Does anime just kinda suck now?

[Chacranajxy]

I've noticed over the last few years that I'm watching less anime than I ever have since my addiction started. The last new anime I watched and liked was that Garden of Sinners blu ray set, and before that? I honestly cannot even remember the last series that I was really into. I think back to 2003 or so when things were really starting to pick up in the industry, and there always seemed to be something interesting being released in R1 land, and cool stuff was actually being produced over in Japan. Now? The current series running in Japan seem not just like more of the same, but worse and less sophisticated than before. Hell, I can't even seem to find a good Shonen Jump anime now that Bleach and Naruto have reached insane levels of filler. And I am seriously sick of all this slice of life, moe bullshit. I know that more mature fare doesn't typically do as well in Japan, but would it kill studios to work on another show like Monster or Ghost in the Shell or even Death Note?

I dunno... maybe it's the combination of shitty shows over in Japan and the fact that we still can't get Monster or Hellsing Ultimate in the US that's bugging me... but the industry seems to me like a complete mess right now.

Or maybe I'm crazy?

[MelancholicMariya]

I think this year is pretty incredible actually. If you don't like what is popular now, don't watch it. Your definition of shit isn't exactly the same as my definition of shit. I think Monster and Death Note are kind of terrible and uninteresting, as are most Shounen Jump manga such as Naruto and One Piece. I think the only genuinely good shows you listed there were Hellsing and Ghost in the Shell, but that depends on which GitS you're talking about as I didn't care for the "original" movie though I loved Stand Alone Complex.

However I find shows like K-ON! and all that "moé shit" fantastic and entertaining, I'm also into comedies and anything SHAFT throws at me. We can't tell you what your opinion is, you need to stop being overly critical and at least try some new stuff, you sound like you have no idea as to what you're talking about when you say moé bullshit.

[Hitsugi Amachi]

I cannot answer whether you are crazy or not , but it's not quite right to say that anime sucks now. It sucks now for you. I still find shows that I can enjoy watching, though I have noticed that there is also a lack of other types of shows that I have enjoyed in the past as well.

I'm not sure that today's shows are any less sophisticated than ones from before. The level seems pretty much the same over time. It's just that the subject matter has of late skewed in a certain direction, one that you're not a fan of.

[Gatts]

Just because your personal preference in anime isn't prevalent doesn't mean anime all of the sudden sucks. You can take any anime from any time period and you'll find someone who hates it.

You'll find people who will agree with you and people who will disagree with you, but if you are looking for unanimous affirmation of your opinion, you certainly won't be able to get that anywhere. So take heart in knowing that there will be people who will confirm your closely held belief and think that everyone knows you are right and anyone who disagrees with you is wrong. It's the way the world works.

[Chacranajxy]

I mean, I have a general understanding of how the world works... but I'm not just saying I think anime sucks now because just there's not enough action shows or dramas with darker themes -- I'm saying that regardless of genre, the fare we have now strikes me as being particularly worse than before.

[TheGoldenWaste]

I don't think you are crazy because I have been feeling the same feelings regarding the industry since January. It's been a downward spiral over the last year for myself, with around five shows I would actually like to own, maybe a bit more or less. This year I just don't feel compelled to check out anything except maybe AnoHana and that's not being legally streamed so I'm s.o.l. in that area. Nothing else remotely sounds good to me or exciting. Summer isn't even looking exciting. Winter wasn't either. This year has been a total flop. Even noitaminA, which I rely on for the best of each season, has begun to cave in. Fractale was disappointing and Kuragehime was just frustrating.

Is it really too much to ask for something innovative and new? I'm tired of the current trends of cute girls doing nothing of importance, harem, fanservice and ecchi that is just barf worthy, stupid and generic action and comedy shows where the jokes aren't funny at all and I fail to see the appeal. Most humor, whether it be anime or not, is pretty stupid and pointless. It's not intelligent comedy, which is the clearly and obviously the best comedy. I would wager it is the combination of crap shows in Japan and that crap gets carried over here in droves. Meanwhile, innovate and unique shows like Dennou Coil, Kaiba, Kemonozume, Dr. Irabu's Office, Tatami Galaxy and various others go unlicensed and unreleased.

Japan and the R1 companies are taking the industry in a awful direction I have no desire in supporting for much longer. Or at the very least, the vast majority of the industry.

[MelancholicMariya]

I mean, I have a general understanding of how the world works... but I'm not just saying I think anime sucks now because just there's not enough action shows or dramas with darker themes -- I'm saying that regardless of genre, the fare we have now strikes me as being particularly worse than before.

Fate/Zero is coming, Madoka Magica and Steins;Gate. They're all somewhat dark and have action in them and one of them is arguably the best anime in recent years. Which reminds me Bakemonogatari was kind of dark, dramatic and comedic at the same time.

It's really all down to opinion.

[Jun Kuga]

It's less a fact that anime sucks, and more that it has changed.

There are still some dark and gritty series you like if you go looking, but there are a lot more of that "slice of life, moe bullshit" that you don't. The reason? Moe Bullshit sells merchandise, and with less people buying the DVDs, it's the merchandise that is helping to fund them.

I do think that calling it bullshit is a bit harsh though. A lot of series like that are actually pretty good if you like that sort of thing, and it's clear that a lot of people do.

[Chacranajxy]

It's less a fact that anime sucks, and more that it has changed.

There are still some dark and gritty series you like if you go looking, but there are a lot more of that "slice of life, moe bullshit" that you don't. The reason? Moe Bullshit sells merchandise, and with less people buying the DVDs, it's the merchandise that is helping to fund them.

I do think that calling it bullshit is a bit harsh though. A lot of series like that are actually pretty good if you like that sort of thing, and it's clear that a lot of people do.

Eh, I've liked a couple of those sorts of shows, but I find the characters to be so incredibly grating after you watch a certain amount of it. I can't stand it now, really. Hence why I refer to it as "moe bullshit." I'm hardly making a blanket statement that anyone who likes the stuff has bad taste... that's just my personal label for it.

[EyeOfPain]

Or maybe I'm crazy?

Maybe. Or, maybe, like most people, nostalgia skews your opinion. Less good anime isn't new, but chances are you don't remember all the bad titles that came out around 2003. I'm certain that not everything that came to America in the boom years was the best anime had to offer.

If you liked classic Shonen Jump titles (like Dragon Ball), you might want to give Toriko a try (as long as you're not a member of PETA). It's got an interesting world and an overpowered, non-emo protagonist. For some (sort of) slice-of-life that's not just "moe bullshit" give Nichijou a shot. [C] - Control is one of the more mature titles that's airing this season.

There is good anime being produced, but it can sometimes be hard to find amongst all the flotsam and jetsam of a current season.

[Draneor]

Oh look .This thread again. >_>

Anime is made for Japanese people. Who, incidentally, happen to be the only anime-watching population that is still, on a whole, willing to pay for what they want to watch. If you don't like what Japanese people like, don't let the door hit you on the way out. There's plenty of content produced by your own culture that is suitable to your tastes.

[Chacranajxy]

Ya I pirate everything because I hate those Japs.

[Momoka Kibi]

However I find shows like K-ON! and all that "moé shit" fantastic and entertaining, I'm also into comedies and anything SHAFT throws at me. We can't tell you what your opinion is, you need to stop being overly critical and at least try some new stuff, you sound like you have no idea as to what you're talking about when you say moé bullshit.

SHAFT gave use Hidamari Sketch, therefore SHAFT is awesome. Also, K-ON! is a strong favorite for me, but definitely below the level of Hidamari Sketch because the Hidamari Sketch has Yuno. In any case, I personally am still enjoying anime, but it helps that I definitely like some of what is being offered. Actually for me that is the key.

So long as I enjoy some of the series in a given season that's all I really need. Or to put it in numbers. Let's say a season has 20 shows, but I only like 5 of them. That's only a 25% success rate, but that's perfectly fine with. Besides enjoying only a fraction has it advantages.

I still get anime to enjoy due to the fraction works for me. Meanwhile the shows I either drop or don't care enough to try in the first place give me extra time to do other things. So whatever works in the long run.

Also, this season has Nichijou and more importantly A-Channel. Also, Denpa and others. So, anime is still good for me.

[EmperorBrandon]

In my opinion, there's still plenty of worthwhile series coming out. My tastes are different than yours, but the type of series I like isn't particularly new and stretches back into mid 90's with Magic User's Club, and they were still many of them even back when the "mature fare" was seemingly more common. There's always going to be crap around for any genre, and that hasn't changed either.

You also might want to try looking past initial impressions for some series and keep an open mind. I've done it lately, and while my tastes aren't much different, I've found a few things that I've surprisingly enjoyed. Madoka Magica is one of the darkest, more sophisticated anime lately, but people who just glance at the character designs might not think it at first.

[Johnny]

The "all anime is moe shit" arguement comes up all the time, especially on some of the more hardcore gaming forums and honestly, it's a bullshit arguement. Yes, loli/moe etc is prevalent in anime and a lot of Japanese games, but look at some of the series that have aired in Japan over the past couple of years; series like Giant Killing, Tokyo Magnitude 8.0, Rainbow, Arakawa Under the Bridge, Occult Academy, Shiki and current stuff like AnoHana and Deadman Wonderland - all very entertaining series where moe/ecchi etc is all but non-existant.

Sure, I also look back on 2004-2006 or so and all the fantastic series that were being released on DVD - FMA, Fighting Spirit, GitS: SAC, Samurai Champloo etc and that period holds a special place for me, but there is quality anime being produced. There's just a bit less of it and it's a little harder to find.