Hey, Answerman!

A simple question which might need a little explanation: have the people at Geneon lost their minds?

I'm referring to the recent news that they'll be releasing Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (or "When They Cry - Higurashi" to use their preferred English title) in the States. I don't want to re-open an old can of worms here, but during the whole "lolicon" debate a few months ago, you made the point that there is a danger that at some point, somebody from the mainstream media is going to notice some of the more stomach-churning things that make it into anime, turning it into a major scandal and re-inflicting all anime fans with a "pervert" reputation that has only recently begun to dissipate.

I agree with this entirely. Indeed, I believe that it is more a case of "when" than "if". Now, with the announcement that Higurashi will be getting a US release, the "when" has been answered.

This is a series that contains, to just scratch the surface, violence against children - including young children, violent murder by children (both in and out of a school setting) and, on at least one occasion, vicious torture inflicted by a teenager on a young child.

Now, despite the series's artistic merits (and it does have some), I had always assumed that it would be impossible to market in a culture where even Battle Royale was long considered too sensitive for a DVD release. The idea of the show getting a US release is terrifying. If I were a Jack Thompson-style ambulance chaser looking to bump up my media profile, I would be salivating at the thought.

So, what do you think? Have Geneon lost their marbles? Are they putting a short term profit (the series was very popular when the fansubs were circulating) ahead of the long-term well-being of their market? Or are they just planning to cut the series down to about half its current length to leave something that can be released safely?

While your concerns are legitimate, I think you're overreacting a little.

It's true - Higurashi is a pretty dark, violent and sometimes disturbing series that centers on kids and teenagers, and if you showed it at your local church bake sale, you'd likely be branded a heretic of some variety and banished from town. It has some of the elements that any sensation-seeking news hack could easily turn into an "Anime fans: violent child rapists or just child rapists?" news item. Do I think that's going to happen? No, not this time.

The truth is that while anything is possible - and your doomsday scenario isn't one I'm willing to write off completely - the odds that anyone in the mainstream media will even hear about Higurashi's release are somewhere between .1 and zero. This is a low-profile, hardcore fans-only release; Geneon will likely not spend a lot of money promoting it, and I doubt the print run will be very high. It's an obscure title aimed at an obscure audience. Nobody outside of hardcore anime fandom will notice or care when it comes out.

My main argument during that whole extended lolicon debate was that all it would really take for us all to be painted with the pedo brush would be for some enterprising journalist to "investigate" anime fandom far enough so they discover the whole lolicon side of it. Once someone out there in the world of cable news hears about that, you can guarantee we'll see a series of sensational news reports on how the "underground anime culture keeps perverts happy and endangers our nation's children" or whatever. Higurashi might be mentioned in a report like that, but the show isn't exactly pornographic and I'd bet they would be more likely to target shows with more obvious lolicon overtones.

So I wouldn't worry about the sky falling yet. Higurashi is a very low-profile release and I seriously doubt it's going to garner any attention from the mainstream - not to mention that the show is more violent than it is sexual, and if there's one thing you can count on about the American news media, it's that sex is always a bigger deal than violence. Wait until some misguided company decides to start releasing lolicon porn en masse; then you'll have a real reason to be worried.

I'm sure you've heard this one before but I'm still gonna try asking it, will any of the Key label products ever be released on the Western side of the pond?
I've heard from various people that the license for Key's things have been way too expensive but from others I've heard they don't want to risk the money for somethings that is so niche. Recently Japan has been experiencing an influx of Slice-of-Life genre type animes (check '06 Fall Season and try and tell me I'm wrong) and, while I know that many dislike the genre, there are probably at least as many that enjoy them. Another thing I've heard from various peoples is that there too many translation discrepancies that could occur in the adaptation. The last one, I've always thought, is complete bull, they have a Sub track and linear notes for character speaking patterns and such and companies will deviate from the script to make it fit. I know that fans will cry foul for messing with such a well known (in Otaku circles anyways) series but for those who probably haven't seen it, it's the message of the story not all the stupid Otaku stuff you can cram in.
So, in (not-so)short, will we ever see a Kanon or AIR or whatever else Key has up their sleeves in the US/UK/Canada/wherever else I can't think of? If so, when do you think they would (ever) bring it over here?

My college, like many other colleges, enjoys partnerships with universities outside of the United States.  One partnership is with a Japanese university from which we receive about twenty visiting Japanese students every February and a couple of exchange students each year.

Interacting with these students is a rewarding experience.  I felt it was common sense that I should not barrage our guests with questions about the latest anime or J-pop I liked.  When I took a Japanese student for a roommate, I did not bring my huge wall scroll to school or hang up the countless fan drawings I own.

Most anime fans will tell you that they understand that anime popularity in Japan is not the same as it is here in the States, but I really wonder how many fans actually get it.  My reason for writing this is because my roommate was approached by some anime fans who only wanted to be her friend so they could talk about their favourite series and J-pop singers.  When they realized she had no interest in these things, they simply stopped being nice to her.

I imagine it's similar to going to another country and having everyone want to talk to you about some popular American sitcom.  You know what they're talking about, you've probably watched a few episodes of the show, but to you it's nothing novel, and frankly, you just don't care.

I'm not saying you have to hide a part of yourself when you meet someone from Japan.  My roommate knows I like anime.  So did many of the visiting students. They found out because I would be reading a manga or maybe because I'd ask them a question and they would wonder how I knew about that part of their culture.  If they wanted to talk about it further, they would continue the subject.  But if not (and there are quite a few who aren't interested...I've honestly had more involved conversations about manga with a Chinese exchange student than with the Japanese ones), there were so many other things to talk about.

I'm being lengthy, but this leads to another very important point.  That is, exchange students don't come here for your personal research.  Yes, it is wonderful to approach someone from another country and ask them all kinds of questions about their culture.  And yes, they really do want to share their experiences and culture with you.  So ask away.

But don't stop there.  I cannot stress enough that these are /people./  They have things in common with you as well as their differences (such as being human, for instance...).  Perhaps you don't care a lick about Vietnam, but the Vietnamese student is having a really hard time in professor so-and-so's class, and you thought he was a jerk when you took him last year too.  Look, something in common.  Alternatively, you love Japanese culture, right?  This does not mean every Japanese person you meet will be your best friend.  If you don't like Americans who love to gab on the phone with friends, chances are there's a Japanese equivalent who will grate on your nerves the more you pretend to like her.

There's a whole lot more where this can go with the differences in Eastern and Western thinking that most people do not prepare themselves for in these situations, but I've rambled enough.  I suggest that if you really are interested in communicating with people from a different culture, put down the remote and pick up a book.

One without pictures.