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See I can do it too:

Orkeosaurus wrote:Their battlesuit design is more anime than any "mechs" used by the Eldar in basic 40k.

Perhaps in that it's a robot piloted by a person. But in no other discernible way, unlike that Eldar Titan which is the spitting image of that Neon Genesis Evangelion robot. Unless you mean Gundams, which also bear no resemblance to Crisis Suits other than it being a robot piloted by a person.

Their armor has samurai inspired elements. Their overall aesthetic is more Japanese.

Really?... What part exactly? I'm lookin, and I don't see anything that resembles samurai armor... In fact, Tau are probably the only race that doesn't use swords. Not that samurai are distinctly anime anyway...

Their society is is based around fire, earth, water, and air (which is a common theme in anime, although the concept most likely originated with the Greeks).

It's a common theme in EVERYTHING.

Their society also seems somewhat Confucian (not especially Japanese, but Asian), or at the very least more collectivist than modern western society. Their emphasis on widespread application of technology makes them seem more Japanese. They have narrow eyes and no nose. They sound Asian in Dawn of War. They're not strongly religious (and definitely not monotheistic). They're from the far east of the galaxy.

This is all completely incidental. Connections drawn, not from evidence, but from insistence on connections.

You have yet to offer a good rationale for so many people seeing similarities that you claim don't exist

Sure I did. I said the 'Tau=Anime' notion is a bandwagon... People jump on those like crazy.

I have nothing against Tau or anime, in fact I love them both. But I don't think Tau are any more related to anime than SMs and Eldar are.

The shoulder guards and thigh guards are quite similar to Samurai armour and oriental armour generally.

The original Tau design articles on GW's website said they were inspired by Chinese and Japanese armour.

As for no swords, the Bonding knife looks very much like a 'wakizashi' (Japanese shortsword.) Some of the Ethereals' honour blades look like Japanese and Chinese polearms.

ok for being an asian (chinese). i will tell you what do we feel.
for us, Tau and eldar are both asian. eldar is more like ancientry asian. you can see the yi-yang symbol in eldar army. and the robe, staff is samiliar to our tradition warlock outfit. i will give you some picture later. so eldar is more ancientry asain.
Tau is more specific, it is like Japan culture. if you look closely on the fire warrior's armor. just like the old japanese samurai uniform. and crisis-suit? it just a less version of gundam. (personally i think crisis-suit should belong to walker....) and they have suicide-bomber. but their weapons are more like mordern weapon we have. and caste system is same in japan too i think.

BTW we call Tau fisherfolk for fun . and if people field it with a long of XV-8 or XV-88 we call them gundam-line~~

I will concede that they apparently have aspects which were inspired by Asian elements. GW draws a lot of its themes from ancient cultures.
But that does not equate with looking like anime, imo.

Hey, CBC (Canadian Born Chinese) here and I'd like to put in my two cents on this...debate?

As previously mentioned the Eldar are not normally associated with Anime because they're SPACE ELVES. o_o If you take the space away they are simply elves and elves have been around for...well a ridiculously long time. I'm sure the myth of their existence originated somewhere in Europe - my gut is telling me Roman culture. Anyways back to the Eldar thing...Err...conclusion is that they are associated with another race already and instead of being called "anime lover" you get to be called...Legolas? F^ck I don't know :/

Now for the Tau...well I can't really explain why I see them as the manifestation of some form of Japanese culture in 40k...perhaps it's the smooth futuristic designs? I know I know, there are other races with great rides, but Tau just have some of the streamline rides I have ever seen. I dunno really...their whole culture gives me a sort of oriental feel. Maybe instead of being racist and calling them "Asians" people went for something less deragotory and labeled them "anime"?

Also...I know I made some spelling errors...and that somethings were previously mentioned...so...shut up >_<

It's probably been mentioned but the Tau mecha seem to get their "inspiration" from Macross and other mechas.


As for the troops, there is a motivational poster for that.



It's not really one or the other both Eldar and Tau seem to, it's just that Tau are supposed to actually be trying to do that.

