only because you axed
Categories: anime, anime news, commentary
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The winner of the “Most Inappropriate Blog Post Title” goes to… AoM– err… Derailed by Darry!
Reader Tally asked me if I had any comments on the recent attack by a schoolgirl on her father by an ax. I was going to toss up a 1,000 word holier-than-thou post about hypocrisy but decided against it. But I do think it’s USO DA-levels of disturbing that pretty much every anime blog that is talking about this incident has more discussions on which stations are still airing Higurashi and School Days than the actual crimes themselves. Hell, I think I’m the first blog that will actually link to legit new outlets (no, I don’t count ANN… ANS, yes).
A quick search through Google News reveals pretty much normal police blotter substance for the crimes. Maybe it’s overshadowed by Isiah’s trial, the slaughter in Myanmar, the punter who stabbed, or the season premiere of The Sarah Silverman Program. There’s really nothing but speculation that the two slayings (yes, two, one by a 15 year old boy and one by a 16 year old girl) are somehow “inspired” by the anime. Mainichi ‘s article seems to indicate that the only connection is that they shows were pulled after the murder.
Well, unlike in America where guns are plentiful and cheap, guns are harder to come by in Japan. If you were a kid, the ax is one of the easier to obtain and powerful weapons available. If the 16 year old girl or the 15 year old boy used a baseball bat, would I even be making this post? Will they still televise Friday’s ALDS start by Daisuke? What about the woman who tried to poison her family? How come they didn’t pull Higurashi for that one?
Also, unlike in America, Japanese media is actually sensitive to recent events. I was really upset earlier in the year when Sexy Voice and Robo had an episode pulled (episode 7) because it dealt with a hostage situation in a restaurant and something remotely similar happened in real life. Full Metal Panic was delayed after 9-11. I don’t have a problem with this as it shows that they are somewhat (even though hypocritically) conscientious. It’s better than a three hour Chris Benoit tribute after it was leaked that he killed his wife and disabled child in a possible fit of roid rage. (Note: I don’t follow wrestling, but I do read TMZ.) It’s also better than ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and Fox News showing most of Cho’s videos hours after the murder. Seriously, guys, when the police and the Canadians are calling you out, maybe it’s a bad idea.
But just to be clear, it’s not like murders or abuse or terrorism are things that happen occasionally. They go on each and everyday. I get the feeling that if we pulled every program because it featured murders or abuse or terrorism, we’ll all be stuck watching Care Bears and Sesame Street. Maybe, that’s not a bad idea to add some much needed civility to the world… A HA HA HA HA! One… I count one dead body! Two! Two dead bodies…
(Or maybe not.)
29 Responses to “only because you axed”
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If my memory (and ok, I’ll admit I checked Wikipedia because I’m a research fiend) serves me correctly, was there not one episode ofFumoffu which was never broadcast because of similarities to real-life events?
[quote post=”1168″]was there not one episode ofFumoffu which was never broadcast because of similarities to real-life events?[/quote]
And you are correct! In that episode Sousuke captured a boy and threaten to kill him to make his sister surrender. It turns out to be just an act (the boy cooperates with Sousuke to fool his sister). I’m not sure weather here is a similar real-life event to that episode, though.
PS. Oh, and no Darry? You disappoint me, Jason. :D
Actually, the first anime blogger to mention the event linked to some news site (i think mainichi). All the others linked either to that first anime blogger’s post, or to other posts linking to it.
So you’re not the first. SORRY.
OOoohhhhh Umisho. Fanservice that switched off my brain.
Apparently the X manga is still in limbo because of similarities to real life events, so it’s apparently fairly common.
And why does the person on the far right of that picture up top remind me of a female Dan Hibiki?!
Oh Jason, how is it that when you discuss something as serious as murder, you can derail the entire thing with Umisho women…
This is why i love this blog.
Not a word about the loli + ax event in iDOLM@STA Xenoglossia? Is mad girl with ax a meme now?
Dammit Jason, with the new blog name, the banner I drew is obsolete. Kagami and Tsukasa now need to be derailed by Darry as well. I should have a new CG ready in two weeks.
The Fumoffu ep was scrapped because around that time in real life, a child was kidnapped by a pedophile, if I’m not mistaken. I don’t know if the child was male or female, but the kidnapping aspect was enough for the network to skip the episode.
Incidentally, something that I find hilarious is that if something terrible happens in the United States, rather than banning crime shows etc. that are similar to the events, we actually make new episodes that are based on the events. Of course there are some exceptions, but this seems to be the standard pattern for the most part. I can’t help but wonder what America would be called if it were a Kino no Tabi episode- maybe the “Country of Exploitation”?
I, for one, am personally sick of the “murder and death happen everyday” mindset. It’s just an excuse people use when their favorite show(s) get cancelled.
People who talk about death and murder like it’s nothing, like there’s just no way of preventing it or prolonging the inevitable… These people should kill themselves if death and murder are so great.
So yeah. What’s wrong with civility? What’s wrong with self-control? Taking the blame whenever things go wrong and it looks just like what’s being planned?
I’m a constant searcher of backbone. So why is there more backbone in TV stations and (dare I say it) satellite networks than the very companies that create those shows? And just who was the idiot that gave the green light for the creation of School Days anyway?
I, myself, would love to find the creator of School Days so I can personally throw my brass-knuckled fist into his (fat) stomach. And even then, I would let him live so he can learn from his mistakes and become a better person in hte future.
[quote post=”1168″]So yeah. What’s wrong with civility? What’s wrong with self-control?[/quote]
[quote post=”1168″]I, myself, would love to find the creator of School Days so I can personally throw my brass-knuckled fist into his (fat) stomach. [/quote]
Hi-Larious.
Also, I’m sure the two kids with axes were also “Searchers of backbone”. They were just off by a few inches.
[quote post=”1168″]I, for one, am personally sick of the “murder and death happen everyday†mindset. It’s just an excuse people use when their favorite show(s) get cancelled.
People who talk about death and murder like it’s nothing, like there’s just no way of preventing it or prolonging the inevitable… These people should kill themselves if death and murder are so great.[/quote]
I believe the phrase goes “True idealists are dangerous, for they will go any length to impose their ideals”.
There is a difference between realism and apathetic resignation. Take care not to confuse the two.
It´s the new stuff for media to get all oh noes about and cancel everything out…
just let it be and it´ll be back to normal after a couple of months.
five minutes of fame? Sure but with everchanging headers…
Tyrenol, great way to argue. If people disagree with you, a bit of violence will convince them and the stronger one is the good guy anyway. Please, don’t agree if you actually meet someone with a backbone who – after you tickled his six pack – is going to dispose of you right into the next dumpster. Maybe you should rather clean in your own square. Show us some backbone, impeach Bush, get rid of FOX, stop pretending being the world police in order to get control of the last oil resources, install direct democracy in the USA. Then… just then am I going to give a crap about your opinion and your retarded political correctness.
In any case, if you can’t tell fiction and reality apart, if you think the USA is more peaceful than Japan, if you think fictional crimes on US TV is any holier than those on Japanese TV, you’re not just stupid but plain bread-dead. I’d feel sorry for you but I have better things to do.
Please don’t tell me we’re going on a side rant about how the US sucks…. I don’t feel like doing my European Welfare State bit….
Nice boat.
That is all.
Excuse me, but what anime is that second picture from?
Tyrenol is just a confused 15 year old who hasn’t quite gotten his moral compass in alignment yet. Or maybe hes older, some people never really advance down the road to enlightenment because society really doesn’t provide a impetus to do so. Rather then attack him, its better to ignore him and provide a superior solution. Or just ignore him, which is what I’ll do, and not respond to his rant.
Nice Umisho picture by the way. I need to catch up on that series.
I’m 32. I’d impeach Bush in a heartbeat. FOX had BEEN unwatchable garbage.
But it’s mainly the problem of the lack of punishment for people on the top who either do horrid work or do no work at all. If I could, I’d publicly punish anybody who thinks the rest of us can be fooled so easily.
Actually; I’m so glad to live in a country that’s not plagued with as much violence as some 3rd world country. Sure, the US is not as good as we like it to be. And I personally apologize for some of the current crapstorms out there…
But there’s a reason we call it a “moment of silence.” We honor the dead who didn’t need to die. Something as retarded as “Nice Boat” pops up after something like that; and all your favorite anime SHOULD get pulled from the times slots never to return.
My moral compass works fine. A swift blow to the collective gut of the creators of School Days aside. But one needs to reap what one sows.
I’m lost on where exactly do your argument lie. Are you blaming the anime for inducing the violence, or are you blaming the anime for not “respecting” the dead?
the dead is dead. they are either in heaven and don;t about what is going on earth, or in hell and has hotter things to worry or thier life force has dispated and there is nothing left to care about anything.
Girl on the left made me furiously think of a disturbing gender switch version of Azuma Kazuma.
[quote comment=”153630″]I’m lost on where exactly do your argument lie. Are you blaming the anime for inducing the violence, or are you blaming the anime for not “respecting” the dead?[/quote]
My blame does not go towards the anime.
It’s towards the people who gave the okay to turn that eroge into anime.
Who draws the line where, I ask?
@Tyrenol:
tl;dr
You’re doing the self-righteous good-guy act in the wrong blog ;)
And why does a line need to be drawn? Why does the anime industry have to be accountable for the few impressionable youths when countless other crimes happen caused by hardly as publicized causes?
Sorry, but you’re starting to sound like anime’s version of Jack Thompson.
becuase of ax-tan and ax-kun Higaruashi 2nd season has been ax form a part of japan’s airwaves.
The Axe Effect.
New brand special hemoglobin shower gel, you’ll be a magnet for killer lolis, I guarantee it!
Just watched the (un)censored bits for School Days 12.
o_O
That is all.