Sentaifan'07 Xman
"Let's DRIVING!!!!!"
God damn generalizing stupid people.
What makes Toku less acceptable than Marvel?
- Thread starter Scissors
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big_j_ny
Just an Internet User Passing Thru
Well if you lived in America back when you were a child, you will have to refer right back to your childhood for that answer.
With American kids during the 90s, especially when I was a kid during that time, the Power Rangers was more of a popular "fad" to young American kids instead of some life-long living superheros that both you, your parents, and your grandparents can all love and look upon as role models.
By the time American kids hit a certain age, primarily when you entered Middle School, their peers will bash them if they still loved that ****. It's a sad part of the 90s generation really.........we basically throw away "popular fads" really quickly. I mean, you don't see Tamagochi's being popular anymore, but they're still out there somewhere. The short attention-span towards popular culture "fads" of the kids of the 90s generation is basically why the Power Rangers fandom and American tokusatsu fandom in generally are a small minority in America in comparison to the American superheros themselves. I mean during the early part of the 90s, kids came out in the millions whenever there was a Power Ranger meet-and-greet for promotion over the show. But during the late 90s, the amount of kids decreased SIGNIFICANTLY.........and that is because kids in the 90s grow-out of **** really quickly. Like I said before, the short-attention span of 90s kids when it comes to popular culture "fads" back then are thrown away really quickly.
But in comparison with the American comic book superheros, it's because of the fact that it is something you can relate with the previous generations before you. This is due to the fact that American superheros have been around longer than Power Rangers, I mean the first Superman comics came out around the 50s.......that should tell you the age difference between the DC Comics franchise and Power Rangers. Kids won't bash other kids for liking American superheros that much because it will most likely be the fact that they've been exposed to it thru their parents and maybe their grandparents as well via Comic Books, Action Figures, and older cartoon shows. In comparison to Power Rangers, a majority of us experienced it on TV first thru MMPR........yes we have action figures and some comics here and there, but this franchise hasn't been around long enough to gain a large cult following.
SamuraiEchidna
Active Member
This is my kind of topic. Sadly, we'll just have to accept it that such generalizations will always be around. I saw a video of Psychic Lover doing a live performance in America, and they called up the translator to set them up for the Shinkenger theme, but the translator called it Japanese Power Rangers, and Yoffy just went with it.
The generalizations will always be there, especially because it's quicker and easier to generalize than to try and take time to explain, which might confuse people even more so. But, maybe these generalizations aren't so bad. I'd like to think that the smarter people will still get curious. That's how a lot of us came to be here, by learning that there is a difference between Power Rangers and Super Sentai, that there is a world of similar yet vastly different Japanese superheroes that rule the live-action scene.
I think I need to learn to just be better about it and not groan so much. A generalization isn't bad, persay. Especially if it gets someone interested. What IS bad making a generalization like that and then turning your back on it or calling it stupid without even giving it a chance, especially if you are doing that on the internet where there are tons of places to check your facts first. From now on, if someone does that, I'll say to them "Dude, you like *Insert DC/Marvel hero name here*. You're telling me you DON'T see any similarities?"
Yep. That pretty much answers the question there. Kind of funny, isn't it? Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Kamen Rider start out as a manga before became a live action show? Maybe it wasn't out as long as Marvel or DC comics have been around, but it sure is an interesting similarity for toku. Still, it begs the question... What makes toku so powerfully popular and strong in Japan? Power Rangers is lucky to have continued going on as long as it has. Ultraman has gotten very little light in America, save for it being here just enough for a few average people to know about it in the back of their heads. Masked Rider was a big failure thanks to Saban, and Dragon Knight could have been handled a lot better promotion wise. What makes toku so loved and lasting in Japan and why can we not emulate that better in the states?
Huh... So Dragon Knight is good for something after all...
:laugh: Well, I'll take that reaction over "It looks like Power Rangers!" any day.
The generalizations will always be there, especially because it's quicker and easier to generalize than to try and take time to explain, which might confuse people even more so. But, maybe these generalizations aren't so bad. I'd like to think that the smarter people will still get curious. That's how a lot of us came to be here, by learning that there is a difference between Power Rangers and Super Sentai, that there is a world of similar yet vastly different Japanese superheroes that rule the live-action scene.
I think I need to learn to just be better about it and not groan so much. A generalization isn't bad, persay. Especially if it gets someone interested. What IS bad making a generalization like that and then turning your back on it or calling it stupid without even giving it a chance, especially if you are doing that on the internet where there are tons of places to check your facts first. From now on, if someone does that, I'll say to them "Dude, you like *Insert DC/Marvel hero name here*. You're telling me you DON'T see any similarities?"
Yep. That pretty much answers the question there. Kind of funny, isn't it? Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Kamen Rider start out as a manga before became a live action show? Maybe it wasn't out as long as Marvel or DC comics have been around, but it sure is an interesting similarity for toku. Still, it begs the question... What makes toku so powerfully popular and strong in Japan? Power Rangers is lucky to have continued going on as long as it has. Ultraman has gotten very little light in America, save for it being here just enough for a few average people to know about it in the back of their heads. Masked Rider was a big failure thanks to Saban, and Dragon Knight could have been handled a lot better promotion wise. What makes toku so loved and lasting in Japan and why can we not emulate that better in the states?
Huh... So Dragon Knight is good for something after all...
:laugh: Well, I'll take that reaction over "It looks like Power Rangers!" any day.
Tokuboy
Kuuguitar
Because it's to them as superhero comics are to North Americans.
