If you look at any fandom, you will bound to find obsessive fans that take things seriously and start berating people for not having the true fans or going on the rampage when the couple he/she wanted doesn’t happen. Or maybe you might come across an elitist anime fan that says your taste in Anime is crap. To me, I think an Anime Fan Dumb exists for the fact that a small percentage of the fans in the whole fandom are obsessive. (Image Source)
So what is Fan Dumb? Well, these are usually part of the fandom that think they are entitled to special treatment for being a part of a fandom. Furthermore, these fans are usually obsessive and might have irrational views. We have seen this already in my last editorial focusing on the moe debate as Anime elitists argued, “moe is killing anime” when in reality, it isn’t. However, there is more to the fan dumb than just that.
I think most of the problem happens because some fans feel that the anime industry them because they are a fan of Anime. However, this doesn’t only apply to the current trend of Anime, but also things like anime studios, lack of dubs/subs, translation quality, etc. For example, I have witnessed fans become outraged by Key’s decision to have JC Staff animate Little Busters last year because Kyoto Animation isn’t doing it. This kind of behavior from these fans just makes the whole fandom look bad. To me, everyone should be grateful that there is an adaptation, international release, etc.
Besides entitlements, the shipping aspect and attachment to characters taken to obsessive levels is another issue with the Anime Fandumb. While I don’t participate in the shipping aspect at all, some obsessive shippers or people who are attached to a certain character might go on a rampage because their couple didn’t win or a certain character is killed off/written out of the show. As a result, distraught fans might advocate boycotting products for a certain series, destroy their merchandise, or endlessly cry in despair like it’s end of the world. To me, it’s just silly because it’s just a fictional piece of work and the author can do whatever he/she wants to the story. Sure, fan creations like fan art and fan fiction somewhat addresses this resentment in a more civil and creative way, but doing silly things like destroying merchandise and crying like it’s end of the world will only make the person who is doing it look bad.
Lastly, some fans are so obsessed with the voice actors/actresses’ lives that they become outraged. This is one of the most destructive and disgusting aspects of the Anime Fandumb because it can ruin a person’s career over silly reasons. Voice actresses are people too and they don’t make that much money as many would think. Sadly, some fans have a strange idea that voice actresses should project a certain image like idols when reality proves otherwise. Because of this, it just annoys me that fans want to destroy the voice actresses’ reputation because they are dating someone. For instance, we have seen this with Hirano Aya, Taketatsu Ayana, Hanazawa Kana, Toyosaki Aki, etc because they are dating another man. In my opinion, nobody should care about what they do in their personal lives and instead, focus on their talent and performances. Aside from that, this aspect is similar to the obsessive attachment of characters, but destructive as it can impact a real person’s life.
In conclusion, there will always be bad apples in any fandom, not just the Anime fandom. However, fans have to learn that there is no such thing as entitlement, thus they should just be grateful that they are getting an adaptation or release. In addition, fans should just accept the outcome of a particular show with an open mind or take it out in some fan creations. Either way you look at it, fan dumbs are going to exist no matter what because people will have different tastes, so it’s just best to disapprove this kind of behavior and/or ignore it.
With that, what you think about the Anime Fan dumb? Do you think that fans entitled to things or not?
Yeah, Fan Dumb is a really serious issue. I find it damaging when some fans take their obsessions to unhealthy degrees. I’m thankful that most of the fans I know and interact with aren’t like that, but there are a small percentage out there in any fandom that give everyone else a bad name.
The one that hurts me the most are the fans who get mad over VAs having boyfriends (read: actual lives). I know that this is devastatingly common in the Japanese fandom. That said, how many English-speaking fans are like this? I wonder if there are any at all. Without naming any names, of course, would you say that you know or know of anyone who carries on with this kind of behaviour?
I think in general it’s more common to see fans who complain about what’s given to them, like a flawed adaptation or a ship that never happens. I suppose that there’s no reason for fans to not be critical of what they like, as long as it’s within reason. Things like the bitching about the Little Busters adaptation, though, THAT was an embarrassment.
Sorry for the unstructured comment, by the way. I was just musing aloud based on what you wrote here.
In the most part I agree… There is only really one commenter in particular I deal with the issue of fandumb, hence the moe debate. Of course, questionable behavior in fans can give other fans a bad rep, particularly complaining about what they are given to them. Life is short, so it’s best not to worry about it.
As for the voice actresses thing, I don’t know any western fans complaining except Shitkaku Complex and Artefact who post crap libeling voice actresses, namely Hirano Aya. But from the look of things, it’s destructive behavior, which is no wonder why Otaku has a very negative connotation behind the word.
