Remember when I said the US was ok with a heavy violent content and only really beguines to sound the alarm when we start getting into more kinkier material? Well even then parents seem to complain. That said we yet again seem to forget our live action is just as bad.
Human history is covered in blood shed with nearly every society is either based upon a warrior culture such as the Romans , Spartans, and Vikings; or had a warrior class such as Medieval Knights, Japanese Samurai, or Aztec Jaguars. Some of the coolest weapons such as the twin hooks often came from peoples who professed peace (such as the Shoaling monks in this case).
And violence in still too common place today, from the wars that ravage nations, to especially the entertainment industry in any nation. To prove my point, let?s play a little game (you have access to the internet, use it). Now name 10 films that were not about fighting (martial arts, fist fights, aggressive sports, most crime dramas, wars and so on). I?m sure that list isn?t so hard. Now let?s do this again, this time it has no violence period. Not one fight, not one first throw, not one domestic disturbance, not one object thrown at another person. No violence at all. As you can see this severely limits your choices.
So why does anime get singled out? Well it has more to do with the fact the animation has violence in it then the fact the animation is violent. I know that doesn?t make much sense, but work with me here.
Much of the world, it seems, has fallen into an animation age ghetto where we limit our cartoon to children?s fair. Why is this important? Because justifiably we want to limit the amount of violence they see like we want to limit the amount of sensuality they see until they are old enough. Unfortunately parents don?t seem to read warning labels very well, or look at the cover art, and find out too late that it wasn?t meant for little kids. And like sensuality, this bugs parents. There is also the fact that different countries and cultures had different view points on what is acceptable to show to kids from each other.
To give you a good visual, take a look at Naruto. It is clearly aimed at those between 12 and 15, yet to show it on American television it had to be edited to remove some of the blood. Despite being a PG- PG-13 anime, its still edited like hell (funny as DBZ uncut was shown earlier and the Uncut Naruto was nowhere as violent).
That said, I?m still seeing 1000 Ways To Die much earlier than that, so the double standard is showing.
In any case, since the whole world claims to know how destructive violent content has on its youth, why do we show it in our mediums of entertainment? After all, isn?t the battle cry of the moral watch dogs ?Think of the children??
Because conflict is a key component to any story, and violence is the easiest way to get it. Its not the only way, nor is it necessarily the best way, but it is the most fun. It is also the most universal of things, and doesn't get as easily lost in translation. It makes us laugh, cry, angry, excited, and even terrified. It can make a character heroic, attractive, and completely vile. It gives us scale, and a depth of a situation. It also gives us an idea of who the bad guys are, who the good guys, and only rarely is it that we don?t know who to root for.
So what?s the problem with anime and its violent content? Just like with the issue of sensuality and anime, it has something to do with the fact that its animated and therefore most people assume it must be child friendly, despite how mature the intended audience is. Moreover, it?s another case of picking on the foreign thing as any other nation has just as prolific problem with their own content in the live action department.
Tune in next time as I cover the fact that there is a whole culture shock to this.
Human history is covered in blood shed with nearly every society is either based upon a warrior culture such as the Romans , Spartans, and Vikings; or had a warrior class such as Medieval Knights, Japanese Samurai, or Aztec Jaguars. Some of the coolest weapons such as the twin hooks often came from peoples who professed peace (such as the Shoaling monks in this case).
And violence in still too common place today, from the wars that ravage nations, to especially the entertainment industry in any nation. To prove my point, let?s play a little game (you have access to the internet, use it). Now name 10 films that were not about fighting (martial arts, fist fights, aggressive sports, most crime dramas, wars and so on). I?m sure that list isn?t so hard. Now let?s do this again, this time it has no violence period. Not one fight, not one first throw, not one domestic disturbance, not one object thrown at another person. No violence at all. As you can see this severely limits your choices.
So why does anime get singled out? Well it has more to do with the fact the animation has violence in it then the fact the animation is violent. I know that doesn?t make much sense, but work with me here.
Much of the world, it seems, has fallen into an animation age ghetto where we limit our cartoon to children?s fair. Why is this important? Because justifiably we want to limit the amount of violence they see like we want to limit the amount of sensuality they see until they are old enough. Unfortunately parents don?t seem to read warning labels very well, or look at the cover art, and find out too late that it wasn?t meant for little kids. And like sensuality, this bugs parents. There is also the fact that different countries and cultures had different view points on what is acceptable to show to kids from each other.
To give you a good visual, take a look at Naruto. It is clearly aimed at those between 12 and 15, yet to show it on American television it had to be edited to remove some of the blood. Despite being a PG- PG-13 anime, its still edited like hell (funny as DBZ uncut was shown earlier and the Uncut Naruto was nowhere as violent).
That said, I?m still seeing 1000 Ways To Die much earlier than that, so the double standard is showing.
In any case, since the whole world claims to know how destructive violent content has on its youth, why do we show it in our mediums of entertainment? After all, isn?t the battle cry of the moral watch dogs ?Think of the children??
Because conflict is a key component to any story, and violence is the easiest way to get it. Its not the only way, nor is it necessarily the best way, but it is the most fun. It is also the most universal of things, and doesn't get as easily lost in translation. It makes us laugh, cry, angry, excited, and even terrified. It can make a character heroic, attractive, and completely vile. It gives us scale, and a depth of a situation. It also gives us an idea of who the bad guys are, who the good guys, and only rarely is it that we don?t know who to root for.
So what?s the problem with anime and its violent content? Just like with the issue of sensuality and anime, it has something to do with the fact that its animated and therefore most people assume it must be child friendly, despite how mature the intended audience is. Moreover, it?s another case of picking on the foreign thing as any other nation has just as prolific problem with their own content in the live action department.
Tune in next time as I cover the fact that there is a whole culture shock to this.
