tabmow Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 A lot of uninformed people refer to Anime as dirty Japanese cartoons or cartoon pornography. There is more nudity in Anime than in the American cartoon counterparts. I would like to hear responses to this topic and maybe some explainations for this. Is nudity really necessary in Anime ? Why is there such emphasis on certain anatomical parts. It can't be just to attract American fan-boys can it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 If it's important to the development of the story, then yes, it is necessary. Otherwise, I really don't have any problem with it. I guess it makes the characters more 'real' in some situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegeta rocker Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 I quess they are more open about sexuality over there. If it is called for in the story then whats the big deal? Besides, if cartoons in America made up the same percentage of major movies over here as they do over there we would have more nudity in them also. I have no complaints, usually it has a purpose and isn't in huge amounts. Unless it's like Hentai or ecchi which is another branch of anime all together and that would be like asking if porn needs nudity. Stupid pervert cliche! I read one Chobits manga and im a perv! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syk3 Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 I'm very hesistant to keep this open, but as long as we keep on discussion and reframe from offending younger members, I'll keep it open. Short and rude comments such as "I like hentai! Yum yum!" will not be accepted at all and will be deleted immediately. Obviously nudity isn't [i]necessary[/i] to have a good anime, but some people believe so. As anime nudity has it's own genre, hentai, to an extent it is necessary to entertain some audiences. In other genres, however, they could always imply the occurance of sexual scenes, and still get basically the same result that they were looking for. As Flash said, though, if it plays into the story line, it can be accepted and/or necessary, but if it's there for no reason at all, then the anime could probably do without it. I don't particularly have a problem with it, but the developers need to do something with it rather than just throw it in. The reason there is such an emphasis, as you say, is because these artists are trying to create a world that mirros reality, but at the same time bring in different aspects that you would not usually see in real life just because they...well, can. I wouldn't say it's there just to entertain American fan-boys, since an anime series would obviously be originally considered as a Japanese show broadcasting to Japanese TVs. It goes without saying that over there nudity is treated much more lightly and casually than in other countries. These things can be a bad thing, however, and make people go absolutely crazy thinking that all women look like that, when they're actually in their own little minds that are limited to what they see in an anime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Asuka Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 [color=hotpink][size=1]Well, I don't usually have a problem with it unless it is just a little bit overboard. You have to be more mature to see it, in my opinion, and not think perverted things. Love Hina has so much nudity in it, yet it is hilarious. So I don't think it's seriously that bad unless it's just TOO much. Boobs is about it for me. Anything more than that is pretty offending. Well, besides butts. *Laughs*[/color][/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 [size=1]The only problem I have with nudity in anime is when I'm watching it and someone who knows nothing about anime walks in. They see it and ask "Why isn't that girl wearing a shirt?" It gets very difficult to explain the artistic merit of a series when the DVD cover shows a naked woman. Most people think that anime is kid's stuff, or soft-core pornography. Ergh. But for the most part nudity in anime is done tastefully. Sometimes even I have to ask "Why isn't that girl wearing a shirt?" People can be so perverted sometimes. -Shy[/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Change Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 *shrugs* YOu took the words right out of my mouth Syk3 (lol, not really). I really don't care about nudity in anime, it is not the reason that I go out and speed $100 per box set. I really doubt that anyone does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syk3 Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Queen Asuka [/i] [B][color=hotpink][size=1] Love Hina has so much nudity in it, yet it is hilarious.[/color][/size] [/B][/QUOTE] You're joking, right? Lol, I have the Japanese version (which is very unlikely that it is edited) and they show absolutely nothing. Not that I was...er, looking, but...umm, there just wasn't any of it. Yeah. Perhaps you mean the manga... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.D. Ryoko Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 I read once about why they use nudity in anime but I forgot the reason. The book is called Samurai from outerspace. It explaines a lot about anime. You might find lots of things about anime. Sorry for going off topic.