Hi CAA!

[Dia]

Hiya CAA!

I am Christian, and am really intimate with a couple anime series. I wish I could say the same for my faith - I was baptized two years ago but I am not very social and slowly drifted away from my church due to a lack of a desire for fellowship. My favourite series is Shugo Chara, and my favourite character incidentally from the same anime is Hoshina Utau. I find her character and songs very beautiful and inspiring, and I sympathize with her similar circumstances and how she chooses to handle it. As a sidenote, I always felt a deep connection to characters who's family structure and dilemmas were like mine. Oh, and I definitely love her voice, the seiyuu behind it and her music, Nana Mizuki. Anyways I wish I could love my faith as much as I love this work of fiction, but being honest with myself, this is it not the case. At any rate, it is something I've decided stick to; what becomes of it over the years is still a mystery.

I first found CAA a few years ago, just curious of the kinds of communities there were on the internet, but I hadn't followed through with registering and posting an introduction until now. I think I could get along with people that have similar interest and hobbies, and it might also be interesting for me - my clear obsession with Shugo Chara is a real turn-off for my close real-life friends, but perhaps more importantly than ever I am pretty well-versed with anime and manga as a whole! But because of the culture and some of the content, sometimes I think anime does not have the best connotation (I think you will understand if you have ever been to Akihabara...I was a little shocked by the unsurprisingly bad >.<). Anyways a struggle like this...I will be in your care brothers and sisters in Christ!

Dia

[Mithrandir]

Welcome! Our goal for this site is to become a place where people can discuss their anime/manga hobby without either the content issues sometimes found on other boards or the judgement from some Christian circles. See you around!

[Thunderscream872]

Welcome to CAA! Hope you enjoy it here!

What kind of music do you like? Any bands/artists in particular?

[Wolfsong]

Hey, welcome to CAA. I hope you enjoy your stay here.
Have a cookie!

[Dia]

Thanks for the kind welcome everyone! I like classical piano as well as anison from my favourite anime.

[FourFourSeven]

Welcome aboard, Dia.

What's the *worst* anime you've seen so far?

[Mullet Death]

Greetings. I'm not very social either. I even suspect that some people thnk me weird for going into Church alone every time. If you stick around, we can be weird and antisocial together. Though you'll certainly never be as weird as I am, so there's no use in trying on that front.

[MomentOfInertia]

Hello and welcome. o_o/

...
WE GOT A LURKER! Quick get the nets!

[shooraijin]

Welcome.

[Dia]

Thanks for all the warm welcomes again!

FourFourSeven - Thank you! To answer your question...it is very hard to answer. While I personally know that I don't enjoy the vast majority of anime, I know others do for their own reasons, just as I for my own. I don't particularly dislike controversial series either, in fact, many of my favourites never quite made it here due to culture discrepancy. At any rate I want to keep an open mind as much as possible.

I think every anime would have some merit. I mean, it has to in order to have a studio working behind it all. Someone will enjoy it, and that's how they'll make their money back. However, there are certainly things I won't watch as they leave me quite unsettled and disturbed. If it seems to glorify violence especially with blood effects, I will feel a bit nauseous - I remember an AMV contest at the anime club, when someone used clips from Bleach. I had to had to turn away and I felt sick and weak for many days, though it was probably due to stress at the time as well. It was kind of a weird experience given I did not mind these things so much before, but this response is something I grew into I suppose.

I feel that fighting is a bit sad and should signify a great crisis, so watching anime turn it into somewhat of a sport is what unsettles me. That said, I am not very well-versed with action anime, but I think some mainstream action like Naruto and Dragon Ball do a decent job on emphasizing how difficult the predicament the characters are in and how harrowing a do or die confrontation can really be. Of course while reading or watching these, I am happy to see the characters overcome their obstacles which are not by any means unrelatable. But I feel that because some of the fan service has been tailored to the shounen demographic, perhaps the children and teens will miss the point among the flashy scenes. And so since I've expounded on this already, I think Bleach, especially in the later arcs, is a good example of how solemnity of fighting and violence can be lost.

Some ecchi anime and manga actually have a really good underlying message, such as Chobits, so I don't want to say that they are lost to me simply because they contain elements to attract "that" crowd. Actually, some series with a very deep complicated message have lots of ecchi elements...though the execution may be regarded as flawed I don't think it discounts from the experience of watching or reading as long as the subject and the theme is conveyed as the author intends.

But the other extreme is ecchi elements to simply titillate in that no plot-worthy character elements are build upon. Watching or reading these anime and manga (mostly anime) feels like watching garbage rot...it is very underwhelming and I feel like I'm being made a fool allowing it to penetrate my thoughts. Perhaps I am more lenient on these matters than I should be, but I have been surprised by how good some anime and manga can be while also incorporating ecchi elements. A good example I think are the Hidan no Aria LNs - there would be no plot literally, if ecchi elements were absent; the most clear and basic example is the crux of Kinji mode.

