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Ok, I'm finally adding something here.

Why do I like anime?

First, an aside on television and movies in general...

At this point I must have watched over 40,000 hours of television. It's gotten so that for any TV show or movie I can predict the entire plot within about five minutes. The Crying Game? Give me a break, like you couldn't see that one coming from a mile away. On top of that, movies and television these days have degenerated into insipid teen shows or "real-life" dramas, or endless sequels. Not that I blame them, I understand the market forces that have driven industry into this situation. However, the shows are still utterly boring. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is by far the most interesting thing to come on in years, now that B5 is over.

Ah, but enter Japanese programming. First, it's from a different culture. Sure, samuraii dramas are as corny and formulaic as westerns, but at least they're different. I can't get enough of Abarenbo Shogun. It's got courage and chivalry, action sequences, and humour. That last bit is really important, because Japanese shows don't follow the conventions of American shows. After all, did you ever see a funny western? Or how about a good comedy-drama, like Masters of Taste? American shows are either serious drama, or they're silly sitcoms. That's why shows like Buffy and Ally McBeal are so good - they're fun to watch!