You may or may not have the relationship (going steady) with anime that I and I know many people do. It may be a phase for you, a casual fling you’ll toss out and forget about in the morning. A two or three year stand, if you will. I think my seven year affair has lasted so long and is still going so strong because of all the potential I see in it. I see a whole lot in anime: storytelling device, art form, entertainment, thought provoker, controversy, culture bridge, and so on.

But for some people, the magic is gone. There’s just no spark any more, and all those long nights in front of the TV seem so empty now. If you’re losing interest with anime, why have you? Has anime not delivered all it promised it would? If you haven’t lost interest but you know someone who has, why have they cut anime off? Is there a reason, or is it that the relationship has grown all it has and simply ended? What is it about anime that’s made you avoid it at parties and in conversation? Why have you or a friend ditched anime?

Please share in the comment section below your breakup scenarios with anime!

I don’t normally do that- drop an anime. I can usually soldier through some heavy garbage to the end of a series and have put up with a lot of suck-tacular anime. But every now and then, a series comes along which pushes my buttons and gets under my skin in such a way, it’s no longer physically possible for me to watch it. It’s like I’m struck by a sudden illness and the only cure is to eject the DVD and bury it somewhere. The symptoms of this malady are irritability, unpredictable shouting jags, elevated blood pressure, random and effusive cursing, and a general felling of disgust. I’ve dubbed this Dropitnomea from the latin: Dropit- (drop it) -nomea (it is crap).

What usually brings on Dropitnomea is excessive moe, shotacon, lolicon, bathroom humor or any combination thereof. If I even smell a serious or comedic overuse of shotacon or lolicon in a series, I refuse to watch it. A tiny hint, no problem, but if it pops up more than twice within the first episode, buh-bye. Same goes for truly lowbrow humor. I don’t mind boob jokes or fanservice, but if the jokes seem like they were written by a fifth grader who’s gotten his hands on a naughty thesaurus, Flush!, the anime is gone.

I usually get another member of the team who’s immune to my anime allergies, so to say, to review the series I can’t. We all have something we can’t deal with in anime, and I’m very aware of what I’m allergic to in the medium. Do you have any anime allergies which flare up and make it impossible to watch a series? Have you stopped watching a series because of something in the anime that rubbed you the wrong way or made you ill? Do you drop anime or are you a trooper who makes it through even the worst anime? What’s it take for you to drop an anime?

Please tell us your thoughts in the comment section below on dropping an anime series!

Some anime have a point to the melancholy drama, and get to it fairly quickly, but they don’t drag it out over every episode. I don’t want to not want to get out of bed in the morning or park the car in the garage and leave the door down with the engine on after watching an anime. Lord knows it can’t all be sunshine and roses, but there’s a point when enough is too much.

Anime concepts can be anything, from mundane (Kanon) to really mundane (Prince of Tennis) to tedious and boring (Yakitate!!) to depressing beyond words (Grave of the Fireflies). So how much is too much when it comes to a concept for anime being too boring, depressing or mundane?

While we all know the list of good ideas for anime are nigh endless, the flip side is also true- a never ending supply of baaaad ideas are forever lurking, waiting to be made into crappy anime. We’ve compiled a top ten list of ideas for anime which should never, under any circumstances, EVER be made, either because they’re too depressing or too boring:

10. Ero Knitting- Purl, purl, left stitch, oh yeah!

9. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle- 1, 2, 5 and 4 which plastic will cost our planet more?

8. Shopping for Flatware- The real danger was, would the store have enough for a sitting of 10?

7. Hair Cut, The Series- Dueling scissors battle for the ultimate prom night-do!

6. Pet Shelter of Horrors- Take one home today or the guilt will haunt you…forever!!!

5. Awkward Silence: I Made Out With Your Mom- How long can a man gape in surprise before the silence destroys him?

4. Tax Time- Uncle Sam knows where you live!! And you, and you, and you….

3. Paint Drying: The First Coat- As the paint dried, lives were lived.

2. Exit Poll, The Movie- Their final opinions prove nothing!

1. Hospice*

Perhaps you’ve been privy to some bad anime ideas in your lonely hours, or someone mentioned something should be made into anime and you strongly disagree. What thoughts do you have on which ideas should be avoided at all costs for the sake of anime? Do you or someone you know have a handful of bad ideas for anime you’ve been keeping to yourselves? If so this is your chance to share: What’s the worst anime concept ever?

*I highly, highly respect hospice and its caregivers. Their sacrifice makes our last days safe and comfortable, but a hospice anime? Worst. Idea. Ever.

Feel free to unburden your bad anime ideas in the comments below!

The first time I saw a Speed Racer trailer was online some months back. My first impression was “Cool!” Since then I’ve readjusted my initial opinion of “Cool” to “Uhhhh” and “Reallly?”, mostly based on trailers I’ve seen on TV. The web trailer I saw was short, well edited and had a “mature” vibe. The ones I’ve seen on TV aren’t.

There are at least four Speed Racer trailers I’ve viewed thus far, and three of those don’t make me want to jump up and throw down $16 to see this thing. If anything, they make me want to stay far, far away from any theater playing Speed Racer since the place’ll be crawling with tiny human larvae, i.e. kids. Is that the main audience for the movie, kids? Because I thought this is the Wachowski brothers we’re talking about. You know, the guys who brought us the Matrix?

I saw a trailer of Speed Racer one Saturday morning, which played over and over, featuring Chimchim and Spritle doing slapstick comic relief. I wanted to weep for how bad this movie turned out if this short preview was any indicator of the quality of the movie.

Truth be told, I will go see Speed Racer in theaters May 9, but not because of the trailers. The trailers have little (some, but not much) to do with my personal decision to see this movie. I’m going because it’s a live action anime, big budget production directed by renown comic geeks and released by a giant American movie studio. That just doesn’t happen every day. Oh, and the visuals look hardcore awesome even if the story seems nonexistent. So despite my visceral reaction to save my hard-earned and forgo opening night on this one, I’m going to be in line May 9th.

How about you? What are your reactions to the Speed Racer trailers? Do they make you want to reserve seats on opening night or do they fill you with the desire to flame the Warner Brother’s website? Are you inspired by the trailers, or do they have the opposite of their intended effect? What effect do the Speed Racer trailers have on your desire to see the movie?

Tell us your thoughts below on the Speed Racer trailers and their effect on your desire to see the movie in theaters!

I know many fans are die-hard con goers and forgo even the basics, such as food and a bed, to attend cons. On the second day of the con I always see people eying my food the way they would a scantily clad cosplayer. That and the kinked necks suggest sleeping arrangements akin to a shoddily stacked set of Lincoln Logs. That’s dedication to the con spirit, but at my ripe old age of 31, dedication is running from panel to panel, staying up late to update the site and interviewing whoever I can whenever I can.

I can’t see myself sharing a room with any but my closest pals and I’ve gotten attached to eating at least once a day. I also suffer from an acute case of Princess and the Pea Syndrome. It’s a horrible malady which makes it impossible for me to sleep on anything that doesn’t have at least six inches of padding, i.e. a mattress.

When con season rolls around, are you ready for it? Were you scrimping all year and living off ramen to save for a convention? Have you saved up big time for the big cons, or are you going to buy a ticket and wing it from there? Do you have a con ticket and a hotel but can’t pay the rent? Are you set to converge at a convention or are you the guy with the sign, “WiLl GloMp fOr FoOD?” Do you go without meals? A bath? A room? Merchandise? What do you sacrifice to attend a con?

Share what you’ve forgone, or will forgo, to attend an anime convention in the comments below!

I know anime fans have a list of anime they feel everyone should see at least once. But do fans have a list of anime that should be avoided at all costs? There has to a list out there, emblazoned with a skull and cross bones, warning DANGER: Absolute Crap Ahead! I just know there’s a Plan Nine From Outer Space in anime. And just like Ed Wood’s thankfully obscure train wreck of a movie, there undoubtedly is an anime so bad, fans refer to it among themselves as a catchphrase for the epitome of Suckdom.

I’ve been lucky in my anime life, I’ve only watched one series so bad, I can’t understand why it continues to exist. The laws of nature state: survival of the fittest, which is why I’m perplexed as to why this series is still limping around. The series in question is Glass Fleet. It’s so holistically bad, I wholeheartedly feel Gonzo, the studio guilty of Glass Fleet, should burn it and mind-wipe anyone who’s seen it, myself included. I would be first in line for that. Yes, one mind wipe please, and while you’re at it, could you erase that bit about prom night? Thaaaanks.

In this household, we actually compare anime and live action on a scale of Glass Fleet to ten. That movie was bad, Glass Fleet bad. Pirates of the Caribbean Three has the honor of being the first live action movie to be awarded with a score of Glass Fleet.

Which anime is so bad you use its name as slang to describe something sub par? Is there a series so horrible, you’re confused as to why it still exists? Are there anime that have topped your DO NOT WATCH list? Which anime should be burned and never mentioned again?

While I feel NO MEDIA SHOULD EVER BE BURNED, no matter how terrible…for the sake of discussion, share in the comments below which anime you think should “figuratively” be torched.

Rachel’s Definition of Fanservice

Fanservice is anything which is gratuitous and exists purely for the satisfaction of a group(s) of fans. Fanservice is excessive and unnecessary use of “popular” motifs which do not in any way shape or form contribute to the atmosphere, mood, plot, story or character development of an anime. A few things which are commonly termed fanservice in the anime fandom are pantyshots, meido (maids), nekomimi (catgirls), meganeko (girls with glasses), boob shots and gothic lolitas. However fanservice is not limited to feminine attire or female anatomy. It can also be overuse of popular gags, excessive blood and violence and/or unnecessary inclusion of characters or props. In short: Fanservice can be absolutely anything (people, places, things) used in excess, which doesn’t move the story forward nor creates atmosphere or mood.

I believe fanservice isn’t any one thing. It’s simply gratuitous use of popular motifs and characters as an end in themselves and not a means to an end. Fanservice is a way of making a product more appealing to a wider audience, or, is a way of targeting a specific group of fans who are wild about a specific character or theme. Catgirls come to mind.

But if an anime featured solely or mainly catgirls, the entire series should be judged on its merits as an anime before being condemned as purely fanservice. I do believe there are series which exist solely for fans of a particular motif and which don’t necessarily delve too much into things like plot and character development. Personally, I avoid such series. I don’t have the time to sit down and watch something which holds little appeal for me. If I see catgirls or gothic lolitas collapsed in what I dub the “moe fold“, I’m not going to be watching that series if I have a ton of other anime to watch. To me, such visuals smack of pandering, and although I can’t judge the series based solely on what appears to be fanservice driven character design, I’m not gonna go outta my way to prove my initial impressions wrong.

After hearing us sound off on our disbeliefs or definitions of fanservice, what are your thoughts on the issue? Do you believe fanservice exists? Is it something you easily recognize or is it in the peripheries as you watch a series? When you think about fanservice, what comes to mind? What’s your definition of fanservice?

Please share your definitions of “fanservice” in the comment section below!

Some people have no idea they’re spoiling an anime or manga, it just doesn’t register adding key instances or the ending to their article might ruin the series for other people. Or perhaps they think they’re doing folks a favor by filling them in the most thorough manner possible so fans know what they’ll be investing time and money in. Thanks but no thanks.

Then there are the people who just don’t give a crap about spoiler etiquette. People like this usually know they’re spoiling something but have this mindset of, “I already read/ watched X, screw your anime needs; I got mine.” It’s tough to write a summary without spilling the beans, I should know. But Spoiler Reviewers are too damn lazy to put actual thought into what they’re writing. These are the same jackasses who printed the ending to Harry Potter in the local St. Louis culture zine.

I’ve read many a review and plot summary of series I’ve already watched and am dumbfounded as to why anyone would put crucial plot points up for all to see without a heads up. Be it ignorance or maliciousness, reviews or summaries without a friendly advance warning are rude. If I see a review or summary with “!!!!!SPOILERS!!!!!”, it becomes my choice whether or not I choose to read it and potentially ruin an anime. Give me the power to choose by putting up that one word, and in my mind, any writer who tells the whole story is absolved of any damages incurred.

Have you been the victim of drive-by-spoilers? Was an anime or manga ruined by random, hidden spoilers? Are spoilers OK, as long as they’re marked? Do you like spoilers and don’t mind that some pieces have no warning? Are you guilty of poor spoiler etiquette? Should spoilers even exist on a reviews site? What’re your thoughts on spoilers?

Tell us your thoughts on spoilers and spoiler etiquette in the comments below!

I know I’ve done that. I simply cannot believe a studio ruined a perfectly good manga. First off, how could they mess up the anime when the script is already written and storyboarded right there in black and white? Isn’t it a simple thing to draw the character designs and panels and make them move? It’s not as if there’s actual story or character development needed; it’s already done. How can they botch something so seemingly simple?

I think many things contribute to the failure of a manga-to-anime series. A major factor is the timing, as in the manga is as yet incomplete when the anime is being produced. Why oh why studios even bother to create a series from an incomplete manga makes no sense from a fan’s perspective but probably makes perfect $ense to the marketing department. Too often a studio is left to their own devices when devising further story to pick up where the manga is stalling at. They’ll rush through some “story” and tack it on. Sometimes, it might work, but oftentimes, it blows.

Another contributing factor is mass marketability. Studios think, how can we make this manga more appealing to a more diverse audience? Should we add romance, action or fanservice? Why not all three?! Then a horror manga becomes a tragic, romantic comedy with the meddling of marketing and bad decisions. Why? How did the mangaka let this happen?

Then, there’s the omissions which bring about failing marks. It’s one thing to add things to a manga-to-anime series it’s another thing to completely leave out necessary story arcs and background stories. Whoopsie.

I’ve seen far too many anime which were bad beyond belief yet were based off terrific manga. Spiral, which is supposedly phenomenal, is one which springs to mind as does Trinity Blood, although Trinity Blood was a series of light novels as opposed to manga.

I know there are nigh uncountable amounts of fans out there who have a beef with a studio for mistranslating a manga into an anime. Which manga do you feel was given the shaft in terms of production or story? Is there a manga that deserved better? Which manga do you think was horribly translated into an anime?

Hmmm, lets’ approach this with my personal pros of cosplaying first:

• I’d get to dress up in an awesome costume and have adoring fans want their picture taken with me.
• I’d meet new people.
• The ol’ creative muscle will get flexed.
• I’d get to sew a challenging costume.

Let’s look at the cons of cosplaying:

• Fans wouldn’t want their picture with me, they’d want their picture with the character.
• I’d meet new people.
• To do a costume justice would potentially cost hundreds of dollars and hundreds of hours.
• The ol’ creative muscle might get torn.
• I might get glomped, which might lead to a ripped costume, which would then lead to me behind bars for beating someone to death with a cosplay prop.

The number one reason I don’t cosplay, however is:

• I look nothing like my favorite characters.

What gets me, is some people dress up as cool looking characters they have zero connection with. They’ve never even watched the anime their cosplay’s in. It’s like wearing a band shirt and you don’t own any of the band’s albums or listen to their music. Posers. If I were to dress up as a character, it’d be a proper homage to one I like.

I like good cosplay, don’t get me wrong, but one of the reasons some cosplays just don’t work out is because the person wearing it doesn’t go the extra mile. If you’re not ripped and you’re playing a ripped character, maybe choose a costume the character wears which hides your unripped-ness. Finagle with the hair or buy a really good wig. Dressing like the character is only a part of the cosplay. Frankly, I just don’t look good in costumes, which, ahem, hug curves.

Those are my reasons I don’t cosplay. I like cosplay, though. It’s fun and something which fans of it bond over. That’s gotta be a good thing. If you don’t cosplay, what’s keeping you? Do you think it’s stupid and a waste of time and energy? Do you just like to gawk at the lovely and scantily clad ladies? Are you wanting to cosplay but can’t sew? Is shyness your issue? C’mon, dish: What’s keeping you from cosplaying?

Please share your reasons, in the comments below, for not dressing up as your fave character! (Even the “lame” ones.)