Bite Me, Fanboy*!
by Heather Sommer

It’s every true fan’s worst nightmare: a pack of giggling, American teenage girls, all at that age where puberty is just rearing its ugly, pimply head – pointing excitedly at a particular male J-pop phenomenon’s image (forget that ‘idolatry’ clause in the Commandments, right?) or newly discovered anime series. Probably a series that you saw three years ago, fan-subbed and directly from Japan, before these girls even gave up on the ‘boys have cooties’ frame of mind. Maybe you were in your favorite ‘mom and pop’ comic book and game shop, simply browsing or chatting with the owner when they came in: two males, probably in their early 20’s (and, you surmise, still living in mom’s basement), engaged in a heated debate about why 2nd edition is where it’s at and preaching that Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 is a bastardization of all that Gary and Dungeons and Dragons 2nd edition stood for. (Here we learn much of THAC0 – and circular reasoning.) Realizing, after a few hours, that they agree with one another, the topic switches to something at least as utterly boring and pointless, involving Cat Woman and her many incarnations versus MJ and who is sexier? Why? Who would win in a catfight? Who would have scored better on the ‘Science’ section of the ACT?

Why do we care?

There’s no ‘we’ about it – the majority of us don’t. But it might be high time we do. Remember in grade school when the kids who got the good grades were ‘schoolies’ or ‘teacher’s pets’? Suddenly no one wanted to be smart. The ones who were, naturally, tried their best to hide it – purposefully avoiding answering questions in class when called upon (or giving an obviously incorrect answer) and never, ever raising hands or reading a book that looked too thick. Fanboys and fangirls are the true ‘teacher’s pets’, giving the rest of us (who do occasionally study and almost always pass) a bad reputation.

It’s an epidemic. Like the Bubonic Plague of old, it’s spreading like wildfire. (Just wait ‘til creepy children’s rhymes are written about hysterical fans going too far!) Some groups are making an organized effort to combat this dangerous trend using word of mouth. One such organized effort is the crew at ANTI fangirl-ism [respect the artist]**. A relatively unknown group with growing numbers, the purpose of ANTI fangirl-ism is to fight, well, fangirlism, and gain back what respect popular Japanese musicians have lost in the eyes of non-fangirls.

Musicians aren’t the only ones suffering, however. Leaving the realm of the music industry and traveling to that of the video game industry, we see the same symptoms of fangirlism (and fanboyism): squealing, drooling, wishing, babbling and, less often, violence. If for no other reason, the disgust should be enough to propel initiatives to stop this threat to video gamers everywhere (store owners appreciate their own uncontrollable vomiting on the sales floor perhaps less than they appreciate the actual fangirls/boys). Besides that, the whole reputation issue is at stake: why be viewed as obsessed and pathetic excuses for humans when the truth is that we just enjoy the aesthetic and entertainment aspects of the industry? It’s hardly fair.

In more extreme cases, the reputation of video game developers would be at stake, too. Instead of being revered as the creative geniuses they are, they would face the stigma of an obsessed fanboy/girl who just happens to have made a career out of a hobby. Perhaps they already do – to parents, grandparents and some professors. The truth being that extensive training, patience and talent is needed to become even the worst video game developer (that is, the worst video game developer still getting paid to develop). And here I point out that even playtesters are more than die-hard fans. Many are paid well to play beta-stage video games and find all sorts of bugs, programming errors and continuity issues. It’s not easy and it also requires training, patience and a knack for being that pain in the butt who finds all the problems he or she doesn’t have to fix. It’s not a job for everyone and it is certainly not easy.

Dealing with problematic fans that indirectly tarnish the reputation of an entire (lucrative) industry - now that’s hardly fair. Much like a disturbed youth blaming Marilyn Manson, the film industry or Diablo 2 for putting a hamster in the microwave, the creative team can hardly foot the troubles caused by deeply troubled fangirls/boys fairly. Where Marilyn Manson and other ‘shock’ artists receives criticism for the youth’s actions, true fans and creative teams alike hear all the commotion, complaints and whining the fanboys/girls have caused.

I don’t mind being called a dork. A nerd. A gamer. But when it comes to the messes you’ve left, I say simply, “Bite me, fanboy*.” You’re only hurting the industry.


