[Kickstarter] Animerica: Japanophilia in America

[Heran Bago]

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A friend of mine (warning, this is a "my friend" kickstarter) is a film student looking to fund a big project. Most normal people don't watch anime or understand what the its weird fan base is. A lot of people just plain don't know about that huge community and are baffled when they see convention goers. This documentary attempts to demystify the hole thing in an educational documentary.

While Japanophilia is the main topic it will inevitably touch on other things conventions are about like comics and the horrors of MLP and homestuck.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/637668928/animerica-japanophilia-in-america

Read the kick starter page, my summary really doesn't do it justice. Here's the page's preamble for those too lazy to even click the link.

WHAT IT IS
Animerica is a documentary about Japanophiles; people with a love for all things Japanese. It follows the story of several individuals who pursue their own interests and struggles within the world of Japanophilia, and their enthusiasm for Japanese culture, highlighting anime, cosplay, and the entire spectrum of this adopted lifestyle.
This documentary aims to take a broad and objective look at the phenomenon; it will cover its origin and beginnings in American culture, and how it became such a popular and diverse subculture that remains largely unknown and misunderstood to this day. We are telling the personal, individual stories of several devoted enthusiasts within the subculture, through their own unique perspective and experience, while telling an expansive story that covers any and every facet of this lifestyle parallel to their stories.

Their goal of $40,000 is ambitious but I don't think it's unrealistic.

 

[TyBlood13]

So it's literally Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony but for Anime. It shouldn't have to exist. Either of them. People should just get over what their friends/families like that they don't

 

[Hop2089]

So it's literally Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony but for Anime. It shouldn't have to exist. Either of them. People should just get over what their friends/families like that they don't

Lack of character is an epidemic in the teenage population. It's the reason for some but not all suicides and most school shootings.

 

[Gahars]

So it's literally Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony but for Anime. It shouldn't have to exist. Either of them. People should just get over what their friends/families like that they don't

Obligatory ForeverPandering video goes here.

Besides, after watching how spectacularly Bronycon: The Documentary imploded, why would you want to follow in their footsteps?

 

[2ndApex]

So it's literally Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony but for Anime. It shouldn't have to exist. Either of them. People should just get over what their friends/families like that they don't

It's not as much of an apology as it is insight on the culture/fanbase.

Considering how interesting these things are decades afterwards there's no reason why something like this should or shouldn't exist.

 

[TyBlood13]

Obligatory ForeverPandering video goes here.

That video is perfect for this thread and my original point.

And the video's original point was spot-on: A documentary is supposed to be unbiased, not just trying to show how good/bad something and/or a group is

 

[PolloDiablo]

so... people needs documentaries to justify their retarded obsessions
I spend all day watching videos of 6 years old girls having sex with dogs... please make a documentary about it so I can feel good about myself

 

[Hyro-Sama]

You lost me at "MLP".

 

[Veho]

so... people needs documentaries to justify their retarded obsessions

Basically. Weirdos.

 

[Sicklyboy]

"I like anime and everyone who disagrees with me should feel bad and this is why."

How about

"I like anime and I'll discuss it with other people who also like anime and anyone else can piss off because they don't care and I don't care."

I like anime. My friend likes anime, even more so than I do. If I find a good one I'll tell him, and I'll tell a few friends who I think might be interested. Then I'll continue to live my life whether they care or not.

Just don't go all "Desu desu so kawaii~~~" on me because it's fucking annoying.

 

[Deleted member 473940]

This may sound off-topic, but could anyone direct me to stories of successful kickstarter projects?

edit: and by successful I dont mean they achieved their targeted money. I mean that they completed their project with smiling, happy customers.

 

[Sicklyboy]

This may sound off-topic, but could anyone direct me to stories of successful kickstarter projects?

edit: and by successful I dont mean they achieved their targeted money. I mean that they completed their project with smiling, happy customers.

Well, one I funded plans to start shipping the final product on 10/10/13. And so far I am pleased by everything I have seen and that has been promised... I'll get back to you on that lol.

