La Sure

Anime has always be a popular form of entertainment for teenagers and young adults, but do we think those teenagers and young adults will stick to their enjoyment of this genre? It is not uncommon for people to outgrow certain things, but I am starting to think many adults will be inclined to continue to enjoy anime and all that comes with it.

Anime has a much farther reaching influence and personal inspiration for people than typical cartoons do. There are certain similar aspects to both with the more comedic or simplistic animes. But I've had friends who told me that anime changed their lives, it helped make them stronger and better people when they grew up. So I feel less certain about certain people "outgrowing" it. But, realistically, even I have found myself turning away from certain things that I used to think were important to me, and yet I'm also finding where other things are still firmly cemented. The way I look at it, anime is not something so small that you can just toss it all aside because it doesn't relate to you anymore. There are so many sub-genres, styles, stories, and levels of maturity, that I treat each anime the same way I treat anything else: on a case-by-case basis. Maybe one day I'll decide to stop looking out for new animes, or watching anime tv series the same way I have (which honestly have never been all that frequent), but the shows and films that I have watched, and have greatly enjoyed in very recent years, I don't see myself ever turning a blind eye to. They are very engaging, very well crafted, and they deserve my patronage and viewership for a very long time. – Jonathan Leiter 9 years ago
1
As someone who read/watched a lot of manga/anime when I was younger but fell out of the habit of it as I grew older the thing that brings me back to the mediums is something unique and genuine. I found myself growing increasingly impatient with agressively 'anime' tropes and genre conventions. I find myself rarely bothering to even attempt watching high-school anime because I feel like the premise has been so overdone. Likewise there have been a number of anime whose description I read and interested me until it said "in a high school". Maybe that's just my own preference but I think the main reason I've fallen out of watching anime for the most part is from what I precieve as stagnation. While I grew up and developed more sophisticated tastes the anime industry seems to be committed in large to putting out the same 'cute girls doing cute things in a school' ad naseum. – MattHotaling 9 years ago
1
I have met many adults who have returned to anime and animation. Many adults even discover it when they are older. In Japan, at least, many animes are aimed at adults, and contain content that would certainly not be appropriate for younger viewers. Even in the US, where most animation is aimed at children, there are some animes that have gained an adult audience (most notably the classic Hayao Miyazaki movies). Perhaps it is the youth-culture aspect of anime that prompts adults to lose interest, or perhaps it is simply because the US doesn't have a good way to market adult-oriented animations? Many of the adults I know who watch and enjoy anime do so from outside the mainstream market, streaming anime from free online sites. Anime is certainly able to attract adult audiences, but perhaps its not as popular because it is a little harder to find. – sophiacatherine 9 years ago
0
The more gritty, edgy, mature series are the ones that are hard to stumble across ("Michiko to Hatchin," "The Woman Called Fujiko Mine," "Black Lagoon," "Hellsing Ultimate," "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex," etc.). These shows are also not the ones easily streaming on any major site like Netflix, Amazon, or Hulu. Whereas shows that focus on adventurous teenagers in magical lands, or slice-of-life high-school moments, are the ones that permeate the US market. – Jonathan Leiter 9 years ago
0
What I don't get is the word 'America' in the title. – T. Palomino 2 years ago
0

film

music

Write this topic

The Magic of Musical Scores in Movies

Why is music such a strong tool that is frequently used in films? I have always found music in movies to be great, but I am starting to realize that music is found in so many different types of film and range from dramas to animated films. Disney for instance thrive off of a successful soundtrack, but then a film like Perks of Being a Wallflower also thrives off its musical choices. My question could probably be answered with one word, but I want to know some deeper reasons people think music helps create magic in movies.

