the elusive middle ground between elitism and degeneracy

[mikkeneko]

You know, I could enjoy the FMA manga a hell of a lot more if some people weren't such elitist fucks over it.

Hi, fma_spork is pushing my buttons today.

Comments

[lykomancer.livejournal.com]

Elitism isn't cool, kiddies. *sighs*

[stickmarionette.livejournal.com]

*sighs* Word. Not to mention the random BONES hatred one gets splattered with around fm_alchemist with such regularity these days.

*waves* Hope you don't mind that I friended you.

[kaitou-marina.livejournal.com]

The BONES hatred makes me sad. So so so very sad.

[stickmarionette.livejournal.com]

Makes me sad too. We can be sad together. XD

Well, sad and annoyed. Do they think that hating BONES make them better people somehow?

[kaitou-marina.livejournal.com]

I dunno, but I wish they'd quit it. You know, the producers could have picked a WAY worse studio to do the anime, and the anime MAY have sucked. But they chose BONES, who tend to do fabulous anime series.

I think the main problem with part of the fandom is that they're spoiled brats. XD They're fans of one of the better manga and anime series out there, so they expect EVERYTHING to be perfect 24/7.

[stickmarionette.livejournal.com]

I guess the major differences between anime and manga is a part of it, but IMHO it was a much better choice than doing filler episodes, which they would have had to do if they followed the manga.

BONES did a great job with a lot of the stuff they wrote for FMA, I hate seeing them get so much hate for the stupidest reasons. (i.e. 'omg the movie...etc etc' and 'omg how could you do that to Roy...etc etc')

*nod* You've got a good point there with that theory. XD

[kaitou-marina.livejournal.com]

Plus, I think it would have been boring for the anime to EXACTLY follow the manga. I mean, what would have been the point? And I don't think Arakawa would have wanted the anime to spoil her ending. There wouldn't have been a reason for people to read the manga anymore. I've seen several manga killed by the anime spoiling their endings. ADDITIONALLY, if the anime HAD followed the manga exactly, they would STILL have had to pull an ending out of their asses, and it would have come out of nowhere or been totally incomplete. At least BONES built up a plot and found a way to end it that still followed their story direction. I like having the two different universes to work with too (the manga and anime are essentially different universes now, IMO).

[stickmarionette.livejournal.com]

I've seen several manga killed by the anime spoiling their endings.

Just out of curiosity - can you give me some examples? XD

And I agree - they are pretty much different universes. *nod*

[cephiedvariable.livejournal.com]

Most of those people throwing around BONES insults are making their judgements based on a movie they haven't even SEEN yet. I think that's what pisses me off the most about it.

Between Bones and Arakawa, both parties have put an obscene amount of work into creating the tangible and beautiful universe of FMA- dissing the creator of a series and claiming that they "got it wrong" is just the most ignorant and disrespectful thing I can imagine. I highly doubt that Arakawa "hates" the direction the anime took. It's different from what she's written of course, but I've yet to see any indication that she disapproves of it. And they don't think that the writers at BONES didn't put thought and effort and HOURS of their lives into fleshing out the story? Feh.

It's nearly as getting bad as the JKR bashing in the Harry Potter fandom- except that HP fans make even LESS sense. Hay, guys. No JKR writing, NO HARRY POTTER in the first place. Sometimes I think that fandom and fanfiction seriously warp people's perceptions. Sometimes, it's like they get on some ficiton-induced ego/power trip where they become convinced that THEY COULD HAVE DONE IT BETTER. If you could do Fullmetal Alchemist or Harry Potter better that the writer's themselves, then why didn't YOU write it first. -___-;; Puh-lease.

And wow, sorry. I should totally stop ranting. Right now. Right-o.

[stickmarionette.livejournal.com]

*grins* no, no, I totally agree.

I'm from the HP fandom, where the JKR hatred makes me want to kill and maim, so that's kind of transferred over to FMA. It's their work, people, and most of those who think they can do a better job usually...can't. (see the recent wank over the Harry/Hermione shippers who rewrote HBP for a perfect example of that)

P.S. Hi, I love your FMA fics, not to mention your icons. *waves*

[kaitou-marina.livejournal.com]

I'll join you in the killing and maiming. In fact, I'd absolutely love to.

[stickmarionette.livejournal.com]

*twitch* It's not as bad now, but after OotP...I had to go and hide from fandom for a while, it was just that awful.

[kaitou-marina.livejournal.com]

Ranting is fine, just get it out I always say.

Actually, there was a lot of BONES hate BEFORE the movie came out. It just got more prevailant with the advent of the movie.

About Arakawa "hating" what was done: Supposedly there is an interview somewhere in which she said she disapproved of what was done. Manga elitists really like to cite this supposed interview. However, every time I've been involved in an argument with a manga elitist and they bring up the interview, and I ask to see the damn source, NONE OF THEM have ever been able to procure it for me. I'm beginning to think it doesn't exist at all.

[kytyngurl2.livejournal.com]

A-fucking-men sister! :o

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

I'd participate in this discussion, but they've pretty much already covered everything I had to say. :)

[cephiedvariable.livejournal.com]

*sigh* I feel the same way too, really. Personally, I prefer the anime- but there are certain aspects of the manga I am still fond of (I read it before I watched it, afterall).

