2all... 2?sWHY do you collect

Hey Flippy.. :), can I add to what you said? This is not at you, but to a previous post.

I tend to collect because I want to. I do so because I like it. My reasons are personal and have no room for outside negative criticism. I am happy. I am not hurting anyone by doing so.

(*Long pregnant pause*) Take a deep breath,..read again if you don't understand the above comment..;P

From that first point, that root, we all share as collectors some degree of satisfying our anime needs. We seek some level of satifaction, like anything that we buy or collect. But these are just things after all, and not the most important things in life, not nearly.

But from that point on and after, the "reasons" that we all have, become extrapolated and branch out into many different tributaries. We are all different people, of course, with different tastes, desires, and motivations. That obvious thing said, I shall add to these thoughts a little further rebuttal:

The idea of cel collecting and collectors is "symbolized" by a "huge cel collectors tree", in my mind, with many branches sprouting in ALL directions. All branches are equal, but their growth and aims are different. We branches seek different types of "light". Some branches are thin and short, others are thick and long. Many have different colors and a huge variety and variation of flowers that bloom at different times throughout the year, some do not, some are just small buds starting out that need to be nutured and helped to mature-- from the same tree.
Sometimes the flowers that bloom are the same but from a different branch, they find one another sometimes and intertwine, sharing resources. "Birds fly together", as the saying goes. But all are individually equal in their own right.

However, to stand aside or atop "the tree" as if on some imaginary pedestal and judge another collector?s personal "interests", intentions, or aims in relation to their own private collection, is a pretentious claim... to a "non-issue". You get no points for it, nor does it serve anyone but yourself. It is like howling and pissing into a strong wind, you only get a sore throat and smell of urine.It is like booing when someone scores a goal for the home team, at a home game, and you just happen to be watching from a far. Everyone in the vicinity wants to know, "who is that idiot?!"

Everyone pays their own bills and pays for what they want. I don't see anyone paying my bills for me, do you? (rhetorical question)== It means, If I am paying for my collection, and if I am happy doing it, who are you to tell me otherwise or be annoyed by my joy for my collection? WHO ARE U?

If it pleases them to be happy about their collections, well it seems to be a very positive outcome for them, don't you think? I see no reason to complain about their happiness, unless I am "Misery". And we all know that "misery loves company".

I have never seen any mandatory "rule-book" that says someone has to follow a certain cel "protocol" first in order to collect what previously had been thought of as garbage, not too long ago. But now it seems that some have this notion that cel collecting has somehow reached a point of needing instruction on anime cel "etiquette". It's a joke, right? I sure hope so, for the hobbies sake. NO PREACHERS ALLOWED, should be the credo if there ever is one. Otherwise write a book, who knows you may get a following, a herd, or a cult. You can even make a title:

"Everything you need to know about cels before you buy one and someone bitches about it"

If you just don't like a certain type of anime, well that's personal choice isn't it and everybody has one (just like a you-know-what-else everyone has). I keep mine to myself, farts are smelly things after all, I don't like publicizing mine.

If someone has or hasn't seen an anime before collecting it, so what? I buy new things all of the time without having prior experience with it.

You can't dictate 'genre' rules!

That is as elitist as an alley cat digging through garbage behind a fish market.

I buy music from artists all of the time without having seen them in concert or having seen them at all. It is just like telling someone because they haven't read the book, they shouldn't see the movie. They can do both in any order that they please, and at any time that they please. There is no "cel police" only whiners that tend to over-exaggerate what they want to say about what they think of as "rare" piece of art work that they missed out on. Does that make sense?
This pretentious notion of condescendingly berating other collectors collections because of a certain type of cel image collected is ridiculous and utterly preposterous,, and should STOP! I mean, genre crashing is OUT.

What's wrong, now?

