Who loves anime here?

[MrSylvester]

Hey guys, what do you think of Baccano? Personally, I found it to be very, very good, enough to make it in my top ten and almost in my top 7 most beloved anime. I lvoed it, I really did. It had great writing, GREAT characters who were very memorable (Jacuzzi Splot is my most favorite character) and honestly, I liked it much more than Cowboy Bebop even though Bebop and Baccano have literally NOTHING similiar to each other except for their jazz opening songs.

Only things wrong are that first, the coloring seemed to have a greyish tint to it, making Baccano which otherwise has AMAZING animation look a bit dark although I could always see everything. Also, some characters at first glance looked too similiar to each other ebcause of their hair color and gender and weren’t always insantly recognizable. The anime fixes this problem of course bu pointing out who they really are. The biggest problem with Baccano is the same problem I have with Elfen Lied: I want more. I wish they made a second season as I hear the books are longer and show more events than what the anime contented with. Regardless, Baccano is one of thsoe anime so entertaining, so fun, so enjoable that immediately after finishing it, I wanted to rewatch it. For a 16 episode anime, it has a VERY high rewatch value. Seriously guys, watch it. For those who watched it, what do you think?

 

[Tenofovir]

Steins Gate looks good. Also, what is Kurenai about?

Tenofovir, I have to ask you something, without meaning to sound rude of course: why don’t you like anime that are what I’d call depressing? You even said that Higurashi was bad because it had what practically are teenagers killing each other without looking into other themes it explores like friendship, isolation and fatalism. It isn’t battle royale where people kill each other because the plot demands that they do, it’s not exploitation because the depressing stuff and the emotion are used to make us care for the characters, not for enjoyment of their suffering.

It’s exploitation of the audience, if not exploitation of the character/actor (if real life). Any fool can make an anime or movie about kids killing each other. And let’s face it, most people will be shocked. I find such anime or films not realistic. We don’t get situations where otherwise well off people have to kill each other as in Battle Royale or Higurashi or Mirai Nikki (know plot, haven’t watched) or the atrocious Corpse Party (which apparently is a popular game in the West too).

One of my favourite anime is Grave of the Fireflies. That story is based on real life events, it is not contrived, it has characters which one wants to care for - they’re also animated exceptionally well and so on… The live action Japanese film, Nobody Knows, which received a Cannes Award for its young male lead, is another good film from Japan which shows tragedy, albeit based on real life and without a contrived plot.
Other examples could be All About Lily Chou-Chou, by Shunji Iwai and Gaichu.

There are of course more good films from other countries which do this well. But an anime or a film like Hunger Games / Battle Royale is I would call an exploitation film. It’s easy to come up with an absurd situation where society descends to such a point that the government is permitted to let kids kill each other, yet kids which we otherwise care for, they’re not total barbarians. I think such is too easy. Directors should work harder. Either make the situation realistic or portray something else, maybe a situation in Rwanda during the genocide or Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge rule or Soviet Russia in the 1920s when Bolsheviks were exterminating homeless children.

The other thing I think is that in doing garbage movies where we just aim to shock by lowering the boundaries of decency further and further, we are hurting our own and genuine victims’ human dignity. Real life situations where innocent people suffer happen and have have happened. There is no need to create contrived, unbelievable stories when real life hell occurs now in this day and age.

 

[Tenofovir]

Steins Gate looks good. Also, what is Kurenai about?

Kurenai is about a guy who has amazing conflict resolution powers, he is a young kid who is excessively strong, yet doesn’t look it. He ends up having to take care of a very young heiress to a mega-rich, super powerful Japanese family who up to now has led a very sheltered life and who’s mother was murdered by the head of the family.

 

[MrSylvester]

It’s exploitation of the audience, if not exploitation of the character/actor (if real life). Any fool can make an anime or movie about kids killing each other. And let’s face it, most people will be shocked. I find such anime or films not realistic. We don’t get situations where otherwise well off people have to kill each other as in Battle Royale or Higurashi or Mirai Nikki (know plot, haven’t watched) or the atrocious Corpse Party (which apparently is a popular game in the West too).

