"Women- Can't Live With 'Em...."

I decided to write this editorial over something about DBZ villians and responding to my viewer mail because of some things I saw on the internet about the traditional anime taboo. And that of course, is women that watch anime. I think i'll need another shot of Jack before I start off.

During this, i'll use my sister as a general model because she is highly intelligent, witty and a very open person. I'll also use her for a scapegoat, har har.

Throughout the anime world, there seems to be a sort of hymen against women and anime. Women are constantly viewed as not enjoying anime and should not watch it. Is this true? As in all things, there is usually a gray area. This certainly falls into it. Not to blow my own horn, but I have had many woman friends over the years. And they all shared the same sentiment about cartoons- They are for kids. Granted, anime is not the same thing as cartoons. But since I like playing the role of devil's advocate, comparing cartoons to anime with non-knowing people is like comparing Ford to Chevrolet. They both do the same thing. They both have four wheels and move. But to the knowing fan, anime is so much farther away than cartoons in the same respect that Ford mounts the starter soilenoid on the firewall, while everyone elses is on the starter. Confused? GOOD.

My sister loves cartoons. She hates some anime. My sister is 26 years old. Problem? I've tried to change my sister to enjoy anime. She has watched anime with me, from Dragonball Z to Vampire Hunter D to Fist of the Northstar to Tekken to Kodomo No Omocha (Child's Toy) to Rurouni Kenshin. And everytime she watches it she tells me the same thing. Its either too disgusting (Fist Of the Northstar) or too silly (Child's Toy). So I showed her the "happy medium" of DBZ and Kenshin. Then she debuts "its too silly at times". Bear with me, this will have relevance soon. And yet, she will watch Tom & Jerry with me for hours and laugh at almost every episode. Now to tie this all together, take my sister, multiply her by a few million, and you have about 98% of the woman population.

Ask almost any woman if they watch cartoons or anime. They look at you like you fell off the moon. This is why, you 2% of the woman population, that most men think that only guys watch anime or develop sites about them. Nothing against women, of course, its just a stereotyped view of things that EVERY person has experienced. And don't you DARE say that you have never stereotyped something before. Everyone is guilty. I know that every woman has stereotyped men for at least one thing, whether it be driving, our "toys", immaturity, infiedlity or any number of things. Men, in retaliation, think that whatever most women don't like means that ALL women don't like.

Lets see a show of hands- How many men here have watched anime or cartoons and had a woman criticize them because of it? Lots of hands! Now, How many women have watched anime or cartoons and been criticize about it? Equal amount, I see. I have always loved anime and cartoons for their sheer ability to unify men and women under the same banner. Video games we grow out of, vehicles never have a common bond, but cartoons and anime...whoo.

Now why do most guys think that women hate anime & cartoons? Its because its all we have ever heard, except on VERY rare occasions. Its the same percentage that women like to work on vehicles. My mom is nearly a full-pledged mechanic and makes time for her soap operas. Bizarre, no? When I laugh outrageously at Child's Toy my sister looks confused. Why? Simple answer.

Its because we don't know any better. And that is the reason that the woman/anime stigmata continues. And maybe we can all do our part to fix that problem and make the world a little better for everybody. And this is a shout-out to woman webmasters for ANY page- Keep up the good work. Thanks to those of you who don't blast men in our infinite ignorance (stereotype!). Thanks very much for your honesty to us and the gumption to stay in the internet business. And please, if you get another letter not believeing you are a guy...laugh out loud, 'cause you see, when my mom walks into an auto parts store, they STILL call her sir. So don't feel like the Lone Ranger.

From Texas with love, Jonathan "Underfaker" Lindsey