I took the bait!

[Apple]

I guess I'll play along. The basics about me:

In real life, I'm a Graphic Designer. I'm currently on leave because of a prolapsed disc and I'm seriously bored out of my tree. That's why I currently spend a little more time around forums and I've taken the bait with this lol. It's pretty bad actually. Despite being an urgent case, I've kinda been sent here there and everywhere trying different non-surgical things that haven't worked. They've finally referred me to a neurosurgeon, so hopefully I'll soon get my life back. ^^ When I'm not living the bum life, I work at a B2B design studio where most of the work I do is branding, logos and printed materials. I also have some formal training in Software Development since last year. Well 5 years total in uni as a designer to Master's level. One year Software Dev, so definitely no expert there, but learning. XD.

I go by Shannon Apple on most forums I am part of. (I'm not that lady on YouTube with the squirrels. People ask me about that. She stole my name haha!). The username was a play on an anime character called Sharon Apple from Macross Plus. She's an AI who sings, a little bit dangerous and badass. Actually, at the time I picked that name, back in 2006, I wasn't exactly an anime fan. I was curious about the medium and had joined a forum called anime-forums.com. That forum wasn't just about anime, and that's what attracted me to it. I could find out about new non-weird shows to watch, while posting about other things. Even though I soon became a moderator, and later an admin of that site, I am still someone who watches very casually. One maybe two shows a year so long as they are "normal." Some of the other admins/mods watch enough to make up for me. XD After a couple tools bought our beloved forum (paid serious money for it) and wrecked it (very long story) the remaining volunteer staff created Sakuga City as a home for our displaced members. Or... well, those who were left.

 

[/dev/urandon]

What's your opinion on fansubs/fansub groups and downloading anime in general? Did you ever watch anything from the good old days of the VHS fansub era/anime clubs?

 

[fixer]

If you had to pick

no arms
or
no legs

which would you choose?

 

[Apple]

What's your opinion on fansubs/fansub groups and downloading anime in general? Did you ever watch anything from the good old days of the VHS fansub era/anime clubs?

To be honest, this is an "each to their own" kinda thing. Since our old forum was one of the biggest anime forums of it's time, we had very strict rules against "illegal" content, and we carried the rules over. My personal opinions on it are a lot less strict. I used to have a Crunchyroll subscription in recent years, but I cancelled it because I wasn't watching enough anime to even warrant the €5 a month. Sometimes, if you really want to watch something, you have no choice but to go fansub. BUT, where possible, I do believe that people should try to support the creators.

Oh, and I wasn't an anime fan during VHS days. I only took an interest in it in the 00's when I first went to university... around 2004. I had two housemates, both of them from my class. One was an American guy and he was a huge anime fan. He kinda forced me to watch Cowboy Bebop with them. The other girl was already into anime. I was like "okay, I'll agree, cartoons can be interesting with less childish themes." I got the "NOT CARTOONS" thing, but, they are cartoons. Just foreign cartoons.

If you had to pick

no arms
or
no legs

which would you choose?

I'm a designer, so I'd have to go with no legs. I couldn't do my job with no arms.

 

[fixer]

what would your last meal be?

 

[Apple]

what would your last meal be?

It would probably be something light like chicken with peanut saute and rice.

My attitude toward food over the past months hasn't been a good one. My pain meds make me turn my nose up at a lot of things that I actually used to like. How weird is that? XD.

 

[fixer]

Sorry for that, no appetite would suck i love food... find a Thai resturant and get some Pad Thai Chicken Stir Fry (6 heat) and your life will change lol

 

[Apple]

Haha! I've actually had that recently, but not too spicy. XD.

 

[/dev/urandon]

To be honest, this is an "each to their own" kinda thing. Since our old forum was one of the biggest anime forums of it's time, we had very strict rules against "illegal" content, and we carried the rules over. My personal opinions on it are a lot less strict.

When I was still active in the anime community most forums allowed discussion of fansubs and where to get them simply because it was the only way to watch most stuff. I was mainly curious to hear how things operate on them now because I stopped going to any of them and the IRC channels many years ago. Last time I peeked in I did notice most so-called fansubs are now simply rips of cruncyroll translations which is something I don't agree with simply because those translations are usually very awful and have politics forced into them.

I used to have a Crunchyroll subscription in recent years, but I cancelled it because I wasn't watching enough anime to even warrant the €5 a month. Sometimes, if you really want to watch something, you have no choice but to go fansub. BUT, where possible, I do believe that people should try to support the creators.

Back in the day it was really hard to support the studios because it was almost impossible to import legal copies on VHS/DVD from Japan. The fact that they only release 2-3 episodes per disc at those high prices before import fees made it even harder. We did support them where possible and would stop projects if we got C&D letters from the company. There were a few projects we ignored them on simply because the official translations were so awful though. For example, the last two projects I worked on were Lucky Star and Death Note and we simply came back under another group name to finish them out. Most of us left the scene about the time you got into watching due to it becoming more popular. Didn't seem like there was much point to it anymore with so many series getting releases state side

Oh, and I wasn't an anime fan during VHS days. I only took an interest in it in the 00's when I first went to university... around 2004. I had two housemates, both of them from my class. One was an American guy and he was a huge anime fan. He kinda forced me to watch Cowboy Bebop with them. The other girl was already into anime. I was like "okay, I'll agree, cartoons can be interesting with less childish themes." I got the "NOT CARTOONS" thing, but, they are cartoons. Just foreign cartoons.