Notes, Credit and Other Such Pandemonium
*Or ‘fangirl’ – this epidemic doesn’t discrimate.
**@ http://neo-grotesque.net/anti/

In a way im like let people do what they do. But The faboy/girlism really hurts a product. One of the most hurt games would have to be ff7. Many people hate it becuase the masses love it. Dragonballz would be another thing.

reply to feary's second post< Is a trigun fanboy

I agree! And other anime series, such as Trigun, Naruto, Sailor Moon [though I dislike it, I could see it being fun] and NGE. Horribly, horribly beaten upon by fanboys/girls.

Really? I never noticed that masses has actually HURT the game. I hated FF7 because of the materia system and the characters that I had trouble relating to. As for DBZ...heheh I liked it to a small degree.

As for the Media fangirl/boys, I think its typical. You can't really stop them, they'll kill you if you dare say otherwise. I once told my friend Lindsay that "Orlando Bloom isn't all THAT great in my opinion" and she threw off into a 20 minute speech about how she wanted to lick his pecs. >.<

I myself can't say I hate them with a passion because I am a fangirl for Elijah Wood. xD

Well... I'm a big fangirl of just about any good-looking anime male that strikes a feeling in me ^^;; that is a damn lot but the point is, I'm a fangirl... as in the squealing, screeching, drooling kind. But I only do that occasionally and when in front of my computer. By saying that all fangirls are bad is a bit... not so nice for fangirls like me... the closet fangirls. (PS. I'm a fangirl of something else as well but it's not nice to put it down here)

True that fangirlism and fanboyism can annoy and make people feel like strangling them, but does it really hurt the anime/game/music involved? And no doubt part of the sales of albums, games, animes comes from these people you call fangirls and fanboys no? While it boosts the sales in this way, it hurts the reputation of the product because it got a bunch of fangirls and fanboys who thinks that the product is worth worshipping? So I think fangirls and fanboys are not all that bad, although they are hard to converse with when the topic is their worshipped object.

THACO PWNS YOUR SOUL!!!! well not really. Excellent article. One day we can hope for the cure for fanboy/girlism as it is hurting all industries.

I am a TCG gamer, as well as a Rper.. Fanboyism need not apply.

Monty

Great points, everyone! [And thanks, Monty.]

'Closet' fangirls I'm not even considering 'fangirls' in the sense that the article mentions them. If you screech, drool, idolize on your OWN and don't try to force it on others, that is perfectly fine!

'Fangirls' [IMO] are the ones that do all of this in public, along with many other creepy tendencies - and they are the ones that make you want to either 1) gag or 2) leave the chatroom and forsake humanity.

I get 'fangirlish' when alone, too [or with my friend Kristen] - but we both realize how pathetic we are being and laugh about it. Yami Yugi, anyone?

And Orlando Bloom isn't that great - but Legolas is. He is very pretty. And that bow ... but the actor is just another guy. Seriously. I know exactly what you mean about Bloom fangirls. I keep my 'Elven desire' comments to myself, for the most part.

He would be right, 3.5 is a bastardization of all that Gary and Dungeons and Dragons 2nd edition stood for.

Nice Editorial Faery I always love reading your stuff. I do hope for a cure soon, it's only going to get bigger.

I hate these kind of people, so many anime's ruined.... It happened to the punk image to, Me and my freinds have been dressing with the flanel shirts and bracelets since we heard DOA in the 4th grade, now bands like good charlotte have ruined it cuz the preps get wind that its "cool" and they all start copying what I've been doing for years. FF7 is hated to by alot of people that havent even played it, Just cuz so many people love it.

I do agree with other 'images' being ruined by fanboys/girls - but I wonder if labeling a particular group of people 'preps' [or anything similar] is sort of encouraging fanboy/girl behavior [of that type].

I severely dislike any labelling. Something I feel strongly about.

This is kinda like politics!

I heard a quote somewhere along the lines of "If a game or show is small, rare or unpopular, it will have a huge fanbase". I know I kind of botched it, but it's a great point. Look at xenogears. Famous among nerds, despised by the mainstream gamer.

