Yeah... one of the big points in my thesis was that animation and manga/comics were media, and that animation wasn't simply a subset of film. Guh. It was really weird moving to America from Taiwan for college, because in Taiwan, thanks to Japan, the acceptance level for anime and manga is much higher -- manga rental stores, anime on tv. And while I'm sure it's not respected totally, I think the widespread nature of it prevents people from outright dismissing it. One encounter that particularly annoyed me here was one person insisting that why watch animation when one can watch real people? And -- animated serious stuff, that's just stupid, because we all know animation is just for kids. Grrr. It was just so silly, like saying paintings were obsolete because we had the camera.
I think right now Pixar's taken the torch from Disney in terms of popularity and cutting-edge-ness (have you seen the preview for Brother Bear? Withholding judgment so far, but I can't help but think it looks like Pocahontas, remade). But, as you said, it doesn't mean the computer stuff is better... just means the story lines and the characters and the humor is better, more non-cliched perhaps. Dreamworks, imho, is usually very hit (Shrek) or very miss (Spirit).
Very much agree about the looking down on genre in general. I never really used to be that embarrassed about my sf/f thing because most of the avid readers in my school were into that, so we got to form our own little book-borrowing circle. For me, a lot of that has gone to my thing with romance. And just admitting that, I feel like I have to justify by saying there is a lot of dreck, etc., but in the end, who cares? I enjoy it.
I think the snobs are always there.. in the anime club it wasn't computer vs. hand, but rather Japan vs. America, so I was frequently putting my hat on and saying that America does produce good animation -- Iron Giant, Nightmare, Chicken Run, Chuck Jones, etc. And yeah, the Batman series! I'm so sad I never got to see it! Is it still airing? I remember it first came out back when I was still in Taiwan, so me and my sister got the pilot on VHS, but that was it =(. I loved that style...
Haven't seen Samurai Jack, sadly...
I'm still slowly growing my collection... I've got all of Gundam Wing, all that's out of Utena, thanks to the thesis, Chicken Run, Nightmare (essentials), picked up Creature Comforts for five bucks at Walmart, found Iron Giant for about that much, and slowly but surely getting all of the Ghibli stuff. Mostly I buy those in Taiwan because I'm still mad Fox never released Totoro with subtitles.
Toy Story, Lilo and Stitch, Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop, all still in the want list...
I think one of the shorts in the Animatrix (the weird one with the glowing purple people? Matriculated, had to go look that up) was done by the guy behind Aeon Flux. I remember that because it felt distincly non-anime... I think my favorites in Animatrix were the ones on the rise of the machines and the final one about the kid being targeted and the one where a group of street kids find a glitch. Gorgeous animation.. especially loved the sketchy, hand drawn style of the last one.
I agree with the variety in animation, at least the potential thereof. Same with comics/manga. I'm glad Gaiman and Sandman made people realize there was a market for non-superhero stuff and that indie comics writers/artists are still out there. And still gunning for Miyazaki to gain more of a fan base here so we can see non-kid-oriented animation made here sometime...
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
Re: Favorite bits of animation & nightmare
Date: 2003-10-08 12:44 pm (UTC)I think right now Pixar's taken the torch from Disney in terms of popularity and cutting-edge-ness (have you seen the preview for Brother Bear? Withholding judgment so far, but I can't help but think it looks like Pocahontas, remade). But, as you said, it doesn't mean the computer stuff is better... just means the story lines and the characters and the humor is better, more non-cliched perhaps. Dreamworks, imho, is usually very hit (Shrek) or very miss (Spirit).
Very much agree about the looking down on genre in general. I never really used to be that embarrassed about my sf/f thing because most of the avid readers in my school were into that, so we got to form our own little book-borrowing circle. For me, a lot of that has gone to my thing with romance. And just admitting that, I feel like I have to justify by saying there is a lot of dreck, etc., but in the end, who cares? I enjoy it.
I think the snobs are always there.. in the anime club it wasn't computer vs. hand, but rather Japan vs. America, so I was frequently putting my hat on and saying that America does produce good animation -- Iron Giant, Nightmare, Chicken Run, Chuck Jones, etc. And yeah, the Batman series! I'm so sad I never got to see it! Is it still airing? I remember it first came out back when I was still in Taiwan, so me and my sister got the pilot on VHS, but that was it =(. I loved that style...
Haven't seen Samurai Jack, sadly...
I'm still slowly growing my collection... I've got all of Gundam Wing, all that's out of Utena, thanks to the thesis, Chicken Run, Nightmare (essentials), picked up Creature Comforts for five bucks at Walmart, found Iron Giant for about that much, and slowly but surely getting all of the Ghibli stuff. Mostly I buy those in Taiwan because I'm still mad Fox never released Totoro with subtitles.
Toy Story, Lilo and Stitch, Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop, all still in the want list...
I think one of the shorts in the Animatrix (the weird one with the glowing purple people? Matriculated, had to go look that up) was done by the guy behind Aeon Flux. I remember that because it felt distincly non-anime... I think my favorites in Animatrix were the ones on the rise of the machines and the final one about the kid being targeted and the one where a group of street kids find a glitch. Gorgeous animation.. especially loved the sketchy, hand drawn style of the last one.
I agree with the variety in animation, at least the potential thereof. Same with comics/manga. I'm glad Gaiman and Sandman made people realize there was a market for non-superhero stuff and that indie comics writers/artists are still out there. And still gunning for Miyazaki to gain more of a fan base here so we can see non-kid-oriented animation made here sometime...