I've always liked anime. I grew up on Starblazers, G-Force and Transformers (but could not stand their retarded cousins, the GoBots) on t.v. Who DOESN'T know Speed Racer? Pokemon? Dragon Ball Z/whatever it is now, Naruto. All anime. I'm not going to give a history lesson, but trust me anime is big business in Japan and it would be big in the US if Japan could not be so 'Japanese' and simply market it to a wider audience. Add on the manga (basically Japanese comics) and video game based light novels they make big bucks with this stuff.
Currently anime is on a few cable channels but usually late at night. So you really don't have to go far for anime... its not as obscure as you think.. its just not 'prime time' stuff (well, Pokemon is a staple on kids channels).
I really don't like many of the anime 'categories'... I mostly stay in the dramatic or romantic anime, rarely will I even watch Sci-Fi anime... I don't find the stories compelling. Nor do I want to see cartoon tits or crotches. But 'fanservice' is a part of how Japan makes anime. And as I have been told in many conversations.. SEX SELLS. Jessica Rabbit? Any of the Disney heroines (has Disney ever made an animated feature where the lead was not a female, big tits, and scantily clad. Look at the cleavage Sleeping Beauty shows! And like I said, cartoon poon simply makes me roll my eyes. But nudity can be essential to the story (Hello Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct). I find it hilarious that grown men will watch porn, pay to see R rated movies with sex and nudity, and even buy magazines with even partial nudity (Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.. sure, you're just a 'collector'
) but when an anime shows boobs or poon (and most of the time its 'implied'/covered/silhouette) its immature.. even if it is part of the plot (or mostly not, High School of the Dead).So yeah.. I guess I will always lose points off my man card because I like the drama or romantic anime. Sorry.. just the way I'm wired. I have a really strong attraction to strong female leads. If the female lead is wishy washy/whiny/not confident I will not watch it.. it does not interest me. Just like I hate Jerry Lewis and don't really like the Beatles... they just never appealed to me so I don't enjoy their work. But I can sit through a Tom Hanks flick no problem.. even Big.. but NEVER Bosom Buddies.
Right now I am watching Blue Drop, its a sci-fi anime but not very sci-fi-ie.. again, I like the characters and the drama more than laser beams and space ships. Although the articulated ships are pretty cool looking.. I just don't care to remember all the weird names the 'space people' give everything.. its just so tiring.
'5cm per second' was a big 'WTF'
'Say I love you' was pretty good.. but had a typical unsatisfying anime ending.
Ditto for 'Special A'... good strong characters, good story... ending just peters out... wtf.
But I will watch the shit out 'Mysterious Girlfriend X' that chick is rock solid and the story is excellent. I have not read the manga.. but the anime and OVA were just so finger licking good (pun intended).