I'd have to agree once more, though some games shine through such things. For instance halo, HUGE fanbase that game has, but is still adored by many and perhaps many more in the future. Because i believe games suffer just as much as tv shows too.
I don't watch shows like Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokemon, Digimon, Beyblade, or any of the hundreds of 'monster fighting' type shows - but only because is basically the same idea, different characters - not necessarily because the masses watch them.

I, for one, think it's great anytime people get excited about Anime or gaming. Does their excitment lessen your enjoyment of the entertainment? What is a "true fan" anyways? American Teenage girls giggling about J-Pop phenomenon? Maybe I'm just out of touch, but I wasn't aware that American teenagers even KNEW of J-pop. I didn't think they could see past Eminem and Brittany Spears (or whoever is popular on the top 40 charts right now). Give it 10 years, you won't think there is such a thing as "true fans" either and no-one else's excitement about something you hold dear will have any effect on your enjoyment of it.

On the other hand. I enjoyed the article and it definitely made me giggle. BTW, before I get flamed, I was being tongue-in-cheek about the B. Spears and Eminem thing.

I recieved resistance as a 6 year old kid from my mother because I played old timey dos games instead of making friends with the neighbors dog or eating dirt. (she never noticed I was the one that played with their dog more than the owners )She resisted video games (said with a voice covered in ice), because it consumed people and kept them focused while the world existed outside of the video games. Of course, people like her, like my old timey relatives, also find equal disgust in video games, anime, and such, long before all of these idiot people and their stupidity started being flooded into the local media. So there will always be people who hate what what we enjoy, even if what we enjoy taught us what a Mhz is while they wouldn't know D:\ if it came up and bite them on their fat asses.

you make me proud girl.

Well some people hate anime's some people can't stand them! For some people like computers and others only use and got no clue about them! These are different people yet some are the same you can't hate all anime all the time now can you that would take forever to watch every single anime ever made! If you did i think atlest one person would find one that they like. As i was saying my friend likes playing cs,starcraft, and Diablo II.He has no idea about computers just like yesterday he asked me if you could get viruses from going to webpages[the awnser YES] He seems to be so freaked out but look at how many pages arn't filled with viruses these things rarly happen. The agian mabey those who use viruse try to teach a thing or 2 to people who know nothing to people like my friend? If you think about that you will see that my friend isn't a nerd he is just a little slow somtimes haha j/k . He thinks that his computer is invincible just because he got all this virus stuff and stuff but is that true? I mean our virus protection can't protect agianst other crountrys can they? They are made from the U.S. and they are far less skilled then the Japense with tecknology any ways! Well i have to say this some people are fanish but you can only really put fanish to an extent till you have no idea what you are talking about! I mean ok there are shows i like like Trigun Outlawstar and a ton of other shows! But my friend doesn't like them this is my computer friend! He hasn't even seen one and he says he doesn't like them! In my openion there are people who hate animies because they have seen them and tehy don't lik them and there are those who just flat out don't like animes! But do they have the right to say fanish when they havn't even seen any of the shows we like?! Well I've made this saying mabey it stinks but it's sounds smart so here we go!

If you don't understand me i ask you not to try, and if you do understand me i ask you why!

Try paragraph separation and spellcheck, dumbass.

I do agree; fanboy/fangirlism is bad. And I believe it does hurt whatever is being fanboy/fangirled. The world at large will despise the fans, and not want to become one of them, and not risk that by not becoming involved. That's why I didn't ever get into Britney or NSync or Backstreet Boys or any of that. It's not why I hate FF7, though; I hate it because it's overrated, just like any other RPG, and is idolized.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that the fans do ruin what they're fans of. I never want to see a pro football game for fear I sit next to that shirtless guy with the purple and yellow paint all over his fat body.

I think that we should just leave them alone. People are free to do whatever they want. and if they want to say that they love something, there is no way that we can stop it. but then again, i hate it when people like a certain actor/actress, just because they like one of the characters they played. like Orlando Bloom. i'm not really sure if he's that great of a guy, but he did do good playing some of his characters!

I might get annoyed at them, but i wouldn't want to stop anyone from doing it. i'd rather have squealing then some nasty things said from perverted minds. and how does it hurt the game, etc.? if you don't at least try something just because of all those fans, then you guys must be dumb. 'never judge a book by it's cover' or in this case 'a game by it's fans.'

