I am no match for the FORCES OF GEEKITUDE

[mmymoon]

TRANSFORMERS FRIENDS!

I totally relayed some of our conversation below to Three -- no leading statements at all, only that I was saying how it seems everything cool comes from Japan, like flying squirrels (this all came about because of today's Cute Overload picture of the momonga) and robots and Transformers.

Completely unbidden, he begins lecturing me that, "Well, Japan just makes the toys. If they hadn't invented the stuff in America, we probably would have no story and no toys here."


....

XD

I AM SUITABLY CHASTISED, GUYS.

I'm picturing that he's going to get to go to Katsucon and everyone will start chanting, "One of us, one of us, one of us..."

Comments

[twotone]

Good! Good that he knows that! And I don't know if this is a Thing That Matters To Him, but most of the Transformers being made today are designed by guys who played with Transformers (and other toys), just like him.

If he continues to walk down the path of Otaku, he will inevitably encounter follow otaku who are convinced that Transformers are Japanese and Hasbro is just "making knockoffs". [Edited to note: That bit was a direct quote. OMG THAT GUY MADE ME SO MAD I am still twitching with rage] These people are wrong and stupid, and should be scorned.

EDIT AGAIN: Sorry, I know it sounds like I'm harping on this. It's weighing on my mind a lot, like a mosquito bite that won't stop itching. Until I can dislodge it from my brain, it's going to keep haunting me.

yay mixed metaphors.

[mmymoon.livejournal.com]

I believe the visual you are looking for would be BRAIN PUS.


Don't worry, I will endeavor to pass along the proper Geek Education. I'm guessing Cory taught him about the American content versus the toys? Like I said, Cory likes to Talk History -- "You see, Donkey Kong was the first "Mario" game, and actually his name at first was Jumpman! Isn't that thrilling?"


I've never observed any sort of Snobbery from him, in that "Eeeeewwwwwhuh, if you pay attention, you'll see that the Japanese translation/original printing/Guy Gardner Green Lantern is VASTLY superior to all other incarnations..." but he is very concerned with getting the correct objective reality of something.

I'm guessing he'd be the sort with a collection of everything, but he'd be able to tell you the exact differences between the Japanese version and the North American market version, and this one is actually from Italy, and... VERSUS, again, knowing the exacting details of Ravage's character history. But I think he might be more inclined to learn that as he ages, but he's always been way more mechanical than verbal. (Most kids do end up fairly well-rounded, but if they start building first, it takes their other skills time to "catch up" -- but once they do, then they're fine. Which maybe why he hasn't cared about plot in the past, but might now? I find child development particularly interesting in light of geek psychology -- people deal with the stigma of geeks being "childish," but I maintain having culturally childish subject matter does not mean you have to behave with childish psychology and social interactions.)

It's all sort of anthropologically fascinating to me, since I'm a big picture person -- I obviously can't do the "Well, in episode thirty-five..." thing at all, but I remember a lot of the over-arcing plot points and moral messages. Ah, TNG. I love you so. Cory and I are BOTH verbal, just on opposite ends of the spectrum.


He says having a job designing Transformers would probably be the best job ever. And then he made his Spore tribe start dancing.

[mmymoon.livejournal.com]

Heehee, I know the dub/sub issue bothers you, too... man, there's SO much subtitled content (non-anime) on Netflix instant watch, but it's dang near impossible to craft AND read subtitles.

Will it not annoy you if I ask if you have any insight on the toning-down of the cuteness of voices in American versions? That is the ONLY THING that keeps me from watching series lately. (Because if I'm gonna watch TV, I'm going to craft, so I'm just NOT going to watch a series that I have to pay close attention to.) It bugs me so much to see a shojo without suitably impish cutesy little-girl voices for the impish cutesy little-girl characters. (Or at least a voice that seems appropriate -- I remember the English Chobits wasn't as girly-girly-breathy as the Japanese, but the voice actress really fit Chii's character and it was fine.) I wish there were a ratings site JUST FOR THAT.

All I want out of any media, ever, is the cuteness factor.

[twotone]

I actually do not have any insight into that, since I don't deal with the dub end of things! I suspect it may simply be a matter of what the voice director wants, or thinks is appropriate for the character*. I don't know whether the client (i.e. the Japan end of things) gets final word on voices, the way they get final word on the dialogue and direction of things.

I am actually the other way around and find a lot of Japanese voice actresses to have incredibly grating voices. (I actually complained about this a while back, while I was subtitling "Dragon Drive"! And then someone responded to say "Yes, I hate it when American voice actors have annoying voices"! Way to not pay attention to what I was saying, chica!**)

I also tend to be a fan of the more boyish voice actresses, so probably it is some residual tomboy thing coloring my perception.

