Questions re Manga-based Japanese Live Action Films

[Mark Mays]

On Aug 15, 2006, at 8:45 PM, Christophe Thouny wrote:

> Having an interminable thread on this topic is in itself revealing  
> of the increasing re-sampling re-mixing of manga-anime culture in- 
> by-with film  production (although tokusatsu have been around for a  
> while). Another side-thread  might be the increasing (?) use of  
> manga-anime expressions (hy?gen) in movies not directly based on a  
> manga. And more generally to what I see as a  
> dissemination/'deotakuization' of manga-anime culture in Japan (but  
> not only) with anime now aiming at non-otaku (understand anybody  
> watching TV) such as Gundam Seed. Any thought on this?
<snip>


You're right and I apologize for the sarcasm. But doesn't your word,  
"deotakuization," mis-epitomize the vectors that recent anime / manga  
have been following? Weren't otaku supposed to be pretty creepy guys  
without a life? Is that "de-" sufficient to account for diversion  
into the mainstream ("anyone watching TV")? (I think it would help if  
you could answer such a question without using the word 'culture.')

Lewis =

Well I was expecting Mr Arnold or Ruh to jump all over this part "with anime
NOW aiming at NON-OTAKU culture" lol.

That people on a film list are knowledgeable about the source material for
movies is hardly worth a think piece. Movies tend to take stories from other
sources, especially stories that have a proven, quantifiable fan base. No
need to dip into Orientalism for analysis.

However, I think the point about hyogen is interesting. Might that reflect
on the generation of film makers? Probably.