Damn straight! Fangirlism is a DANGEROUS threat. I used to read Harry Potter. Then they made a movie and it all went down the crapper. I tossed the books and purged the memory files out of pure spite. Why? Because of fangirlism. I would not participate in such over-hyped iblith. If it weren't for fangirlism, I might still read Harry Potter, but it's too much now. I can never go back. I hope this teaches you all about the danger of rampant fans, and stupid people in large numbers.

Great article. You hit the nail on the head.

I still think that it is kind of stupid not to try something, or give up something that you loved (or liked) just because of Fangirl/boyism. just because they like it and rampage about it, doesn't mean that YOU have to stop liking whatever it is that they like. I didn't stop watching DBZ just because it was so famous, i stopped cause it wasn't as good as it used to be.

I also didn't stop any of the games i was playing just because of the fans. it was because i was bored of that game. Fangirl/boyism shouldn't HAVE to hurt the games. if we all just play it or stop playing it cause we want to, we wouldn't have to worry about the 'threat of fangirl/boyism.'

hmm, kids will be kids, and they can only be young once. Why put them down so hard for -- for being youths?

I was one of those kids who was obssessed with anime and FF series since I was a baby. I did just about everything you mentioned, but I did something more. I started taking Japanese lesson after school since grade 5, and I am now finishing off a degree in Japanese cultural studies. I saved my allowances to take drawing lessons in grade school, hoping that I will become a manga artist. My parents opposed to it, so I had to stop drawing lessons, but I never stopped drawing.

I think kids who like anime/ games do the things they do because they are kids, which is not a crime. I eventually grew out of the obssessive-collecting and childish debates and squeeling and squirmings; but my Japanese language and drawing skills stayed with me. I've translated some pre-WWII Japanese literatures into English last semester; I now watch anime without subtitles; I drew a 7-pages shonenai donjin for FF7 (a few years back when SSC was up), I've drew about 800 frames of original story boarding, I am also working on two original storyline for manga (hence the storyboardings). I do these things now because I like anime/ games and I am an adult. I am still a game/ anime fan, I am no more or less "true" fan than when I was an elementary school kid, the only thing changed is my social maturity.

BTW, I think people who hate games/ anime because kids get obssessed, are at the same level as the obssessed kids: hatre itself is an obssession. When they are done obssessing over these entertainment/ artistic icons, maybe they will open their eyes and see the real reasons behind the youth's problem. The hatred is a result of their own prejudices and lack of social awareness, I find it silly to blame the fans. It's like saying it's the Jew's fault that the Nazi buy into social darwinism.

Obssessed kids occasionally grow up the wrong way; some grow up to stalk celebrities, shoot them up (like John Lennon) then proceed to spend the rest of their life in prison. The killer of Lennon blamed the novel catcher_in_the_rye. A Japanese otaku kidnapped, molested, then cannibalized half a dozen of elementary school girls, then send the gruesome remains of his victim to the girl's parents. He blamed it on anime series _Evangelions. In both cases, the murderers claimed that they commited the crime because they identify with the protagonists of the fictions; that's their excuse, their "justifications." But any reasonable person will easily conclude that the real culprit is not the artworks. A psychopath will say just about anything to get himself off the death row.

So no, I don't really agree with the article. If anybody is really hurting from this, I think it's the kids. I don't care what they obssess over, it can be piano, FF7, Ayumi Hamasaki, classical music, baseball, even math. Spending too much time obssessing means less time to learn social skills, which, unfortunately, many a american kids will end up catching up in prison. Anime/ games get a bad rap not because these kids don't miraculously grew up okay; anime/ games get a bad rap because people generally like to avoid addressing the real issues and would rather find any scapegoat to blame.

Oooh, I agree completely, Guest dude. You put it perfectly into perspective.

I also agree with you Guest! you could say what you felt way better than i did!

It's a fair enough article, but I don't see any proof or explainations as to how the industry is being hurt -- I know the phenomenon of fangirl/fanboy, and I know how annoying they can be, but do you speak of general evils or are there particular ills to resent?

I admit, while an avid gamer, I've stayed away from fan communities after an unpleasant stint during high school -- now I prefer to enjoy anime and RPG's at a leisurely pace and in one-on-one situations (far too influenced and discouraged by the opinions of others).

