Comments for META no TAME http://meta.neojaponisme.com a meta-blog for Néojaponisme Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:47:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 Comment on What I Did on My Summer Non-Vacation by Peter http://meta.neojaponisme.com/2009/09/15/what-i-did-on-my-summer-non-vacation/comment-page-1/#comment-21968 Peter Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:47:45 +0000 http://meta.neojaponisme.com/?p=324#comment-21968 Twitter is an amazing phenomenon, but I have noticed in many cases an alarming negative correlation (but not necessarily a causation) between the amount a blogger tweets and the amount a blogger posts. I would have thought that, in the same way a good jam session will bear fruit in a well constructed tune, the 140-character soup that Twitter is would materialize in everybody's blogposts being more frequent and/or more informed. It's not just the Neojaponisme crowd. This negative correlation is everywhere. [soapbox rant ends] Anyhow, I like your podcasts, and I also hope to read the articles you mention above. Twitter is an amazing phenomenon, but I have noticed in many cases an alarming negative correlation (but not necessarily a causation) between the amount a blogger tweets and the amount a blogger posts. I would have thought that, in the same way a good jam session will bear fruit in a well constructed tune, the 140-character soup that Twitter is would materialize in everybody’s blogposts being more frequent and/or more informed.

It’s not just the Neojaponisme crowd. This negative correlation is everywhere.

[soapbox rant ends]

Anyhow, I like your podcasts, and I also hope to read the articles you mention above.

]]> Comment on What I Did on My Summer Non-Vacation by Connor http://meta.neojaponisme.com/2009/09/15/what-i-did-on-my-summer-non-vacation/comment-page-1/#comment-21949 Connor Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:49:39 +0000 http://meta.neojaponisme.com/?p=324#comment-21949 Anybody who has spent ANY time in Tokyo knows there are no trains, lights, or fashions. Residents, if there even ARE any, get from "place" to "place" by bicycle, naked, in the dark. Although I will say, in response to the implied accusation of frivolity, that it'd be cool to see a neoj panel about the election and aftermath. Anybody who has spent ANY time in Tokyo knows there are no trains, lights, or fashions. Residents, if there even ARE any, get from “place” to “place” by bicycle, naked, in the dark.

Although I will say, in response to the implied accusation of frivolity, that it’d be cool to see a neoj panel about the election and aftermath.

]]> Comment on What I Did on My Summer Non-Vacation by Marxy http://meta.neojaponisme.com/2009/09/15/what-i-did-on-my-summer-non-vacation/comment-page-1/#comment-21936 Marxy Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:39:56 +0000 http://meta.neojaponisme.com/?p=324#comment-21936 Now you're just being mean without making any sense. Now you’re just being mean without making any sense.

]]> Comment on What I Did on My Summer Non-Vacation by Barry Black Boy http://meta.neojaponisme.com/2009/09/15/what-i-did-on-my-summer-non-vacation/comment-page-1/#comment-21886 Barry Black Boy Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:32:42 +0000 http://meta.neojaponisme.com/?p=324#comment-21886 More of the usual superfluous crap then. Still pushing the "crazy Tokyo, look at the lights and the trains and all the fashion" idea ? More of the usual superfluous crap then.
Still pushing the “crazy Tokyo, look at the lights
and the trains and all the fashion” idea ?

]]> Comment on On "The Soul of Japan" by M-Bone http://meta.neojaponisme.com/2009/08/12/on-the-soul-of-japan/comment-page-1/#comment-21319 M-Bone Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:52:54 +0000 http://meta.neojaponisme.com/?p=285#comment-21319 The "fading" of Hollywood in Japan was discussed pretty widely from 2007. There has been a simultaneous boom in American TV drama rentals though. The “fading” of Hollywood in Japan was discussed pretty widely from 2007. There has been a simultaneous boom in American TV drama rentals though.

]]> Comment on On "The Soul of Japan" by Arthur http://meta.neojaponisme.com/2009/08/12/on-the-soul-of-japan/comment-page-1/#comment-21310 Arthur Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:49:01 +0000 http://meta.neojaponisme.com/?p=285#comment-21310 Looks like Kelts got the part about Hollywood's fading in Japan right on: http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSTRE5861RO20090907 Looks like Kelts got the part about Hollywood’s fading in Japan right on:
http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSTRE5861RO20090907

]]> Comment on Scion Installation 5 LA by Ian LYNAM http://meta.neojaponisme.com/2009/09/03/scion-installation-5-la/comment-page-1/#comment-21128 Ian LYNAM Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:45:47 +0000 http://meta.neojaponisme.com/?p=322#comment-21128 THANK YEW. THANK YEW.

]]> Comment on Scion Installation 5 LA by bendalllll http://meta.neojaponisme.com/2009/09/03/scion-installation-5-la/comment-page-1/#comment-21124 bendalllll Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:48:21 +0000 http://meta.neojaponisme.com/?p=322#comment-21124 Hey, isn't this the same font you put up a while ago? Does all kinds of simulated hand done steez? Anyway, congrats dude!! Hey, isn’t this the same font you put up a while ago? Does all kinds of simulated hand done steez?

Anyway, congrats dude!!

