I'll go with Elfprince13 on this. That image is particularly risque in that at a quick glance you might mis-see certain things, but I'll let it stand for now. Remember, we expect you guys to be mature and self-regulate. Smile
So, I've been working on a response to this thread, and I was mostly going around in circles. I found this video, though, that addresses many of the problems I have with this, and I think she does a good job in explaining why images like these are damaging to women and society:

While not specifically addressing these types of images (but rather a specific instance), I think the parallel is clear. I think a good quote from her that sums it up is, "this... is no different from the countless pornographic-style images that infantalize adult women and fetishize young girls". Anime, especially of this style, is mired with misogyny and objectification--and it's even more sickening when you add the age to it all. A thread celebrating this kind of obvious sexism really shouldn't stand, but I'll let that be up to the rest of the staff. It should not be just about how much skin they have exposed, but also what kind of message is being sent, and the over-sexualization of young girls is not a message I think we should be supporting.
merthsoft wrote:
So, I've been working on a response to this thread, and I was mostly going around in circles. I found this video, though, that addresses many of the problems I have with this, and I think she does a good job in explaining why images like these are damaging to women and society:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX5IXYoPzDA
While not specifically addressing these types of images (but rather a specific instance), I think the parallel is clear. I think a good quote from her that sums it up is, "this... is no different from the countless pornographic-style images that infantalize adult women and fetishize young girls". Anime, especially of this style, is mired with misogyny and objectification--and it's even more sickening when you add the age to it all. A thread celebrating this kind of obvious sexism really shouldn't stand, but I'll let that be up to the rest of the staff. It should not be just about how much skin they have exposed, but also what kind of message is being sent, and the over-sexualization of young girls is not a message I think we should be supporting.


Thanks for sharing your thoughts on that Merth, I think the quote you highlight is pretty on the money (actually, I think most of the video is on the money, though I'm confused as to how she briefly got off topic onto Bible bashing).
merthsoft wrote:
Anime, especially of this style, is mired with misogyny and objectification--and it's even more sickening when you add the age to it all.
This is the part of your response that I disagree most with, particularly as I think you're conflating the entire contents of the thread to this point with objectification of the subjects (which I will agree is somewhat accurate in the case of the most recent image). I can't speak for anybody else here, but that's basically the antithesis of my goal here.

Minor tangent on age: the source materials here rarely outright state the age of their characters. In some cases a range can be safely inferred (high school students being common a archtype, for example), but oftentimes it's up to the viewer to reach a decision based purely on the portrayal.

My primary criterion for choosing images here is whether something makes me smile. Nothing more, nothing less.
You might note that in every image I've posted here, the character is smiling and generally posed as if in mid-action, which I think is a point against submissiveness and objectification. On a more personal side, each of these characters (with the exception of the one that led to this tangent) has a backstory that I am personally acquainted with, so I don't think the objectification argument holds much water (what the viewer thinks is, of course, outside my control).

I suspect this post doesn't flow very well, but I wanted to get a rebuttal out here. Hopefully you guys can make sense of it.

Because I neglected to post an image update earlier, here's another one of Chihaya.
This picture makes me smile:

(Does this count as "Moe"? Wikipedia's definition of it is very nebulous (and adds more fire to my previous post, too).)


Your daily MoE! (Mall of the Emirates)
merthsoft wrote:
This picture makes me smile:
(Does this count as "Moe"?
By the criteria I'm working from, sure. I might disagree on the exact nature, but see below.

merthsoft wrote:
Wikipedia's definition of it is very nebulous (and adds more fire to my previous post, too).)
I think Wikipedia does a good job of outlining the somewhat nebulous nature of the concept. Exactly what constitutes "moe" in my mind is determined by the viewer. It's entirely reasonable that some may conjoin moe with more unsavoury (to the general population-- I want to avoid making a moral judgement here) concepts such as lo‍licon (a connection which Wikipedia notes), but ultimately I feel that exactly what "moe" means must be determined subjectively.

AHelper wrote:
Your daily MoE! (Mall of the Emirates)
This thread went to an interesting place. It's now puns mixed with a serious debate. I like it.
Getting back in the groove, here's a curious Chitanda.
Kyouko again. She saw something she really liked.
It's the anime that stole my alias, Tari Tari!
I have something to contribute:
Akarin~!
Presented without comment.
I found this on /r/anime this morning.
http://images.postling.com/8/83e/g_fullxfull.55338.jpg
Quote:
[22:42:33] <@Merth> You haven't posted a daily moe in a while, you know.
[22:42:40] < Tari> this is true
[22:45:10] <@Merth> I stumbled upon it today and noticed the "daily" part had fallen.
[22:45:23] < AHelper0> topic rename?
[22:45:30] <@Merth> "Occasional Moe"

Okay. Here's a bit of Working!! x Chuunibyo crossover.

Moe Harkless, plays for Orlando Magic.
Tari wrote:
Presented without comment.
http://i.minus.com/ijzEO0z4XC3JO.jpg


You are having a bad problem and you will not go to space today.

Also, Merth wins the thread.
Bit of a thread revival here.

Dennou Coil =D

As Day[9] might say, "Look at all the little probies!"
  
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