But there's this general prevalence in the fandom that you have to be either an ANIME person, or a MANGA person, and that manga fans are obviously omg!superiorz for... some reason that I'll never comprehend.

It makes it very difficult to read the manga as a seperate entity without comparing it every step of the way to the anime. -___-;;

[stickmarionette.livejournal.com]

I don't understand the anime vs manga mentality - is it just impossible to like both equally? And what is it about being a different kind of fan that makes anybody superior to anybody else?

I just don't get it...*headdesks*

[kaitou-marina.livejournal.com]

I like both equally, and I think both have their own positive points and pitfalls. Plus, I hold them apart as two different mediums, with two different timeframes to operate in, and two different sets of conventions. It would be nice if everyone would try to be open-minded and do the same.

[stickmarionette.livejournal.com]

Open-mindedness = severely lacking in fandom

*sighs* Ah well...and err, I should stop spamming mikkeneko's post.

In lieu of having your gatebabies, since we are both terrified of the things, may I friend?

[kaitou-marina.livejournal.com]

Indeed, and I shall friend back ^.^ And all will be well. And the gate!babies won't eat us.

[auragirl.livejournal.com]

As far as I've heard, the manga-ka liked the anime, and is right now basically writing the manga so that it's "not like the anime at all" because she wants to be different. Won't get into how I feel about that, or what I think about the anime vs. the manga really..just saying. And I know I read both of those things somewhere reputable but >_;;;; I'll be damned if I can remember where. Sorry.

[saya-aensland.livejournal.com]

*unlurks* I do like the anime, it's just the last two or three episodes that make me go "What the fuh...?" with the Attack of The Surprise Parallel Dimension and all. The movie is continuation from the last episodes, so it inherits its what-the-fuh-ness. Cosplay!Al brings an extra helping of what-the-fuh. It won't stop me from enjoying the movie if it's entertaining, though.

It also might have something to do with my issues with change. That's one of the problems with having AS, any change in routine makes me throw a fit. I started with the manga first (followed the two in tandem during the anime's run), so the anime is a change from the "normal". That doesn't explain the elitism with the rest of the fanpoodles, though. Hmm. This comment was pretty unproductive, huh?

*relurks*

IN DEFENCE OF BONES

[reikah.livejournal.com]

The movie gave us cosplay Al.

That is all.

[neneno.livejournal.com]

hello~ This is neneno from the fm_alchemist community to let you know that you've been nominated to become a mod +3+!! If you're interested, please take a look at this entry (http://www.livejournal.com/community/fm_alchemist/2796533.html) and send in a resume if you're interested (more info on the entry)=O!!

((sorry this is so irrelevant to your post +_+;;;!!!))

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

That's quite all right. Thanks for the notification. I might as well go ahead and send you a resume, tomorrow after work.

[lunelight.livejournal.com]

I had honestly forgotten that the manga was being put out in the US before I made that comment about the effort for finding it; I hope I'm not the one causing you headache, but if I am, I apologize. *is embarrased*

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

Actually, no, it was nobody in that entry particularly. I'm just so tired of going through a perfectly friendly thread and running across all these comments to the effect of "Well, I'm a manga fan, the anime totally ruined it" or "You know Arakawa hates the anime. Damn you BONES for mangling her work!" or "Yeah, well only if you go by the anime canon. I go by manga cause it's better" ad nauseam. It's gotten to a sore point where almost any mention of the manga can set me off.

[asidian.livejournal.com]

...I've gotta admit, FMA is the first series where I've experienced both the anime and the manga... and liked the anime better. Usually, I find that the extra content in the manga makes me squee with joy, and I mourn the loss of it in the anime, regardless of which I've gotten my hands on first.

But in the FMA manga, I found that my favorite parts just... weren't there. Every moment of sparklingly insightful character development, all of the little details that I adored so very, very much- gone. Which doesn't make me -not- like it... but suffice it to say that I'd been hoping for much more. So much so that, even taking into consideration my distaste for the last several episodes, the anime still wins for me, hands down.

*feels as though she's let slip a dark, shameful secret* ^^

[devils-devotion.livejournal.com]

WE CAN SLIP OUR SHAMEFUL SECRET TOGETHER, BECAUSE I *ALSO* LIKE THE ANIME BETTER! :O! (Though admittedly, I need to, you know, read the rest of the manga before I come up with that judgement. >.>) I stopped reading the manga around chapter 20 because I was like, "Wow. Some plot. DIFFERENT characters."

Not totally different, mind you. In essence, they're one and the same. But there were all of these emotionally endearing moments that they put in the anime, that they didn't put in the manga. Because the manga clearly has more plot.

...All this means is that I'm a sucker for character development, even if it does take away from the plot. It doesn't mean the anime is better than the manga, or vice versa. IT MEANS WE ALL HAVE OPINIONS, HAHHAHAHA. *shot*

[vainglory.livejournal.com]

I weep for you both.

[vainglory.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Damn snuggarts.

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

...that's a new word. :D

[vainglory.livejournal.com]

Ah not so new. :3 The newest one now is "Prag."

[felisdeityus.livejournal.com]

Hey... if you don't like it, whatever it does... write fanfiction.

Wow, that was redundant... lalalala

Umm.... both work wonders for me. I view 'em separate-like...