In Music History, we actually had a class devoted to this topic! (In fact, much of our course was devoted to the psychological effects of music) Music has such an effect on our perception; it's such an emotional thing. One very basic example is that minor music is often automatically perceived as sad, major as happy, etc. It automatically creates an emotional response, and the composer's musical choices often suggest certain themes or ideas (i.e. more bombastic music is often perceived as "masculine", while more legato and lyrical music is perceived as "feminine" - certain musical instruments are often gendered, as well). Music is necessary in film because it conditions the audience to feel a certain way. It promotes an emotional and psychological response, regardless of the film. It can help us empathize with a character (perhaps it's indicative of the character's own emotional state or struggles). It can create suspense or set the mood (i.e. many movies set in Asia will have music with a Western perception of orientalism). It can also "bend" time... have you ever watched a scene without the sound? It can turn horror movies into very long, boring things. Music tells a story on its own; it naturally supports the visuals of a story. This is a HUGE topic, actually! In regards to your specific examples, think about how music is used in each of these situations. Disney movies have music that often serve as monologues; we get a peak into what each character is feeling in a moment (of course, they have instrumental music that is valuable as well). If I remember correctly, The Perks of Being a Wallflower had more mainstream music, which was appropriate to the setting of the movie. It also had themes that coincided with the movie's themes. Each musical choice in a movie is so carefully chosen; it completely impacts our reactions to characters and events (i.e. would we like a hero as much if he was accompanied by a villain's music?). These are just some examples, but I hope they give you an idea of how music can be an effective tool in films! It could be quite interesting to compare/contrast the music of two very different films (such as a Disney film and The Perks of Being a Wallflower) and look at how each impacts the viewer's perception. Alternatively, you could look at what these movies would be like without music. Would they have the same impact? – laurakej 9 years ago
2
One aspect of this question that might be worth exploring is the relationship between music in film and, say, MTV. Footloose, for example, was one of the first movies for which a soundtrack comprised of new songs was promoted on MTV before the movie's release. Prior to that, most live-action films utilized popular songs that, because of their widespread consumption, could be counted on to evoke a given emotional response. The success of Footloose as a film was largely due to its soundtrack's promotion on MTV. And sense then, the use of music in film has changed. How then, has the further evolution of the music industry (including but not limited to MTV) affected the use of soundtracks/scores in film? – arharrison 9 years ago
1
Wonderful topic for one of the most important aspects of film. A well compiled soundtrack or well-made musical score can really make or break a film. – Austin Bender 9 years ago
0
Music sets the tone, and it gives an opportunity for characters to show what is in their hearts. – Candice Evenson 9 years ago
0

Sorry, no tides are available. Please update the filter.

Latest Comments

Dec 7, 2016 lasureamir Really good job at shining some light on all of the complexities of tv relationships. Viewers are often only privy to what they see in their own lives, but television dives deeper into romances and unrequited loves that many people may not be able to witness. I love how you showed friendships between two woman has so many levels that are shown on television, but a friendship between two men tends to look very superficial and garner the title “bromance” regardless of how close they really are.	Relationship Entertainment: Navigating the Struggle between Romance and Friendship on TV
Nov 16, 2015 lasureamir Great work with this article. I have always been a strong believer in being able to monitor what children are being exposed to. The more advance we become the more likely it is our children will be steps ahead of us. The question then is if it is a good thing or a bad thing.	Should Children's Films be Dark or Light?
Nov 16, 2015 lasureamir It is like he can create a world so different from our world, but we can still find parallels between the two! Thanks for the reply!	The Corpse Bride: The Beauty of The Dead
Nov 16, 2015 lasureamir Agreed, and the style of animation just adds a necessary layer to each of the films.	The Corpse Bride: The Beauty of The Dead
Oct 12, 2015 lasureamir AoT was the first anime I followed religiously. I concluded that other races where not lucky enough to make it to those walls. I do believe however that the world is extremely large, so what’s to say that another set of walls were created very far away from where this story is set. Great work with sharing information.	Attack on Titan: Fan Reception of Religion and Race
Oct 12, 2015 lasureamir This article touched on some really good points, and whenever I get to read an article discussing the tragedy of Gwen Stacy I’m intrigued. The women in comics are used as devices to strike an emotional chord with the readers and the characters they are tied to.	Women in Refrigerators: Killing Females in Comics
Oct 10, 2015 lasureamir I have always been fascinated with Beauty & The Beast, and the many layers of love, growth, and inner strength associated with it. These retellings not only furthered my love for this story, but successfully enhanced my knowledge of all of the different ways to view the story. I have always felt that this story allowed the traditional roles of love and sex to be switched. The “Beast” is automatically assumed to be the strong provider, but in the way I view the story the Beauty was the one who gave him the strength; basically supplying the him with the things he lacked. Great job on this post	Angela Carter's Beauty and the Beast: Building a Feminist Romance