Because of that, I may be missing something, so I think that more detail for those who aren't well-versed fans would be much appreciated. Because while points were made clearly, I don't think they were backed up very well.

I agree, and disagree.....I'm a HUGE fan girl.....mostly the FF people though....(example: Kuja, Tidus, Irvine, Squall, Seifer, Blank, Locke, and such), but we like them, we don't go too far(or at least I don't) I just play the game over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over until I'm over them, and have found a new Idol....of course, that's just me....

I'd have to agree... Sort of. Well, I'm a fangirl at heart ((mmm.. Elk. Tsukasa... @_@)) and am overly obsessed with a lot of things but don't go overboard. Most games, such as Final Fantasy as mentioned before, are extreamly overrun by fanboys/girls. So it's a 50/50.

How in the hell is fangirl/boyism a "dangerous threat?" Aside from, perhaps, being trampled. If you stop liking something you once liked just because of what other people think, then you're more stupid than the "stupid people." You let what other people like dictate what you do or don't like? You're a puppet, too. In trying so hard to be an anti-fanboy, you're just as controlled by other people's thoughts and actions.

Like what you want to like. If 50 other people like it or 50 million other people like it, so what? Do whatever makes you happy. THEN you won't be a fanboy.

I would have to agree that fanboy/girlism is hurting anime and games. I am not concerned with the peole who stop liking something just because it's popular now. The problem I encounter are the people who watch one popular anime like Pokemon and decide all anime is like that and never give any others a shot. I have not been able to get my girlfriend to watch Cowboy Bebop (my favorite) because she saw one episode of DBZ at her cousin's house and decided all anime was like that.

i agree completely, your absaloutly correct

This is where I feel that most of you are wrong. Fan-boys and girls are the ones who buy the games, and make more money for the companies. It's people like you who detour possibly future gamers from actually playing these well loved games. So what of someone loves a game enough to talk about it all the time, that means that it's a really good game. And if you don't like listening to them talking, bite your tounge, sit on your hands and deal with it, or just leave the room. It's the same with music and anime. You may not like it enough to actually have a conversation to someone about it, but that dosen't mean that someone else might.

I agree with what HyperMeca and the other guests are saying. Those of you who say you hate fan boys and girl, you can just follow what other people say and end up being a follower, which is the worst kind of loser available.

The companies are not being hurt by this phenomenon, if anything they are gaining. By these people talking about it all the time, other people see that the game/anime/music is cool and decide to look into it. After I started watching anime and playing games, I decided to start learning the Japanese language and challenge myself with something new, and I'm glad I did. It's opened my mind to another culture, different ideas, and a new cusine at the same time .

I applaud all fan boys and fan girls for their undying support, if not for you, I wouldn't be ranting about how cool you are I am 100% fan girl and damn proud of it!

One more thing...Bite me anti fan boy/girl

To the one who posted before me...Life would have been easy if things were like that. Fanboys doing this and that, however what difference is there of being a fan and a fanboy/girl. You see its like this....fanboys/girls get together, so like they share the same interests however those who dont share their interest are somewhat uncool or not in the fad. Some get even scary to the point that they discriminate those who have different interests as such. An ex. would be *note no offense FF7 fans^^;;* :"OMG FF7 is so cool, I just love Cloud and Sephiroth is so cool. Any other FF games suck big time!! FFT or FF8? Whoever plays those games are gays bleh"<----like I said it was just another of those worst case scenario.

Yes, it's scary, isn't it. Just like those who are scary enough to the point that they discriminate against fanboy/girl...

"Look at those fans, they are so [insert insults/ judgments/ criticisms...]"

So like...are you saying every human being on this planet is a fanboy? You seem to missing a point in the definition of fanboyism.

I think why fanboys/fangirls make things bad for the industries we take interest in (games, anime, etc.), is the social stigma that plagues them, henceforth all their interests. Also, it's bad for the consumer too. I could tell someone "Yeah, I like to play video games and watch anime" and often times the 1st thing many people think is "Oh my god, they play video games and watch anime. They have no life whatsoever and never will".

The only problem is, well, many of us do. Some of us even leave the house. Sadly enough, when we go and socialize with people and hobbies come up, well... see the previous paragraph.

My problem is not being a diehard fan of something, it's thinking that every other human on the planet is interested in it.

