Despite the surname of its creator at (cough) Warner Brothers (big hint *there,*) TT will be considered NON-anime in the AMV contest.
Hmm... is that you, Guy?
:-D
Also, are you saying a Japanese animator is on their staff? I'm not up on this sort of thing, so I'm not sure what you're hinting at.
Glen Murakami.
I've heard SCA rumors about having to deal with a rowdy Klingon costumer at the gate once (the rumor said that he refused to leave), but I've never been to a sci-fi convention to see the flipside
I don't know about Klingons, but years ago at an SCA 'war' called Pennsic there was a splinter faction called 'Tuchux,' who were fur-loinchothed barbarian characters based on a series of sword/fantasy works written by John Norman (in the 70's?) about a planet called 'Gor.'
About costume snobbery, the SCA was then rife with "Authenticity Police" and there was MUCH discussion about whether the Tuchux should be welcome at SCA events, since they aren't from a factual, documentable historical period or place. There was an 'apre moi, le deluge' tone to it; if the SCA allowed -these- then next we'll have Conan and Red Sonjia and maybe even Tarzan showing up at revels. (Stick-jock counter argument: "But they FIGHT!")
The flip-side works better because SF fans merit themseves on originality and plausibility, (the new and the possible) while the SCA merits accurate reproduction of history, (i.e, verifiable) and their version of 'the possible' is 'could this have really happened, and if so, how close can we mimic what things would have been like?'
Also, since time-travel is a common story device in SF, there's the 'possibility' of meeting Renaissence or medieval type folks in science fiction, even a classical Greek, Roman or an ancient Egyptian civil engineer. Technically this should hold true for black-powder, pioneers, and Civil War reenactor types, but I haven't seen Blues vs. Greys or buckskinner costumes at SF cons. Man, could you imagine - if ever a Japanese animation studio decided to take on the story of Gettysburg, or Vicksburg, or Shiloh, would that 'legitimize' basic/generic/authentic US Civil War costuming?
(I'll start a new thread on this - watch for it on 'Cosplay Chat')
"Ooh!! Ooh!! I know you!! You're..... *pause* ...That ONE guy!! From.... from... from that ONE game!!!"
Or the authentically detailed costume my wife made for me a few years back (Prime Minister of Taraku.) NOBODY recogniized the guy except a few who knew 'Vandread,' and I guess that series never got too popular in the US, or what, but it was a JOY to run into 'Magno' at Sakuracon; we each felt the other was the only person at the con who 'got it,' plus we are somewhat rival characters in the anime and that added a fun edge.
I'm a fantasy anime fan, and I don't watch Sailor Moon, DBZ, Naruto, or for the most part mecha anime; and I'm also an RPG-lover who doesn't worship Final Fantasy... so I'm already out of the mainstream loop on multiple counts.
I'm also way on the periphery of things - I got into anime in part from living and learning the language while in Japan, and in part by watching AMVs. I am a slow, plodding thinker so I like computer games like 'Empire'** and a WW2 fleet-to-fleet battle simulator in real time. It DOES take about 8 minutes to turn the IJN 'Yamato' around, ok?) as opposed to games that look like a spasm of button mashing. I love the historical stuff like the new 'Samurai 7' and the delicious mechanical details of 'Last Exile,' but I dislike Disney-ish kiddie stuff like Miyazaki. I don't buy cable, so I don't know (or care) what's on CN.
I think anime fans have very diverse tastes, but almost no one represents the 'model,' or statistical average of the group. Think of the poplulation density, where the 'average center' of the USA is in some cornfield in like eastern Kansas (ok, where ever...) There are big 'cities' of definable genres in anime: mecha, school romantic comedy, live action, jidaigekki, horror, fantasy/magical, etc. but just about no one lives at the exact statistical center.
This might develop a new difficulty in creating a parody work (like a comedy AMV) that 'everyone' will get, because as new genres evolve and develop further from the 'center,' there will be a shrinking of the common body of culturally identifiable images which 'everyone' can recognize.
Which gets back that guy in the hall going "You .. you're that ONE guy...!" but also how a 'generic' costume like a non-descript HS uniform, a Tokugawa-era ronin, or spacefarer's dress uniform MIGHT still work, and personally I think it's a great aspect of 'do-it-yourself.' Fan art is all about creating our own stories and worlds, and if you can present a recognisable archetype even though it's not a specific example from a series some professional has already created - that can be WAY cool, because in a way, it's your own original story.
- G
** I *still* have 'Empire' from 1983 and it RUNS in Linux! -- and I am playing session RIGHT NOW...