Oneecon; or, Onee-sama 'tteba! (Rant)
Getting a little closer to one week between posts. I may make it back to once per week yet. Don't hold your breath, though. At any rate, I've got a few things to mention before we get started. For one, I've discovered an interesting time-dilation effect with Masami Okui's music. The track data lists them as being four to five minutes long, and the clock agrees, but I swear I experience at least double that amount of actual time between the beginning and the end of one of her songs. Dunno exactly what's happening, but it's kinda fun. Also, I finally watched the ending of Kashimashi. It resolved well enough, with a couple of minor questions and one massive WHAT THE ****!? Probably won't be reviewing it, though. Lastly, I've managed to get caught up on the Negima manga, which is much better than it has any right to be, considering it's written by Akamatsu. I likely will be reviewing that one in the somewhat near future; I normally don't like reviewing works that haven't been completed, but there's quite a bit about it I want to talk about, so I'll make an execption in this case.
All right, on to today's actual content. This rant has been bouncing around in my brain for some time now, but it wasn't until Ms. Friedman's comment on the subject that I felt a real need to write about it. And for the execptionally observant, yes, I am complaining about the answer I got to a question I myself asked. Why? Because I'm a rotten bastard, that's why. And if you haven't figured this out by now you obviously haven't been paying enough attention. Now let's get moving, yes?
Oneecon; or, Onee-sama 'tteba!
All right, on to today's actual content. This rant has been bouncing around in my brain for some time now, but it wasn't until Ms. Friedman's comment on the subject that I felt a real need to write about it. And for the execptionally observant, yes, I am complaining about the answer I got to a question I myself asked. Why? Because I'm a rotten bastard, that's why. And if you haven't figured this out by now you obviously haven't been paying enough attention. Now let's get moving, yes?
Oneecon; or, Onee-sama 'tteba!
Before I really get going, I should probably provide a little definition, right? After all, not much point in whining at people if they have no clue what you're talking about. Onee-sama is very respectful Japanese for 'elder sister.' Going into too much more detail would require a rather lengthy lecture on the Japanese language, so imagine it being kinda like some upper-crust British kid talking about 'Mother' or 'Father', only referring to an older sister instead. Now, within the family this is fine, if maybe a little creepy. It's when it's used to refer to someone not related to the speaker that I begin to take issue.
Yes, yes, just a natural extention of senpai-kohai relationships. Right. And in a vacuum -- and certain series', like Marimite -- this would probably be true. But, as far as I see, in a good 95 percent of cases what it really boils down to is an out. A way for creators and companys to cover their own behinds. They include Yuri content, but then when someone comes along asking about it they can say, "Love? What love? Oh that! They don't love each other that way! They love each other like... Sisters! Yeah, that's it!" I'm reminded of the classic Bee Train line: "If you want to see them as being in love, then they're in love." Gee, that's great. Way to take a stand, guys. Tell me, how are y'all doing on saving up for that spine transplant?
I know, I'm being unfair. Everybody's gotta look out for them selves, and being too controversial isn't good for profits. But it bugs me when people do things half-asses like that. Just go a little ways in before before they chicken out and run back to where they started. If you're going to include a lesbian character, either do it, or don't! You don't have to throw it in people's faces, but enough with the cheap symbolism and over-used undertones. Stop hiding behind outs and deniability.
Oh well, pipe dreams are fun, aren't they? Meanwhile, I'll continue to twitch every time I hear the word 'Onee-sama!' and each time I see a bunch of lillies appear around the frame, and progress will continue on in that old fasioned '2 steps back, (2 +/- 1) steps foward' manner...
Unfocused, random, and pretty well pointless; everything a rant should be. In other circumstances I might be worried about driving away readers with these things, especially when you consider the subject matter. But, hey, can't lose what you don't have, right? In any event, there shouldn't be too many of these. I only have one more that I really want to do right now, and after that they should be extremely few and far between. Anyways, next time I'll be writing about that book I was supposed to have reviewed two posts back, so thanks for reading, and I'll see you then.
Yes, yes, just a natural extention of senpai-kohai relationships. Right. And in a vacuum -- and certain series', like Marimite -- this would probably be true. But, as far as I see, in a good 95 percent of cases what it really boils down to is an out. A way for creators and companys to cover their own behinds. They include Yuri content, but then when someone comes along asking about it they can say, "Love? What love? Oh that! They don't love each other that way! They love each other like... Sisters! Yeah, that's it!" I'm reminded of the classic Bee Train line: "If you want to see them as being in love, then they're in love." Gee, that's great. Way to take a stand, guys. Tell me, how are y'all doing on saving up for that spine transplant?
I know, I'm being unfair. Everybody's gotta look out for them selves, and being too controversial isn't good for profits. But it bugs me when people do things half-asses like that. Just go a little ways in before before they chicken out and run back to where they started. If you're going to include a lesbian character, either do it, or don't! You don't have to throw it in people's faces, but enough with the cheap symbolism and over-used undertones. Stop hiding behind outs and deniability.
Oh well, pipe dreams are fun, aren't they? Meanwhile, I'll continue to twitch every time I hear the word 'Onee-sama!' and each time I see a bunch of lillies appear around the frame, and progress will continue on in that old fasioned '2 steps back, (2 +/- 1) steps foward' manner...
Unfocused, random, and pretty well pointless; everything a rant should be. In other circumstances I might be worried about driving away readers with these things, especially when you consider the subject matter. But, hey, can't lose what you don't have, right? In any event, there shouldn't be too many of these. I only have one more that I really want to do right now, and after that they should be extremely few and far between. Anyways, next time I'll be writing about that book I was supposed to have reviewed two posts back, so thanks for reading, and I'll see you then.
posted by Mr. the Tiger at 19:57
2 Comments:
You're close, but no cigar. This is not writers/producers not taking a stand - this is *marketing*. The point of creating ambiguity means you can sell to the crowd that wants to see yuri and the crowd that doesn't and both are right and good and proper.
That's why so many series use onee-con or lesbian best friends who love unrequitedly. Both are easy ways to include the yuri tag, without making a committment. If you can get two viewers with one ambiguious relationship, as an anime company, you win. :-)
First of all, thank you for reading, Ms. Friedman. I would apologize for the cheap-shot, but I believe that's covered under the Rotten Bastard clause above.
And yes, I do understand that, though perhaps I didn't do a very good job of communicating so. It's just that I don't like it. Stupid, I know, but that's why it's a rant. If it had any intellegence to it it wouldn't be a rant anymore.
The thing is, though, I know real, no-bones-about-it yuri can be profitable, I've seen it done. And I can't imagine I'm the only person in the world who gets frustrated at the sly nods and the need for Yuri Goggles, so.... I dunno. Maybe it is good enough the way it is, and I should just stop complaining already. But where's the fun in that?
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