Also, just because some fanboys/fangirls like something doesn't nessisarily mean you shouldn't. I like FF7. Sure, it has it's faults like every other game if not for the mere fact that it was made by the most imperfect thing to grace this planet, humans. Sure, the fanboys/fangirls like it too... I can see why really.

As you can see, what peeves me about fanboys/fangirls isn't nessisarily that they take their love for something a little to far. It's that they create a bad image for the few of us who, as stated in the article, take pleasure in these kinds of things without going overboard on it.

Im sorry i read that post and all i can think of is....what the hell are you rambling about! I was totally lost on what you were trying to say. Can somone explain more clearly to those who have a smaller brain.

Yes I agree with the fanboy/girlism thing. Some people don't like something just 'cause everyone else loves it. (They should really try it themselves. I wouldn't blame them if that game wasn't their taste.)

Other people just like something 'cause everyone else likes it, like Orlando Bloom (he looks great in LOTR but really, no offense, he isn't all that great... but it's just my opinion). Sometimes one really popular game (like FF7) everyone is so obsessed with, that that's the only thing they think about. I mean, there are other games out there that are pretty good (if not, better) than one of these popular hits. It's not fair how just 'cause many people like something, and because of that, other people would like it too so that they'd have something to talk about. And if you talk about another game that's not as popular as what's at the top but it's really good, they'd be like: "ew, you like that?" or "what... i've never heard of it"

So, I think that the fanboy/girls not only ruin the anime/game/other itself, but ruin the other industries that didn't get positive feedback from those fanboys/girls. Some of those "other" games have great stories and graphics but may not have something that fanboys/girls look for (ex. a hot character or a sweet story) -or just 'cause it's not popular, it's not a bad game. I think people should explore a wider range of things, and not just one thing (like a different type of game, or a different game in the same catergory -ex. rpg -because one doesn't represent all).

But that's just what I've seen (fanboys/girls with close minds) so I might be bias.

I think you put it excellently the suffering of the commen fangirl or fanboy as i speak from experence. And i await more terrific input on the dramatic one sided view on the fanboy.

I sort of agree, and I sort of disagree. This isn't a black-and-white issue, and a lot of it involves how greatly one measures the opinions of others in regards to oneself.

The example of Harry Potter which was brought up in a post above is an excellent example of this. Back when it was just a series of novels, it had a certain base of fans, who had certain opinions on the series and how it should and shouldn't be. The movies went against the opinions, and so many of these fans left the series. But even more of them, I think, gave up on the series after people began to associate Harry Potter with the commercial aspects of the franchise, which were mostly targetting a very young audience. People no longer wanted to be associated with the series because, in many cases, to do so meant to face a sort of offhanded contempt from those around them, who viewed it now as being something childish.

Were these ex-fans idiots? In my opinion, no. Different people react differently to the contempt of those around them, and for some, it matters more to feel accepted than to be able to enjoy the things that they like. I can't belittle these people, knowing how hard it must have been on them to make this choice.

And this applies to other things as well. Generally (and especially among younger people), when something becomes well-known, the majority will label it either "cool" or "not cool," and those who enjoy this thing become labelled along with it. Fanboys/girls are just a very small aspect of this trend; in the eyes of the "labellers," they place things into a negative context, and can make something gain a similarly negative stigma.

The D&D example used in the article illustrates this trend rather well. Are all D&D players like the ones descibed in the article? Of course not. But the mainstream opinion of D&D is that they are, and therefore, anyone who plays D&D runs the risk of being tagged as a futureless nerd and an utter bore to talk to. Personally, I can stand these sorts of labels, because I feel that those who give them aren't worth associating with anyways. But if someone else feels and choses differently, I can't rightly judge them for it, can I?

Before I get into this, I'd just like to say something: All you guests, would it not hurt to register before you posted?

Alright, fan-boy and fan-girlism. Labelling of a sort, right there. I dont like it, i cant help it. Makes it easier to identify.

I, myself, am a huge FFX fan. Because I loved the game. I took it to my heart, and call me a fool for it, and I love it. Yes, I splurt my love around, but it didnt take my life over 100%, only for a month or too.

