I don't want to offend anyone really, your thoughts are your own and so on, but I don't see how you marry a Waifu, since she is technically not real. Would anyone who is in to that care to explain?
On a personal level, to me, marriage is a formal oath. A solemn promise to my spouse, my society and to myself. Whether you swear that oath in the name of a deity or on your own honor is immaterial. Even in our modern, jaded age, I believe such oaths still hold power.
Legally, marriage is a shorthand. You can go to a lawyer with your partner and sign a pile of paperwork that approximates marriage, or you can get a marriage license and be done with it in one short form.
Am I the only one that had to use Google to find out what the hell a waifu is?
Now that you know, how does that make you feel? That is just the tip of the iceberg, mind you. If you feel like digging a little deeper look up "real life doll". Those are still relatively tame but they are the next logical step after waifu.
My understanding of waifu's is guy's get really into a particular character/object/doll and make a commitment to that thing. It's touching because they really care and have an outlet to care for something greatly but also kind of sad in a lack of personal interaction sense potentially.
"Waifu" was originally just a shout-out to Azumanga Daioh where the teacher obsessed with high-school girls carries a photo of a woman. When asked about the identity of said woman he replies "my wife" (literally, in English even if the original text) because she's actually his wife. In the anime adaptation it sounds textbook Engrish (mai waifu) and the whole thing went memetic for a while.
Eventually it took the meaning of a female character one is strongly infatuated with (husbando being the male equivalent) but outside of 2ch people aren't too serious about it.
Unfortunately I work in the eroge industry and happens to be a regular 2channer so I witness a lot of really, really weird people who take it to honestly psychotic levels.
"Waifu" was originally just a shout-out to Azumanga Daioh where the teacher obsessed with high-school girls carries a photo of a woman. When asked about the identity of said woman he replies "my wife" (literally, in English even if the original text) because she's actually his wife. In the anime adaptation it sounds textbook Engrish (mai waifu) and the whole thing went memetic for a while.
Eventually it took the meaning of a female character one is strongly infatuated with (husbando being the male equivalent) but outside of 2ch people aren't too serious about it.
Unfortunately I work in the eroge industry and happens to be a regular 2channer so I witness a lot of really, really weird people who take it to honestly psychotic levels.
And, of course, these girls just have to look like they've not yet reached the double-digits in age, don't they? I guess an adult woman is just too scary for these people.
And, of course, these girls just have to look like they've not yet reached the double-digits in age, don't they? I guess an adult woman is just too scary for these people.
Eh, I don't like loli myself, but that's an overgeneralisation. Lots of waifu-types are obviously post-pubescent. Beyond that, given Japan's obsession with youth/purity, the fact lots of Japanese women (and many non-Japanese women) are short/young-looking/flat-chested, the fact anime style tends to make people seem younger than their intended age (with exceptions, of course), and that moe-character obsessions aren't necessarily sexual, it's more complicated than it looks at first glance.
None of which changes that yeah, Japan's semi-mainstream anime and game industries do sexually market underage characters, mostly teenagers but also some elementary-school types. Which is grotty. But on the other hand, a lot of Japanese people get pretty skeevy about American FPS games which reward you for getting "headshots"; that is, incentivise instantly killing opponents by putting a bullet in their brain. Which is also grotty. To each their own, as long as you're not actually picking up real kids or shooting real people.
Japan's semi-mainstream anime and game industries do sexually market underage characters, mostly teenagers but also some elementary-school types
The USA do that too. A lot. Just look at every teenage popstar/ TV actor ever.
The difference is that Japan doesn't pretend it doesn't. Remember that South Park episode about the Jonas Brothers and the purity rings? I think that one summed it up very well.
Oh, and let's not forget the disgusting thing that are child beauty pagents.
I am not saying that Japan is not at fault, but the USA are just as bad.
And, of course, these girls just have to look like they've not yet reached the double-digits in age, don't they? I guess an adult woman is just too scary for these people.
Eh, I don't like loli myself, but that's an overgeneralisation. Lots of waifu-types are obviously post-pubescent. Beyond that, given Japan's obsession with youth/purity, the fact lots of Japanese women (and many non-Japanese women) are short/young-looking/flat-chested, the fact anime style tends to make people seem younger than their intended age (with exceptions, of course), and that moe-character obsessions aren't necessarily sexual, it's more complicated than it looks at first glance.
None of which changes that yeah, Japan's semi-mainstream anime and game industries do sexually market underage characters, mostly teenagers but also some elementary-school types. Which is grotty. But on the other hand, a lot of Japanese people get pretty skeevy about American FPS games which reward you for getting "headshots"; that is, incentivise instantly killing opponents by putting a bullet in their brain. Which is also grotty. To each their own, as long as you're not actually picking up real kids or shooting real people.
Keep in mind that Japan did not institue a broad ban on child pornography until 2014, and the law, quite tellingly, excluded anime and manga. This is all but a tacit admission that the industry has a serious problem.
I don't often watch anime myseslf (I find the visual style repulsive), but even with my limited viewing I can't help but feel as if there's far more paedo-bait and waifu creepiness now (Azumanga Daioh seemed to be the turning point, where the concept of a "waifu" entered popular consciousness). This article explores the matter. Essentially, as the Japanese economy has stagnated and as consumer purchasing power has declined, producers of anime and manga have increasingly targeted marginal groups (like otaku types) as they are the ones who keep buying it:
The end result is that the otaku and yankii have an almost inelastic demand for their favorite goods. They must consume, no matter the economic or personal financial situation. They may move to cheaper goods, but they will always be buying something. Otherwise they lose their identity. While normal consumers curb consumption in the light of falling wages, the marginal otaku and yankii keep buying. And that means the markets built around these subcultures are relatively stable in size.
In other news, Beamdog forumites vote for the Should 2D waifus be allowed to get married? poll, questioning whenever fictional characters deserve to be loved or not. Riots are expected to surely break out. Liberal otakus on the streets.
Keep in mind that Japan did not institue a broad ban on child pornography until 2014, and the law, quite tellingly, excluded anime and manga. This is all but a tacit admission that the industry has a serious problem.
I do remember reading about how at one point the depiction of adult genetalia was illigalized in Japan in order to ban pornography. Which just lead to the industry using underage genetalia instead, which was the start of loli- and shotacon.
I don't often watch anime, either, nor am I a huge fan of every anime art style out there... but I'm not going to lie... at the suggestion of a certain someone, I watched Naruto a couple months ago and quite enjoyed it.
Keep in mind that Japan did not institue a broad ban on child pornography until 2014, and the law, quite tellingly, excluded anime and manga.
To be fair, in most of the United States, "virtual" child pornography is not outlawed either. This would also exclude anime and manga from said laws. It has to involve a real child, according to these laws, in order to be illegal.
In case certain people are listening, there are states that do have laws against it, so no, it's not legal everywhere. But the Supreme Court has shot them down in the past for infringing on free speech (Americans have very broad understandings of the First Amendment in general). However, currently, those laws are mostly used to put sex offenders in prison for longer periods of time--you tack child pornography charges on top of the sexual assault charges.
Note that the Supreme Court can only strike down a law as unconstitutional if the case is brought to them; they can't do it on their own initiative. People could ask the court to shoot down a law against "virtual" child pornography on First Amendment grounds, as they have done before, but if the person in question is a sex offender, that request is not going anywhere.
@IgnatiusReilly I couldn't care less what kind of art or fetish people enjoy as long as they don't hurt anyone. They can buy games made by Kodomo-H or put a bunch of bestiality in their Skyrim, it's simply not my business and it shouldn't be yours either. Putting someone on a watchlist because they have a bunch of loli pics is the same as accusing GTA players of being future criminals -- it's thoughtcrime.
I don't know what your deal is but seemingly half your posts are about pedophilia one way or another, give it a break.
Well, I would say that marrying GLaDOS seems a little bit... off as well, but more realisitic since she can Actually talk on her own and interact with human outside videogames.
If I might briefly derail this back to the original question, my wife and I were ceremonially married by an english teacher, with the legal stuff happening the day before. It was pretty cool.
Comments
...oh wait, I just did
Legally, marriage is a shorthand. You can go to a lawyer with your partner and sign a pile of paperwork that approximates marriage, or you can get a marriage license and be done with it in one short form.
Eventually it took the meaning of a female character one is strongly infatuated with (husbando being the male equivalent) but outside of 2ch people aren't too serious about it.
Unfortunately I work in the eroge industry and happens to be a regular 2channer so I witness a lot of really, really weird people who take it to honestly psychotic levels.
How DARE you.
Just because GLaDOS is an AI doesn't make her any less real!
None of which changes that yeah, Japan's semi-mainstream anime and game industries do sexually market underage characters, mostly teenagers but also some elementary-school types. Which is grotty. But on the other hand, a lot of Japanese people get pretty skeevy about American FPS games which reward you for getting "headshots"; that is, incentivise instantly killing opponents by putting a bullet in their brain. Which is also grotty. To each their own, as long as you're not actually picking up real kids or shooting real people.
There is no excuse for that.
Also, I hate that it's so often (wrongly) associated with the Lolita style/ scene which is literally about the opposite of sex :V The USA do that too. A lot.
Just look at every teenage popstar/ TV actor ever.
The difference is that Japan doesn't pretend it doesn't.
Remember that South Park episode about the Jonas Brothers and the purity rings? I think that one summed it up very well.
Oh, and let's not forget the disgusting thing that are child beauty pagents.
I am not saying that Japan is not at fault, but the USA are just as bad.
I don't often watch anime myseslf (I find the visual style repulsive), but even with my limited viewing I can't help but feel as if there's far more paedo-bait and waifu creepiness now (Azumanga Daioh seemed to be the turning point, where the concept of a "waifu" entered popular consciousness). This article explores the matter. Essentially, as the Japanese economy has stagnated and as consumer purchasing power has declined, producers of anime and manga have increasingly targeted marginal groups (like otaku types) as they are the ones who keep buying it:
Examples:
Alfred J. Kwak by TV Tokyo
Spirted Away by Studio Ghibli
Samurai Champloo by Manglobe
Astroboy by Mushi Productions
Pretty Cure by Toei Animation
Princess Kaguya by Studio Ghibli
Naruto by Studio Pierrot
One thing I liked about Satoshi Kon was the more realistic style he brought to anime.
In case certain people are listening, there are states that do have laws against it, so no, it's not legal everywhere. But the Supreme Court has shot them down in the past for infringing on free speech (Americans have very broad understandings of the First Amendment in general). However, currently, those laws are mostly used to put sex offenders in prison for longer periods of time--you tack child pornography charges on top of the sexual assault charges.
Note that the Supreme Court can only strike down a law as unconstitutional if the case is brought to them; they can't do it on their own initiative. People could ask the court to shoot down a law against "virtual" child pornography on First Amendment grounds, as they have done before, but if the person in question is a sex offender, that request is not going anywhere.
I couldn't care less what kind of art or fetish people enjoy as long as they don't hurt anyone. They can buy games made by Kodomo-H or put a bunch of bestiality in their Skyrim, it's simply not my business and it shouldn't be yours either. Putting someone on a watchlist because they have a bunch of loli pics is the same as accusing GTA players of being future criminals -- it's thoughtcrime.
I don't know what your deal is but seemingly half your posts are about pedophilia one way or another, give it a break.