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Nice to meet you, ANIMEFORUM！ ! During my time studying in Europe, I was often asked the question mentioned in the title, and I have been contemplating how to interpret and answer it even after returning to Japan. I have now written down my thoughts and posted them on note. I have also prepared an English version as I would like to hear the impressions and opinions of Westerners. If possible, I would love for you all to read it and point out any mistakes from a Western perspective. If you find it interesting, please upvote and comment! Thanks! How to Respond to "Why Are Girls' Breasts Emphasized in Japanese Anime?" from Foreign Friends Understanding the Concept of "Virtue" To understand Western criticism of manga and anime, it is necessary first to grasp the underlying ideology, the concept of "virtue." "Virtue" refers to the qualities that drive a person to do what is right and avoid what is wrong. In the West, it encompasses the standards, actions, and attitudes that respectable members of society are expected to follow. In "virtue," particular emphasis is placed on abstinence, typically encompassing the prohibition or limitation of consumption, drinking, makeup, sexual activity, masturbation, entertainment, and adornment. Abstinence has been a consistent thread through Western thought and religion, from traditional religions like Christianity and Islam to modern ideologies such as socialism, feminism, and veganism. Many Westerners believe that imposing strict limits on sexual and dietary practices not only refines oneself as a person but also promotes societal progress and improvement. It is also believed that many social problems stem from a lack of virtue, and that encouraging widespread abstinence will solve these issues. Consequently, people who are perceived as indulgent in sex or food are often harshly criticized, with calls for their punishment and purging viewed as virtuous political opinions that garner broad support. Historically, in the West, there has been a tendency for citizens to welcome restrictions on freedoms, especially regarding expressions deemed unvirtuous. Those considered unvirtuous may face severe social sanctions, including societal ruin or death. Differences in Perceptions of Beauty In general, beauty and eroticism are seen as positive attributes in Japan. Beautiful and erotic things are regarded as divine and sacred. When Japanese people encounter such entities, they feel spiritually cleansed, and they express their awe using religious vocabulary like "godlike"（神 Kami）and "sacred" (尊い tootoi). In anime and manga culture, beauty and eroticism are often used as symbols of power, justice, divinity, and virtue (the Japanese concept of virtue, not the Western "virtue"). Historical figures, Gods and Buddhas are frequently depicted as beautiful and sexually attractive men and women. In contrast, in the West, beauty and eroticism have historically been viewed as wicked temptations that lead people (especially men) and society astray from the righteous path, considered attributes of the devil. Young, beautiful, and sexually attractive women have traditionally been expected to hide their hair and skin, avoid makeup and adornment, and strive not to tempt men, which is seen as virtuous and responsible behavior. In Western tradition, this can be seen in traditional clothing designed to conceal hair and skin, such as habits and niqabs. Freedom in Japan vs. the West In Japanese, "freedom" is a Buddhist term translated from the Sanskrit word "svayam," meaning independence and being unrestricted. An enlightened Buddha is "free," and this state of liberation from all restraints is considered "freedom" and a desirable state to attain. Therefore, in Buddhist cultures, including Japan, freedom is often viewed as an unconditionally good state, representing a process towards nirvana that all people should strive for. Conversely, in the West, freedom is seen as a test from Yahweh, interpreted as a practice where one must continually choose good over evil. Thus, in the Western perspective, freedom itself is not inherently good; it becomes virtuous only when one overcomes the temptation of evil and consistently chooses morally good actions. Westerners call the force that prompts one to do good and avoid evil "conscience," and acting according to this conscience is considered "true freedom," distinguished from mere freedom. Those who pass Yahweh's judgment are believed to be liberated from the freedom to choose between good and evil in the afterlife, achieving a state free from sin (which, in Japanese terms, would be an "unfree" state). When encountering the chaotic and uninhibited trends on platforms like Twitter or 5chan, Japanese people might be both appalled and impressed by the sheer freedom, feeling a renewed appreciation for their Japanese identity. However, from a Western viewpoint, such freedom is seen as evil, a fearsome chaos that conflates good and evil, indicative of a lack of conscience, and something that must be regulated. Moreover, while in Japan, unfreedom is often associated with shame, weakness, baseness, foolishness, poverty, or disability, and sometimes even becomes a target of contempt or discrimination, in the West, people who impose unfreedom on themselves and proudly display their level of unfreedom, encouraging others to do the same, are respected. Summary In the West, matters related to sex are often religious and ideological taboos, making them highly sensitive topics. Expressing seemingly trivial opinions or revealing sexual preferences can lead to social ruin, unlike in Japan. Therefore, it is crucial to understand Western viewpoints and recognize where potential pitfalls lie. Ideally, we should strive for mutual understanding through frank cultural exchange, but in the West, it is not advisable to argue casually about delicate topics like sex with someone you do not know well. While Japanese social pressure might lead to something as minor as a flat tire, Western social pressure can lead to serious personal harm. Always be cautious! How to Respond to "Why Are Girls' Breasts Emphasized in Japanese Anime?" When responding to Westerners' questions about why girls' breasts are emphasized in Japanese anime, it is essential to be mindful of their perspective, where adults vehemently criticizing and ostracizing the depiction of young, beautiful women may seem peculiar to Japanese eyes but is seen as a virtuous and responsible stance in the West. If someone you recommended an anime to reacts by saying they aren't interested in such explicit content and runs away, don't laugh or persist in recommending it. They likely have ideological or belief-based reasons for abstaining from watching such anime. If someone reacts by calling you a degenerate or immoral for liking such anime, do not get angry. Provoking their sense of justice could lead to a dangerous situation. Even if surrounded by an angry crowd, do not apologize, cry, flee, or let them see your fear. Losing face and social standing could escalate the situation to lynching. Stay calm and composed, smile, and nod in agreement until their excitement subsides. Once they calm down, compliment their virtue: Praise points: * Strong sense of social responsibility. * Strong sense of justice. * High sense of purpose. * Willingness to sacrifice for their beliefs. * Well-educated. * Actively spreading their beliefs.

