... thanks anyway guys!!!