^_^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Transtic Nerve Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 The nudity you see in 90% of anime is used to form a real life vision of it. Since anime is so popular in Japan, thats what you see on a dialy basis. Cartoons... So, I think at least, in order to maintain a real life aspect of cartoons, they have to show them in real life situations and doing real life things (ie: NOT flying around blasting energy out of their hands)... Eating dinner, taking a shower, having sex (although you rarely see that full frontal in anime, not refering to hentai)and whatever are real things. With Japan being less censored, although they do censor their pornography(which always boggled me) they can easily get away with this and the public never cares to take a notice or whatever. Unlike here, where clothes are a god send and if little Billy sees a naked woman (not like he won't ever find his dad's pornos anyway) Billy's mum has a heart attack and sue 3 million people. It's reality people. Nudity is not shown in an erotic way in anime (for the most part, again, NOT refering to hentai)... Nudity is art, Pornography is erotic, there's a HUGE HUGE HUGE difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by tabmow [/i] [B]A lot of uninformed people refer to Anime as dirty Japanese cartoons or cartoon pornography. [/B][/QUOTE] That is why they are uniformed. If it were pornogrophy it would be called Hentai (meaning pervet or perverted). [quote][b]There is more nudity in Anime than in the American cartoon counterparts. I would like to hear responses to this topic and maybe some explainations for this. Is nudity really necessary in Anime ?[/b][/quote] Unlike people in American, the Japanese do not look down on nudity as being taboo in a family setting. Most nudity in anime is either used in a comfortable environment (such as a bath) or just for the sake of humor (let's face it, some people find it funny. people like me :devil: ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posthumous Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Queen Asuka [/i] [B][color=hotpink][size=1]Love Hina has so much nudity in it, yet it is hilarious.[/color][/size] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=teal][size=1][b]I agree... Also Iketeru Futari has LOTS, and I mean LOTS of it.It's so [i]sick.[/i] But I have no problem with it, since it shouldn't be a big deal of course.[/b][/size][/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest allucard Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 nudity in anime is most often there beacause well....it should be it follows the story or the time that the story takes place. its art people not people havin sex just to get some buyers besides i speek for myself and several i know when i c i buy anime movies for the story the ideas the plot not because theres some clotheless girl on the cover. well anyway anime is more about japanes culture and its routes then anithing else so if nudity is in it its usually there because it has to be:devil: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentdeath Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 there is nothing wrong with it, in good taste, no hentai, i always thought that nudity was just a way to show off their skills in drawing the female's figure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juu Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 [color=ff00cc] [size=1]Well, nudity isn't really a big deal in Japan. ^_^; For example, they have public baths, which is a very customary thing in Japanese culture. I've actually been to hundreds of them, and no one really makes a big deal about seeing other people naked. (There are two seperate rooms, (one for girls, one for boys), and they're actually really, really big.) Sooo... seeing anime characters naked doesn't really bother them either. Unless it's like, hentai. o.o; That's a different story. ^_^; [/color] [/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hikaru Ichijyo Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 I'm surprised TN didn't get to this one, but either way the Japanese culture is very open about sexuality and nudity. Unlike us americans who think of nudity as something of shame, they do not. They considered it art and part of human nature. Thus Nudity is present in anime, because it is widly accepted as everyday normal happenings. The same can be applied to many other cultures only americans have problem with nudity. As for myself personally I don't see a need for nudity in anime unless it's used in a slap stick style for humor purposes like in Love Hina or done in order to move the plot along further in a taseful manner. Or if it's a hentai or ecchi in which ever case I'm strongly against. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Asuka Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Syk3 [/i] [B]You're joking, right? Lol, I have the Japanese version (which is very unlikely that it is edited) and they show absolutely nothing. Not that I was...er, looking, but...umm, there just wasn't any of it. Yeah. Perhaps you mean the manga... [/B][/QUOTE] [color=hotpink][size=1]Nope, I'm not joking. I haven't seen the animated series. I've only read the manga. I don't know if it's done differently, but the manga is chock FULL of constant nudity. But it's funny and that's why it doesn't bother me. And I like the point Shy made. It's really hard to watch anime in front of my parents because of all the nudity. I watched Miyuki-chan in front of them...I've never been so embarrassed in my life.