Chris Beveridge can suck my ****
Mar. 20th, 2003 05:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
absolutedestinyI'm sorry... despite however much I think animeondvd is an important resource for western anime fans there is something that needs to be said:
Chris Beveridge, in my opinion, does not deserve the responsibility of being the most influential reviewer of western anime.
There have been several occasions I have disagreed with his editorial policy... the things he says can have a surprising influence on western sales and in all honesty I think animeondvd should be first and foremost an impartial website when it comes to reporting news.
However, it is not a news announcement that has surprised me... this time it is one of his reviews. Now, I can appreciate the fact that everyone is entitled to an opinion but if you look towards any regular publication that writes reviews (newspaper, magazine, whatever) there are a certain set of standards by which things are judged and it is pretty safe to say that everything is judged on the same scale with a small amount of correction (or reviewer selection) allowed for something with a different appeal.
Based upon this principle, I cannot for the life of me understand the following recent reviews:
Spirited Away... content C
Can Can Bunny: Lucky - content B+
Content, in the animeondvd reviews, is a score that is associated with the Content part of the review which describes how interesting/original/enjoyable etc the feature is.
So, in what universe should the award winning touching and in many ways subtle "Spirited Away" be given a significantly worse content score than Can Can Bunny? The content part of the Can Can review describes the anime as:
"essentially Oh My Goddess gone hentai."
Forgive me if I run away and hide in a corner from the fanboys.
I admit, Spirited Away isn't my favourite Ghibli movie but it contains such an impressive artistic skill (and delicate understated emotion) that I could never dream of giving it anything less than an A- for content. Sometimes I just cannot believe that this man gets to preview practically every anime out there for free and all he has the critical wisdom of a gnat. Take this comment from his review of eva Death and Rebirth:
"There is, as of this writing, some debate about which version of the Death & Rebirth this is, but it’s all completely lost on me."
Then get someone who actually KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT to do the review!! Honestly, how can someone write vehement criticisms of anime companies on their front page and ask people to boycott a product based on a minor infringement (i.e. Animeigo for not having the op on every episode on one dvd of a show) and then turn around and not be able to write an accurate review of something due to lack of knowledge and research.
In short, I find it ludicrous to think that this man is where people first go to read about an anime.... and all the industry can do is keep their fingers crossed that he doesn't fudge it up for them.
I honestly don't think he realises the effect the things he writes can have on the western anime market. As much as I don't appreciate Manga Video's policies I can understand their position in making a formal complaint to Chris due to his editorial stance.
Complaining about something not getting due attention is fine, but bitching about a product that doesn't meet his expectations (see June 12th) is questionable.
Chris Beveridge, in my opinion, does not deserve the responsibility of being the most influential reviewer of western anime.
There have been several occasions I have disagreed with his editorial policy... the things he says can have a surprising influence on western sales and in all honesty I think animeondvd should be first and foremost an impartial website when it comes to reporting news.
However, it is not a news announcement that has surprised me... this time it is one of his reviews. Now, I can appreciate the fact that everyone is entitled to an opinion but if you look towards any regular publication that writes reviews (newspaper, magazine, whatever) there are a certain set of standards by which things are judged and it is pretty safe to say that everything is judged on the same scale with a small amount of correction (or reviewer selection) allowed for something with a different appeal.
Based upon this principle, I cannot for the life of me understand the following recent reviews:
Spirited Away... content C
Can Can Bunny: Lucky - content B+
Content, in the animeondvd reviews, is a score that is associated with the Content part of the review which describes how interesting/original/enjoyable etc the feature is.
So, in what universe should the award winning touching and in many ways subtle "Spirited Away" be given a significantly worse content score than Can Can Bunny? The content part of the Can Can review describes the anime as:
"essentially Oh My Goddess gone hentai."
Forgive me if I run away and hide in a corner from the fanboys.
I admit, Spirited Away isn't my favourite Ghibli movie but it contains such an impressive artistic skill (and delicate understated emotion) that I could never dream of giving it anything less than an A- for content. Sometimes I just cannot believe that this man gets to preview practically every anime out there for free and all he has the critical wisdom of a gnat. Take this comment from his review of eva Death and Rebirth:
"There is, as of this writing, some debate about which version of the Death & Rebirth this is, but it’s all completely lost on me."
Then get someone who actually KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT to do the review!! Honestly, how can someone write vehement criticisms of anime companies on their front page and ask people to boycott a product based on a minor infringement (i.e. Animeigo for not having the op on every episode on one dvd of a show) and then turn around and not be able to write an accurate review of something due to lack of knowledge and research.
In short, I find it ludicrous to think that this man is where people first go to read about an anime.... and all the industry can do is keep their fingers crossed that he doesn't fudge it up for them.
I honestly don't think he realises the effect the things he writes can have on the western anime market. As much as I don't appreciate Manga Video's policies I can understand their position in making a formal complaint to Chris due to his editorial stance.
Complaining about something not getting due attention is fine, but bitching about a product that doesn't meet his expectations (see June 12th) is questionable.
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no subject
Date: 2003-03-20 10:10 am (UTC)Like I remember one time he was reviewing a Yu Yu Hakusho disc and he complained that they ripped off Flames of Recca! Uh no, sorry buddy, but it was the other way around. But whatever, I mainly read AnimeOnDVD for their little news blurbs about things.
no subject
Date: 2003-03-20 03:19 pm (UTC)I do wish the reviews were better diversified, though, yes. Oh, yes.