These fan-boys and fan-girls you speak of - I think of them only as that they must be the fools who go insane, go so crazy with energy that it scares you. The ones like the lady who killed herself because she thought she was in the matrix. Or the lady who went searching in the snow for a treasure she though was in a movie and died of starvation.

The people who take it so deeply into them, they believe that they need to do something drastic like the aforementioned matrix and treasurehunting peoples. Theyre the ones who go too far.

I have to say, I think many people are victim to fanboy and fangirlism. Saying that these people of all ages do this for just videogames, anime, board games, is wrong. It actually goes for anything. Some people are like this about planes, languages, school, driving, love, or sports, and religion too.

I think dislike for these fan-people comes from when we dont like something because we just didnt like it, and they splurt their love even when we hated it. Well, its part of it. Its happened to me, and by the gods, I know ive done it too.

Its also true that these people both hurt and help the game companies. Yes, they shell out the money for guides, shirts, clothing, the International Versions, the special DVDs, and the company makes way more money. But they can also hurt the company. Its the kind of people who try to pull a stunt from GTA by having a high-way shoot out that gives games the bad names from the people like Ralph Nader (was it him who said videogames make young people do bad things?)

I feel like Ive made no sense, and Im sorry for that. Ill probably get flamed for something in here, but I dont mind. Ill go on a bit longer.

I think we all retain that something from when you dont want to be 'teachers pet' or 'four-eyes' or 'smarty pants'. Nobody wants to be that and true fans stray away from them. I know I've raved about FFX and FFVII, but only because I liked them. I know perfectly well alot of people may not like them, and now that I've read this topic I'll keep that in mind.

But the topic of fan-peoples is huge and wide. Theres too many kinds of them. I dont think it will hurt the industry, and sometimes they CAN be dangerous and deadly, but those are few and widespread (I HOPE).

I know everybody has their oppinion on this. The many (*cough*unregistered*cough*) guests had many, FaErY had hers, and all the other people who posted in this topic had theirs. As with all things in life, I dont think everybody will ever be the same - and that means all we can do is go on accepting that there are those obsessionists out there. Being one myself, I know my reason about talking about it is A. to get other people to play it and share in its goodness and B. just to talk about it. All I ask is that you anti-fan-peoples at least listen to or try out whats being raved about, without the biased view. If you still dont like it, fine, but just because everybody loves it doesnt mean it sucks. And vice versa.

Again, I feel like I've rambled on too long, about too many things, and made no sense. Sorry if I did any of those things. This is my oppinion, I hope it does something other than annoy.

A fanboy/fangirl is somebody who does something and takes it to another level. Example is there are the gamers who like to game, there are those that really love to, and there are those that game for a living, practically.

with all due respect, i'm straining to find the point in this article... is there a missing 2nd page somewhere?

yes, fanboys/girls are an annoyance, this is obvious and well known, but what do you suggest be done about it?

fanboy\fangirl is basically cuz they love it. i'm not a fanboy or such, but i know to keep a limit on many. i only diss it if it too complaied or it just a copy verison of another that i saw a while back. and if guys started talking about cat woman and MJ from Spiderman, then it mean they're dreaming again.

damnit, it fu**ed it up ><
okay ppl, ignore my above post and this one... or die!!! (O_O)
have a nice day.

(Not registering because new regsistration not being accepted!!)

The fanboy/fangirl phenomenon is hardly new and certainly isn't confined to any particular genre.

I may be one of the oldest anime fan/rpg gamer folks on the planet, so old that the first time I was personally embarrassed by fangirls was during the Beatles era. Imagine being a sane, rational young teen surrounded by the SCREAMING, drooling, fainting, brain-dead hysteria that was "Beatlemania". Well, friends and neighbors, it didn't hurt the franchise a bit. It half-killed the musicians, themselves, but not the "product". And since we're dealing objects of hysterical affection who are either fictional (anime & game characters) or virtually inaccessible to 99% of American and Brit fanboys (J-pop stars), you're at least not going to get the human wreckage spawned by rock idolatry.

Anime and games are both sharply divided into "for the fanboy" and "for the genuine fan" camps. For every "Yu-gi-oh", there's an "Escaflowne" lurking in the shadows. For each FF7, there's a Suikoden. They're always going to be more obscure, but isn't the true fan's delight found in digging past the dirt to the gold nugget?