I think its the monochrome colour schemes that make tau anime

My friend collects Tau because he was a fan of the Macross series and regards the Armored Core console game series among his favorites. To describe my tastes in a broad sense I would have to admit to liking big robot anime as well. I do not collect Tau but their robots/exosuits appeal to me in the same way. It is people like my friend and I that add weight to the generalization.

Appearance of Crisis Suits aside; Tau faces, Fire Warrior Armour, Tau Transports/Tanks (with the exception of Railguns), and their fluff all seem to not be drawn from any particular anime series that I am familiar with and I have seen quite a few.

Does it matter if someone calls someone an anime fan? I hope that isn't a derogatory word in the minds of the people on Dakka Dakka . Its just as easy to tell them you are not familiar with anime and be done with it.

oooh look, eldar and tau both are

The word anime should be added to the swear filter.

Why?

Gorechild wrote:oooh look, eldar and tau both are

So wait a second...a banshee made it to the Tau gun line!? They must have been horrible shots.

Archonate wrote:Perhaps in that it's a robot piloted by a person. But in no other discernible way, unlike that Eldar Titan which is the spitting image of that Neon Genesis Evangelion robot. Unless you mean Gundams, which also bear no resemblance to Crisis Suits other than it being a robot piloted by a person.

The concept of a large but agile flying robot, with arms legs and a head, is pretty Japanese in itself. I agree that they look less inspired by anime than Eldar titans, but they look more so than Wraithlords, and people tend to forget that the Eldar even have titans in my experience.

An example of similar aesthetics:

Very similar in every place but the lower legs.

Really?... What part exactly? I'm lookin, and I don't see anything that resembles samurai armor... In fact, Tau are probably the only race that doesn't use swords. Not that samurai are distinctly anime anyway...

Swords are part of armor now? The shoulders and thighs look very samurai inspired, being large and rectangular. Compare.

It's a common theme in EVERYTHING.

Is it? I haven't heard very many uses of it in modern western media. The only thing I can name off the top of my head is The Fifth Element.

This is all completely incidental. Connections drawn, not from evidence, but from insistence on connections.

That's no refutation. I can only assume that the long list of traits that distinguish the Tau from the other races of 40k and the Japanese from the west is too damming.

Sure I did. I said the 'Tau=Anime' notion is a bandwagon... People jump on those like crazy.

I have nothing against Tau or anime, in fact I love them both. But I don't think Tau are any more related to anime than SMs and Eldar are.

Then why does "the bandwagon" have anything to do with Tau? It should have started against the Eldar (which it actually did to an extent) or against the Space Marines. Or should have started against every race simultaneously. Or should have collapsed soon after.

But it remains a near universal (most people would say Tau are the most anime army, those that wouldn't would most likely say Eldar with Tau coming in second) and pervasive opinion.


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Sgt.Sunshine wrote:If you take the space away they are simply elves and elves have been around for...well a ridiculously long time. I'm sure the myth of their existence originated somewhere in Europe - my gut is telling me Roman culture.

Nah, not Roman. Norse, I think. Maybe German.

Roman would include nymphs and dryads and things though, so they probably had their influence.

And if you look closely, there's a sword/knife hilt poking from the equipment belt of that tau pictured above, wrapped in an identical manner of a katana, wakazashi, or tonto.

Tau are very Japanese in style specifically and oriental generally. Whether this means they are *anime*, hrmm? I think all of the armies of the 41st millenium could be portrayed in the anime style very easily - especially with the variety of anime styles on the market these days.

To be fair, as I don't know that the source of that picture is by Games Workshop, the katana may be an addition on the part of the artist.

There appears to be one in this picture as well, though:



I agree on the Tau not being hugely anime; the battlesuits are the only thing that stands out as being part of the genre specifically and even they aren't so "anime" that they look particularly out of place in the setting. I think part of the association of the Tau with anime is simply a reflection of both being so closely associated with Japan. I'd still say there is enough of a similarity to have people justifiably associate one with the other, though.

