Or that guy who made rambling posts that were several pages long each.
Moi? Surely not
mark2000 back so we can all argue with him about gits not being misogynistic again.
Oh gawd... Are you referring to the person who could be categorised by the line "all female nudity in anime must be sexual and therefore
wrong!" (or something along those lines). Lol, I had totally forgotten about him. Wasn't there more than one poster like that? Brrr... That kind of attitude totally feels sexist and insulting to me as a woman- what, there's something wrong or shameful about showing our bodies? Bleh- as long as it doesn't feel sexualised or particularly aimed at males (i.e. improper proportions and obviously kinky angles, I don't care. The nudity in the GitS film (except for where they shock the Puppetmaster back to life) was beautiful, tasteful, artistic and matter of fact in it's execution. Quote me on that if the topic ever starts up again (please, for the love of heaven don't go start it though for the sake of starting it
).
Believe me I am. For months everytime I came in here I felt like I was the only one that still knew this forum existed.
Yay Epiphany and your sticking power
(and everyone else whose been sticking to it)
Man, I've been here for over four years (five years thanks to a while of lurking.
Hah! I was trying to remember when you first showed up the other day, lol. I guess I've been here on and off for (counts backwards)
9 years now. Oh my gosh!
9 years ??? Perhaps it's more like 8 and a half- I feel like it was more like Winter than Summer, though I don't remember now. I wish I could remember what season I first saw the Ghost in the Shell film, because I would have found this site some time after that when I went looking for pics and quotes and stuff (to decorate my school folders with, lol
). Anyhow, I have practically grown up here
. The only people I can think of who have been here longer are Simon and Jeff (duh- obviously). I barely posted at all during the first 2 years- my mad posting and hyper-long posts really kicked off more around 2003, when Luke and Chris were here and Jeni firstshowed up too. It all seems like such a long time ago, I could cry
(younger people who read this, heed my words: we grow up *really* fast. Don't waste your life posting on forums, lol... okay, that was a joke! Post a little, it'll help you grow up
)
I think the best way to get new, 'intellectual', nicely mannered people is to direct the people in real life (there's that phrase again, lol) you know towards GitS. Then when they like it, tell them to come chat with you and your friends! It should be noted I don't know anyone like this in person who I think would actually
like GitS or be into posting on forums...
If Anime Web Turnpike still existed as THE go-to place to follow links to the sites of anime you liked, then we'd get new people far more frequently. Sadly that changed over time and the Internet of then seems like a world away from the Internet of today. Back then we were all image gallery crazy! Now you can't find screencaps from classic stuff to save your life...
The 'Net is less innocent now than it is today and way more mainstream than ever, much like a lot of anime. Which is of course another big reason why things seem less shallow. The fact that GitS is now associated with Cartoon Network, home of the childish Adult Swim sense of humour in the US probably does not help it either (if you perchance
like the Adult Swim brand of humour, then I'm sorry to step on your toes. I just find it a bit immature and vulgar at times; my personal opinion). It gets a lot of new people, but I know the slot on TV is really big with silly, mouthy college guys who think it's the funniest most genius thing ever (though I am sure I have met a few fans who surprised me in being fans despite their intellectual leanings, so it just goes to show it takes all sorts).
The best demographic for this site is I think the 16-20 yr olds who might be new to a lot of this and find philosophy really fresh and exciting and fascinating. We were like that when I was here at that age, when the site was in it's prime for being an excellent chatty, intellectual, friendly and open place. I'm a little older now and past being "wowed" by big ideas and anything and everything that seems amazing and philosophical and important- I've just lived with it all for too long so I take it for granted and I don't feel the burning desire to go discuss it to pieces any more. But I think a place like this should certainly exist for any kid who comes along and has that need, and I hope other groups of kids will continue to stumble in and find it and feel free to grow here. It'd be best if new young people actually didn't feel the need to conform with the kinds of things the older members talk about and actually felt free to explore whatever they wanted to explore philosophically, as new philosophy students or whatever (not saying long-time users don't speak philosophically, however). Regardless, I think it is really important that this outlet is here for young people- I know when I was younger, it felt like there was no other place I could come and freely explore all the really great issues I was interested in, and because of that I'm always thankful for the Ghost in the Shell film for existing and having brought people together in this way.
Also... it may have helped that the
film of Ghost in the Shell that was the main popular incarnation at the time was all about these sorts of philosophical topics mainly. The newer series SAC has those elements, but there are also much wider reasons being promoted as to why people like it (the "hotness" of Motoko, the coolness of Section 9, police-detective-commando intrigue, etcetera etcetera). The main quest in the film was more or less for the main character to find herself and resolve her own existencial dilemma pretty directly. The Puppetmaster's objectives and motivations were purely existencial, with no other real deviations. SAC is a little more obtuse about these things. You are going to get some people who like "GitS" now just for the "cool purple-haired baddass sexy woman" now (or the "coolness" of a Matrix-like team of cool people all in black who do top-level government policework), not just for the journey. Though the film had a small margin of Manga Entertainment fanboy guys who preached guns and daring levels of violence as being why the film was so awesome, they were more in the minority.
That's my opinion anyway. The face of GitS fandom changes with GitS itself, with the way fandom on the Internet evolves in general, and with the world in general. Still, if the site continues to exist, you will get smart, interesting, nice people come by from time to time. We were always a small group anyway, and it's for the best in terms of it being pleasant and personal.
And hey, I'll still come and go from month to year for all your monster-post length needs, eh?