One of my favourite anime is Grave of the Fireflies. That story is based on real life events, it is not contrived, it has characters which one wants to care for - they’re also animated exceptionally well and so on… The live action Japanese film, Nobody Knows, which received a Cannes Award for its young male lead, is another good film from Japan which shows tragedy, albeit based on real life and without a contrived plot.
Other examples could be All About Lily Chou-Chou, by Shunji Iwai and Gaichu.

There are of course more good films from other countries which do this well. But an anime or a film like Hunger Games / Battle Royale is I would call an exploitation film. It’s easy to come up with an absurd situation where society descends to such a point that the government is permitted to let kids kill each other, yet kids which we otherwise care for, they’re not total barbarians. I think such is too easy. Directors should work harder. Either make the situation realistic or portray something else, maybe a situation in Rwanda during the genocide or Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge rule or Soviet Russia in the 1920s when Bolsheviks were exterminating homeless children.

The other thing I think is that in doing garbage movies where we just aim to shock by lowering the boundaries of decency further and further, we are hurting our own and genuine victims’ human dignity. Real life situations where innocent people suffer happen and have have happened. There is no need to create contrived, unbelievable stories when real life hell occurs now in this day and age.

Battle Royale, Mirai Nikki, maybe, but Higurashi? Thing is, not every story that has emotional conflict has to have a totally realistic situation. I mean, Puella Magi Madoka Magica isn’t realistic because it invovles magic and aliens and what not but the reactions to what happens if someone gets kileld are realistic. If you call Higurashi an exploitation anime just because it has teenagers killing each other, it shows a total lack of research ebcause Higurashi in the end is a scary anime but one which is very sad and emotional and get this: SPOILER it has a happy ending. I am dead serious about this one. In fact, it has one of the best, happiest and sweetest endings to anything ever.

In all, Higurashi was very, very good. It made me cry a lot as there were a lot of sweet scenes. SPOILER The scene where the gang rescues Satoko from her abusive uncle makes me cry it was so well done and sadSPOILER. It is NOT a battle royale, nor does it contain that much gore. The gore isn’t enjoyable; in fact, it’s supposed to make you sick and feel sorry for the characters. In fact, if you want a pure exploitation film which is so horribly pointless and sick it’s unbelievable, watch SALO. I haven’t watched it myself and never will but reading descriptions about it is enough to turn your stomach.

What’s the diffirence between Salo and Higurashi? Because whereas SALO lingers on the suffering of the victims simply for the hell of it (as if watching a girl eat bread with nails in it is artsy!), Higurashi focuses on why our protagonists became they way they became, partly through mistrust, partly through supernatural phenomenea and focuses on how the power of friendship can do anything.

You must also note that not every realistic depiction of war is going to be a respectful look at the victims, nor is every depiction of war in a fictional setting a bad thing. I mean come on, SALO is about a bunch of fascists literally raping and doing horrible things to a bunch of teenagers for 4 months. Those things did happen in world war II. Song of Ice and Fire is about the way war and conflict and mediaval life affected everyone, even the leaders, while Berserk focuses on the same horribleness of medieval life and other themes, except mixed with supernatural elements. Yet, these two books are highly regarded as two of the greatest fantasy stories ever written. They have realistic depictions of the way people would react had they had horrible thigns happen to them. It’s not exploitation just because it’s an unrealistic event, it’s just a way to tell a story. Not everyone wants to tell a story of suffering in the real world you know.

 

[nickybr38]

Agreed and I find it odd that only you and I are the only few on these boards who still hold it up among favorites.

Then again, anyone who has been following the latest chapters would also know that it’s almost about to end. TwT You can just feel it…

That’s kind of funny! We disagree on several things but on Naruto we are in accord!

I just started Naruto Shippuden this weekend and of course I’m rehooked. That Gaara storyline was impossible to resist (Love Gaara!).