*By "appropriate", I mean... in Japan, higher-pitched voices = cute, whereas in the US it might be perceived as "infantilism, kind of creepy to hear a grown woman talk like that". Compare Tara Strong playing Bubbles to Tara Strong playing Princess Clara or Toot Braustein on "Drawn Together". Or even her voice as Gwen Tennyson from "Ben 10" or Sari from "Transformers Animated" or OH GOD WHY DO I HAVE THE VOICE CAST FROM SO MANY CARTOON NETWORK SHOWS MEMORIZED

*sob*

I also get the impression that the companies that import and dub the anime tend to have stables of voice actors that they draw from, so you see the same voices often. Depending on where the anime is being dubbed, a voice director might be limited in his or her options in that sense.

e.g. Scott McNeil (one of my favorite Transformers voice actors) was in "Transformers: Beast Wars" and "Transformers: Beast Machines", which were recorded in Canada...but he wasn't able to be in "Transformers: Animated" which was made in the US. Even though they imported his character from Beast Wars into the Animated-verse. It made me full of sadness.

**Edited to add: You don't have said chica on your friends list, but on the off-chance that she sees this and recognizes herself... Please imagine me saying the above in a jocular manner!

[mmymoon.livejournal.com]

Yeah... I think it's gotten way better now that it's a profitable market, it just seemed like the talent-stable they used to use didn't give it their all. (Like all voices sounding the same -- whereas people like Tara Strong do really distinct character voices.)

I've wondered about the infantilism myself, but... Bubbles is totally my point! For whatever reason, I have a HUGE love of the "ditzy/innocent blonde" character, from any series, ever. (Even if they're not technically blonde.) Bubbles, Melody from Josie and the Pussycats movie (or, you know, almost any Tara Reid character), and... wow, I can't think of any other examples right now, which is weird, because that's a really stock character and I know there are tons.

But I LOVE them. I don't know why -- I know a lot of people might theoretically be offended at having a dumb girl character, but it's not about that, it's about the sense of cutesy-sweet-niceness. It triggers my "MUST PROTECT" instincts! I just want to hug them! I generally identify with the rugged-action-adventure character (NOT the smart character, oddly enough, unless they just happen to be smart like Indy! I AM HARRISON FORD IN MY MIND) but I love the cute blonde ditz to death. Which is why I am sad when they are less cute in translation.

... oh man, remember the episode of Powerpuff Girls where they all got a comic, and Buttercup was Spawn, Blossom was DCU, and Bubbles was happy sparkly funtime go? Bwaaaaaaahhhhh I miss that show...

Ahem. Tara Strong is an awesome YA, and it is not sad to be able to identify her! We were watching Leverage, and Cory was excited that Brent Spiner was guest-starring omg Data is the guest star yay! A few seconds in I make him pause it -- "Look, Jonathan Frakes is directing!" "Wha?" "RIKER MAN RIKER!"

And then I made him pause it again because the brief one minute character of the defense witness was totally Quark. "How can you tell that?" "DUDE IT IS, LET ME CHECK IMDB SEE I AM RIGHT."

I suck at most trivial things, but the cast and crew of TNG give me such cuddlies I could explode. I bet they cast each other so often because they love hanging out and probably all go for drinks after filming. I vaguely remember that they liked hanging out during the filming of the series!

Celebrity shipping/over-personal interest creeps me out, but I always get warm fuzzies learning random bits along the lines of "We're totally friends and nice to each other!" about celebrities. Bruce Willis and Demi Moore are divorced, but still buddies and like each others' both younger spouses and go on double dinner dates, and Billy Joel is still BFF and babysits all of Christine Brinkley's kids! Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. See? Being a nice person is cute!

(All of my celebrities were famous and popular two decades ago go me!)

[twotone]

omg Gargoyles. Gargoyles made me so much full of happy, even though I don't think TNG was over when Gargoyles was airing. But still. Yaaay TNG cast!

I think we are long overdue for some new show that reunites our TNG favorites. Other than stuff like American Dad or Family Guy or Futurama.

[mmymoon.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I mean, they actually guest star TOGETHER all the freaking time. (Hence my theory that they do so on purpose!) but... dude, they could just make Star Trek: They're Older Now, and you know everyone would watch the heck out of that show.

omg Gargoyles. I think maybe now is a good time to introduce Three to that and see if he can tolerate that much history -- FOR GARGOYLES, PROBABLY SO.

[tikistitch.livejournal.com]

Did you tell him they actually make toys in China? So, they can add the lead paint and toxic chemicals and stuff?

[mmymoon.livejournal.com]

I'm sparing him from the sweatshop discussion yet -- he's already pretty darn ethically conflicted about eating meat. Normal ten year old kid, which is to say, his tastebuds are really acute and hot dogs are delicious, veggies are too strong-tasting. BUT, he would really morally prefer veganism. Even in Spore all of his characters are herbivorous.

(He was SO crushed when we bought some soydogs and no, they're just nasty. He was hoping that would be the ultimate solution.)

[tikistitch.livejournal.com]

Aw, what a sweetie!

I wonder if any of the 10 gazillion vegetarians I know in Seattle would have any idea of a warm & fuzzy alternative to hot dogs? I usually tend to find the best vegetarian food stuff that's not pretending to be meat.