"I HATE anime/manga"

[Mave]

No, I don't.

But, has anyone had a stranger/brief acquaintance express their passionate hatred for anime and manga after you tell them how much you like it?

I met this guy (friend's friend) and was having a casual conversation. When he mentioned that he liked comics, I was slightly excited and told him that I draw comics for fun. But the moment I mentioned "manga," he started spewing out how much he hated anime/manga and started describing how disgusting/sick "those stupid ugly faces" are in anime.

I don't expect ppl to share the same interests.....but isn't it unusual to embark on a long lecture on how ANIME/MANGA SUCKS to a stranger who's just expressed how much they like it? If it were me, I would typically state that I'm not really interested in [matter of interest] and change topic. So I guess I'm a little taken aback.

I don't think this person is Christian (at least he doesn't speak like one with all the cussing he's done throughout the night). So, I presume this has nothing to do with the anime/manga-is-unholy approach. I eventually found out that he likes "dark" stuff like Spawn and American comics, so I guess I can understand where he's coming from.

But still....isn't that reaction a little too passionate? Of course, I totally forgot to mention Christian webmanga.

*sniff* You would think ppl in Asia like anime/manga or have higher tolerance for it but lucky me, the first individual (and only one I've met so far) who's remotely interested in comics hates anime and manga.

[ShiroiHikari]

That's pretty sad. It's very inconsiderate of people to speak so harshly about something that they know you like. I might tease somebody for liking something I think is dumb, but this guy just sounds rude.

[Puguni]

I never knew one personally, but I knew a few people who thought it was just plain stupid. It just makes me sad that they think they know all about the genre just through what they see on TV.

[KumoriJinsoku]

double post... messed this one up too... >.<

[KumoriJinsoku]

I eventually found out that he likes "dark" stuff like Spawn and American comics...

"dark" stuff = American comics!? O.o lol

Anyways, I haven't met anyone like that either except for those that Puguni mentioned. They seem to think that anime is graphic in both violence and sexual content. But from my standpoint, I've seen violence and the "sexual content" and noticed that the violence isn't as bad as you might think. I mean, when you cut with a sword and it hits someone, there will be blood obviously. But it's not bloodlust killing (or if it is, then it's usually the antagonistic character).

One exception would be Ruroni Kenshin during his early days (from the first movie "Love and Betrayal") but then he goes and makes up for it by using his sword to protect the people he loves (during the TV series) and finally going around to apologize to those families of those he killed, or at least visiting their gravesite and praying to them (second movie).

In some animes, yes there is nudity. (I'm trying to be careful with these next statements... I'm not advocating nudity now...). But some protray it as purity, at least in my opinion. One example I could give is Ai Yori Aoshi. (Can't find more examples at the moment).

Moving on, my point is that although it is shown in anime/manga, take a look at some of the American sitcoms like Friends and Seinfeld(sp?). One episode of Friends was all about a mistaken call from an unknown woman. One of the characters proceeds to pick up the phone and later on he explains how he had sex with her... O.o;;. In Seinfeld, some of the jokes are poor and rash with most of them being detrimental to each other.

It seems that anime/manga is more mature than some of the American TV I have watched lately.

[Puritan]

I have a similar problem, Mave. I have a friend who, on a regular basis, expresses his hatred for anime in all its forms, when I'm watching it with other friends, when we're discussing a show we like, and so on. I'm used to it, but it still gets really annoying when you can't even accidently show the guy anything remotely anime-like without complaints (i.e. I'm watching a show in someone else's room and he walks in, complains, and walks out). I can understand not liking anime, but with some people the dislike verges on obsession, unwilling to even try something new because it falls into the hated category of anime. It's a shame, really, but there's not much I can do about it.

[Myoti]

Yeah, I know alot like that (for awhile, my brother was big about that; he's not AS much now, but he still doesn't like it... or RPGs...).

I know from personal experience that most of the things I try to claim I "hate" (aside from "sinful" things >_>) I usually end up finding one thing/something about it I DO like, making me eat own words. =x

[Tenshi no Ai]

I've personally never met anyone that have dispised anime/manga or anything, but rather just a friendtly bug^^ Like friends joking around and call me a nerd for liking it, ya know just bugging (but hey, I concider myself a nerd, so not liek I take offense^^) or like parents calling all anime "that Digiman/Pokiman/Sailor Moon crap" in once again, just a bugging mood... Never found people that actually HATE it or anything though^^

[Uriah]

I think it might have something to do with the fact that some people are slightly moronic with the brain and wisdom compacity of a 4 year old.

[Debitt]

I've had people tell me things like "well, you DO know Pokemon are all demons" to my face. =\ It's in poor form, so I shrug it off To each their own, I guess.

[KumoriJinsoku]

I've had people tell me things like "well, you DO know Pokemon are all demons" to my face. =\ It's in poor form, so I shrug it off To each their own, I guess.

