I'm referencing the sorta "infamous" quote by Lain creators in their Animerica interview. (http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/2157/lainmag3smgq1.jpg) Of course, after numerous references to this interview, Ueda tries backpeddling and explains. Courtesy of wiki:
"Producer Ueda had to answer repeated queries about a statement made in an Animerica interview.[15][48][26] The controversial statement said Lain was "a sort of cultural war against American culture and the American sense of values we [Japan] adopted after World War II".[23] He later explained in numerous interviews that he created Lain with a set of values he took as distinctly Japanese; he hoped Americans would not understand the series as the Japanese would. This would lead to a "war of ideas" over the meaning of the anime, hopefully culminating in new communication between the two cultures. When he discovered that the American audience held the same views on the series as the Japanese, he was disappointed."
Don't get me wrong. I still love Lain and the fact that the series is a statement on the invasion of culture blew me away (in a good "wow, didn't see that coming" way). And I know Ueda isn't the only one working on the series. But now whenever I watch it I can't stop this nagging "This isn't meant for you" thoughts in the back of my mind, like I'll never truly understand it. XD Ahh I wish I didn't read it.
Another example of my secret though would be Tiny Tim. That funny high pitched guy that sings "Things that bother you never bother me. I feel happy and fine!" on SpongeBob Squarepants. I like that song. Then I read him up on wiki about his views on women which is basically "They should be seen and not heard and not speak unless a man speaks to them!" Yikes, Tiny Tim.
13 explains!
"Producer Ueda had to answer repeated queries about a statement made in an Animerica interview.[15][48][26] The controversial statement said Lain was "a sort of cultural war against American culture and the American sense of values we [Japan] adopted after World War II".[23] He later explained in numerous interviews that he created Lain with a set of values he took as distinctly Japanese; he hoped Americans would not understand the series as the Japanese would. This would lead to a "war of ideas" over the meaning of the anime, hopefully culminating in new communication between the two cultures. When he discovered that the American audience held the same views on the series as the Japanese, he was disappointed."
Don't get me wrong. I still love Lain and the fact that the series is a statement on the invasion of culture blew me away (in a good "wow, didn't see that coming" way). And I know Ueda isn't the only one working on the series. But now whenever I watch it I can't stop this nagging "This isn't meant for you" thoughts in the back of my mind, like I'll never truly understand it. XD Ahh I wish I didn't read it.
Another example of my secret though would be Tiny Tim. That funny high pitched guy that sings "Things that bother you never bother me. I feel happy and fine!" on SpongeBob Squarepants. I like that song. Then I read him up on wiki about his views on women which is basically "They should be seen and not heard and not speak unless a man speaks to them!" Yikes, Tiny Tim.