 

[Veho]

This may sound off-topic, but could anyone direct me to stories of successful kickstarter projects?
edit: and by successful I dont mean they achieved their targeted money. I mean that they completed their project with smiling, happy customers.

I backed this one: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1990654819/judge-dredd-miniatures-game-block-war, and I am smiling and happy, and my Dredd miniature is scowling proudly on my shelf.


This one is also moving along nicely, production is well underway and the first shipments are already out and in backers' hands, so it looks to be an example of smiling, happy customers too.

 

[grossaffe]

This may sound off-topic, but could anyone direct me to stories of successful kickstarter projects?

edit: and by successful I dont mean they achieved their targeted money. I mean that they completed their project with smiling, happy customers.

How about the Oculus Rift?

 

[Deleted User]

People are basically paying to see a documentary about Anime in America? Jesus fucking Christ, a documentary about people liking whats regarded as a form of television, what am I going to learn from this? I want to know how this goes down, do they make it out to be a struggle? Like, "Oh it's hard going to school, people don't understand me, I cut myself while kissing my haruhi pillow". Either way, the fact that people are supporting this is beyond me.

 

[Veho]

Jesus fucking Christ, a documentary about people liking whats regarded as a form of television, what am I going to learn from this?

Dunno.

 

[Deleted User]

Dunno.

I don.... What? At least that had a more comical side, and wasn't actually serious like "japanophilia in America". (Unless I took it the wrong way)

If you are using that because a main point of Trekkies is "to show fans of Star Trek from outside the United States" is irrelevant, because, unlike Star Trek, fans of anime around the world are basically the same. I know people here who legitimately sleep with an "Index" Pillow. The audience of anime is mainly accepted by people, I don't see how it's a "diverse subculture that remains largely unknown and misunderstood".

To each his own, I suppose.

 

[Veho]

I don.... What? At least that had a more comical side, and wasn't actually serious like "japanophilia in America". (Unless I took it the wrong way) [...] If you are using that because a main point of Trekkies is "to show fans of Star Trek from outside the United States"

No, that's "Trekkies 2". The first one is a documentary about Star Trek fans in the US.

I used "Trekkies" as an example because it follows pretty much the same formula as the proposed Animerica documentary (so if you want to see what Animerica might look like, watch Trekkies to get a general idea), and there are a lot of parallels between their respective themes. Subculture? Check. Fandom? Check. Conventions? Costumes? Check. Negative social stigmata? Check. Despite the popularity, the knowledge of the general populace about them boils down to one or two stereotypes? Check (at the time of filming at least; the recent movies changed the public view of Trek somewhat). Yes, there are people who legitimately sleep with an "Index" pillow. There are people who own an inflatable Counselor Troi doll. What are you going to learn from it? Maybe nothing. But an average viewer might find out a thing or two.

 

[The_Hulkster]

Maybe it should be called: "We don't understand why people don't like this same stupid thing! LIKE IT!!! Wheeeeeh! "

I love documentaries, but to make an interesting documentary and show all aspects and different opinions, the documentary has to be unbiased.
This thing is far from being unbiased.

They actually assume people who don't know what anime is therefore don't like it.
Ever thought about how many people do know what anime is but just don't care for it?

This documentary would probably be watched by anime-lovers which is not the target audience.

And, which film student, in his right mind, would need 40K for a documentary.
This documentary could easily be done with 2% of that! He would probably get a better grade as well, because of the tighter budget.

To sum it up, this kickstarter is ridiculous and so is your friend.

 

[Gahars]

This may sound off-topic, but could anyone direct me to stories of successful kickstarter projects?

edit: and by successful I dont mean they achieved their targeted money. I mean that they completed their project with smiling, happy customers.

FTL, Shadowrun Returns, Cyanide and Happiness, Amanda Palmer (multiple times, in fact), the Pebble E-Watch, Ouya (if you're LightyKD, anyway), etc.

There's nothing wrong with the service, except when people a) don't understand and accept the risks involved with donating, and/or b) believe Kickstarter is a free money machine.