bellpickle

[SIZE=1]Responding to the real-life actors vs. animated characters debate earlier, crushing on celebrities is just as mentally unhealthy as giving the same sort of attention to a character (whether it be animated or live-action). With both celebrities and characters, there is nothing reciprocated between the "object" and the fan. You can't even say it's an unrequited attraction because there's no real relationship established in the first place. It doesn't matter how much the fan learns about the celebrity, whether they read every tabloid article or interview featuring the celebrity, or if they've attended countless autograph signings or something because the fan will [I]never[/I] fully know them as a person. All the fan ever sees is the celebrity's public persona, and [I]that[/I] is what the fan is truly attracted to, not the celebrity themself. That said, I don't think actor/celebrity crushes even apply to this particular topic because although they are equally unhealthy, there's a very large difference between crushing on a celebrity and crushing on a character. Saying this from personal experience, even though you can't ever [I]know[/I] them, the fact that celebrities can directly acknowledge their fans and that celebrities are actual people (not representations of something or [I]things[/I] with traits forced upon them to serve a specific purpose in a story) makes a very distinct difference from when a fan is giving "attention" to a character. Live-action actors would only apply in this case if the fan was so obsessed with a character that the fan imposed the character's personality onto the actor who portrayed it, which from what I understand rarely happens. The cases in which fans get obsessed with celebrities to the point of stalking usually only occur when the fan is obsessed with the celebrity themself, [I]not[/I] the characters they portray. The "attention" most fangirls (and fanboys for that matter) give to characters is usually a combination of physical attraction and liking certain aspects of their personality, mannerisms, etc. Most fans are not quite so delusional as to think they can have an actual relationship with an animated character, and with that in mind, I don't really know why giving "attention" to an animated character is considered to be so strange. Clearly, there is a reason why the vast majority of anime leads are bishounen and bishoujo; just like with live-action works, it's eyecandy, and it apparently works.[/SIZE]

[quote name='Dagger']What's it about? Mahjong.[/quote] [SIZE=1]What. I. What. ...Well, the premise certainly seems interesting enough. And I guess if you can make a series centered on Go, then you can make one for Mahjong, even if Mahjong and hardcoreness just does [I]not[/I] fit together in my mind. [strike]Although I would totally watch anything that involves Russian roulette.[/strike][/SIZE]

[quote name='Dagger']When was this drama CD released, by the way? CD Japan doesn't even have a listing for it... are you sure it wasn't just a radio drama or something?[/quote] [SIZE=1]I'm not sure if there was an actual CD release, though I do know there were a few character image songs leaked a while back.[/SIZE]

[quote name='Ezekiel][SIZE=1]Also, I read in New Type about the possible production of a [B]Devil May Cry [/B'] anime?[/SIZE][/quote] [SIZE=1]Last time I checked, all that's known about the anime is that it'll be animated by MadHouse, it'll be about 12 episodes long, and it'll be released some time during the spring. Otherwise, it's all speculation. Here's the website URL, in case you're interested: [U][url]http://dmc-tv.com/[/url][/U][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]I love how the trailer shifts during the last 30 seconds, though I have no idea what the context is. Does anyone know which of the Kino's Journey novels the movie is being based off of?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]I agree that the creators took a risk with L's character design, but I think they definitely had fangirls in mind when creating some of his personality quirks. Most of his eccentrities, from his eating habits to his decidedly cutesy sitting pose to his weirdly adorable facial expressions, are all things that appeal primarily to girls and make him loveable, despite him having "psycho eyes." That's what separates L from the weirdo detective who regularly defrosts his refrigerator--the fact that his quirks make him more cute than strange. Add the fact that he's on the "good" side, and he makes a great alternative for the girls who think Light is too big of a jerk to fangirl over.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]I'm of the camp that the old days really weren't that great, primarily because of how difficult it was to get anything. When I first got into anime, Borders wasn't even a popular bookstore chain and Cartoon Network didn't air anime yet. So the only contact I had with anime was through my sister's friends' old VHS tapes or random internet fansites. Outside of Pokemon and the few other anime that got popular, getting anime merchandise (such as pins, wallscrolls, etc.) was an impossibility for me. The few televised anime back then were horribly edited, and worst of all, [I]no one else[/I] my age even knew what anime was, so I had no one else to share my hobby with. Also, my tastes have greatly changed since then, and I now cringe when I think of the series I used to love so dearly.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]I'm very tempted to go on a "In the Defense of Shakespeare" rant, but I'll restrain myself and just say that Romeo and Juliet certainly wasn't cliche during its time. That's like saying Casablanca shouldn't be considered a classic film because the story is cliche too nowadays, or that The Beatles shouldn't be considered such a great band since their music isn't unique anymore. Besides, the book is filled with sexual puns! What's not to love? :animesmil EDIT: Doublehex, to answer your question extremely late, I think Tybalt was the one who appeared right before the screen that says "Junichi Sato & Toyo Ikeda."[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Several months ago, Katana made a post on her myO describing what her vision of a Romeo & Juliet anime would be like. And I responded, "I bet GONZO is already working on it, except they'll have mecha roaming around Neo-Verona." I AM ALWAYS RIGHT. (Though all that aside, this sounds pretty nifty.) EDIT: Wow, Tybalt [I]does[/I] look hawt.[/SIZE]

