Dipping my toes in the water... Please excuse my newbishness

[AnonAngel]

Since I got to university, I've joined an anime society. Now Friday nights = ANIMEsoc for me, and sitting in front of a screen for three hours is my drug.

But I'm still the biggest anime newbie of the whole society. There are things sometimes that I want to ask (some about anime, some about Japanese) but can't for fear of looking like the idiot that I am. But here I'm still the Anonymous Angel, so I can ask without looking SO stupid. For example:

Is it impossible to say someone's name in anime/Japanese without adding something on the end? I've had to figure out for myself what the added-on bits mean (as far as I can tell, things like "-who-is-a-little-one" and "-who-is-my-teacher".)

How do people get green hair?

Why are some of the theme tunes in rather bizarre English, when the dialogue is in Japanese (with English subtitles)? I've found the words to a few on line. Every WORD makes sense, but when you put them together, it's gobbledegook.

Is every anime society full of character-pairing-conspiracy-theorists, or is that just mine?

What is Gundam? Finalists and Masters' students keep mentioning it in my presence then saying "ah, you're too young of course."

Do Japanese anime viewers go crazy over beautiful scenery? Last term we had a 60-second stretch of just this girl walking down a scenic mountain path. Nothing actually happened.

While on study leave for my A-levels (or, more accurately, on avoiding-study leave for my A-levels) I ended up at the local uni library watching an anime series called, if I remember rightly, Détective Conan! in French. I got hooked: it looks as if it ought to be a worldwide success. Yet when I searched the 'Net, the only sites I could find on it were in foreign languages, and nobody at ANIMEsoc recognises the name. Have Americans/Brits heard of it or not? If not, why not? (If you want the plot, tell me.)

And on a similar note: why isn't anime more well known than it is? We're one of the biggest universities in the country and ANIMEsoc only has 27-ish members on a good night. I've had responses ranging from "What, like Pokémon?" through "Enemy socks? What the heck are enemy socks?" to "Anime?... Isn't that pornographic/illegal?"

[_B4U_]

Gundam was one of the first Animes that made it over here if I remember correctly.

It's pretty famous, you can read more about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gundam

As for your question about anime not being well known, I believe it is very well known. Many of our parents (namely our dads) grew up with cartoons such as Speed Racer. Anime is actually quite prevalent. If you watch (the horribly ruined) Cartoon Network, you can see the influence of anime on many of the cartoons with the horrible American artists trying to imitate the art style. I think part of the reason the club may be so small is because I think anime generally has a sort of "oh, anime, that's for nerds who can't get girlfriends so they go watch trashy anime" stigma attached to it. But that could just be me.

[MyleneFarmer]

Is it impossible to say someone's name in anime/Japanese without adding something on the end? I've had to figure out for myself what the added-on bits mean (as far as I can tell, things like "-who-is-a-little-one" and "-who-is-my-teacher".)

Honorifics (-chan, -sensei, -san, -sama) are prevalent in Japanese society. They are usually used unless the closest of relationship exists, such as absolute best friends, advanced romantic relationship, sibling and parental relationships.

How do people get green hair?

Chlorine.

Why are some of the theme tunes in rather bizarre English, when the dialogue is in Japanese (with English subtitles)? I've found the words to a few on line. Every WORD makes sense, but when you put them together, it's gobbledegook.

Why do T-shirts in English-speaking countries have random kanji characters on them? Just as many people not in Asia think the characters are cool, so do the Japanese think English words are cool. Misused English is often called engrish.

Is every anime society full of character-pairing-conspiracy-theorists, or is that just mine?

Yes, they're all like that. ^_- Well, I would assume. I'm not in one, but I know most anime fans I know are that way.

What is Gundam? Finalists and Masters' students keep mentioning it in my presence then saying "ah, you're too young of course."

Looks like you got a good response from B4U for this one.

Do Japanese anime viewers go crazy over beautiful scenery? Last term we had a 60-second stretch of just this girl walking down a scenic mountain path. Nothing actually happened.

It often adds to the intensity and beauty of an anime. I rather enjoy such scenes, unless they are overused. It's a nice change from English cartoons where someone must be speaking or doing something the entire time.

While on study leave for my A-levels (or, more accurately, on avoiding-study leave for my A-levels) I ended up at the local uni library watching an anime series called, if I remember rightly, Détective Conan! in French. I got hooked: it looks as if it ought to be a worldwide success. Yet when I searched the 'Net, the only sites I could find on it were in foreign languages, and nobody at ANIMEsoc recognises the name. Have Americans/Brits heard of it or not? If not, why not? (If you want the plot, tell me.)

I've heard of Detective Conan, though I haven't seen it. Check out http://www.animenewsnetwork.com or http://www.animeacademy.com for more info.

And on a similar note: why isn't anime more well known than it is? We're one of the biggest universities in the country and ANIMEsoc only has 27-ish members on a good night. I've had responses ranging from "What, like Pokémon?" through "Enemy socks? What the heck are enemy socks?" to "Anime?... Isn't that pornographic/illegal?"

Well, I for one hated the anime club at Purdue University. I like to watch anime either on my own or in small groups. There are probably a lot of people like that, which might account for the low turnout at ANIMEsoc. As for why it isn't well known, it just depends on where you are. Many people see Fullmetal Alchemist on Adult Swim. They think "what an awesome new cartoon!" and never come to realize nor care that it's anime. Then there are those who aren't going to have any reason to discover it. Anime simply isn't for everyone. And unfortunately, it's the misinformed who will often try to inform the masses as to what it is, thus perpetuating myths that anime is a) all like Pokemon or b) pornography.

[Christopher]

Anime clubs are often terrible. All you need is your own computer.

Detective Conan is one of the most boring and boring and boring anime I've ever seen.

Japanese can speak English. Except when they sing. Or talk to each other.

[Amethyst]

Japanese can speak English. Except when they sing. Or talk to each other.

Ditto that For a real laugh, listen to Northern Lights by Megumi Hayashibara and try to figure out what she's saying in the first line without looking at anything. Or better yet, The Dawn by Yuji Ueda. I swear, the whole thing's in English.

My hyper-nonsense-world-tabasco-shower-Vietnamese friend and I are going to restart the otaku club at my school...There's a large underground anime fanbase, but I'm a little worried because most of them are either into shoujo (-PUKE!-), really obscure stuff that's actually Korean, or graphic yaoi.

Like Mylene said, rabid paring is completely normal. Some of it is just more logical than others. But hey, whatever floats your boat. -coughRenisnotsupposedtobepairedwithagirlcough-

And as for the green hair, I'll have to interrogate Jun about that sometime in the near future.

[kuroro]

Japanese can speak English. Except when they sing. Or talk to each other.

Hehe.

Chlorine, it's true, my nephew got green hair when we were on vacation and he swam a lot in the pool. (His hair was blond, near white.) I think I even got it a little. Anyway.:p

I think you are right about Anime Clubs, Christopher, I didn't have any good experiences with them either. I guess they must be around somewhere, the good clubs.

I do see it too, with my friend(s) or alone and then we talk about it.

[tomatie]

While on study leave for my A-levels (or, more accurately, on avoiding-study leave for my A-levels) I ended up at the local uni library watching an anime series called, if I remember rightly, Détective Conan! in French. I got hooked: it looks as if it ought to be a worldwide success. Yet when I searched the 'Net, the only sites I could find on it were in foreign languages, and nobody at ANIMEsoc recognises the name. Have Americans/Brits heard of it or not? If not, why not? (If you want the plot, tell me.)

I know this one!

Detective Conan is a very popular anime in Germany and France and some more European countries. In the United States, however, they changed the title to Case Closed. I have no idea why they did, though. Don't ask me.

[Cyanna]

Detective Conan is a very popular anime in Germany and France and some more European countries. In the United States, however, they changed the title to Case Closed. I have no idea why they did, though. Don't ask me.

I think it's because the title was at odds with Conan the Barbarian, which is an old TV show, and old animated series and an older movie. So they changed it to avoid a lawsuit.

[halfbakedbliss]

Anime clubs are often terrible. All you need is your own computer.

Detective Conan is one of the most boring and boring and boring anime I've ever seen.

Japanese can speak English. Except when they sing. Or talk to each other.

I'll second all of those

Engrish is quite hilarious, especially when you're down and/or watching BECK.

Just the idea of an anime club scares the hell out of me, I'd much rather sit at the privacy of my own desk and watch fansubs.

[Twinkle]

(First post on this board yay!)

Well I'm assuming you're English here (A Levels and Uni are a dead giveaway!) and anime isn't popular at all over here mainly because hardly anyone knows what it is. Anime doesn't get shown over here, except for stuff like Pokemon. It's very unknown so many Brits have to stumble across anime via the internet.

It's more known in the States but misunderstood from what I can see here.

Just a humble Brits' perspective. I'm going back into lurker mode now.

[theonlysaneone]

Detective Conan is a very popular anime in Germany and France and some more European countries. In the United States, however, they changed the title to Case Closed. I have no idea why they did, though. Don't ask me.

I think it's because the title was at odds with Conan the Barbarian, which is an old TV show, and old animated series and an older movie. So they changed it to avoid a lawsuit.

It's more likely at odds with Late Night With Conan O' Brien, which is the best Late Night show on TV. He's just amazing.