Because if you don’t stand up for the stuff you don’t like, when they come for the stuff you do like, you’ve already lost.

I loathe child pornography, and abuse of children in general, and I think to a certain extent that lolicon and shotacon manga may contribute to further interest in child pornography for the same reason that some people go from smoking cigarettes for the kick, to messing with crack for an even greater kick. You might go from drawn stuff to real stuff, and that’s when it’s not fiction anymore. That’s when it’s turned into cold, hard reality…

I loathe child abuse, yes, but Mr. Gaiman’s got a point. While I would treasure no thing more than to hit anyone that abuses children like a hammer of god, repeatedly, I’m torn between my vehement support of freedom of speech, and what it may cause. Even a small amount of people matters. That no matter how few depraved beings takes a step further, it’s still a few too many.

That’s when the quoted text decides it for me. That’s when I think to myself that I support freedom of speech, and I oppose anything that involves actual child abuse. While it’s not the highest form of art, while it’s not the most accepted genres, it’s still art no matter how hard it is to swallow that fact.

And, while it may sound like some lame excuse, I think that those who take the step to get involved in actual child abuse, or indirect through obtaining or buying pictures/movies others have taken, would have taken that step eventually regardless of other people’s art and words. People who seek justification and gratification will find it wherever it is.

Confusing post, I know…

To put it simply, one of the best character developments I’ve encountered so far is Kira Yamato from the Gundam SEED series, and is probably one of the most believable depictions I’ve come across. While his feats are undeniably outragoues in a realistic sense, his progression from an average joe with extremely modest aspirations to the de facto hero of the war(s) is believable. From the moment that he blunders into the cockpit of a gundam and manages to handle it after seeing Ramius inexpertly handle it, he goes through the combat-adrenaline, aftershocks, sense of duty, urge to survive, stress, anger. The whole package.

The point of it is that Kira’s a civilian supercoordinator genetically engineered to the “next awesome stage of awesome” (kind of like I am) placed in the crucible of war with little to no time to reflect on his own situation, hence little to no time to get all morose and depressed. Which is the point of Flay Allster, the absolute opposite of Kira in the series in that there’s nothing special about her, she has no particular purpose on the ship, and she is shown as merely hovering around worrying unlike everyone else. With no sense of purpose, her old world crumbled down around her, getting no attention unless she shouts for it, she spirals further and further down into depression.

While combat-depression does hover over Kira at points in the story, it’s continually being pushed back by the admiration and support of the crew that relies so much on him. He’s the best thing since sliced bread for fucks’ sake, and their lives utterly depend on his continued wellbeing and awesomeness, so that further catapults him into not only coping mentally, but continually improving up to the point where most of his confusion is replaced by a self-conscious person that knows where he’s going and what to do. Of course amply helped by a growing relationship with Lacus Clyne, and that she was there when he finally broke down.

All in all there’s not really a single moment where we don’t believe the character. We might have moments where we dislike the character for being weak or whiny, but weakness is a part of any personality, which only increases the believability.

Six Uninteresting Things About Me

Teh rulez r liek tihs:
Link to the bugger that bugged you.
Make a buggersome list of uninteresting things about you.
Thou shalt bug 5 other buggers by bugging them in comments or something like that

1. Despite never liking fishing, ever, I used to get massive hauls when I did as a kid.
2. I have one fake tooth, and one chipped ‘n repaired tooth - the latter due to my brother.
3. I was at one point so addicted to cigarettes that I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t sleep until I had one.
4. I have a small cup made out of baked stone, one out of a pair that me and my brother bought at a market day for way too much cash, but we don’t regret it because it’s an awesome pair of cups.
5. My Touch Dual’s saved me over 4000 NOK in book-expenses.
6. If you want to hate someone for my manga/anime addiction, blame Lars Martin, for he’s the one that shared his stuff with me back in Sygna.

 
And I’m tagging Eldholm, Tellefsen, Lukritzia, Ingar Hauge and Kiyu. Forgive me for what I have done :<

Not to mention that they’re always presented as shy little kids and teens with no hope in hell of wooing women. Forever have we been presented with these characters that endlessly drag on about tired and old conventions, littering the landscape with drab and boring creations whose sole redeeming feature was being appealing to us poor addled creatures because they were slightly more exciting than the girly NANA and (blood-)sucky Vampire Knight.

Then came Isutoshi, the genious behind Slut Girl and Tende Freeze, forth from the darkness to give us AIKI. Joukyuu Kunitoshi, the anti-hero that struggles to care, tries to have sex with any female with breasts and doesn’t feel particularly lonely. He’s fucking awesome at martial arts, is far from shy and unlucky around the girls, and a superspecial asshole martial arts prodigy with a handicap created by his father in a fit of paternal worry and anger through devious means.

Confused because there cannot possibly be such an amazing piece of work out there, and I have to be making it up? Fear not, for S.A.S stepped up to the plate to deliver unto us that which is awesome!

What more to say to truly do this series justice in words? Imagine King Leonidas screaming: “Go! Read! It!” and kicking you in the nads for not being on your way already. Take the hint, read the damn thing.

Right now I’m listing my favourite mangas like this:

1. One Piece
insurmountable gap between the awesomeness that is One Piece and the rest
12. AIKI
13. Full Metal Alchemist (still writing about this one :) )

With lots of on and off loveable series onwards. The fact remains that One Piece and Full Metal Alchemist are the only two mangas that manages to not only be awesome all the time, but getting increasingly so.

AIKI is a relatively new addition to my list at all, so longterm quality and fun can still be questioned. The thing is though, Isutoshi’s known for his strong cast of characters and focus on fun, and since I love a good cast of characters I think I’m justified in having high hopes for this series. While I know that reading a manga that a (primarily) hentai-mangaka’s writing can be offputting for some, I sincerely think that any reservations of that kind should be cast off to give this one a chance.

Worth checking out for the kicks and giggles… I know I’m still kicking the floor laughing… atleast hip hop’s a bit … original *falls over laughing*