~~wherein reena despairs for everyone is a plebe.

[reenka]

now, i know people are insensitive morons, in general. but it still hurts, in particular.

in the very particular, i always hope that something deeper, more meaningful, more transcendent could possibly be received on the level it's intended, without being made fun of and mocked and ridiculed. why can't groups of people in the 18-24 year-old age group act -possibly- around a semi-mature 16, maybe, at least? sometimes? maybe?

so many times i'm in a group of my supposed peers, people who are supposedly "fans" (in this case, of anime), and they -cannot-, cannot. shut. up.
    i don't know how many of you have watched any X (the anime series). suffice it to say, it's not a funny-haha kind of show. it's a meditation on destiny, choice, free-will, good, evil, love, and so on. it's gorgeously animated (there -is- no actually better drawn anime that i've ever seen), the dialogue is wonderful, the voice actors are very well-cast, and the storyline is intense and gripping.
    and like, a quarter of the 30-or-so people in the room just could not seem to stop making lewd comments and stupid dorky jokes and basically mst3k-ing the whole time i was there. i mean, giggling and laughing softly is one thing. making loud, obnoxious "funny" homophobic comments is another.

there was a loud groan and/or laughter at every possible & impossible semi-subtexty moment. i mean, i love subtext, and there is a lot of it in X. but, this is just making it into a huge big joke. and if there is one series that is not intented to be taken lightly, it's X. it's intense, and heavy on the melodrama and symbolism and angst. there is no. fucking. point. in watching it if you're just going to use it for cheap laughs.

it's just....

    ok, so i'm taking it a bit too personally, i'm sure. a part of me feels that if people laugh at something that speaks so deeply to me, that makes my heart ache, that captures my attention and is emotionally heavy to me, that they're laughing at -me-, and at my feelings. and i know they're not. but is it really impossible, or at least so very hard for people to have shared emotional intensity inspired by a piece of art, in public? or are they all just so numb and shallow? or is it both?
    i've seen this phenomenon more than once. this is just the most extreme case. when we were watching the escaflowne movie, people were laughing and joking around too, and let me tell you, that is -not- a funny-haha movie either. it's intensely emotional, for me anyway. and it's -meant- to be. there is -some- comic relief, but really not a lot. and, leaving aside the anime club in my own university, i've been to movies at the theatre and had the same thing happen.
    maybe it's just an equivalent of fandom-- where most of the comments to the most heart-felt, intense story (that i -know- i at least meant seriously, since i wrote it) are things like, "that wuz kewl, right more plz, haha *weep*". or, "wow, draco wuz a ghost??! haha, that's a suprise, wow."
    so is it just an "everyone is a lame plebe" sort of thing? because, obviously, "plebe" isn't just an online phenomenon, and thus 90% of the usual run of anime fans in real life are plebes too?

but this is just a matter of politeness isn't it? can't these supposed college students tell that some people wouldn't want to have something like this mocked, especially if they haven't watched it before? i mean, online you can be a plebe all you want and it only annoys those people who choose to pay attention, but in real life, there's no closing the goddamn window, is there. sigh.
    it just saddens me. to me, if one paid attention, the series (or work of art in question, in general), is so powerful, i can't -help- but be mesmerized and lost in the story. is it really inimical to groups larger than what, 5, to be not be rowdy and lame if they're not being totally quiet and zombie-like, as they are in class? maybe i don't even -want- to know the answer. grr.

let me just say that i -cannot- see myself ever being "social" with such people, and it automatically makes me think friendship between me and all of them is impossible. if you are the sort of person who "laughs and points" at intense emotional dramas, stay away and good riddance and grow up for gahd's sake.
    and yes, some people i'm close to have mocked things i found intensely emotional, but then, they usually did it later, and not LOUDLY as i WATCHED.
~~

EDIT - damn, i didn't know ravenchel wrote h/d. why did no one tell me?? gah. love this. love. `your body' made me grin like a loony... grinning... thing. rawr. ahahaha i recced a songfic! will the wonders never cease -.-
&
mmmmm, yummy fanart. i could've -sworn- i've recced foxfur's fanart before, but i'm not sure. hmmm. but, this is seriously the yummiest tom i've seen in awhile. not to mention snape & harry 1 + harry 2 & oooooh, harry/draco. *purrrrrrs* ok, happy now ^-^

Comments

[moira-nymphaea.livejournal.com]

I know exactly how you feel! I've found many people to think that because anime is a cartoon, it should be treated like Loony Tunes or something. As if animation immediately classifies it as substandard filming meant for nonserious audience.

I found you through an interests search and when I saw this entry I had to reply. You seem interesting and I'm adding you to my friends list if you don't mind. I just wanted to do the polite thing and inform you in case you have any objections. Have a nice day!