[quote name='Shinmaru']The idea of 'too soon' is ludicrous. Either you think that the joke is funny or you don't. Time probably isn't going to do too much to change that. JFK humor didn't suddenly become funny twenty-five years after the guy died or whatever.[/quote] [SIZE=1]On that note, didn't South Park also poke fun at the idea that it's socially acceptable to find AIDS jokes funny now that it's been 20 years since it first surfaced? Because if it did, than this Steve Irwin episode seems to basically echo the same message.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][quote name='Dagger]Anyway, this would be a good point at which to start paying attention to [spoiler]the parallels between L and Light.[/spoiler] Who in the series--and it doesn't have to be those two; far from it--is truly justified? Who is honestly striving to do the right thing? [spoiler]Much as I love L, the inherent differences between him and Light are uncomfortably minor.[/spoiler'] I think the anime will force viewers to acknowledge this as well.[/quote] Actually, that's one of the things I like about L. I find it interesting that he really is just one step away from [spoiler]being "evil"[/spoiler] and doesn't even realize it. L demonstrates time and again that [spoiler]doing the right thing isn't nearly as important to him as doing things the way he [I]wants[/I] them to be done.[/spoiler] I get the feeling that L just so happened to fall onto the "good" side rather than making a conscious decision to. As for Light, I personally don't buy into the "the Death Note makes people evil" theory nor do I think that Light is just a bad person. I'm of the view that neither Light nor L are naturally good or evil; they're just the kind of people whose beliefs and morals can be turned upside-down based entirely upon what cards they're dealt with. On a very important last note: [quote name='Dagger']L/sugar cubes. :animenose[/quote] OH BABY.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Funny thing is, I was just thinking about how big of a drama queen Light 'GOD OF THE NEW WORLD!!!' Yagami is right before stumbling onto this thread. If Light is all-too-willing to slam his fists on his desk and yell at his TV set like a raving loony in the confines of his room, then yeah, I wouldn't put a little crazy laughter past him. [quote name='Dagger']There's an absolutely legendary series of panels of him laughing like a madman. I think that shot should have come in episode 2, if I'm remembering the sequence correctly, but they kind of skirted over it.[/quote] I'm not sure if we're thinking of the same scene, but I know that Light does a madman laugh in volume three [spoiler]after L first reveals himself to Light.[/spoiler][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]The trailer's up at the official site: [U][url]http://www.capcom.co.jp/devil4/main.html[/url][/U][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Dante's in the game, though the role he plays is still fairly vague. I remember reading something about how Dante will "appear to be an enemy" to Nero, though I can't quite remember from where. (Dante boss fights, anyone?) As for the whole Nero = Vergil thing, no one really knows for sure at this point. I'm guessing he's Vergil with amnesia or something. Anyway, the official site is up, though not much is there yet: [U][url]http://www.capcom.co.jp/devil4/[/url][/U][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Though she did not have the appetite for hors d'oeuvres, Audrey had made her way to the entree table. At that point of the party, that section of the room had been nearly deserted, and she assumed it would be a good spot to observe the other guests while remaining undetected. One pair in particular immediately caught her eye. Other guests parted when the two stepped near, and a circle of photographers surrounded and watched them with hawk-like attention. From her angle, Audrey was unable to see the gentleman's face, but his profile alone was enough for her to identify him as the actor who played Bruce Carnage in those mediocre detective movies. And the woman in his arms was... Audrey's eyes widened upon recognition, and she backed away reflexively, bumping into the table behind her. What was [I]she[/I] doing here? She was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't notice a man approach her until he pointedly remarked, "You sure look excited to be here." Audrey broke her gaze from the blonde woman and turned slightly to regard him. "And anyone who loiters around an entree table for half an hour must be terribly excited as well." The man smiled in amusement. "The name's Jade Mcguff," he said, then frowned slightly when the woman made no effort to state her name in return. Audrey suddenly furrowed her eyebrows in deep thought, then just as suddenly relaxed her face and said, "Oh, I see. You received a special invitation as well. It seems there would be no other reason for a man like you to attend this party." Scarily perceptive, Jade thought, though he briefly wondered if 'a man like you' was an insult or a strange compliment. "Actually, a friend of mine demanded for me to attend and bring her along," he said, gesturing to a young woman on the other side of the room, clutching her bag and staring dreamily in Mr. Gaines' direction, "But yeah, I received one of [I]those[/I] invitations as well." And with that, their conversation drifted into silence. Jade couldn't help but feel that the woman looked familiar somehow...[/SIZE]