Comments on: Ask John: Do Global Fans Really Want Authentic Anime?

By: Lucus-FeriaaA

Lucus-FeriaaA — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 12:56:30 +0000

Honestly I stopped caring about the whole SUB VS DUB-discussion. I just watch whatever I get regardless of the language and I try to like it as much as possible.

By: PockyBox.com

PockyBox.com — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 18:03:44 +0000

Complete agreement. Many fans refuse to invest themselves in anime, even though they show enthusiasm. A quick look at the modern convention scene is proof of this. Most cosplayers, for instance, are more interested in generic costumes, costumes from non-anime (the Homestuck trend is overwhelming), or “original characters,” a stark change from ten years ago. A lot of fans (particularly the younger ones) don’t care about supporting the industry; they are just fine streaming episodes of their current favorites and refuse to pay the “high” prices of anime ($35 for a season of anime?! That’s too expensive!) I’ve had any number of customers refuse to buy anime unless its dubbed, even if its never been dubbed.

It’s not a new problem, but anime fans believe anime should be tailored to their changing wants. I’ve long accepted anime isn’t for me. It’s for Japanese audiences. I’m fortunate enough to be able to purchase and watch it in a relatively reliable, expedited form. I want to continue enjoying anime in as pure of form as possible, because I got into it because its a unique cultural art.

In my younger days, I was more elitist and refused to watch what was mainstream (Dragon Ball and Pokemon, for instance). Nowadays, I’ll watch everything, but I know I’m more dedicated to anime than most of the customers I serve (though I have run into any number of people who are as obsessive as me). Overall, anime is there, so folks can enjoy it how they want to, even if Old Man Chris doesn’t always approve. Get out of my hobby, you dern kids!

By: GATS

GATS — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 03:47:55 +0000

There are certain times when the dub *is* actually better than the sub. For example, Wicked City. And it does work both ways, as the Japanese do actually consider our tastes or ideas. [People complain about Robotech, but then Macross 7 stole the same gimmick of continuing the series with Max and Miriya’s daughter.] However, I am in agreement that certain shows just work better in Japanese-[Urusei Yatsura, anyone?]-and casual fans may not know what they’re missing. Though all that matters to me is people who pay lip-service to anime, because it’s the “trendy” thing to do, or because they want to make a quick buck without giving a damn about quality. Now *those* are the bottom-feeder types to watch out for. Everyone else, though, let ’em enjoy it how they choose, as long as they support it legally. Though the latter group should at least avoid being scammed by licensors selling “complete” sets of shows like Digimon which are dub-only, and edited, but cost $60+. That’s just a rip-off, and benefits no one except the licensor.

By: WWAanimefan

WWAanimefan — Sat, 16 Nov 2013 05:57:20 +0000

As a longtime fan myself, I have seen the entire spectrum of anime fandom. While I did side with the more purist groups when I was younger, I find myself more appreciating all fans of anime. The more, the merrier.