Got called out for my 'anime is just cartoons' take back in 2015

I made a post on a different forum saying all anime was basically the same. Someone replied with a detailed list of five specific shows, from 'Monster' to 'Mushishi', and told me to watch them before I opened my mouth again. I did, and it completely changed how I see the medium. Now I actually look into a show's genre and director before forming an opinion. Anyone else have a moment where a single comment flipped your whole view on anime?

2 comments

2 Comments

matthewkim12d ago

Honestly, it was a YouTube video for me. Some guy broke down the shot composition in a Satoshi Kon movie, "Perfect Blue". He showed how a single hallway scene built this crazy feeling of being watched without any dialogue. I'd always just watched for the story. Now I catch myself pausing stuff, even dumb action shows, to see how they frame a character's face to show they're lying. Makes you see the whole craft differently.

joelwells12d ago

That video breakdown sounds familiar. The thing is, that hallway scene in "Perfect Blue" is actually from "Paranoia Agent", Kon's TV series. It's a common mix-up. Both use that same tense, voyeuristic style, so it's easy to get them crossed. His direction really does make you watch everything twice.