The General Random Thoughts and Conversation Thread.

[Ivan The Mouse]

EDIT: I hope I didn't open a can of worms.  Fanbase is a touchy subject.  So, I'll avoid discussing any further.  Just wanted to show how cool Kirby is.

Nah, that's okay. At least, it's not ranting about the saltiest and most sardonic fanbase. Because I sure do I know a few of those.

[DeviantProtagonist]

If we're going extremes with toxicity, the brunt I've seen is definitely MOBA communities. Oohoho~, ain't much like them! Stay very clear if you're even remotely peaceable.

[Accoun]

If we're going extremes with toxicity, the brunt I've seen is definitely MOBA communities.

CYKA!
:-P

[Tafira]

As a former league player and current Dota 2 player- MOBA communities are the worst yes. XD.
Sometimes that toxicity can be rather hilarious though (hence all the youtube videos with pros raging).

After a while you grow a skin and learn to play with your 5 stack when you don't want to deal with that crap.

Also I'm curious- is the broad statements made about certain SSB fans really true?
Seems kind of strange. ^^;

CYKA!
:-P

also missing bylat you idi nahui

[Accoun]

also missing bylat you idi nahui

I know, but I don't play MOBAs and the Russians I've seen in Quake often didn't use it so I'm aping what I've seen instead.
PS: ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

[DeviantProtagonist]

For what time I've dabbled in MOBAs, I was a full-time spectator of the original DotA from WarCraft 3. There's just so many intricacies with team play and character builds that it kept me hooked. In the now, HotS happens to be among my favourite games -- the streamlined game play and Blizzard universe is what sold me, especially.

That being said, I take to playing LAN parties and the occasional comp-stomp online. Community-wise, the masses haven't changed one bit -- with the bulk of them being rage machines and the like -- but part of me can't help but appreciate this as a guilty pleasure. Having long gotten used to it, you either go in deep or get spat out.

CYKA!
:-P

Indeed, those Russians man. Be wary of foul language... Russian-themed foul language.

[Tafira]

I actually used to play a TON OF wc3 in my elementary school years- all the custom maps were the bomb.
Then my computer scratched and I lost my cd. rip ;-;
I believe I had tried out the original dota back then and was like 'wtf is this crap'.Proceeded to click buttons and leave.

I think I had moved onto MOBAs because the mmorpg genre had rapidly become stale around 2007~ era. Mabinogi and Maplestory were my last two real mmos- everything else seemed to be bread and butter copies of WoW and the typical right click rpg genre. MOBA matches are never quite exactly the same since you're always playing against other people. In mmorpgs I don't really feel like the experience changes too much- though I greatly enjoyed many, many mmos. There was always these stratification between what kind of content high level players could access versus beginners- in mobas I don't feel there's a huge gap in content like that.
(though tbh I'd probably be ogling these new high-end mmos like BLESS and the such if my potato graphics card could handle it. XD)

For what time I've dabbled in MOBAs, I was a full-time spectator of the original DotA from WarCraft 3. There's just so many intricacies with team play and character builds that it kept me hooked. In the now, HotS happens to be among my favourite games -- the streamlined game play and Blizzard universe is what sold me, especially.
Indeed, those Russians man. Be wary of foul language... Russian-themed foul language.

HOTS was fun for a while but then I had gotten too used to not having to buy all of my heroes from DOTA 2 XD.  The (somewhat differentiated) goals on each map was what really made it stand apart. Do you still play other MOBAS or just HOTS?

(also: https://youtu.be/rFGANdtf2pM?t=3m18s watch the rest of the video at your discretion ^^)

[Nayre]

Asapon at Anime North 2015 and her engrish skillz.

[mariokirby]

So, I read an interesting article from an anime news website that talked about the differences between how Westerners and Japanese view their own idols/singers in real life. 

To sum it up, the West views idols/singers as simply people with talent like a career.  They are there to put on a good show.  So, it’s okay if they do stuff what normal people do such as fall in love, etc.  As long as they don’t do something that’s illegal.

However, in Japan it’s very different.  They view idols as an “illusion”.  Basically, a perfect doll whose purpose is to make fans dream about being with them.  So, if they do anything “impure” or fall in love, then the fan’s “illusion” will be destroyed since their idol is not a perfect angel and cannot fantasize them.  After all, their idol is in love with someone else, so they can’t pretend to be with them.

The Japanese negative attitude towards idols falling in love has influenced many idol animes where the idol characters strongly despise the notion of falling in love by saying it’s a scandal and it’s wrong. 

But, I do remember Wake-Up Girls addressing this controversy of idols being unable to love someone else.

Idolm@ster is one of the few things that I believe actually doesn’t really follow this formula 100%.  There was one manga (Idolm@ster mana) where a few idols were discussing about why they can’t love.    But, for the most part Idolm@ster (including CG and ML) avoids this especially since the main protagonist (the producer) represents you.  Of course, most of the time the idols are just teasing or having a crush.  But, other times some idols fall in love.  One example can be seen in Chihaya’s story in Idolm@ster 2 and One For All.  I’m sure there are other examples of CG and ML characters who are seriously in love with the producer.  And, it’s why I like Idolm@ster more compared to the other idol franchises where the concept of falling in love is strictly forbidden.