Mullet Death - Hi, I know very well how you feel, probably. I think that always going to church alone for me attributed to my sense that I could not attain fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ. Knowing that this is only my shortcoming doesn't make me feel any better but I think I need to accept it. I am very weird as well, but rather than shame myself for it I am starting to feel more proud about who I am and the things I like...I think this why I decided to finally post here and not hold back on typing my thoughts. I feel like I can be more honest and upfront, almost less careful with my words (sounds very terrible, but given the internet and forum dynamics...), in the midst of fellow believers because we share a love for Jesus. I can't quite put my finger on it but it is one more thing that makes me glad about choosing my faith, at the very least.

I don't think we need to compete in weirdness...because you will probably win when it comes to the things you regard as weird about yourself, and I will win in regards to mine. I think everyone has the potential to be really unique if they decide to be honest with themselves and not just go with the flow and what's around them. Maybe that's why I am so weird...I gave up on trying to be normal.

[ClaecElric4God]

*comes running with net in tow* Sorry I'm late, where is it? *looks around awkwardly* Oh...oops. *cough* Erm...

Welcome, welcome. It's always good to see a new face. Don't worry, at least 60% of us are pretty socially awkward, so we're used to it. Just don't make eye contact with any of the...*shudder*...social people, and you should be good.
Hope to see you around the forums!

[Wolfsong]

Greetings. I'm not very social either. I even suspect that some people thnk me weird for going into Church alone every time. If you stick around, we can be weird and antisocial together. Though you'll certainly never be as weird as I am, so there's no use in trying on that front.

Mullet, I'm sorry, but you were surpassed in weirdness a long time ago.
I mean, look at that thing who posted before me....*shudders*

I have question! And its very important life-or-death question!
Dogs or cats, Dia?

[shooraijin]

Maybe that's why I am so weird...I gave up on trying to be normal.

Eminently quotable.

[Panda4christ:3]

Welcome~
Shugo Chara was super cute (And yes, Utau is the best).
Favorite kind of music? :3

[TheAlbinoMoose]

Welcome to the jungle

[Furen]

Welcome
Hope you enjoy your time here.

[PLCDreamcatcher14]

Whoa...Dia, I already like you. You so open minded and different from other people I've seen. You remind me a bit of myself. lol. I personally like being around people but not so much interacting with them. Welcome! And what's your second fav series? Your favorite manga? Or your favorite anime art style? Hope to see you around.

[Dia]

Hiya, back from a busy few days. Thankies for all the welcomes!

ClaecElric4God - Thank you! I don't really enjoy avoiding people at my church so I hope to get over that sometime...It is weird probably because I've gone there since I was six and I've always had this tendency to keep my distance despite my time there.

Wolfsong - This question doesn't have a simple answer for me. I was born in the year of the dog, and my cousins are affectionate towards me but I find being sniffed, licked, or being forced to cuddle (like when they rush over and sit on your lap ~ too scared to move) a tad too enthusiastic. Meanwhile I think cats are really cute and independent and its interesting to watch them go about their daily routine...except I am allergic to them and I can't enter a house with cats or go near to them else it becomes hard to breathe and the underside of my jaw will be pounding with pain. So yea, I guess my social anxiety extends even to non-humans cousins, and I would never be able spend time with a cat.

shooraijin - Hehe, thanks. I guess its a logical conclusion!

Panda4christ:3 - Thank you! I know! *heart* I like classical music (specifically piano mostly because I play) and anison from my favourite animes as they really bring me back to all those euphoric and/or heartrending emotions!

TheAlbinoMoose - Thank you! I will be careful. = P

Furen - Yes, thank you!

PLCDreamcatcher14 - I think most of the time my "open-mindedness" is really just an excuse for my, *ahem*...lack of understanding QQ. But thanks! I think I have a lot of second favourite series...just series I really enjoyed watching through. Some notable ones would be Gosick, Kaichou wa Maid-sama!, Full Moon wo Sagashite, maybe One Outs!, Kuroko no Basuke, and Akagi for psychological thriller. I also enjoyed watching C - Control...also watching Sailor Moon Crystal right now! = D One of my favourite things is definitely watching anime with family and in the past online friends. I feel that I've watched a lot of series yet I really need to watch something again and again to really understand it by breaking things down bit by bit and analyzing the whole thing. Then I can tell whether or not I really like something...Shugo Chara!! I watch it all the time on DVD while I cook. = D

For manga, I love reading Love so Life...I had some babysitting experience as well and finding ways to communicate and teach them was hard for me. That's why I love seeing Shiharu-san's ingenious ways to do her best for the adorable twins!

I think my favourite anime art style is Shojo, everything is very cute and beautifully drawn, with limbs that are more proportionate to reality. But really I think any style, especially unique ones, will give a series a good feel as well!

[Nate]

I find being sniffed, licked, or being forced to cuddle (like when they rush over and sit on your lap ~ too scared to move) a tad too enthusiastic.

To be honest being sniffed or licked even by family members is really weird.

also watching Sailor Moon Crystal right now! = D

Okay, you're alright by me.

[Furen]

Okay, you're alright by me.

The legendary Nate approval. Welcome to the club, beware the crazy members, they often lurk just around the corner.