Roloko said: In my honest opinion yes just because you hate/bash a couple characters doesn't mean you are not a fan. Now hating/bashing the series creator or hating/bashing the seiyuu/voice actor(tress) just because they voice a character you hate then that is a different story.
I disagree to a point as I see hating a character, and bashing a character, to be 2 completely different things.
You can hate a character, withoud bashing it.
You can be a fan and hate or dislike a character. That does not effect anything. How you act on those feelings, or how you behave with them however, proves if your a real fan or not. If you Start bashing, you start hurting people. Bashing has no real purpose but to share hate for a character as much as possible. Bashers also often show their hate for chataracter on places where fans of said character meet, like in fan video's or fan art or fanfiction. Sadly bashers throw around their hate EVERYWHERE and not just on specifick places ment for bashing. Find an article about a popular anime, and somebody will randomly start bashing a character there even though the character isn't even importand in that article. Fans who love reading and watching stuff related to their anime, withoud wanting to deal with all the hate, constandly find themselves dissapointed by these people who ruin the fun atmosphere by starting arguments and fights for no good reason but their own childish dislike for a character, and their need to throw tantrums just because they can.
And at that point your just trying your best to ruin the fandom for the fans of these characters or even fans who just dislike the arguments and hate comments period. At such point, you do not deserve to call yourself a fan. Because fans of a fandom, are not out to ruin the fun of a fandom. Wich is exactly what bashers do. Ruining the fun.Your just a bully then using a fandom as an excuse to hurt people and ruin the fandom for them.
Hating a character does not stop making you a fan. Spreading that hate everywhere, being mean and withoud respect about it to fellow fans, thus being a basher, stops you from being a fan, and instead turns you into a bullie/bad person/mean person.
It is in fact possible to dislike or hate a character, yet have a pleasent conversation about that character with a person who is a fan. Me and a friend of mine for example, are both Naruto Fans. I love Sasuke, she hates him. She never EVER is a jerk about it however. She also is not above taking efford to understand him, and can even agree with him at some points. We have had serious debates/conversations about this guy, but it was always respectfull, kind and fun to do. Yes FUN. I had fun with a person who hates one of my favorite characters. It's possible. You can have FUN with people you disagree with, because they can bring up different points to a side you never considerd. Having people with different opinions can broaden your horizons, if you take the time to listen. (Only however if the people with different opinions, have them in a mature and worked out and respectfull way. you learn nothing from bashers except how mean some people can be) It's fun to challange eachother into thinking about well worked out arguments and trying to convince the other of your points. When done right!
Haters and lovers, can in fact be sivel to eachother, they can also bring out the best in eachother, have fun, verbally spar and even become sort if rivals in a GOOD way.
That all stops when you go on a bashing spree and stop discussing things in a friendly respectfull matter.
Sadly, most people who seem to dislike or hate a character, will refuse to have mature conversations about it, or even bother to respect the character they dislike for their fellow fan's sake.
And that is what makes people stop being fans. Not the hating itself, but the way you handle your hating. Bashers have a poor way of handeling their hating.
In short:
Bashers are the virus of the fandom. Fans the cure. Hating or loving a character has nothing to do with it. Your behavior however, has everything to do with it.
Not the opinion, but how you share it, where you share it, and when you share it, is what decides if your a basher or a fan. And the moment you become a basher, you stop being a fan. Because contributing to ruining a fandom for other people, how can that ever be the work of a true fan? |