I like some anime (love Miyazaki's work, for instance), but I sort of relate to Anihilist's point of view in that I gravitate away from the more juvenile stuff. The one aspect of anime that makes HnG rather juvenile, at least in my eyes, is the way in which the game is given heightened drama by portraying it as though it were a physical combat sport. The characters pick up stones, strike karate-like poses, and then place the stones with all the usual anime-styled whooshing lines of "dramatic force" while shouting some woefully inappropriate invective. While this might appeal to children, it just looks silly and contrived to me. And while one might say, "Well that's what you have to expect from anime, stylistically," that is probably why Anihilist dislikes anime.

I should point out, however, that HnG isn't the only show based on a classic board game that gets this sort of contrived, silly treatment. Both Shion no O and Hachi One Diver do this very same thing with regard to shogi, and in its own way it is rather off-putting, at least for those viewers such as myself that would like to see good stories told with less of that silly anime "flash" and goofy over-acting/emoting. I mean, if that is what you have to do to make games like go and shogi appealing to kids, then these games are ultimately doomed.

I genuinely don't like anime.

I like some anime (love Miyazaki's work, for instance), but I sort of relate to Anihilist's point of view in that I gravitate away from the more juvenile stuff. The one aspect of anime that makes HnG rather juvenile, at least in my eyes, is the way in which the game is given heightened drama by portraying it as though it were a physical combat sport. The characters pick up stones, strike karate-like poses, and then place the stones with all the usual anime-styled whooshing lines of "dramatic force" while shouting some woefully inappropriate invective. While this might appeal to children, it just looks silly and contrived to me. And while one might say, "Well that's what you have to expect from anime, stylistically," that is probably why Anihilist dislikes anime.

I should point out, however, that HnG isn't the only show based on a classic board game that gets this sort of contrived, silly treatment. Both Shion no O and Hachi One Diver do this very same thing with regard to shogi, and in its own way it is rather off-putting, at least for those viewers such as myself that would like to see good stories told with less of that silly anime "flash" and goofy over-acting/emoting. I mean, if that is what you have to do to make games like go and shogi appealing to kids, then these games are ultimately doomed.

How do you feel about Disney cartoons and animation (which, like anime, also span many decades [since the 1930s for Disney] as well as many distinct styles and genres) ?