Disclaimer: I promise this is not intended as a wind-up.

[Flick James]

I don't like anime. I never have, and I don't see that ever changing. I spent six years in the Navy with guys trying to get me into it. I sat down and watched some, from the bizarre sexual ones to the supernatural ones to the martial arts one, and so on, at the insistence that I must, and could just never get what's so great about it. I've heard friends and acquaintances tell me how deep this one is, that that one has a lot of meaning, yadda yadda yadda.

This is not a cultural thing. I don't have an aversion to all things Asian. I like old kung-fu movies (some of them anyway). Karate Kid is probably in my top 5 for the 1980's, and I grew up wishing I had a Mr. Miyagi in my life. I enjoy the occasional Japanese monster movie. I just don't get the anime thing. I can't even get into it from a B-movie angle, like I can with 'Master of the Flying Guillotine" or "Inframan." What is so great about anime? Can someone explain what the appeal is? I've given it a shot, and I just can't figure out why this industry is so big, although I get the feeling it has gone past it's peak.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll get some flack, but that's okay. I'm not judging anyone who likes anime. I have some very good friends who are fans, and I can't get a satisfying answer to my query from them either. Perhaps it's just one of those "you either get it or you don't" things.   

[Psycho Circus]

I don't get it either.  

I've seen a few erotic, weird and action style ones and I do think that Akira, Ghost In The Shell, Black Jack and in particular Fist Of The North Star are very good. But, I don't like anime's influence on American and British cartoons and comics and it's influence in computer games also. I also don't like characters that are completely hyper and have massive eyes. I feel especially that the quality of it has declined over the years also. Some of the 80s-early 90s stuff is drawn in stunning detail compared to modern anime, which to me seems all the same. Still, it has its place and if people love it, that's great.  

[Skull]

In a sense anime is cartoon for adults. The intent (at times) could be seen as a live action movie only to be drawn as a cartoon format because of budget, production and typical casting (maybe you cannot get that hot chick). [Sure it seems kind of unlikely that drawing a cartoon can be cheaper then making a live action movie, but we are talking about "anime" not Disney or Pixar]

Perfect Blue is one of those anime films that was suppose to be live action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN_XcMuvOz0

[Ash]

I totally agree with you. 
Actually, I almost posted on the "Do You Like Anime?" thread but decided against it because everyone posting there seemed to love anime.

I have never liked anime.  I will never like anime.
There's just something about it that gets under my skin in a really bad way.

I don't like anime's influence on American and British cartoons and comics and it's influence in computer games also

I wholeheartedly agree with that statement.  Saturday morning cartoons and many toons in general have been completely ruined by anime's influence.
I cannot stand the anime style of drawing.

I also don't like characters that are completely hyper and have massive eyes.

This is the bigest thing about anime that bothers me.  I can't stand to watch those characters for even 5 minutes.  How someone could not only like them, but actually go out and spend money on a DVD of them just blows my mind.

But hey, to each their own, right?

[Flick James]

Exactly. I'm not judging. I just don't get it. And it seems that people I know that are into anime can never seem to give me a reason for watching that I can sink my teeth into.

[Javakoala]

In a sense anime is cartoon for adults. The intent (at times) could be seen as a live action movie only to be drawn as a cartoon format because of budget, production and typical casting (maybe you cannot get that hot chick). [Sure it seems kind of unlikely that drawing a cartoon can be cheaper then making a live action movie, but we are talking about "anime" not Disney or Pixar]

Perfect Blue is one of those anime films that was suppose to be live action.

I can understand your comment on Perfect Blue, but I think it works as an anime because of some of the things they attempted. To do some of those shots "live" would require CGI and the visual effect would be distracting. Having said that, there is a movie, live action, that does incredible things with multiple images on screen at once and it enhances the film once you get into the flow of it. "The Tracy Fragments" is one of those films that actually made me said "Wow" out loud as I watched it.

Here is the trailer, but it doesn't even scratch the surface of what they did with this movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0jEN2_REy4

In general, I'm not a huge fan of anime, but some of it is impressive.

[JaseSF]

I enjoy anime but I fully understand Circus and Ash's criticism's and in fact, would agree with them with regards to how it's negatively affected North American animation. Personally I more fully enjoy classic anime series from the 1980s and many of the films from the 70s through to the 90s. The thing is, there are some superb anime films and TV series out there that really should be seen by more people: AKIRA, GHOST IN THE SHELL, GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES, the PATLABOR films, the Captain Harlock films, "Inuyasha", "Star Blazers", etc.. Not all anime falls into the predictable hyper characters categories although hyperness does seem to be there more often than not. Sometimes it seems justified by the situation and other times less so. My point is, there is some great stories to be found out there offered from this animated subgenre and plenty more stuff that falls into those predictable categories too.

[Sister Grace]

I like some anime and some of it I could do without. I liked the old series La Blue Girl and at one time had the box set. I also enjoy Death Note. It was later made into a live-action movie that wasn't too bad. the CGI wasn't all that great but i enjoyed it all the same.

Alot of it I just don't 'get'. I do however really enjoy Asian movies. Tartan Extreme and Tokyo Shock has saved me from a many of nights of boredom, so has Takashi Miike. His films have an erotic under-tone and combined with his blunt force of violence(this is what i look for in most Asian film) never leave me disappointed.

But anyways, yes i get tired of constantly being subjected to anime/manga (sp?) by my well-meaning friends.

[Mr. DS]

I personally don't like anime either and am rather sick of it.  I had a buddy about ten years ago that was huge into it. This was before it became mainstream in the States.  He let me look at some of the stuff he had bought and I didn't care for it.  I guess its an acquired taste. 

[Javakoala]

I like some anime and some of it I could do without. I liked the old series La Blue Girl and at one time had the box set. I also enjoy Death Note. It was later made into a live-action movie that wasn't too bad. the CGI wasn't all that great but i enjoyed it all the same.

La Blue Girl?  Are you married?  Would you like to be? Where do I tender my request?

[SkullBat308]

I like some anime and some of it I could do without. I liked the old series La Blue Girl and at one time had the box set. I also enjoy Death Note. It was later made into a live-action movie that wasn't too bad. the CGI wasn't all that great but i enjoyed it all the same.

La Blue Girl?  Are you married?  Would you like to be? Where do I tender my request?

LOL

[AndyC]

Hard to talk about anime as a single genre. I love some anime, but a lot of it doesn't interest me. Usually, I prefer space battles, giant mecha, monsters, etc. Stuff like Yamato, Evangelion, Patlabor and the like. My taste in anime is pretty specific. Once in a while, I'll enjoy something outside that. I can even say I've seen the odd bit of hentai in the past, and found some of it weirdly entertaining. But anything outside space battle/robot/monster anime is hit or miss. Basically, I like in anime what I like in any other movie, but don't necessarily find in other movies. But a lot of anime doesn't interest me at all. If there aren't massive starships or giant robots, forget it.

[Jack]

For me, once I found out what anime was and watched a few movies / shows, my curiosity was pretty much satisfied.

[BTM]

I can understand your comment on Perfect Blue, but I think it works as an anime because of some of the things they attempted. To do some of those shots "live" would require CGI and the visual effect would be distracting. Having said that, there is a movie, live action, that does incredible things with multiple images on screen at once and it enhances the film once you get into the flow of it. "The Tracy Fragments" is one of those films that actually made me said "Wow" out loud as I watched it.

Do they actually put that "multi-images" thing to good use, or is it more of a gimmick?  I mean, film reminds me a bit of Timecode, a film with a similar stunt where they have the screen divided up into four windows, each going simultaneously in based one entire take.  The sound would switch to whatever "section" where the main action was occuring.  While an interesting idea, the story didn't really warrant it.

[lester1/2jr]

I really liked this song from the Paprika soundtrack

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMc2EW6Pmkk&feature=PlayList&p=1D586BC08683314D&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=1

I went and saw the movie and I just didn't get it