I haven’t read the newer Naruto manga but I will get back into it when I can afford to. Crunchyroll has introduced me to cheap anime but unfortunately there isn’t an easy way to get manga still. Our library system is sadly lacking in Naruto volumes. ):

 

[MrSylvester]

Hey, does anyone agree with me on my points saying Higurashi isn’t exploitation and what not?

 

[nickybr38]

Hey, does anyone agree with me on my points saying Higurashi isn’t exploitation and what not?

I’m not responding simply because I haven’t seen the show and would hesitate to make an opinion based on something I haven’t seen.

Just so you don’t think you’re being ignored because your points are invalid.

 

[exoflare]

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/4277/yamachasin.gif

 

[Crescentinus]

It seems that I had found Wedding Peach in Korean.
Should I get something? O:

 

[MrSylvester]

I’m not responding simply because I haven’t seen the show and would hesitate to make an opinion based on something I haven’t seen.

Just so you don’t think you’re being ignored because your points are invalid.

Well, thanks buddy.

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/4277/yamachasin.gif

What in the name of heck is that?! Is that Aizen from Bleach or something?

 

[MrSylvester]

I just saw episode 1 of the new Hayate the Combat Butler anime and as a HUGE fan of Hayate, here are my thoughts. Hayate fans, please really share your thoughts!

First, let me talk about the animation and the designs. The designs are closer to that of the manga and honestly, I actually like them except for Hayate’s design. In both the manga and the new anime, Hayate looks too bishonen. I don’t mind bishonen characters at all; in fact, I actually like bishonen designs but here, Hayate looks too girly. I’d prefer it if they went with the older designs from the beginning of the manga and the first anime. However, the animation is very, very nice and well animated and it still has that homey Hayate feel.

Now, the story. The characters were all OK, still consistent with their manga and anime personalities although I wish Maria had more screen time and in this episode, she didn’t smile a lot. In fact, in the anime, Maria seems more cheerful whereas in the manga, she seems more solemn. Note I said solemn, not sad or harsh. In fact, in both incarnations, Maria is very nice just in the manga, she is more serious and as I said solemn.

However, and this is a HUGE spoiler for those who haven’t read the manga: it looks like this anime takes place after the events of the violet mansion. It looks like Nagi regained her inheritance or something because Chiharu explains to her that she [Nagi] knows how she feels to lose something. Cue a picture of the Violet Mansion. I don’t know, it did bother me a little but I can live with it.

The new anime also seems to be, I don’t know how to say it. Dark? No, of course not but it seems like it’s going to take itself more seriously. There were still the jokes that made me smile and the moe, there still were the sweet moments but I found the visuals they used and the scenes with Ruka the idol a bit too big and fairytale like for Hayate. They were executed well and fitted the tone and context of the story. The first episode is also free of fanservice which is good. You might count Ruka being ‘nude’ in the ending sequence to be fanservicy but in this case, the ‘nudity’ is being used more for art than cheap fanservice as it’s done tastefully.

The music is as good as ever. Not extraordinary but it’s sweet, it relaxes you and I like it. In all, I want to find out more about the story and the shocking revelation at the end of the episode. It still has the sweet Hayate feel and it looks like it’s going to be very good. On the bad side of things, we get to see Yukiji and Miki, Izumi and Risa in the introduction… and no Hinagiku? Whats wrong with you people? Hinagiku and her relationship with Hayate is one of the biggest reasons I watch and read Hayate no Gotoku. Their moment on the balcony in season 2 has to be one of the sweetest things I have ever seen in my entire life, especially since it didn’t have any dreaded moment killers AT ALL. Also, why one earth do I have to wait a week to view each episode just because I’m a free user crunchyroll? Thats so, racist, yeah racist! It’s discriminatory towards people who don’t want to pay to view every anime that gets streamed (but not as racist as not letting those outside the US from viewing anime. Oh ye, thats horrifying!)