do you guys prefer the neon genesis evangelion og anime, rebuilds or the manga? personally my favorite is the og anime, because it hits home to me and i really like how they explore the characters, but i really wanna hear other people's opinions

Hi guys, could you help me find this anime name, I really really want to watch it

My username on chess.com is AJarl93 and I would like to start a chess club on AF since it doesn't seem like there is one. Do I have permission to do so and if yes, how? also if there already is a chess club on AF please direct me to it.

I'm searching for a anime childhood movie. In the movie there were classmates. The movie started with a classroom scene. I think two boys and one blonde girl. There was a flying ship or a train. One boy can fight. There was a castle at the end of the movie. It was in the space. Thanks for any help.

The anime is about a girl protagonist who goes to study at a prestigious school. If I'm not mistaken, 10 rich families own this school and their children wear earrings that identify which family each one is from, and each one has an assistant of the same age who accompanies them and who also wear an earring as a "link" between they. One of these young masters meets the protagonist while she works part-time at a hotel and makes her become his assistant by putting the earring on her. I really can't remember the name but I really wanted to watch it again, if anyone can remember I would really appreciate it

So there's a lot of anime about people from the real world getting trapped in their favorite movies, shows, games, etcetera. If that happened with your favorite anime... Which one would it be? What would you do? Do you think you would survive? Do you take over for another character like in Pleasantville or would you just be added in unexpectedly like Last Action hero? Can you control it like the Neverending Story?

Does anyone know of an Anime game but a 2D version? In addition to being open world and mmorpg Is there no such thing? Why don't they make it? It could easily be in a web browser without downloading it I would easily walk (wasd) and explore places like these What do you think about this idea? Make your own anime character each server is the city of Japan to do various tests, challenges, goals to choose which school you want to go to, To work in the profession that suits you and you like. Interact with players. Each choice you and the other players make changes the story of your character and their character (i.e. they affect each other for more realism) Now what kind of game? What category do you like best? 1) For zombies - survival? 2) just realistic and relaxing 3) Science Fiction? 4) Athletic? etc although I believe they can all be done together in this game haha

I'm curious to know if you can think of any magical girl anime that you find even "girlier" than Tokyo Mew Mew because I want to watch a magical girl series that is even "girlier" than it

New season. What are you guys watching? I am watching this, am i missing out on something??: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability In gods games we play Re:monster That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime Season 3 How to love your elf bride

I know it probably the dumbest one but I need this as an anime...

Theres this anime similar to I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in The Real World, Too (i think its similar) where theres a building on fire and he saves his friends from the building by surround himself with magic or water magic i think. Not sure if anyone can help or knows the anime but i would appreciate any ideas of what it could be

What anime actually made you feel inspired?

