[ SECRET POST #187 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #187 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 050 secrets from Secret Submission Post #027.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 1 ] broken links, 0 not!secrets, [ 1 ] not!fandom, [ 1 ] personal attack.
Next Secret Post: Tomorrow, Thursday, July 9th, 2007.
Current Secret Submission Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[bobalunatic.livejournal.com]

I understand where the anonymous poster comes from because oftentimes I feel the exact same way. I like talking about anime- and game-related stuff with friends whom I know like them too, but I get nervous when other friends see that I have manga or whatever in my backpack. I know that it's unreasonable, but when I look around my school, the otaku stereotypes often ring true. The ones who openly read manga in class and during lunch are often loud about their fanaticism, and it's so damn annoying. Why? Well, what other hobbyists go around doing "ninja runs" (which of course look utterly retarded if you're not trained) and obnoxiously screaming their love for fictional characters?

It's not that it's bad to like anime. It's just that the anime fans who tend to get the most noticed are the ones who stand out -- the ones who embarrass themselves by being loud and fangirling in everyone's faces. And for them, perhaps it's okay to be a public spectacle sometimes because they're having innocent fun.

But it's not fun for the other, more subdued fans who like to keep their fan talk within their circle of fellow fans. The obnoxious fans are the ones creating the stereotype of "anime fan = annoying geek" because the "normal" ones don't really have a way of defending themselves. And how can they? You can't really outspeak someone louder than you without being loud yourself. The only surefire way for them to detach themselves from the stereotype is to be really, really quiet about being anime fans.

"Being happy" isn't much of an excuse to be annoying or disruptive. For a lot of people, maturity is an important aspect of their character. Being instantly labelled as loud and immature for openly liking anime isn't a fun thing, and a lot of potential friends are turned off by that. So for some people, "being happy" on this subject isn't really an option; they don't want to be labelled by a stereotype, but they want to be able to talk about anime too.

Sorry if I'm coming off a bit strongly on this topic, but I get frustrated when I see fangirls make fools of themselves in public. They just worsten the stereotype and make things harder for their fellow fans in the name of "fun". Not to say that you're part of the "problem", so to speak. I don't know you at all, so I can't judge you without making use of the stereotype myself. Sorry if I sounded accusing (it wasn't directed at you), but some of your points triggered my ranting mechanisms, lol.

"And if your friends really are your friends, I think they would understand if you told them what you like. It doesn't change who you are, right?" Very true. I think this is my policy on "coming out of the anime closet", lol. Poster #19, I would say that this is the best kind of advice for your dilemma. If your friends like you for you, they shouldn't mind that you like anime. If they for some reason dump you on your ass upon confession, they're being elitist dicks and you're probably better off without them.

[luna-kitsu-blu.livejournal.com]

Very true. (Though I must admit, this comment scared me a little when I got it in my inbox o_O) Negative stereo-types keep a lot of people in the metaphorical closet about tons of stuff. And no, Anime fans do not get the best rap.

The hell is a 'ninja run' anyways? o_O

[bobalunatic.livejournal.com]

I got scared looking at it again just now. Dx

lol. There was this kid that always ran by my 4th period class to get to the lunch lines first. Every day, everyone in my class would see him sprint by. But it wasn't a normal run, oh no -- it was what I can only define as a Ninja Run. It's that thing you see in Japanese shows sometimes... You dip your upper body as parallel to the floor as you can while you keep your arms straight out behind you. The logic behind it is that you're running so fast that swinging your arms is only a hindrance.

If you've ever seen Fox run in Super Smash Bros., it's supposed to look like that. If you've ever seen the Sailor Moon Live Action (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tmm2a5m3RKI&mode=related&search=), it ended up looking like the run they do in the very first minute. Only worse, because it was done by a 14-year old boy with a hulking InuYasha messenger bag. With anime pins on it. Because in high school, the act of running to lunch in itself isn't dorky enough.

After a couple weeks of seeing him pass by, my class collectively dubbed him "The Naruto Kid". I was so happy that I didn't like Naruto, lol.

[luna-kitsu-blu.livejournal.com]

OH god, I hate Naruto XD Always liked Lee, tho. I'm weird, yeah, I know.

And that's just...wow. Granted, I have been known to walk like Ed from Cowboy Bebop when I'm bored but...it might also just be cuz I'm weird.

Still, jeeeeeez. Sounds like a fun kid XD