Of course fanboys and fangirls are annoying, but they can afford the rest of us some great moments -- especially the non-typical anime fan/gamer amongst us. You haven't lived until you've brightened some poor bored geek kid's (and I say that affectionately) day at the game store counter by being the only silver-haired little old lady he's ever met who can intelligently discuss the Lunar series!

Kamchatka
@fanfiction.net

WAAAH!!
Good topic.
Agree partially.
I love anime, rpg's, video games and manga, but I never caught myself drooling dorkly or acting like a stupid fanboy...¬¬; And besides (at least where I live) people don't get wrong ideas about who likes this stuff just because some freaky nerds pass on a bad image...I think that kind of prejudice is exclusive of some places. Like the US, where all that kids want in high-school is to be popular, and if they are not their life becomes living hell and one fine day they come into class with a loaded gun and kill everybody in there class...
I am very thankful that here in Brazil(\o/) people are more open, maybe because rpgs and animes are more popular (not restricted to small groups), and the only synonim to drooling nerds is Tibia (that I personally compare to a fast-spreading lethal disease), the infamous online rpg...
Maybe I'm just wrong and wrote a lot of nonsense here but I was just looking 'round the net for some stuff and found the post interesting and decided to post^^;


...........shichisokuseiku.............

i for one agree a little, most animes etc. have been ruined by fangirls/boys,
but if it wasnt for fangirls/boys i doubt they would have created all 10+ final fantasys, no? i may not be right...
i would probably be classed as a nerd/geek but i am not a true fan or fanboy of anything, i either like it or dislike it...
sometimes when i watch the fangirls/boys react to celebrities etc. i just want to grab them by the collar/neck and ask them 'why do you scream and cry, just because uve seen someone/something?!?''

I find it interesting that we live in a stoic society with romantic media.

Let me explain: Popular movies, games etc involve strong emotions. Most are actually love stories
somehow but not all. While its ok for someone in book, film, anime, or game to express emotions in fact not many media star stoic personalities.

But, anyone with a passion or a strong emotion is considered annoying, disturbed, obsessive, etc. Couples having PDA's are seen as rarities. Deeply religous people are supposed to be either terrorists or fanatics and must be marginalized.

People passionate about some art or artist or genre are seen as fanboys/fangirls. I happen to be a huge tolkien fanatic, yeah the guy who WILL tell you why it should have been Glorfindel instead of Arwen at the last bridge. I'm the guy angry that Tom Bombadil was removed from the film as was the scouring of the shire.

And yeah i will argue with anyone else willing to share thier opinion on the movie. And if onlookers have a problem with intellectual debate then $#@! em.

Though i am polite enough to wait till outside of the theater. I can understand disliking the A$$wipes who talk during a movie, but those are not limited to fans.

We are the people who keep something alive even before and after everyone else abandons it (ever hear of Shadowrun? ever hear of Neo-Geo?). We are the people who bought X-Men before the movie or animated cartoon. I still remeber in middle school getting picked on for liking anime. Then in high school still being picked on despite the fact that dragon ball became popular (an anime i grew out of and moved on).

So yeah i find your article offensive, I find it facist and consider you as bad as the KKK. have a nice day :)

Our Guest here makes a very good point, whether he or she intended to or not: at what point does being a fan become fanboy/girlism? I have an idea of how I rate it, but to each person it may be a less or more extreme action that offends.

I do not feel that intellectual debates, when consentual, entail fanboy/girlism in the least. As for talking during movies, that's just rude (unless it's a mere 'Hey, grab me a Pepsi' or 'I'm going to the bathroom - be right back' - hey, sometimes stuff comes up).

And not only fangirls are into yaoi. I think Shuichi is a cutie and I avoid fangirlish acts at all possible lengths. Trust me - I just spent last weekend at Anime Reactor in Rosemont, IL. Though a primarily adult convention, there were a disturbing number of individuals who struck me as fanboy/girls. Don't get me wrong, for the most part they were atleast polite; just a little frightening.

... And yes, folks, this does mean I am back. Watch for a new editorial in the coming weeks. Maybe a couple.

Oh, and I would just like to state that, yes, I have played 'Shadowrun' quite extensively and held a NeoGeo. Thank you and good evening.