Exactly.
Forever Knight
Eye See You
I was actually thinking about this topic today.
Someone on RB said some **** along the lines of Sentai being cheese because it's guys in spandex fighting guys in rubber monster suits.... Yet it really is no different from the big Marvel movies this guy pays to see 20 times at the theaters alone.
Civilian becomes hero. Fights bad guy.
The only real difference is that Toku has cooler weapons and giant mecha and monsters!.
Some dude on a Predator forum also trash talked Ultraman because "A Humanoid looking giant fighting a giant monster is stupid" YET the guy loves Godzilla.
I sometimes wonder if drug abuse is on a high rise.
Someone on RB said some **** along the lines of Sentai being cheese because it's guys in spandex fighting guys in rubber monster suits.... Yet it really is no different from the big Marvel movies this guy pays to see 20 times at the theaters alone.
Civilian becomes hero. Fights bad guy.
The only real difference is that Toku has cooler weapons and giant mecha and monsters!.
Some dude on a Predator forum also trash talked Ultraman because "A Humanoid looking giant fighting a giant monster is stupid" YET the guy loves Godzilla.
I sometimes wonder if drug abuse is on a high rise.
Shogun_Master
Why is every good TV show Cancelled
Actually, this is kinda why I started feeling better about watching PR in the first place.
My thought was basically "If a fourty some year old man can watch old Spiderman/ Superman cartoons, **** if I can't watch Power Rangers!!!!"
But anyway, people in western society are more used to things being realistic- sometimes too much for their own good. I've met people who have so little imagination that they thought a movie was stupid because it was something that couldn't happen in reality or because they couldn't understand it- that is why they don't get Toku!
Also, people in the west like generalizing- it helps many of us understand things better if either we throw it in a heap with similar things. See, Americans are getting stupider. To help you understand, we blame our government & foreigners for all of our problems- our government uses our stupidity as an excuse to sit on their asses all day & do nothing until somone pays them a couple gazillion dollars to take a step to the right- they assume we'll all rebel & take away their enormous paychecks if they actually try to fix something for once, then we get even more pissed because they're not doing anything- it's a vicious cycle!:laugh:
My point is, we're all generally really stupid people who can't be bothered to understand a simple TV show, we just throw it in a heap labeled "GAY" & move on with our lives.
My thought was basically "If a fourty some year old man can watch old Spiderman/ Superman cartoons, **** if I can't watch Power Rangers!!!!"
But anyway, people in western society are more used to things being realistic- sometimes too much for their own good. I've met people who have so little imagination that they thought a movie was stupid because it was something that couldn't happen in reality or because they couldn't understand it- that is why they don't get Toku!
Also, people in the west like generalizing- it helps many of us understand things better if either we throw it in a heap with similar things. See, Americans are getting stupider. To help you understand, we blame our government & foreigners for all of our problems- our government uses our stupidity as an excuse to sit on their asses all day & do nothing until somone pays them a couple gazillion dollars to take a step to the right- they assume we'll all rebel & take away their enormous paychecks if they actually try to fix something for once, then we get even more pissed because they're not doing anything- it's a vicious cycle!:laugh:
My point is, we're all generally really stupid people who can't be bothered to understand a simple TV show, we just throw it in a heap labeled "GAY" & move on with our lives.
Tokuboy
Kuuguitar
I also think that the more segmented American markets have something to do with it.
From what I can see, the market segments in Japan generally cover larger age ranges and overlap more, whereas the US markets differentiate between products for seven-year-olds and ten-year-olds. That's how you get stuff like Super Sentai and Death Note both being under the "young people" umbrella whereas kids are expected to "grow out" of Power Rangers and into other forms of similar media.
From what I can see, the market segments in Japan generally cover larger age ranges and overlap more, whereas the US markets differentiate between products for seven-year-olds and ten-year-olds. That's how you get stuff like Super Sentai and Death Note both being under the "young people" umbrella whereas kids are expected to "grow out" of Power Rangers and into other forms of similar media.
Shogun_Master
Why is every good TV show Cancelled
That would be why kids don't like Power Rangers, not why teenagers/ adults think all Toku is Power Rangers.
Really though, kids move on a lot here because we've become so oppressive over our media that kids shows are just so childish that they don't even give a **** anymore. Classic example is the movie "Click," where the kids skipped right from watching "Dragon Tales" to watching "CSI" between the ages of four & six.
Seriously, that is not much of an exaggeration here.:laugh:
EDIT: yeah, that America-bashing post is just me getting carried away a bit. Only good thing about this country- I WILL NOT get arrested for that! lol
Really though, kids move on a lot here because we've become so oppressive over our media that kids shows are just so childish that they don't even give a **** anymore. Classic example is the movie "Click," where the kids skipped right from watching "Dragon Tales" to watching "CSI" between the ages of four & six.
Seriously, that is not much of an exaggeration here.:laugh:
EDIT: yeah, that America-bashing post is just me getting carried away a bit. Only good thing about this country- I WILL NOT get arrested for that! lol
Sentaifan'07 Xman
"Let's DRIVING!!!!!"
I also think that the more segmented American markets have something to do with it.
From what I can see, the market segments in Japan generally cover larger age ranges and overlap more, whereas the US markets differentiate between products for seven-year-olds and ten-year-olds. That's how you get stuff like Super Sentai and Death Note both being under the "young people" umbrella whereas kids are expected to "grow out" of Power Rangers and into other forms of similar media.
Okay.....:eyebrow::hmm:
