*cracks knuckles*
Ah, good old fanservice, my second favourite thing in the world to playa hate on after Richard Dawkins.
See now, I can just about tolerate fan service in shows like Gureen Lagaan (I don't know how to spell it), although I could never say I find it particularly "charming", and can't really see what charm the show would lose if it didn't have it (apart from it being less practical for a rodent to live in a pair of B cups?), but I guess it is part GL's thing for whatever reason. What does concern me though, is just the sheer volume of shows that seem to consider it an essential ingredient for all anime, ranging from children's shows( e.g Naruto, which I have now just discovered is a word on my spell check program :? ) to what are supposed to be fairly mature shows aimed at supposedly mature people.
Looking at the issue outside of the "Well it doesn't get in the way of the plot" angle (Which I disagree with, have you seen the size of those mammaries!? They get in the way of the whole screen!) can we really ignore/ deny the negative consequences of such degrading sexulization? Especially how it might effect the self esteem/self image of young Japanese girls? Japan, unlike the rest of the world is a place that has considerable exposure to anime and therefore the anime produced does have an effect on that society. Japan isn't exactly the bustiest nation on the planet either (thats right, they lied!). So tell me, are the ridiculous stereotypes of the female body (whether stupidly busty or stupidly skinny with a skirt higher then your nickers) going to help Japanese girls embrace their own bodies?
As I said, it's not that some shows indulge in such tropes, it's that seemingly the majority of programs indulge.
Maybe I'm thinking about this too hard, in fact I know I am. But I'm quite a serious person, really, so I can't help but feel disappointed when a show I'm otherwise enjoying feels the need to whip out a piece of over sexualization which feel's like it belongs to a bygone era, but which could not exist in any other era than the current in many ways debauched one we live in.
Also it could be worth considering that this
is one of the factors which currently alienates the anime market from a wider audience? If the industry stopped feeling the need to live up to it's stereotype as others have mentioned, it could find acceptance farther afield. But the studios seem too obsessed with satiating it's current particular and narrow audience to see the big picture.
It's not like I'm suggesting we get rid of anything really important to anime, like say err.. big eye's (which is actually a worthwhile argument in it's self, but I won't go there now)?. Just that the amount of BS (and that stands for ********, not Boy....Something) get's cut back a bit were it's really not needed.
To an extent, I can understand that. It didn't bother me too much once I got into the story, but the character designs are much harsher than they were in the manga. I do think they're easier on the eye than those used in the Oshii films though.
You've got to love Togusa's mullet though. Between that and Batou's ponytail, I think they've kept up an amusing link to the manga's '80s origin.
Really? I think the majority of GITS character designs are rather good, it's mainly just Matoko (in SAC) that I don't like. Funnily enough I really liked the designs in Oshii's movie, I thought Matoko looked much more interesting and credible in it.
It was probably some kind of inevitable agreement with ayase.
