Starbubbles’s Comments (group member since Jul 03, 2009)

Starbubbles’s comments from the Clamp group.

They didn't finish it? I thought they had! Noo!

So true. It can happen for so many reasons too! The publisher doesn't want to pursue it anymore, the writer has other project they want to focus on or are more popular...

I guess it doesn't matter since they are gone now

Well, I think the relationship makeups between the heroes are set up very different in the two series. Well, friendship wise anyway. But yeah, I don't think they ended things on purpose. I think it was dropped

Um, I liked it but it's grossly incomplete. There's two or three volumes and they solve mysteries. I think you might like it since you like Holic. But, I don't know if I would recommend you purchasing it since it really does stop right in the middle of things

I don't know how it ends. I would assume that it will wrap up in classic CLAMP style, elegantly sad.

Holic isn't very straight forward, which can be difficult for some to get into. Holic intentionally leaves an air of mystique around its plot and characters.

I seem to write a book for each answer, so be prepared!

1. Do you prefer anime or manga? Why?
Manga. I don't know. Sometimes I feel as though I outgrew anime in a way. There is a larger selection available to be printed than animated, and what I do find, I'm typically turned off by. I truly can't explain it. Maybe I just enjoy being difficult.

2. What got you started into it?
You're going to laugh, anime. Okay, not exactly true, but not exactly false either. Junior year in high school a friend got me into Peach Girl. Her sister got it for her birthday, and she shared it with a large group of people at school (most of which I did not know). 6mo later my english class was grouped off, and somehow our group got into exchanging mangas and animes. I mean all 5 of us! They were Ranma, Peach Girl, Fushigi Yugi... We discussed conventions, series, cosplay... all in english class. It was with that group that my true obessession began. Slightly ironic that we were discussion all this japanese stuff when we were supposed to be discussing things on this side of the world.

3. Do you still read/watch? If not, why?
Watch? not really. Every now and then I pop in a DVD. Read? you betcha! I just finished holic 17 last night! I got 1200+ viruses from all of those lame scantilations (from other series, I have actually possessed my vol of holic for over 6mo, some fan I am!)! grr!

4. Do you think the popularity of manga/anime has dropped in the last couple of years?
No. I actually think that it has increased. Bookstores have manga only sections now, they are available on e-readers, and my library has increased the number of new manga purchases. I take all of this as evidence that its demand, and therefore popularity has increased. You could argue that publishers' troubles could argue the other way. I believe that the main market they target was young adult (teenagers middle school thru high school). This group has a very finite level of disposable income, and manga being a gravely misunderstood genre is not something a reluctant parent would support $10 at a time, esp on tightening budgets.
I believe anime on the other hand has decreased. Sure, Disney is now releasing Ghibli films in theaters, but anime availability as a whole as decreased, or at the very least remained stagnant at a level to before I began purchasing my own (circa 2004).

5. What do you think of increases in 'digital' manga?
I'm guessing you are talking about scantilations. I believe it shows an increase in interest, and/or a sustained interest but a decrease in available funds. It also plays into the ever-growing belief that if it is digitized, it should be essentially free. While I overwhelming prefer to read manga in print, I have relied on scantilations an increasing amount mainly due to a mixture of variety, convenience, and laziness. (plus, some of my favorites are not available for purchase. sadness) That is not to say I don't have a wide selection at my disposal. I do. I actually outdo most bookstores and comic book stores in selection.

6. Define in your own words the meaning of otaku. I'm not looking for an exact definition...
Otaku eh? At first I thought it was just being a fan or enjoying anime/manga. But just as "fan" is short for "fanatic," there was much more to being an otaku. First, it could be for anything. Second, it's essentially like being a trekie. You know all the news, nuances, and details of whatever it is they have hopeless devoted themselves to. They buy all of the stuff, do the cosplay; basically it can be just before but not limited to eat, breath, and live it.

7. Do you consider yourself an 'otaku'?
No. I walk that thin line of being utterly and completely oblivious to the surrounding culture (material goods, foods, trends, music, news!, etc), but still devour and spend most of my time and money not devoted to food to manga.

8. Do you think that future generations will be as crazy for manga/anime as it was in the last decade?
Sure.
9. Do you consider there to be a difference in anime and manga?
Of course! Even FY had differences, and the anime practically followed the manga to the letter.

10. Do you consider manga to be a genre?
As seen by some previous answers, in a way. It's not a true genre, but more like a medium or a category for a lack of a better word. They contain genres within them, posing a difficult arguement that they themselves are a singular genre.

Mercury wrote: "CLAMP's stuff, I've read xxxHolic, Tsubasa, Tokyo Babylon and what there is of X1999 (FAVOURITE SERIES EVER O_O)
Started reading Kobato but didn't get into it...
Read a bit of Legal Drug...

Non-CL..."

Haha! There is only a bit of Legal Drug. Though, I did like what I got ahold of

Sonya wrote: "What happened to the original question???
Mine would have to be TRC and HOLiC"

But I have to agree, they do scream CLAMP

Anyway- I didn't get very far into Tsuabsa. But it's not surprising that people don't understand its complexities. I found that I was the only one reading complexities into Inuyasha (though that's clearly not CLAMP), and of the few that read any in Chobits.

Sonya wrote: "Well, it seems this group has practically died...as there are no updates about Gate 7 or last year's CLAMP Festival or the fact that they were working on Code Geass, Blood-C, Moon Saga, Drug & Dro..."

Yeah, I stopped going around a lot of discussions. Between school, my family driving me insane, my life blowing up, and trying to keep myself together enough for work; there wasn't much outside of that I could handle. The last time I updated anything Kobato was just released.

Clamp does such pretty work

I feel like that sometimes working at the grocery store

nice!

er, here's a reminder to check back on this topic

PBS still has to get permission to have things on PBS as well as advertise programing on other channels. Goodreads probably wants some control over what is being advertised on their site to make sure that they are not held responsible if what is being advertised is not on the up and up.

That sounds like a Terms and Conditions issue. I should probably review that again. hmmm.

But yeah, a lot of people here are also in other groups. But if the group isn't set to a private setting, anyone can see and read it, they just can't comment.

yay photos!

yes you did miss an entire conversation!
hahaha! sometimes they hide.


i finally got the last half of wish! my collection can now be complete!!! mwahaha!