I'm generally vulnerable to collecting... I collected essays about the Kelly Family, collected rats and small critters, then I came across cels, don't ask me how, and first thought to buy some random cheap one from my back-then fave series, Slayers. Then another one. Another one. Yet more.
As for Fushigi, they're aaaaaaall soooooo prettyyy!! (shoujo anime, whatcha expect... 7x7 nice guys...)
But, I don't really know my reasons... I might as well draw them myself, but to save the work, I buy the original^^;; Or is it cuz I like the original better... screw it.

Personally, I collect cels of characters I like, whether they're "pretty" or not. There's absolutely nothing wrong with focusing on a particular character if they happen to be your favorite. I fail to see the reasoning behind lecturing someone who collects that way. Everyone has their own tastes and preferences. There isn't a "right" or 'wrong" way to collect cels. I would like to see where it's written that you aren't a serious collector if you only have pretty-boy or manga-babe cels.

Hi all. Interesting thread, really made me think. Just wanted to add two cents.

I don't think the originator of this thread intended for people to take offense with the topic asked. IMHO it is different than Spinizuey's topic and deserves a separate thread. Momo's inquiring about what emotions, thoughts, and possibly, philosophical reasons you as a collector have or had for collecting a certain series. Personally speaking, prior to this post, that is something I didn't give much consideration to. I think it requires a certain amount of honest introspection vs. simply answering what came first, the anime or the cel.

Also, I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with collecting cels from series one has not seen, but at the sametime, I wouldn't collect cels from a series strictly b/c I thought the character or scene was cool/interesting. If it works differently for you thats wonderful. But remember, just b/c we don't agree with someone else's ideas or values, doesn't mean they are necessarily wrong or that we have to retaliate against them by directing malicous, and unconstructive comments. Some of the comments I've read to this thread seem bitter and this is something, I personally don't believe helps enhance and encourage public discourse. If everyone in condemned people simply b/c they said something you didn't agree with, people wouldn't communicate and where would that get anyone in this world?

Moreover, everyone has their own motivations and preferences on why and how they collect things in general, cels are no exception. E., reading your reply, you seemed to take the questions poised by the original author momo, extremely personally, It's great to know someone such as yourself is so... passionate about cels and your beliefs regarding cels, but at the sametime, it is "only" cels, not your family's safety being discussed. Smile.

A close uncle of mine passed away just this week, and often times, the loss of a loved one forces myself to reevaluate things in my life and really concentrate on what matters. Cels, anime, music are all wonderful things, but they are exactly that, things. When I die in future, "things" will have little to no importance to me, my family, friendships I leave behind and goals left uncompleted will... considerably moreso. We all have differing philosophies and motivations in life and we act on them. I can see how momo's question may have been insulting to some, but that individual is entitled to their opinion, just as surely you are too. I don't consider the honest question momo asked to be intrustive, insulting, nor in bad taste, IMHO it was simply a warranted and honest one far too often ignored by collectors, seasoned veterans and newbes alike. Food for thought.

Thanks for reading and have a nice day. ^_^

There are many reasons I collect my own cels. Im sure for others its the same. One cel they have is because they love the art while a second cel may remind them of someone they know. And as it being anime, regardless of the art being wonderfull and the story being awsome...it is an escape. Thats why some people like the pretty boys and gals of anime. I myself am partial to evil and stern women of anime, because I find them interesting and usualy pretty cool looking. Also I think most people collect cels is to own and preserve a piece of something from their lives. Yeah it may have just been a cartoon, but it's like, like how people collect baseballs from a game or other things. Some people do, do it for money reasons, but alot of people do it to say hey, I was there, for anime, it's hey I saw this. Usualy anyways. As to not have seeing the anime you may have a cel from, I think it is actualy a good thing. It peaks interest in something they havent seen before. Its like, hey this guy/girl/thing/mecha whatever looks pretty darn neat, I wanna learn more about it. See I think this question is kinda hard to answer in a way. Because like I said I personaly think there are more than one reason why a person has the cels they do. Well yup, Ive rambled long enough!