Wow, I’ve never heard of this before! I did know there are fans who go too far with their opinions though…
Personally I consider myself pretty obsessed at times with certain animes or characters, but I never bash on real life people like the writers or actors. If something didn’t go the way I wanted it to I just look up some good fan fiction or write it myself 😛
I think some people haven’t dove into the dark side of the fandom, but it’s there if you spend the time browsing on Anime Forums or MyAnimeList. But yeah, I don’t complain when things don’t go the way I wanted to extreme measures… That is what’s blogging for. :p
Well, this just one of the perils of the internet in general sadly when it comes to dealing with different individuals and any kind of hobbies. I live in abit of an insular bubble, so I personally don’t have to see it or deal with it much, but do admit when I do see it, their are some that are just so uncompromising and past the point of passionate it is really embarrassing. May not be all that serious to me or you, but them…they sure argue like it is and think they are right, so not much you can do. Agree to disagree, maybe, lol.
As for myself, much of the anime fandom is so far over my head, I don’t even participate. I just like watching, analyzing, and discussing what I have seen, like, or dislike and is about it. Not sure if I do come off as one of the obsessive fans, but if I do, that certainly is not the case XD
As for me, I only really participate on the Anime blogosphere and also on social networks. I don’t really participate on forums and haven’t gone to any conventions, so I don’t have to deal with unruly fans. But yeah, this kind of behavior is kind of embarrassing that I don’t want to associate with other fans in my mind… but fortunely, most people I met are kind.
If you’ve vidited my castle a couple of times throughout the past year or so, you might have noticed my opinion of the anime community. In order to avoid any finger pointing….it is not a positive one. There’s a reason why I refer to the anime community as the “otaku hive mind of (Insert insult here)”.
Ahhh, yes I have read a few of these posts… but in general, I don’t have a negative or a positive view of the anime fandom, but stupidity in the fandom makes me face palm sometimes, especially when some fans make a big deal about what the voice actors are doing in their lives… This kind of devious behavior from the fans just ruin it for others who are behaving well.
The problem is that the hive mind, or any hardcore fanbase in general pretty much makes it a life goal to find different ways to make themselves look like unintelligent neanderthals. That’s why I cannot get myself to be neutral towards any fanbase. It’s like they’re not even TRYING to be likable. No wonder anime, video games, comics and the like are scoffed. Their hardcore fanbases are deplorable.
Let’s not forget the fandumbs that use gender as their only reason for liking something so obsessivley. Like Yaoi fangirls/boys, Yuri fangirls/boys, and even het fangirls/boys. If it’s not a dood, then guess what the Yaoitards have to say? Fuck that. Where’s my dick slapping. And ass pounding? I want slash fic material.
If it’s a Yurinazi (Much like how many Yaoi ones are found on 4chan) then it’ll be about girls. If there’s a guy, then the show either drops in quality, unless the guy is treated as a butt monkey slave or beaten up for the whole series. Also there’s the fact that if a game has you playing as a male protagonist, then you can expect them to drop it faster than a piece of lead drops onto somoenes skull. If the guy is getting into a heterosexual relationship, they act like they just saw the worst thing in the history of the world. Like it’s vomit material. As if it’s a sin for a girl and a guy to like each other that way.
Then we have the heteronutbusters. These people piss me off the most. These people who I know a few off will constantly belittle hows like Dragon Ball Z solely for the fact that it lacks their typical sexy lady fan service ecchi fapping fuel. I wanna fucking punt their heads off like Satan punting a baby off of the great wall of my oriental ancestors and into the pits of HFIL. Or essentially hell. Too many I know who refuse to call Dragon Ball Z even an anime. As if it matters if you can’t fap to someone on the show.
Sorry for the delay considering that I got sidetracked a bit.
While I heard bad things about the Yaoi fandom mostly because of the behavior from these fans, but I think it happens to all fandoms in general. But still, I find it narrow-minded that people would bash a show the types of relationships or over something. Like mentioned in my post, I feel that the bad behavior from a small minority hurts it for everyone and believe me, every group has a share of bad apples, but it doesn’t mean that people should generalize all fans or people in a movement badly.
Well the thing is that there is a difference between a movement, and what’s been labelled as a darker side. The people who meet the standards for the darker side, are generally not likeable for much if at all. Like radical feminists of the nazi variety and MRA’s of the same.
It’s best to just make more… Unorthodox rules on forums and such that limits the way you can talk about your interests. Such as making it that anything being said about a specific gender, or basing an opinion about a character based on gender and sexuality, should be liable for a ban or something.
While most sites do have certain rules on what behavior is acceptable, I don’t think sites should censor just because someone’s opinion is stupid as I believe in freedom of expression (and I won’t mention the problem with political correctness nowadays). However, freedom of expression does not mean freedom from criticism. But essentially, this comic sums up my thoughts:
