Woah, chillax
Ohh don't worry, I am trying to project my frustration watching the show. Sometimes I even questioned if I should be watching the show.
Ahh, gotcha. You and I butt heads on a lot of topics, Neonivek, I'm just glad we can do so civilly. =)
Don't forget the perspective of the Anime genre.
Slapstick comedy is a key point in all 'Harem' situations. You can logically consider 'abuse' what the male protagonist suffers, (The classic 'rocket-punch on the ground every time he sees something he shouldn't') but it's played for the laughs.
I think the difference here is that there's a lot of analysis going on in the Haruhi series. Things aren't just cut and dry. It tries to be mature as well as being immature. In that way, it comes down to the perspective of the individual anime (or books). It's not even lampshaded, like in most circumstances, people are clearly not cool with it going on but they have resigned themselves to allow it.
Familiar of Zero has a pretty clear-cut case of repeated abuse on the protagonist (who is probably a masochist anyway, since he likes that) to the point where he also ends up brainwashed by his own 'runes' to obey the master. That is slavery and abuse, because all other familiar suffer the same thing...and nobody seems to find it strange.
Oh god, you brought up FoZ...
That always gets people riled up >,<
Or what about Pokemon? Isn't Pokemon abusive to pokemons too? Throw a pokeball and voilà! You have tamed a free-willed creature into your slave for life!
Pokemon actually tries to justify it. It's also not just lampshaded. Sure, the reasons given are basically "LOVE" and "FRIENDSHIP", but taken in a certain light it could end up being justified. Pokemon does that. There are Pokemon that do not want to be tamed, and if people try they are the bad guys, ESPECIALLY if done by force. Pikachu doesn't even want to be tamed by Ash in the beginning, but Ash tries to win him over and Pikachu appears petulant because Pikachu was actually being a jerk in the beginning. Then there's the movie. Mewtwo is clearly the villain, so is Team Rocket, there are moral lessons learned, the actual depth of relationships between Trainer and Pokemon is explored, etc. Not cut and dry, although it certainly is a whole bunch of cliches otherwise.
Delving too deep into an anime's logic and innerworkings isn't going to change the fact that it was done for the laughs and lightheartedly depicted.
Now, if Mikuru had become anorexic, started cutting herself, or done anything 'dark and grime' to showcase the 'abuse', then yes, by all that is holy yes, it would be abuse...and the anime would have probably taken another turn.
Except it is perfectly legitimate to delve into an anime's logic. Louise from FoZ's anime is an abusive bitch. No one cares if it's lightheartedly depicted. That makes it swing by a good number of people, but it also pisses off another good number of people. FoZ isn't also that great of an example. Another series, like Love Hina (I KNOW THAT GETS PEOPLE RILED UP TOO BUT GIVE ME A SEC) makes it more acceptable because the abuse is
clearly impossible, except for the kendo beatings. Flying off into space is clearly a joke. Being deprived of food, shelter, mercilessly beaten, etc. is can be made into a joke, but you're definitely not going to get widespread appeal.
After all, it's a wonder anyone retained their sanity. Haruhi is frigging god and no one sees the true problem at that? She is surrounded by people who are 'enslaved' to obey her will, no matter what. If she were even a bit more bloodthirsty, or even a bit more moody, it would be a carnage.
Even a hint of jealousy against another girl's beauty could potentially turn into a city-wide devastation.
Spoiler'd that for you. Also, the repercussions of that particular bit of knowledge are made rather clear. I think it's less that people don't see the true problem with it, and more that everyone was kind of explicitly told what the problem with it is so you don't hear anyone debating it. The revelation of Haruhi even
possibly learning about that breeds terror into the cast.
That's why a key rule is never to delve too deep in anime stories. Otherwise all Harems should be reclassified with 'Abuse' written in a corner for the male protagonist, many 'anime' would end up getting their ratings upped and whatnot.
As a song says...
Take it easyyyyyy
I disagree with just letting off a series because it portrays something that totally isn't light-hearted as something light-hearted. If it's done for comedy, it needs to be appropriately done for comedy. Mikuru is actually a case in which the situation is done for comedy but is actually explicitly against comedy simply due to the characters. Haruhi even acknowledges that Mikuru is "moe", which is generally a term for a character that causes others to want to protect or care for that character. They are endearing. They are well liked. You hate to see them upset. You especially hate to see them cry. That's who Mikuru is as a character, explicitly stated by Word of God, in multiple interpretations of the term. Then Haruhi causes Mikuru to become upset in a tone that is done to come off as comedic, but clearly that's not the only layer going on.
The same for other series. In some instances it is very clear that something is done for comedic effect, or lampshaded, or etc. However, just grouping all anime together and going "Anything is forgivable because the logic is silly" seems very irresponsible to me. I get what you're saying, but I think you're applying that attitude far too generously.
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Topic: I like anime, do you like anime? (Read 3145163 times)