anime comes in all kinds of shapes and forms with different genres, music and, of course, art! so what are some of your favourite anime artstyles? being an artist myself, whenever i watch something i can't help but admire the different styles and artistic aspects, so i definitely have to few. the first being... violet evergarden! an amazing show with a stunning artstyle. every scene is gorgeous <33 next we have bubble! there are some absolutely breathtaking scenes in this anime that never fail to deliver next up, we have a more generic (but equally as amazing) one. heaven official's blessing ^^ i don't know what it is about this artstyle, but i find it very satisfying. also the art in the opening and closing??? HELLO????? this time, a very different approach to the anime style. panty and stocking! it's a very unique style that stands out, and i love it with its vibrant colours and bold shapes and how could i forget the studio ghibli artstyle??? it's iconic and beautiful (not to mention the food! it always looks delicious ) and finally, we have danganronpa. while i will admit it doesn't have the prettiest style, danganronpa has been one of my favourite franchises for years now, and it's had a big impact on many aspects of my life, including my own artstyle for a long time! it's iconic, and one i hold dearly to my heart <33 but yeah, this isn't even the tip of the iceberg! some honourable mentions are: neon genesis evangelion, toilet bound hanako kun, kotaro live alone and many more ^^

I want to start a new anime. but I like a specific genre like chainsaw man, ragna crimson, mashale, solo leveling, the wrong way to use healing magic,black clover,hunterxhunter,naruto,one piece, etc... but I also like something like spy x family,violet evergarden and classroom of elite. so, someone please suggest me one

I am using Simkl! It allows you to keep track of the tvs, movies and animes you watch at one place. It allows you to rate them. It also allows you to post reviews and comments by episodes or by the series itself. That is what I like. Then, if you want to get personalized recommmendations based on what you rated, you can sign up for the PRO feature of Simkl. The good thing is, you can get the PRO feature for free if you logged in to Simkl every 20 out of 30 days. If anyone here is also using Simkl, and want to add me as friend, here is my profile: https://simkl.com/6716161/

In class the other day, my teacher asked which cartoon character I would be best friends with. I said shizou from Durarara! because we both have anger issues lol. Anyways, that gave me the idea to ask here. If you could be best friends with any anime character, who would it be and why?

Dear Anime Producers and Creators, We are a group of lovers of the manga "Shamo" by Izo Hashimoto and Akio Tanaka who dream of this unique story being turned into an anime. "Shamo" is one of those manga that moves deeply and offers an unforgettable story about the transformation of the main character, Ryo Narushima, in the world of martial arts. The manga "Shamo" has gained enormous popularity around the world due to its dark and emotionally charged plot and insightful approach to character psychology. It is a story about pain, rejection and transformation that attracts readers with its authenticity. That's why we appeal to you to consider creating an anime based on the manga "Shamo". We believe that such an adaptation could provide unforgettable moments for viewers, conveying the depth and value of the original story. By signing this petition, we express our full support for the "Shamo" anime adaptation project. We believe that this is an opportunity to share this unique story with a wide audience and appreciate its artistic and emotional value. https://www.change.org/my_shamo_link Thank you for considering our request and committing to creating an anime that can inspire and touch the hearts of many people around the world.

A few weeks back i saw an anime edit of a really crisp, high quality fighting anime and thought to find it. i had decided to wait to find it and i can no longer find that video. The comments of the video had said it was a short, maybe 5-6 episode fighting anime. All i remember from the edit is a 2v1 fight where the characters were being flung around, in a generally open space. Help finding this anime would be greatly appreciated.

I really need a new psychological anime to watch I have watched almost all and recommend some except for Tomodachi game, lie eater , 20th century boys , Monster , Danganronpa , classroom of the elite , when they cry , promise neverland , no game no life , code geass and pluto

There is an idea to write a program that will help you connect the outer tracks (audio, subtitle) to a video file in various players, where this possibility is absent or inferior. In this regard, I want to ask how much such an assistant is in demand? What video player do you use and why it is? Do you often have to deal with a video where a set of voices/subtitles is represented by external files lying in folders (Sound, Subs, etc.)? How do you watch such material (the player picks up, or move the selected paths to the root of the folder, or maybe pre -glue them in MKV)? Do you use the playlist’s function or open each series separately? Watch video material from the local disks of a computer or from network folders (for example, NAS storages)?

I was actively watching the anime as it was on air and recently I started watching it again remembering it was quite fun but like damn,it has been almost 4 years since the last season,it's reviews was not bad,it was super popular then why no news for the new season guys? They are really sleeping on this anime.

Hi i'm mimi, i'm new here and i'm in love with anime, i've already watched more than 200 anime, i've decided to make a channel on youtube with reviews and opinions about anime that are not so well known or mainstream. My first two videos are about anime: Metallic Rouge and Delicious in Dungeon. If someone could tell me what they think of the videos that I have uploaded and if it catches their attention, or what I would do to improve them, I would deeply appreciate it, since I don't know much about anime but nothing about making videos, I know that they won't be the best videos in the world, but I would appreciate your opinion.

Just asking ;>