Manga versus Newtype
by Brian Hanson,
Editor's note: This is a guest editorial, a post originally made on our forum; as always the contents of this article do not necessarilly reflect the opinions of Anime News Network or its editors. Some minor End of Evangelion spoilers are contained below.
Manga, why do you even bother?
In all these years of operation, have you forgotten that some publications may not, gasp, LIKE some of your product?
And further than that, why argue with them? Some people will find the Eva movies to be a very symbolic cornucopia of stunning imagery. Others will see it as a weird film with too much violence and creepy little naked girls who decompose. As wrong as it may sound to some people, it happens. I could yammer on and on about how great I think David Lynch's Eraserhead is to somebody who thinks it's just some stupid weird movie with irritating noises and a creepy dragon fetus. But I wouldn't really get anywhere.
While on the David Lynch motif, his films are constantly slammed by critics and the public. If I remember correctly, Lost Highway had the phrase "Two Thumbs Down!" proudly displayed on some of it's advertising. His interpretation of Dune will be forever reviled by adamant sci-fi dorks who shout rape whenever a book is not translated into film word-by-word.
And another thing: why didn't you guys at Manga go out of your way to scrutinize some of the other film critics who were quite vocal of their distaste for Ghost in the Shell some 6 years ago? I remember a particular review, I believe it was located on the now-defunct Film.com, that essentially called GitS an artless wasteland, and the most over hyped and bitterly awful film of the year. He had the standard complaints: the mouth movements don't match up, the animation is not Disney-fluid, too much nudity, etc. To us, his reasonings for disliking the film are absurd.
Thus, my Manga friends, you are relegated to the status of us lowly Internet forum posters; quick to anger and quicker to respond. At least in these forums, most of us are not deluded into thinking our opinions hold a special kind of validity.
In short, I'd bet Hideki Anno would be real embarrassed.
Manga, why do you even bother?
In all these years of operation, have you forgotten that some publications may not, gasp, LIKE some of your product?
And further than that, why argue with them? Some people will find the Eva movies to be a very symbolic cornucopia of stunning imagery. Others will see it as a weird film with too much violence and creepy little naked girls who decompose. As wrong as it may sound to some people, it happens. I could yammer on and on about how great I think David Lynch's Eraserhead is to somebody who thinks it's just some stupid weird movie with irritating noises and a creepy dragon fetus. But I wouldn't really get anywhere.
While on the David Lynch motif, his films are constantly slammed by critics and the public. If I remember correctly, Lost Highway had the phrase "Two Thumbs Down!" proudly displayed on some of it's advertising. His interpretation of Dune will be forever reviled by adamant sci-fi dorks who shout rape whenever a book is not translated into film word-by-word.
And another thing: why didn't you guys at Manga go out of your way to scrutinize some of the other film critics who were quite vocal of their distaste for Ghost in the Shell some 6 years ago? I remember a particular review, I believe it was located on the now-defunct Film.com, that essentially called GitS an artless wasteland, and the most over hyped and bitterly awful film of the year. He had the standard complaints: the mouth movements don't match up, the animation is not Disney-fluid, too much nudity, etc. To us, his reasonings for disliking the film are absurd.
Thus, my Manga friends, you are relegated to the status of us lowly Internet forum posters; quick to anger and quicker to respond. At least in these forums, most of us are not deluded into thinking our opinions hold a special kind of validity.
In short, I'd bet Hideki Anno would be real embarrassed.
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