[/color][/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 I personally have no problem with the nudity as long as its not hentai. There is a major diferrence. However, Im the only person in my family that likes or even accepts anime... So I never watch it with my family, and when I do watch it infront of my fam. it always seems to be the stuff like dirty pair with major fanservice. Being a western family that rarely watches cartoons, it is always noticed when a cartoon has the proportions of a playboy model. Hence, I always watch anime by myself, that way I dont run the risk of having something like what asuka mentioned. Lord I know, I have had the same sort of thing happen and it is always rough when your family sees things like that. Any way, about the very pressence of nudity in anime... As it has been explained in the rest of this thread... There is a cultural divide in the world and this is just one more example of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vorvodoss Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 Two examples come to mind, neither of which are Hentai (though they skate close): Ninja Scroll and Death of Evangelion. Ninja Scroll: the famous tongue bath scene is so very necassary because it enhances the story (poison anyone?) and also develops character. It's supposed to make you feel uncomfortable and does it well. When the "mayor" of the town is having sex while having a conversation we get the feeling this man is seriously depraved. Death of Evangelion: there is a scene in the beginning (I won't spoil) in which something fairly graphic is touched (pun intended). In this scene, again the nudity is supposed to make us feel uncomfortable and it succeeds. Also, if you listen to the commentary in the American release the filmmakers relate a story in which they were critisized in Japan for the main character using the "F" word. Japanese audiences thought it was excessive use of profanity. However, they didn't bat an eye at the nudity. Finally (but perhaps foremost) certain animes (both of the ones I've mentioned) shouldn't be viewed by children (of any age)! Evangelion -- the whole series -- is way too complex for kids to deal with and Ninja Scroll would probably bore most kids. I'm trying not to make an overgeneratlization here and can't narrow it down to just one age group but perhaps parents take an active role in what their kids are watching and try to regulate it a little bit more. Those parents who don't do this are often the same type of people who think that ALL anime is Hentai. *steps off the soapbox so someone else can get on* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Asuka Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 [color=hotpink][size=1]Well, when we watch anime at my house, pretty much everyone watches it because we all like it. Well, my dad doesn't like it as much...but my mom gets into it. ^_^ *laughs*[/color][/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Change Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 hehe my parents would not care about the nudity, chances are they would laugh. They just think that anime is boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syk3 Posted March 30, 2003 Share Posted March 30, 2003 [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Vorvodoss [/i] [B][Evangelion] shouldn't be viewed by children (of any age)! Evangelion -- the whole series -- is way too complex for kids to deal with[/B][/QUOTE] Yeah, well, like you said you can't make a general statement like that. I think that to certain age, some kids may be totally confused, which I would restrict to about 13 or 14. I say this because I bought the series and movie shortly after my 15th birthday, and I understood it for the most part. Just go to theOtaku.com; I had to summarize that last third of it, including the final two episodes. It was mandatory that I understood it, lol. Plus, there is a rating of 15 years or older as a friendly suggestion. Back onto nudity, I think the beginning of 'End of Evangelion'/the end of 'Death and Rebirth' where it had the nudity was perfectly acceptable, and is one of the best reasons to bring it into the story line. [spoiler]When Shinji tugged on Asuka (when she was unconsious in the hospital) really hard and her shirt came open, he was completely shocked at what he had done, and he was in a state of depression for most of the movie[/spoiler]. It just ties in so well with the story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted March 30, 2003 Share Posted March 30, 2003 [color=#808080]I tend to dislike animes that really pile on the nudity for no reason. But sometimes nudity can be used to a story's benefit; to show vulnerability or to express humanity. Sometimes nudity can be done in a clever and tasteful way. And really, that's how it should be. [/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vorvodoss Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 Syk3> I completely agree with the point you make. [spoiler]Shinji masturbating over Asuka's body is more what I was referring to. It is so crucial to the story and I was pleased and amazed to see it in the story.[/spoiler] I think Evangelion is a great example of when adult situations/nudity is needed. When I say kids, I am really referring to anyone who can't understand the subject matter. Heck, if there's an eleven year old out there who can understand the subject matter, then great. I think a good age for most anime nudity is 16 but in America the age is eighteen. Who's to say that isn't a little closer to an appropriate age? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegeta rocker Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 I agree with James. Wether it's needed or not depends on the situation. Besides even if it is needed it should be done in a tasteful manner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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