I’m liking whats happening in the manga. Ruka actually started coughing up blood and a deeper relationship looks to be developing between her and Hayate. In all, Hayate no Gotoku is one of my most favorite anime and manga ever. It’s firmly fixed in my number 7 spot of most beloved anime ever as it made me realize the importance of friendship, love and being happy in life. I read Hayate when I’m depressed or down and it always cheers me up. It’s a genuinely good series. It has some fanservice but not THAT much and unlike other harem anime, the characters are all lovable, memorable and great (except Hayate’s parents of course and Fum. Gosh, I HATE Fumi, the most annoying character ever), Hayate, being a parody sue is both likable and awesome at the same time and unlike other harem anime, the relationships the characters develop are actually convincing and even realistic. Nagi starts out as sort of being scared at developing a relationship with Hayate bu eventually, she and a lot of other girl do fall for his charms.

 

[MrSylvester]

Well guys, remember when I wrote that list abou the top ten ost well written anime? It’s outdated. I’ve seen a ton of other anime after I wrote that list and there are a lot of changes I would like to make to it. The writing style was bad, bland and boring and sme entries are rather questionable (Elfen Lied for example. While still good, it has a LOT of flaws that make it a questionable entry).

Say guys, I don’t mean to sound greedy or anything but do any of you know a magazine or website that I can submit my lists to and well, get payed? I know this sounds greedy of me but numerous authors said that as long as you dedicate your whole self to it, you should seek out writing jobs that pay. Hell, when I publish my book I definitely want to get payed by my publishers! So, do any of you know a website I can sell my articles to? I know I may get rejected by the way but I can ebar with it, learn from my mistakes and try again. Thanks!

 

[Tenofovir]

Battle Royale, Mirai Nikki, maybe, but Higurashi? Thing is, not every story that has emotional conflict has to have a totally realistic situation. I mean, Puella Magi Madoka Magica isn’t realistic because it invovles magic and aliens and what not but the reactions to what happens if someone gets kileld are realistic. If you call Higurashi an exploitation anime just because it has teenagers killing each other, it shows a total lack of research ebcause Higurashi in the end is a scary anime but one which is very sad and emotional and get this:

Well you said they put the gore in order to let you feel sorry for the characters. But that’s a cheap trick, mind you.

Puella MMM is another exploitation anime with little girls getting slaughtered. For some reason this anime was a big hit. Cheap exploitation. We naturally feel protective of children and when they’re being slaughtered we naturally feel bad about it. End of story.

Anyway glad you found something good in Higurashi. BTW there are two Higurashis. One is about a group of kids, and the other is about a group of guests on an island including a little kid who get murdered. The anime has the evil character kill the actual kid on screen, exploitation garbage. And this is a big hit anime too. Lots of people cosplay as the characters.

I never see the appeal of this type of anime. Oh well…

 

[nickybr38]

Well you said they put the gore in order to let you feel sorry for the characters. But that’s a cheap trick, mind you.

Puella MMM is another exploitation anime with little girls getting slaughtered. For some reason this anime was a big hit. Cheap exploitation. We naturally feel protective of children and when they’re being slaughtered we naturally feel bad about it. End of story.

Anyway glad you found something good in Higurashi. BTW there are two Higurashis. One is about a group of kids, and the other is about a group of guests on an island including a little kid who get murdered. The anime has the evil character kill the actual kid on screen, exploitation garbage. And this is a big hit anime too. Lots of people cosplay as the characters.

I never see the appeal of this type of anime. Oh well…

I think any good story exploits our emotions.

I’m not sure I can agree with your point.

Not speaking about the anime mentioned because I haven’t watched, but just in general when we see a character that we resonate with, we naturally feel inclined to feel bad for them. This is exploitation but that doesn’t make it bad! Just makes the story more compelling because we’re invested, so to speak.

For example, in Harry Potter we feel bad for him because he’s an orphan and abused. This is a kind of exploitation as well. We HAVE to like him because his circumstances are so foul.

Another example would be Frodo (really!). He’s just a normal guy who wants a normal life and we naturally feel bad for him when the really ****** ring stuff gets thrown at him because we know he’s not equipped to deal with it all.