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

yah, i know what you're saying, though i don't think it was the it being anime aspect that was making them act like dorks.

this is the anime club, & they've seen anime before, lots of times, most of them, and can probably be considered fans.
no, this is just complete emotional immaturity on their part. sigh.

but yah.
adding me is fine, and i'm always pleased, although i have to warn you i mostly ramble on about harry potter slash in general and harry/draco in particular ><;;
er. so like... yah. mostly a fandom journal (though you could probably tell if you scrolled down, heheh)

so if that's ok, then wheee~! and stuff~:)

~reena

Re:

[moira-nymphaea.livejournal.com]

Hehe I figure I should have at least one Potternut on my friends list, for my daily rationing of Pottermania. I figure reading someone else ramble about it is better than rambling myself. ^_^

[glockgal.livejournal.com]

I can totally agree with you on so many points. I've only once gone to see anime in theatre (I've usually rely on watching homevids), but even other movies that are gripping, compelling and interesting--but happen to be in the fantasy or cartoon genres-- are immediately interpreted by the mass public to be always amusing and silly. When it's, like, not.

This has happened to me with friends before too, but at least when I tell them "Stop laughing or I'll smash your face in, bitch!" they won't call the cops. *g*

Yeah but in general? The 18-24 is stupid and ignorant and I don't care if they go to university. They're still ignorant.

It reminds me of these radio DJs announcing the movies opening that weekend and she listed Adam Sandler's "Eight Crazy Nights" and then immediately said after "Don't take the kids."

To which the other DJ intelligently replied "What?! But it's a cartoon!! *gigglesnort*"

Feh. I rolled my eyes so hard my head hurt.

*g* Good thing the first one shot back "Yeah, and so is Fritz the Cat".

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

*sigh* yeah. but, this wasn't the general public. this is the anime club, so wouldn't you think they're a little more enlightened or something?
it seemed to be just something about being in a group, that you can't be touched and entranced and thoughtful. it's like... "but if i'm a -moron- people would -laugh- and think i'm -cool-".
almost no emotional moment gets un-laughed-at.
sex-- straight sex-- gets giggled at. oh my -gahd- but if there's any -gay- overtones, then you get the loud, offensive -jabs- and hyena-like laughter (ok, maybe i'm exaggerrating, but, not much).

it seems to me that it's some sort of thing that's left over from being 12, when the word "bra" or "panty" or like, "-girl-" made boys start rolling on the floor in hysterics. (like, "ahahaha here i am pretending this is soso funny and i'm not a hormonal freak at -all-, oh no". and in this case it'd be, "ahahaha here i am pretending i have no deeper feelings, oh yah, that'd be a laugh".)

sigh -.-

[ishuca.livejournal.com]

first, i need to say that no matter what, what i think they did was rude and inexcusable in a public forum (yes) where not only there friends were there.

the only excuse that i can think of is if they honestly did not like X- to be honest, i, and several of my friends who have read the manga, do not like the series. and, if we were in a *private* viewing with them, i doubt i'd hold my tongue. of course, if the anime is better than the manga, we'd prolly have a different reaction. CLAMP anime is often wildly different than the manga, to good effect.

but no matter what, they shouldn't have been acting like that in public.
especially since it obviously *could* be meaningful to other people.

:sighs:

i suppose that's why i prefer small, intimate viewings where you know the people. i hope you get to see the rest of X in better settings. :hugs:

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

yesh, oh yesh, i'm going to see it. *leers at credit card* ^^
and well... usually there isn't this many people at the club (like, 15 or so), but X is famous, I guess....
and i'm -telling- you, 'tis really good. yum. just the animation -alone-. but the -music-. and kamui, oh. my. gahd.
and subaru!
they're just.
yes~:)

i don't think they didn't like it... at least... they weren't being -mean- just immature. "oooh, they're playing ball, wahahahah", etc. ><;;
it frightens me, that i write about boys (normal boys. normal boys are v. v. stupid).
i -wish- i did realism, but maybe then i'd traumatize myself, i dunno.

hee. and anyway, it's not just X. the escaflowne movie, too. that thing made me -cry-, man.
wah. van/hitomi 4evah!! hee~:)

[huzzahjess.livejournal.com]

X is the best anime out there. Have you seen the series? The OAV started me on CLAMP. The english dub was the best I've ever heard, not to mention the Japanese. Don't even get me started on the manga. ;p

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

hee~:) i've seen -some- of the series.
i bought the vhs version of the vcd on ebay once, and there was this -really bad- issue with the subtitles disappearing off the bottom of the screen.
but yes. 'tis on my "to watch" list, definitely~:)

[deche.livejournal.com]

Actually, I understand. My sister expressed similar feelings when the Anime group here showed "Bastard" and people found it funny to mock the show with homophobic comments as well. It's rude and immature. It's annoying as going to any movie theatre and having people being obnoxious (like when I saw the Ring the audience kept spoiling the mood with annoying comments). Anyways, X rocks. Subaru/Seishirou forever. :)

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Subaru/Seishirou forever. :)

hee! yes!
they're so..... well, i don't think "cute" is the word i'm looking for, but still~:)
angstily cute ^^
though i've never gotten past ep 4 since we only watch a show for one meeting and then on to the next show, next meeting. but yes. looking forward to it, though i have a feeling someone will die. i don't think subaru, but....

hmm. kamui/subaru also has an attraction. i mean, they need each other. and y'know. pretty~:)

[deche.livejournal.com]

funny you should say that because while you're having your kamui/subaru i would totally be having my fuuma/seishirou

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

ahahaha they might implode with all that not-so-repressed wickedness concentrated in one spot ><;
i always thought you should spread out the wicked so that it doesn't start spontaneous fires and only y'know, there can be something like too much of a good (bad?) thing ^^;

is that why i don't like ron/draco?
ron is already wicked ><

[escadevotion.livejournal.com]

omg. if I were in that room I'd go psycho!Emily and fight them all with my nails and teeth. Some anime are intended to be humorous (such as some of Trigun and the running panties joke in Blue Seed) but when will stupid stupid stupid americans get-it-through-their-high-horsed-heads that anime is NOT TOONS. It is the same thing with comic books!!! People think it's all funny and not intelligent!!! Of course they're idiots who haven't read The Sandman. Grrrrr *gnashes teeth* *death glares*

I LOVE X TO DEATH. I have the first 2 DVDs and I think the third one is coming out next month. I absoluetly adore the storyline. It's an edge of your seat anime. Can't wait for the next DVD. I showed the anime to Dan and he screamed and kicked at me for not having all of the DVDs. Told me I was teasing him. It is so good.

*hugs*
I feel your pain
Em

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

well, it's not so hard to watch all of it at once if you're willing to get the hong kong version ;) ahahah
though... ehheheh i appreciate your fervor, i do think the guys in the anime club know it's not all silly cartoons....
they're dorks anyway. that's more frustrating, isn't it?
maybe it's a guy thing when confronted with emotionality & yaoi subtext in one show, i dunno ><;;

hee! but psycho!emily makes me think of emily strange, with the cat brigade, which would be quite funny, unleashing like, six yowling hissing cats on those guys. hee.
not that i would've minded >:D

X

[sheron]

I want to see that anime so bad.... Read the manga, but I always like anime better ...*sigh* I prefer watching these things by myself the first time around, so that I'm not as likely to feel hurt if someone makes a derogatory remark when we watch a scene that really pulls at me.

[rhoddlet.livejournal.com]

The anime series is pretty fucking spectacular, and I'll even forgive them for replacing X by X Japan. <3 How much of the series did you see?

Re: Rae writing H/D -- she used to be an H/Der before we intellislashers got to her and corrupted her with het Weasleycest and Riddlefic.

[seren-himitsu.livejournal.com]

Sorry about above deleted post; I realised after posting that I had put in a major spoiler, and I don't know how much of the anime you've seen.

It is horribly frustrating, particularly when the anime itself is so gorgeous. I remember the first time I watched X with a group of people. *cringes at memory*

Anyway, I have seen X, both the series and the OAV (which was a gorgeously drawn piece of excrement that's an insult to X--it really was). And I agree; the entire series, particularly the last few episodes, are unbelievably gripping and poignant, and not funny at all. Have you read the manga, by the way? It's not as... well, pretty and colourful as the anime, I suppose, ;) but there were a few scenes that I thought were handled better in the manga, simply because the CLAMP artists can work wonders with a single freeze-frame panel.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

*giggles* well, i've only watched till halfway through episode 5, and i've read some manga (though it doesn't quite follow the series timeline so it's not the same), i've seen tokyo babylon (mmmm) and the movie.
but i pretty much know everyone will die except kamui & subaru, because if you know -anything- about x you know that. i -think-.
and i don't think it's utterly and completely unfunny (i think 2 of the stars are comic-relief) but...

i just don't like manga as much as anime in most cases, because i like color too much. also, manga's spare style is more obvious than in anime.
i mean, there's usually very little background & a lot of weird designs (well, ok, mainly i'm thinking `hana yori dango' and all the weird strawberries and plaid stuff)...
it's just really different. though i do like it, i usually like anime more, because the colors & the spoken japanese are really a large part of my adoration for the style/phenomenon in general.
y'know, the music, the singing, the pink of the falling sakura, etc~:)
but i'm a huge comics fan, so i'm not -knocking- the comics version, just--
yah. it's funny to me when people actually think it's better, aesthetically, although the story is usually deeper, i'll admit ^^

Re:

[seren-himitsu.livejournal.com]

but i pretty much know everyone will die except kamui & subaru, because if you know -anything- about x you know that. i -think-.

*g* Well, in the movie, only Kamui lives. In the anime, a few more people live, and the manga isn't finished yet, so...

and i don't think it's utterly and completely unfunny

Well, yeah, that's true. :) The two characters, by the way, I think are Sorata and Yuzuriha. And yes, X has lighthearted moments (thank God). It's just when people try to make a very unfunny scene funny, it really irks me. I remember one time, I was watching it with a group of people, and during the scene in which Kamui's basically riddled with shards of glass and Fuuma licks his neck, someone piped up with, "Do I make you horny, baby, do I?" *sighs*

As for the manga vrs anime thing, I've found that X is one of the few anime that are truly very faithful to the manga, and I'm very happy about that. And I do like the anime better than the manga for the most part, simply for the art and the *colours* (*takes moment to drool*), though I still think that the Rainbow Bridge scene was done better in the manga than the anime.