]]> Comment on On "The Soul of Japan" by M-Bone http://meta.neojaponisme.com/2009/08/12/on-the-soul-of-japan/comment-page-1/#comment-20831 M-Bone Sun, 30 Aug 2009 06:57:49 +0000 http://meta.neojaponisme.com/?p=285#comment-20831 I'm a vet of the wave of anime fandom that popped up around 1995. I was mostly interested in scifi visions like Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Nausicaa, etc. There was a proto-moe fandom back then - some fans were most interested in Aa Megami-sama and titles like that and there were debates online around 1996-1997 focusing around the idea that anime fandom might be a form of longing for 1950s ideals of (American) femininity. I never really thought that this debate applied to me as I was not into these titles (and never got into moe) and was a "critical" viewer. What is going on now CAN suck. However, back in the day, anime fandom was a rather simple subculture - there were a half dozen fan "types" that could describe most everyone who was into the medium. Now, I would argue that there are so many types of anime fans in America (and Japan) that we are really talking about dozens, perhaps hundreds of different subcultures within the subculture. We can define fans according to what they consume, their attitude toward Japan, etc. There REALLY are some parts of this fandom that are not worth keeping but others are fantastic - some more critical teens are using anime as their first bridge into subtitled film, for example. The Venn Diagrams that Marxy mentioned above would be perfect to use for examining these groups. I’m a vet of the wave of anime fandom that popped up around 1995. I was mostly interested in scifi visions like Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Nausicaa, etc. There was a proto-moe fandom back then – some fans were most interested in Aa Megami-sama and titles like that and there were debates online around 1996-1997 focusing around the idea that anime fandom might be a form of longing for 1950s ideals of (American) femininity. I never really thought that this debate applied to me as I was not into these titles (and never got into moe) and was a “critical” viewer. What is going on now CAN suck. However, back in the day, anime fandom was a rather simple subculture – there were a half dozen fan “types” that could describe most everyone who was into the medium. Now, I would argue that there are so many types of anime fans in America (and Japan) that we are really talking about dozens, perhaps hundreds of different subcultures within the subculture. We can define fans according to what they consume, their attitude toward Japan, etc. There REALLY are some parts of this fandom that are not worth keeping but others are fantastic – some more critical teens are using anime as their first bridge into subtitled film, for example.

The Venn Diagrams that Marxy mentioned above would be perfect to use for examining these groups.

]]> Comment on On "The Soul of Japan" by Leonardo Boiko http://meta.neojaponisme.com/2009/08/12/on-the-soul-of-japan/comment-page-1/#comment-20802 Leonardo Boiko Sat, 29 Aug 2009 01:17:51 +0000 http://meta.neojaponisme.com/?p=285#comment-20802 About the gender issues: I might be romanticizing, but I didn’t feel it back in the day. I was a Brazilian “otaku” (we didn’t have the term at the time) of the Saint Seiya age, i.e. about 1994 onwards. The circles I frequented, at least, used to be pretty liberal (as far as political terms mean anything to teenagers). In particular, I didn’t came in contact with any rape manga or game or overt misogyny — our «anime porn» generally involved lewd adult women with oversized breasts, local yaoi zines, and light-hearted sex parodies. There was an unusually high tolerance of sexual diversity in anime clubs and conventions (which was very important to me — anime groups were the first place where I felt I could be open about my sexuality, and it was in that environment that I met my first boyfriend). I wouldn’t classify the culture as properly feminist (exceptions aside (e.g. Utena), most anime is quite sexist); but there was gender tolerance — it was the only place were a male teenager would feel accepted while enjoying «girly» stuff, namely shōjo, and where girls were welcomed to explore «boyish» nerdy things. Since I was active in a pre-Internet age (for me), I have no idea how Japan and U.S. groups felt at the time. In any case I’d love to read a bit more w.r.t otaku groups and gender politics. In short, all this culture of moé and macho posturing would feel quite alien to my 15-year-old self. It makes me disappointed enough that I’m kind of happy with the way anime is being absorbed into mainstream — a fandom environment such as the present one isn’t worth keeping. About the gender issues: I might be romanticizing, but I didn’t feel it back in the day. I was a Brazilian “otaku” (we didn’t have the term at the time) of the Saint Seiya age, i.e. about 1994 onwards. The circles I frequented, at least, used to be pretty liberal (as far as political terms mean anything to teenagers). In particular, I didn’t came in contact with any rape manga or game or overt misogyny — our «anime porn» generally involved lewd adult women with oversized breasts, local yaoi zines, and light-hearted sex parodies. There was an unusually high tolerance of sexual diversity in anime clubs and conventions (which was very important to me — anime groups were the first place where I felt I could be open about my sexuality, and it was in that environment that I met my first boyfriend). I wouldn’t classify the culture as properly feminist (exceptions aside (e.g. Utena), most anime is quite sexist); but there was gender tolerance — it was the only place were a male teenager would feel accepted while enjoying «girly» stuff, namely shōjo, and where girls were welcomed to explore «boyish» nerdy things.

Since I was active in a pre-Internet age (for me), I have no idea how Japan and U.S. groups felt at the time. In any case I’d love to read a bit more w.r.t otaku groups and gender politics.

In short, all this culture of moé and macho posturing would feel quite alien to my 15-year-old self. It makes me disappointed enough that I’m kind of happy with the way anime is being absorbed into mainstream — a fandom environment such as the present one isn’t worth keeping.

]]>