Yea they're just foreign cartoons and I don't understand the obsession with claiming they aren't. Most people just don't want to admit they're still into watching cartoons at that age and like to claim anime is more mature when the majority of it is just moe-bait. If you haven't watched older stuff you should give it a look because they stopped making a lot of the more mature anime around the mid-2000s and the remakes of things like Legend of the Galactic Heroes don't do the originals justice. I've also never understood the fascination with proclaiming certain series are too mainstream which means they're suddenly crap. Something like Lain is still really good despite how popular it has gotten. Same thing with Lucky Star and all the in-jokes/gags. The same people that sung it praises in 2005 now claim they never liked it because it found a new audience with the younger generation. This isn't limited to anime either, I know of a lot of folks that loved cartoons like Invader Zim during the original run but suddenly stopped liking it as soon as it took off with the Hot Topic and Tumblr crowds.

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

 

[Apple]

When I was still active in the anime community most forums allowed discussion of fansubs and where to get them simply because it was the only way to watch most stuff.

There was a reason why we didn't allow it, and many of the others might have felt the same. We had future plans for the site that involved connecting with industry and you can't if you allow "illegal" content. We don't know where the future of the new site is heading, so we keep those rules just in case.

Last time I peeked in I did notice most so-called fansubs are now simply rips of cruncyroll translations which is something I don't agree with simply because those translations are usually very awful and have politics forced into them.

I noticed. Some have even gone so far as ripping the entire thing from Crunchyroll.

Back in the day it was really hard to support the studios because it was almost impossible to import legal copies on VHS/DVD from Japan. The fact that they only release 2-3 episodes per disc at those high prices before import fees made it even harder. We did support them where possible and would stop projects if we got C&D letters from the company. There were a few projects we ignored them on simply because the official translations were so awful though. For example, the last two projects I worked on were Lucky Star and Death Note and we simply came back under another group name to finish them out. Most of us left the scene about the time you got into watching due to it becoming more popular. Didn't seem like there was much point to it anymore with so many series getting releases state side

Ah, well, I think it was even worse here. I'm from Ireland, so even at that point, anime had a very small following. It's only in more recent years that I've noticed an "Otaku" culture and Anime conventions. But they're small, and I'll never attend one purely because I saw the carry on outside a Dublin hotel near where I work, and I definitely do not fit in. I don't identify with being an "otaku" as they call themselves. That's always been negative word to me. In the 00's, it was an insult. lol. I hate to say it, but some of the more enthusiastic anime fans are embarassing when they get together.

Yea they're just foreign cartoons and I don't understand the obsession with claiming they aren't. Most people just don't want to admit they're still into watching cartoons at that age and like to claim anime is more mature when the majority of it is just moe-bait. If you haven't watched older stuff you should give it a look because they stopped making a lot of the more mature anime around the mid-2000s and the remakes of things like Legend of the Galactic Heroes don't do the originals justice. I've also never understood the fascination with proclaiming certain series are too mainstream which means they're suddenly crap. Something like Lain is still really good despite how popular it has gotten. Same thing with Lucky Star and all the in-jokes/gags. The same people that sung it praises in 2005 now claim they never liked it because it found a new audience with the younger generation. This isn't limited to anime either, I know of a lot of folks that loved cartoons like Invader Zim during the original run but suddenly stopped liking it as soon as it took off with the Hot Topic and Tumblr crowds.

That's really why I only watch a couple a year. There are still good ones being made. It's just that idiots in PR at Crunchyroll etc. are into moe-bait and talk about it more on social media. I wrote an article on it recently for the forum. Here.Some people didn't like me writing an article that discounts all of their moe-bait crap, but I didn't write it for them. The other mods and admins were having a discussion on the state of anime today and I was like "I can find you some good shows." I had fallen out with it for many years, but since maybe 2012, I've watched a small number per year. One of my favourite anime of more recent years is Gargantia on the Verdourous Planet. Okay, it's beach episode might be a little over the top, and a little fanservice-y, but overall, I really liked it.

I have watched some of the older ones too because they don't contain as much BS. lol. I gaurantee that I won't watch a moe type show. It creeps me out. lol.

 

[darnoldy]

Eric Gill or Giambattista Bodoni?

PMS 300 or 806?

Who said "Anyone who would letterspace lowercase would screw sheep"?

 

[Apple]

Eric Gill or Giambattista Bodoni?

I like Gill Sans, have used it here and there, but some of the Bodoni typefaces are really beautiful on editorials, especially large headlines.

PMS 300 or 806?

Is this a sly way of asking if I'm a boy or a girl?

Who said "Anyone who would letterspace lowercase would screw sheep"?

I remember reading about this, hahahah! Goudy said it about a certificate he recieved. Can you imagine being the guy/girl who designed the certificate though? lol.

 

[darnoldy]

Is this a sly way of asking if I'm a boy or a girl?

nope... really was about color preferences

--don

 

[Apple]

nope... really was about color preferences

--don

I was just being a smartass. But I dunno, I guess 300. Not as in-your-face.
806 with black though.

 

[The Sandman]

Are you a boy or a girl?

 

[Apple]

Admittedly, I had to look at the pantone swatches to see what numbers those corresponded with. Was a blue or pink question for anyone who didn't get it.

The Sandman, girls totally rule!