I dunno. I just think ANY good story is going to have an element of exploitation in it.

Please remember the children in the stories you’re protesting are not REAL children. So the only exploitation that’s going on is of our emotions. The ‘children’ involved aren’t… really involved?

 

[exoflare]

What in the name of heck is that?! Is that Aizen from Bleach or something?

Yeah, the one chasing him is Yamamoto. I don’t know what the original image was from though lol

 

[Paul1Up]

I think any good story exploits our emotions.

I’m not sure I can agree with your point.

Not speaking about the anime mentioned because I haven’t watched, but just in general when we see a character that we resonate with, we naturally feel inclined to feel bad for them. This is exploitation but that doesn’t make it bad! Just makes the story more compelling because we’re invested, so to speak.

For example, in Harry Potter we feel bad for him because he’s an orphan and abused. This is a kind of exploitation as well. We HAVE to like him because his circumstances are so foul.

Another example would be Frodo (really!). He’s just a normal guy who wants a normal life and we naturally feel bad for him when the really ****** ring stuff gets thrown at him because we know he’s not equipped to deal with it all.

I dunno. I just think ANY good story is going to have an element of exploitation in it.

Please remember the children in the stories you’re protesting are not REAL children. So the only exploitation that’s going on is of our emotions. The ‘children’ involved aren’t… really involved?

This is true. I’m no literary expert, and there’s probably a more specific term than ‘exploitation’, which sounds like it has negative connotations, but pretty much every story ‘exploits’ something to invoke emotions in its audience. And as if Madoka Magica wasn’t a short enough anime, the story is being reworked into a feature film:
trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/madokamagica/
Which is kind of a shame, because they’ll have to cut quite a bit, and the episodic format worked in its favor a great deal. I thought it was clever how in the first 3 episodes they build up what seems to be a typical magical girl show then turn it on its head, and the last 2 episodes are just stunning, with the awesome sacrifices Homura and Madoka made/make.

Yeah, the one chasing him is Yamamoto. I don’t know what the original image was from though lol

I believe the original .gif is from the show “My Name Is Earl”
i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr119/KELLIE_MOVIES_TV_STUFF/TV%20STUFF/MY%20NAME%20IS%20EARL/EARL.gif

 

[Tenofovir]

I think any good story exploits our emotions.

I’m not sure I can agree with your point.

Not speaking about the anime mentioned because I haven’t watched, but just in general when we see a character that we resonate with, we naturally feel inclined to feel bad for them. This is exploitation but that doesn’t make it bad! Just makes the story more compelling because we’re invested, so to speak.

You need to watch Madoka Magica. It’s a story about little girls fighting monsters, and the little girls end up getting killed. Plus there is more to it than that. It’s not a realistic story not because of the magic, but because little girls usually don’t fight to the death. Also the context is important. The anime is targeted at fans of magical girl anime. Magical girl anime are kids anime which have two audience groups in Japan. Kids, and otakus who like shows about little kids. This anime is not a anime for kids because of the violence. This anime is an anime for the latter otaku group and it adds in themes of intense violence in absurd fashion. It’s not a war time story about a child who had to silence her baby brother by suffocating him out of fear of being discovered by nearby Nazis bent on murdering the entire family. It’s a contrived story about kids who fight and die only for the purpose of making the already attached audience feel bad or I would say for sado-masochistic purposes. For some reason many anime and manga in Japan have this together with “guro”. Guro is gore. Shows like Corpse Party explore this and I would say even revel in it. There is no redeeming value in these shows, none which can’t be portrayed in a more realistic and subtle fashion.

For example, in Harry Potter we feel bad for him because he’s an orphan and abused. This is a kind of exploitation as well. We HAVE to like him because his circumstances are so foul.

That’s his background. Now imagine Harry Potter where the kids fight each other to the death or something similar.

Another example would be Frodo (really!). He’s just a normal guy who wants a normal life and we naturally feel bad for him when the really ****** ring stuff gets thrown at him because we know he’s not equipped to deal with it all.

