Die Freakin Japanimation Lurver
Today was such a strange day. In an attempt to procure the latest Umbra and Fusion zine by adijin,cyrosh & co., I went to the Art Lawn at the National Art Gallery, albeit fashionably late, and the guys at the Pergh/Umbra booth had already closed shop and were doing their JamCanvas (ah... reminds me of the old MAAO days, many people drawing different things on one white sheet according to a theme). They invited me to draw as well so I inclined.
While the booth-participants were drawing, a couple of children with their parents were walking by and stopped to look around the table at the toons being drawn on the very long canvas. When they got to the part that I was drawing on, they halted. Thinking their attention was because the other guys had finished their pieces, I looked to left and right.
They were still drawing, and their 'doodles' was very nice and consistent, putting mine to shame. Yet these kids were still observing me most of the time. Then I heard one say "Weh, yang tu cantik kan!" (Bro, looky, that one's cool-translated.) I was about to feel quite smug until I realised I was the only artist there drawing in kawaii pure-manga style, while the rest were drawing either sub-manga or localised toons.
Crap.
An old-guard of the local toon industry once asked why kids nowadays love Japanese cartoons. And people who draw manga-style like me will answer stuff like "The storyline/artwork/animation rocks!", and he answered "No, it's just because.". I didn't want to believe his statement back then, but now I'm having my doubts.
Those kids liked something just because it was manganime. Heck my part was just a girl sitting pretty, while the others were making pics with jokes and poses. I now realise how much otaku-ism has settled into the society. So it seems some of the old-guards arguements do have a point. One of the fears were that works produced with this style would be more flash than substance, but yet would still be a hit with the crowd. However, little or no moral-values would be incorporated into the storyline, and most would be bereft of intellectual benefits at all. I used to think "Bah!Humbug!", but now I'm in fear.
I dunno, as someone who draws what some people term as Toriyama-style (but I hate post-DBZ Toriyama!), I should be glad that there are more suckers, err... I mean potential fans who would buy manganime stuff dished out by me or my pals. Still, I felt kinda pissed off... at myself as an amateur-mangaka.
So I got home sorta depressed, and usually that meant me lying face down on the bed. However, when I got to my desk, I suddenly sat down, grabbed my copperplate, dipped in ink and started drawing...
Wowzers, I've never drawn while feeling depressed in my whole life, it's just impossible! And I'm inking something non-manganime-related and sketch-free, something I've not done for a looooong time. This is quite strange. Well, whatever has happened, I'll go back to inking Exile 4-komas tommorrow after the insanity has subsided.
Edit
Pics taken from the JamCanvas. Luckily, you can barely see the one I did. ;)
While the booth-participants were drawing, a couple of children with their parents were walking by and stopped to look around the table at the toons being drawn on the very long canvas. When they got to the part that I was drawing on, they halted. Thinking their attention was because the other guys had finished their pieces, I looked to left and right.
They were still drawing, and their 'doodles' was very nice and consistent, putting mine to shame. Yet these kids were still observing me most of the time. Then I heard one say "Weh, yang tu cantik kan!" (Bro, looky, that one's cool-translated.) I was about to feel quite smug until I realised I was the only artist there drawing in kawaii pure-manga style, while the rest were drawing either sub-manga or localised toons.
Crap.
An old-guard of the local toon industry once asked why kids nowadays love Japanese cartoons. And people who draw manga-style like me will answer stuff like "The storyline/artwork/animation rocks!", and he answered "No, it's just because.". I didn't want to believe his statement back then, but now I'm having my doubts.
Those kids liked something just because it was manganime. Heck my part was just a girl sitting pretty, while the others were making pics with jokes and poses. I now realise how much otaku-ism has settled into the society. So it seems some of the old-guards arguements do have a point. One of the fears were that works produced with this style would be more flash than substance, but yet would still be a hit with the crowd. However, little or no moral-values would be incorporated into the storyline, and most would be bereft of intellectual benefits at all. I used to think "Bah!Humbug!", but now I'm in fear.
I dunno, as someone who draws what some people term as Toriyama-style (but I hate post-DBZ Toriyama!), I should be glad that there are more suckers, err... I mean potential fans who would buy manganime stuff dished out by me or my pals. Still, I felt kinda pissed off... at myself as an amateur-mangaka.
So I got home sorta depressed, and usually that meant me lying face down on the bed. However, when I got to my desk, I suddenly sat down, grabbed my copperplate, dipped in ink and started drawing...
Wowzers, I've never drawn while feeling depressed in my whole life, it's just impossible! And I'm inking something non-manganime-related and sketch-free, something I've not done for a looooong time. This is quite strange. Well, whatever has happened, I'll go back to inking Exile 4-komas tommorrow after the insanity has subsided.
Edit
Pics taken from the JamCanvas. Luckily, you can barely see the one I did. ;)