I personally share the West’s attitude and believe idols/singers should be able to fall in love since their work is a career.

[Ivan The Mouse]

I personally share the West’s attitude and believe idols/singers should be able to fall in love since their work is a career.

Me too. If anything else, I'll be glad if they found somebody. Same thing with seiyuu. I was happy when Minoru Shiraishi announced his marriage. Also with Kana Ueda.

I only search for seiyuu controversy for two things: One, because of natural Filipino curiosity. Two, because I want to see how the Japanese fans react. Their reactions are spectacularly amusing, especially when they destroy their merchandise because they knew that their idols have fallen in love and not virgin anymore. Their tears are delicious.

[MetalPredat0r]

Idolm@ster is one of the few things that I believe actually doesn’t really follow this formula 100%.  There was one manga (Idolm@ster mana) where a few idols were discussing about why they can’t love.    But, for the most part Idolm@ster (including CG and ML) avoids this especially since the main protagonist (the producer) represents you.  Of course, most of the time the idols are just teasing or having a crush.  But, other times some idols fall in love.  One example can be seen in Chihaya’s story in Idolm@ster 2 and One For All.  I’m sure there are other examples of CG and ML characters who are seriously in love with the producer.  And, it’s why I like Idolm@ster more compared to the other idol franchises where the concept of falling in love is strictly forbidden.

I personally share the West’s attitude and believe idols/singers should be able to fall in love since their work is a career.

I heard the Cinderella Girls game has every single idol be able to fall in love with Producer.

Besides that, I never completely understood why Japan treats their idols and celebrities like this. I mean, you can chalk this up to cultural differences, but it's a cultural difference I can't seem to understand the reason for. To me, idols are essentially people that have careers and make more money than me. They fall in love, get married, have children, etc. They have lives outside the stage. I'm pretty sure idols are living human beings like the rest of us. :p

[ChocoCats]

Honestly, Japanese idols and celebrities aren't really that different from our western counterpart by the way they're treated. The West is probably more open-minded about it, but that doesn't stop tabloids from happening.

Also, Korea (and some extensions, China) suffers from the same problem Japan has on their idols. And to be frank, the concept of idols in the East is hilariously silly and makes me wonder why people there would accept such a stupid concept in the first place. While I don't find it important enough to really hate it, it's enough to make my eyes roll.

[MetalPredat0r]

Honestly, Japanese idols and celebrities aren't really that different from our western counterpart by the way they're treated. The West is probably more open-minded about it, but that doesn't stop tabloids from happening.

Also, Korea (and some extensions, China) suffers from the same problem Japan has on their idols. And to be frank, the concept of idols in the East is hilariously silly and makes me wonder why people there would accept such a stupid concept in the first place. While I don't find it important enough to really hate it, it's enough to make my eyes roll.

Tabloids will happen, but in the West it isn't nearly as taboo for a celebrity to be in a relationship as it seems in Japan, unless the celebrity is of the Disney teeny-bopper kind; however, that's more due to contractual reasons than anything else.

[Maka]

From what I understand, it's only idols that get the no dating rule. It's due to their "pure" images, I think. Also, there's a lot more self-insertion going on with idols and fans? Like AKB made an app where you can mix your face with an idol's to make a baby. Which is creepy as hell. Meanwhile American starlets get almost pushed to be in relationships... And if there aren't any relationships or huge breakups going on, a tabloid will manufacture one.

It's the same base idea, where a female celeb's everything is considered public info, but with very different outcomes.

[Virgofall]

Idolm@ster is one of the few things that I believe actually doesn’t really follow this formula 100%.  There was one manga (Idolm@ster mana) where a few idols were discussing about why they can’t love.    But, for the most part Idolm@ster (including CG and ML) avoids this especially since the main protagonist (the producer) represents you.  Of course, most of the time the idols are just teasing or having a crush.  But, other times some idols fall in love. ... And, it’s why I like Idolm@ster more compared to the other idol franchises where the concept of falling in love is strictly forbidden.

iM@S DOES refer to the concept in a few songs besides (We Have a Dream and Zenryoku Idol both say hi, and in Zenryoku that's the primary focus) - but despite the implications of romance, does it actually address the implications of fans actually finding out the idol is in love? That tends to be the larger issue I'm seeing here - with the producer, it's probably not as glaringly apparent as it'd be with some random person, since you'd have to expect the producer to be working on their idol's behalf to start with.
I'm not really sure if the point is addressed so far as Mai either (though she seems to be a special case, since she could make a comeback).

If there's a lot of self-insert involved when it comes to idols, I could also see iM@S' appeal as being forbidden fruit, too. After all, the forbidden thing is much more appealing.