Find the Anime Challenge

[jasin]

I was browsing the Paizo website and found this picture:

http://paizo.com/image/content/GameMasteryModules/7.-DariusFinch.jpg

A Google Image Search for "paizo" includes this on the first page:

http://www.eva-widermann.de/i/151.jpg

I've yet to see anything connected with 4th edition that looks to me as strongly influenced by anime as these two. I think this is particularly interesting since there seem to be a number of people who hope for Paizo to become a sort of rallying point of "old school D&D" (for values of "old school D&D" equal to "3.x D&D" I suppose).

Now, this is in no way a dig at Paizo or the two images. I love 'em (both Paizo and the images). It's just that I wonder if the people bothered about anime influences in 4E are really bothered by anime influences, or if that's just an expression of a more general and undefinable dislike for 4E.

 

[Klaus]

I could not be more in disagreement with you. Easley in particular is still pretty much unsurpassed when it comes to full-page fantasy action, and while I don't normally like Elmore, that Dragonlance cover remains one of his best works IMO. I remember just staring at that dracolich picture, drinking in every detail. 2ed PHB if I recall?

Edit: sorry for the hijack Hussar.

The Dracolich was included as one of the binder separators in the 2e Monstrous Manual.

 

[TwinBahamut]

Can we just declare this contest over? The conclusions are obvious.

1) D&D art isn't anime influenced in anything more than trace amounts. It has been influenced by comic art, which has some cross pollination with japan, but that's an anime influence several times removed at best, and diluted by so many other influences that its pointless to mention.
2) Still, D&D art has changed over the years.
3) It is now more character oriented.
4) And more action oriented.
5) And scenery shots tend to be just scenery, without characters in them.
6) Some (usually older) players don't like this change.
7) So they complain about it.
8) Because they're old players, they slur the changes by calling them "anime." This is the gamer equivalent of an old man proclaiming that "music this days isn't music, its just noise!"
9) Even though they choose to verbalize their complaints through comments that reveal them as completely out of touch, their preferences are legitimate and should be balanced against the preferences of other players.

Yep, I agree completely.

Certainly, D&D art has changed a lot over the years. I never even played 2E, yet I can tell pre-2E art from 3E art. There is certainly a difference. Many people don't like that change.

Not liking the change, or not liking D&D art, is perfectly fine. I certainly don't like 3E art, and all my arguing that 3E art is not anime-influenced is never intended to be a defense of bad 3E art. Actually, I think I have said before that I would like to see more anime influence in D&D art.

The problem here is that people who don't understand anime are saying "anime=bad", and using it as an insult against something which has no clear anime influence. And that is making anime fans like me angry.

We have no problem with people making all the valid complaints about 3E art. We just don't want people to improperly use the word "anime" in the process.

 

[Faraer]

I remember just staring at that dracolich picture, drinking in every detail. 2ed PHB if I recall?

It's the cover to Ed Greenwood's first novel Spellfire, showing Rauglothgor's lair in the Thunder Peaks, with (foreground, left to right) Shandril Shessair, Florin Falconhand, Narm Tamaraith, and Elminster of Shadowdale.

 

[Dragonbait]

I agree with TwinBahamut and Cadfan

The problem here is that people who don't understand anime are saying "anime=bad", and using it as an insult against something which has no clear anime influence. And that is making anime fans like me angry.

We have no problem with people making all the valid complaints about 3E art. We just don't want people to improperly use the word "anime" in the process.

I was going to say something very similar to this.

Hm.. Since according to this thread, anime=bad then the interior art in the 1st ed AD&D PH, MM1, and DMG and the crayon-like drawings in the revised 2ed PH and DMG were anime influenced!

 

[Seeten]

I have a strong dislike of anime art, and a real love for Wayne A Reynolds art.

So there.?

 

[Numion]

Very interesting thread.

I should make a similar thread on the popular 3E detractors claim that if you fiddle with / houserule 3E rules, it all comes apart (balancewise, that is). Both this anime claim and that one always seem to stop short of actual proof being presented.

 

[Klaus]

It's the cover to Ed Greenwood's first novel Spellfire, showing Rauglothgor's lair in the Thunder Peaks, with (foreground, left to right) Shandril Shessair, Florin Falconhand, Narm Tamaraith, and Elminster of Shadowdale.

What type of dragon was the dracolich, originally?

That question bugged me for about 20 years!

 

[Faraer]

Male red great wyrm.

 

[Dacileva]

Slightly off-topic, but: all I ask is that they never again give D&D art assignments involving non-humans to one of the artists incapable of drawing non-humans. Elves aren't just humans with pointy ears. Halflings aren't just humans with other stuff around them drawn to a larger scale. Easley and Elmore are both, regardless of their other technical talents, guilty of this.