Well and there is redeeming value in that. The story is realistic, the magic elements are just plot devices. In real life however, children slaughtering children or children saving the world by risking and losing their lives to monsters (and worse) is not a realistic option. It’s too much and it’s gratuitous.

I dunno. I just think ANY good story is going to have an element of exploitation in it.

One could say that, but I think you need to take the story on balance. Is the story plausible. Does it bring about deeper or more universal message? Is the violence really necessary?

Please remember the children in the stories you’re protesting are not REAL children. So the only exploitation that’s going on is of our emotions. The ‘children’ involved aren’t… really involved?

I never said they were. It’s orthogonal to my point.

I should also say that the kids in PMM act like adults. Real life children are not capable of abstract concepts and resultant behaviours. And as said it would be absurd for children to fight in such fashion.

Anyway this has not stopped the Japanese industry from releasing matching “sex” toys for PMM for audience members who want to become more intimate with the characters. Yes the situation is further exploited that way too. Anyway to each their own, and if one can find something good in such shows, more power to you, but I think there are so many more redeeming works of higher caliber than this sort of exploitation garbage.

Ask yourself would people really make sex toys when it came to Dostoyevsky or Kafka?
I doubt it.

Anyway… it’s garbage. Sentimentalist garbage, with exploitation themes, with a strong lolicon following in Japan.

Rant over… hehe.

 

[Tenofovir]

This is true. I’m no literary expert, and there’s probably a more specific term than ‘exploitation’, which sounds like it has negative connotations, but pretty much every story ‘exploits’ something to invoke emotions in its audience. And as if Madoka Magica wasn’t a short enough anime, the story is being reworked into a feature film:
trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/madokamagica/
Which is kind of a shame, because they’ll have to cut quite a bit, and the episodic format worked in its favor a great deal. I thought it was clever how in the first 3 episodes they build up what seems to be a typical magical girl show then turn it on its head, and the last 2 episodes are just stunning, with the awesome sacrifices Homura and Madoka made/make.

I believe the original .gif is from the show “My Name Is Earl”
i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr119/KELLIE_MOVIES_TV_STUFF/TV%20STUFF/MY%20NAME%20IS%20EARL/EARL.gif

The fact that the industry sees Yen signs by exploiting the genre the way the industry exploits AK48 girls by having them shake hands with otakus who buy more of their CDs is not indicative of the artistic merit of the show. (I should say that the otakus are also exploited.)

 

[ironchapman]

You need to watch Madoka Magica. It’s a story about little girls fighting monsters, and the little girls end up getting killed. Plus there is more to it than that. It’s not a realistic story not because of the magic, but because little girls usually don’t fight to the death. Also the context is important. The anime is targeted at fans of magical girl anime. Magical girl anime are kids anime which have two audience groups in Japan. Kids, and otakus who like shows about little kids. This anime is not a anime for kids because of the violence. This anime is an anime for the latter otaku group and it adds in themes of intense violence in absurd fashion. It’s not a war time story about a child who had to silence her baby brother by suffocating him out of fear of being discovered by nearby Nazis bent on murdering the entire family. It’s a contrived story about kids who fight and die only for the purpose of making the already attached audience feel bad or I would say for sado-masochistic purposes. For some reason many anime and manga in Japan have this together with “guro”. Guro is gore. Shows like Corpse Party explore this and I would say even revel in it. There is no redeeming value in these shows, none which can’t be portrayed in a more realistic and subtle fashion.

That’s his background. Now imagine Harry Potter where the kids fight each other to the death or something similar.

Well and there is redeeming value in that. The story is realistic, the magic elements are just plot devices. In real life however, children slaughtering children or children saving the world by risking and losing their lives to monsters (and worse) is not a realistic option. It’s too much and it’s gratuitous.

One could say that, but I think you need to take the story on balance. Is the story plausible. Does it bring about deeper or more universal message? Is the violence really necessary?

I never said they were. It’s orthogonal to my point.