"all Pokemon are demons"!?

lol xD

[Tarnish]

I only had one person who was as blunt as all that. I believe our conversation was something like this:

Me: I like anime.
Her: Anime is bad.
Me: They're just shows. They can't all be bad.
Her: It's all porn.

I swear...XD

[Tommy]

I just get made fun of by people who dislike because I like it.

They're so creative.

Me: Have you played Kingdom Hearts 2?
Him: No, it's for little kids. There is Disney and "ANIGAY" in it.
Me: I'm assumming you're refering to "anime."
Him: Yeah. I've seen commercials for stuff like that on adultswim. It's so stupid.
Me: Like which shows?
Him: Full Metal Alchemist.
Me: What in the comercial made you have such a strong dislike about it?
Him: um....

You see, I'm not using a specific person, I'm just merging conversations I've had in the past.

[Myoti]

I only had one person who was as blunt as all that. I believe our conversation was something like this:

That reminds me of an interesting conversation with my mom the other day. She was looking for anime shirts for me, and that afternoon when she picked me up she asked, "Is anime bad?"

Turns out she wound up on an adult anime site. I had to explain that it's just like any other media form. :|

[Tenshi no Ai]

Turns out she wound up on an adult anime site. I had to explain that it's just like any other media form. :|

*shakes head* Isn't it sad how stuff liek that can give anime such a bad rep? Not that it's not done in any other mediums, but still :/ VERY sad... v_v The world sometimes... *shakes fist* >_<

[Tommy]

I had to explain that it's just like any other media form. :|

I told my mom that, but she forgot the next day.

[Cap'n Nick]

Actual conversation from Nick-land:

"You like anime?"

"Yes."

"Like, the Pokémon stuff?"

"No, not so much. I guess my favorite is romance."

"I saw one with two people * BEEEEP * on a boat. You mean like that?"

"Um, no. Just...no."

[Mr. SmartyPants]

My friends sister was once telling me how she hated all forms of animation...

Well... she obviously haven't watched much animation then o.o

[Mithrandir]

Well, the showing of anime on mainstream distribution channels has certainly gone a long way toward making it more acceptable. I've found these kinds of conversations getting less and less adamant in the last few years. I suspect in about 20 years or so we won't even hear them anymore. Even the morons who claim to be speaking for God when they denounce all anime as "evil porn" will eventually die. Spreading Christianity is about sharing your relationship with God with your friends.

"The Church" (pick a denomination, but don't do it here) regularly gets sidetracked from her core competencies and begins to launch a massive campaign against something some people believe is evil. Take these examples (and DON'T go off on tangents, please):

* The sun-centered solar system.
* Movies
* Playing Cards
* Drinking
* Smoking
* Evolution
* Driving polluting cars
* Abortion
* War
* Contriception
* Make-up
* Shorts
* Hats
* Video Games
* Dancing
* Harry Potter
* Rock Music

Now clearly some of these are social causes that deserve a closer look. Many of them, though, are pretty silly. Thankfuilly, the church at large doesn't really take issue with the sun centered universe any more. Rock music and video games, though, are much more recent, and the fights against them are already so lost in memory that many of you probably didn't know that rock music was as heated a discussion topic among conservative Christians 25-30 years ago as GTA is today.

Has anyone heard about a Christian organization bashing DDR? After all, it's a Video Game glorifying Dancing to Rock Music! Thankfully, if there is one, it's not getting much publicity (I haven't heard about it).

I suspect anime will follow this trend. It may be tough for us who are here at the beginning, but I think it's up to us to gracefully explain reality to those of our brothers and sisters who will actually listen.

[Tenshi no Ai]

My friends sister was once telling me how she hated all forms of animation...

Well... she obviously haven't watched much animation then o.o

Yeah I know some people that just plain hate cartoons. One of my friends (whom I hardly keep in touch with anymore), probably still does hate watching cartoons of any kind (yeah even ones for teens etc) and she also hated any type of fantasy movie that was in real life. Like saaay, Spiderman when we went to it.

[Raiden no Kishi]

I say take one of these actions.

A] Ignore them

B] If they won't go away, explain that you don't care if they hate anime as they're entitled to their opinion, but there are more eloquent or tactful ways to express it.

C] Chain them to a chair, tape their eyes open, and put on Hamtaro at full volume.

Just kidding about the last one . . . really I am.

.rai//

[dyzzispell]

Somehow, my 8-year-old niece looks at me like I'm crazy because I still watch "cartoons". Funny thing is, her father (my brother) watches Spongebob with her. So where would she get the idea that watching cartoons as a grown-up is weird?
Anyway, I really hate that people do think all anime is porn, but until I joined Rent Anime and then Netflix, I was afraid of the same thing, only to find I was totally wrong. I guess it's just something that's going to take a long time to debunk. Once something gets branded in the church as "evil" it takes a LOOOOOONG time to undo.
I remember the rock music debate. I got saved at a Christian rock concert 16 years ago, while the debate was still going in the church, though not as strong as 25-30 years ago.
Oh, and Mithrandir, you forgot Dungeons & Dragons on your list too. I still know people who think it's nothing but evil, but yet loved the Lord of the Rings. Funny how D&D derived from it, yet LotR is fine. Doesn't make ANY sense...