I should also say that the kids in PMM act like adults. Real life children are not capable of abstract concepts and resultant behaviours. And as said it would be absurd for children to fight in such fashion.

Anyway this has not stopped the Japanese industry from releasing matching “sex” toys for PMM for audience members who want to become more intimate with the characters. Yes the situation is further exploited that way too. Anyway to each their own, and if one can find something good in such shows, more power to you, but I think there are so many more redeeming works of higher caliber than this sort of exploitation garbage.

Ask yourself would people really make sex toys when it came to Dostoyevsky or Kafka?
I doubt it.

Anyway… it’s garbage. Sentimentalist garbage, with exploitation themes, with a strong lolicon following in Japan.

Rant over… hehe.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have yet to see PMM, though I want to, but from everything I’ve gathered, you’ve completely missed the point with the series.

At the same time, though, I honestly don’t think there’s anyone here or elsewhere who will change your mind.

 

[MrSylvester]

You need to watch Madoka Magica. It’s a story about little girls fighting monsters, and the little girls end up getting killed. Plus there is more to it than that. It’s not a realistic story not because of the magic, but because little girls usually don’t fight to the death. Also the context is important. The anime is targeted at fans of magical girl anime. Magical girl anime are kids anime which have two audience groups in Japan. Kids, and otakus who like shows about little kids. This anime is not a anime for kids because of the violence. This anime is an anime for the latter otaku group and it adds in themes of intense violence in absurd fashion. It’s not a war time story about a child who had to silence her baby brother by suffocating him out of fear of being discovered by nearby Nazis bent on murdering the entire family. It’s a contrived story about kids who fight and die only for the purpose of making the already attached audience feel bad or I would say for sado-masochistic purposes. For some reason many anime and manga in Japan have this together with “guro”. Guro is gore. Shows like Corpse Party explore this and I would say even revel in it. There is no redeeming value in these shows, none which can’t be portrayed in a more realistic and subtle fashion.

Madoka Magica is SEINEN. It’s not meant for kids, it’s meant for people who were kids and fans of magical girl shows in the past. No, the girls in PMMM are NOT children, they are teenagers, 15 to 16 years old and trying to find a purpose in life. I tried finding a purpose in lfie when I was 16 too and it was what lead me to my conversion to Catholicism. Not only that but the fact that the girls are suffering intensely because they are magical girls IS THE WHOLE POINT OF THE SHOW. It’s supposed to be tragic because a magical girl being happy fighting demons or witches or something is an unrealistic thing, just as a boy being forced to fight giant robots and being happy while doing it is not a happy thing. AT ALL. It’s called a deconstruction. Also, what one arth do you mean by slaughtered? There isn’t NAY gore in PMMM. One of the girls gets her ehad bitten off but it’s far from grapic and for such an exploitation anime, PMMM has one of the greatest and happiest endings I have ever seen in my entire lfie ever.

That’s his background. Now imagine Harry Potter where the kids fight each other to the death or something similar.

Er, they DO fight each other, almost to the death. I get what you’re wanting to say: losing your parents to a wizard is realistic because while wizards don’t exist, lots of children lose their parents and grow up in abusive home; yet for a bunch of girls to suffer a lot as they dredge through lfie with the world on their shoulders, it is unrealistic. But thats the point of the show, it wants to show what would happen if magical girls really did exist, if magical girls were realistic.

Well and there is redeeming value in that. The story is realistic, the magic elements are just plot devices. In real life however, children slaughtering children or children saving the world by risking and losing their lives to monsters (and worse) is not a realistic option. It’s too much and it’s gratuitous.

And Harry did just that. He risked this life to save his world.

One could say that, but I think you need to take the story on balance. Is the story plausible. Does it bring about deeper or more universal message? Is the violence really necessary?

I can;t say PMMM taught me anything. Higurashi however taught me how important it is to have friends to trust. Thats one of it’s themes. It also told me a great story because in the end, the story is resolved not thorugh the children by themselves but with a lot of help form the olice and adults. That, and there were child serial killers before, insanity does exist and thats what makes Higurashi so scary.