[Tommy]

C] Chain them to a chair, tape their eyes open, and put on Hamtaro at full volume.

You just might have something there.

[Casull]

I just don't like the evil ones.... they are evil...

[MorwenLaicoriel]

Oh, and Mithrandir, you forgot Dungeons & Dragons on your list too. I still know people who think it's nothing but evil, but yet loved the Lord of the Rings. Funny how D&D derived from it, yet LotR is fine. Doesn't make ANY sense...

Well, it's a little different. Lord of the Rings has a lot of 'rules' about how the magic can be used--and often when the 'rules' are broken there's concequences to the characters (for example, the shock and trauma Pippin gets when he looks into the Palantir). Plus, the word (while gaurded by angel-like creatures that DO have 'godlike' powers) is definitively ruled by one god, Eru (I think D&D allows you to do such with your world--if you *want* to). And I think it's the issue some parents had with children acting as if they were the ones doing the spells.

That being said, I'm not a huge OMG D&D hater (and CERTAINLY not a RPG hater, video game or tabletop), I just can see where a line can be drawn.

[White Raven]

My fiancé knows this guy that criticizes almost anything anyone says.
So if you have backbone (like me) and don’t take no stuff. You wouldn’t get along with this guy very well.

I think the guy just has a superiority complex.

[uc pseudonym]

I don't really run into people who dislike anime for religious reasons. Most of those that have exhibited a strong dislike for it (I have no amusing stories about them, however) dislike it because they think watching cartoons, probably any cartoons, is a waste of time. A lot of them are sports junkies, though, so it doesn't bother me.

But it does occasionally bother me when people who are heavily into missions work and the deeper Christian disciplines are critical. They aren't being hypocritical and thus what they say cuts a lot deeper. There are times when I seriously reconsider what I am doing with my life.

Well, it's a little different. Lord of the Rings has a lot of 'rules' about how the magic can be used--and often when the 'rules' are broken there's concequences to the characters (for example, the shock and trauma Pippin gets when he looks into the Palantir). Plus, the word (while gaurded by angel-like creatures that DO have 'godlike' powers) is definitively ruled by one god, Eru (I think D&D allows you to do such with your world--if you *want* to). And I think it's the issue some parents had with children acting as if they were the ones doing the spells.

That being said, I'm not a huge OMG D&D hater (and CERTAINLY not a RPG hater, video game or tabletop), I just can see where a line can be drawn.

I agree that accepting one part of a genre doesn't mean accepting all of it, and that ethically we should draw lines somewhere. However, I find that most people who condemn something say it is pure evil, rarely saying that something is good except for a few questionable elements. But let me say that we shouldn't tangent on this subject much further than this.

[Kurama]

No, I don't.

But, has anyone had a stranger/brief acquaintance express their passionate hatred for anime and manga after you tell them how much you like it?

I met this guy (friend's friend) and was having a casual conversation. When he mentioned that he liked comics, I was slightly excited and told him that I draw comics for fun. But the moment I mentioned "manga," he started spewing out how much he hated anime/manga and started describing how disgusting/sick "those stupid ugly faces" are in anime.

I don't expect ppl to share the same interests.....but isn't it unusual to embark on a long lecture on how ANIME/MANGA SUCKS to a stranger who's just expressed how much they like it? If it were me, I would typically state that I'm not really interested in [matter of interest] and change topic. So I guess I'm a little taken aback.

I don't think this person is Christian (at least he doesn't speak like one with all the cussing he's done throughout the night). So, I presume this has nothing to do with the anime/manga-is-unholy approach. I eventually found out that he likes "dark" stuff like Spawn and American comics, so I guess I can understand where he's coming from.

But still....isn't that reaction a little too passionate? Of course, I totally forgot to mention Christian webmanga.

*sniff* You would think ppl in Asia like anime/manga or have higher tolerance for it but lucky me, the first individual (and only one I've met so far) who's remotely interested in comics hates anime and manga.

Man that was rude!!! Where was this at?

[Angel37]

POKEMON ARE DEMONS? Jeez I didn't know Satan's minions were so...cute...and willing to do whatever u say even if it causes them bodily harm! I may become Satanic now....

(JK!)

[Radical Dreamer]

I had ~something~ like this happen. Not to such an awfully rude extent, but I was telling a girl I knew at church about CAA, and she said, "Christian anime...? Isn't that like...an oxi-moron?" That bothered me, but I'm 99.9% certain that that was coming from her lack of knowledge as far as anime was concerned, which is how it is with a lot of people. And regarding what Mith said, I've had people tell me that the music I listen to is evil (most of it is Christian rock...o_o), and that only happened a few weeks ago. XD;