Kurgash wrote:

Gorechild wrote:oooh look, eldar and tau both are

So wait a second...a banshee made it to the Tau gun line!? They must have been horrible shots.

apparently so they must have been fortuned

Eldar are definitely more animé than tau. Tau look amazing, no point denying it but then have a purpose built look, like for work, not for show. where as Eldar in places look for artistic than a fighting force. Sorry if im just repeating whats been said.

Elliotminorkid

If Games Workshop really wanted to make an Anime or Eastern style army they should have paid the designer with money rather then a bucket of chicken.

Seriously, who the hell designed Tau? I personally can't stand the look of the army. If it was to copy Anime then they should have looked so much better.

My 2 cents.

I think Tau are anime. Battlesuits look anime. Crisis Suits look like anime. This is probably the main reason they'll probably be my second army. And ranged weapons are awesome! : )

*Edit* I did not mean to post this. Why can't I find a Delete Post button?

I think Tau are anime. Battlesuits look anime. Crisis Suits look like anime. This is probably the main reason they'll probably be my second army. And ranged weapons are awesome! : )


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I think Tau are anime. They're stuff looks anime. That's probably be the reason they'll be my 2nd army .

The debate was not about their culture, but about their appearence. Though most of you have proven the fact that tau fluff is based off of cultures all over asia, no one has yet built up a worthy argument about the anime issue.

The mech suit argument is week. Since the nids are based off Aliens, can't the tau mech suits be another nod to that movie.

Well, there I go again, sticking my attempts to be funny into a very serious discussion. I forgot that some people might think that anime orks could be a serious discussion.

I'll just back away slowly, whilst hiding my new Ork trying to stuff a squig in a pokeball model.

Sorry, I only started treating it seriously to refute Archonate's arguments from it.

I did think it was pretty humorous.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I guess I'm just sensitive because of the time of the month (Christmas, obviously)

Though now I seriously want to try out this ork stuffing a squig into a pokeball idea.

Orkestra wrote:I'm glad you enjoyed it. I guess I'm just sensitive because of the time of the month (Christmas, obviously)

Though now I seriously want to try out this ork stuffing a squig into a pokeball idea.

It would allow you to deepstrike the squig or something equally epic.

CountCross wrote: The debate was not about their culture, but about their appearence. Though most of you have proven the fact that tau fluff is based off of cultures all over asia, no one has yet built up a worthy argument about the anime issue.

The mech suit argument is week. Since the nids are based off Aliens, can't the tau mech suits be another nod to that movie.

I wouldn't really say that you can claim that the mechs are based off of the Alien movie because anime tends to be known foremost for unrealistically large breasts, men capable of unrealistic feats, and usually mecha where as the Alien movie is known...for...well the Alien. I guess the thing is that if you watch a lot of anime, or read a lot of manga(japanese styled comics), the connection will seem really obvious, but if you don't you'll naturally connect them to the next closest thing.

On a side note do you know what your friends rebuttal should've been? "Well you're a Quebecois"...depending if he was from quebec Calling him a Sepretists would've been funny too....yay history class!

CountCross wrote:no one has yet built up a worthy argument about the anime issue.

Really? I thought Orkeo did a very good job in showcasing the anime/Japanese elements within the Tau. If showing pictures of anime (which oddly enough contains many bits of Japanese iconography) and showing similar iconography in Tau fails to make the connection for you I am forced to ask - what sort of evidence would prove the question for you? Whether or not you agree with it is another question, but I do think sufficient evidence has been shown to highlight where the anime label comes from.

Sgt.Sunshine wrote:

CountCross wrote: The debate was not about their culture, but about their appearence. Though most of you have proven the fact that tau fluff is based off of cultures all over asia, no one has yet built up a worthy argument about the anime issue.

The mech suit argument is week. Since the nids are based off Aliens, can't the tau mech suits be another nod to that movie.

I wouldn't really say that you can claim that the mechs are based off of the Alien movie because anime tends to be known foremost for unrealistically large breasts, men capable of unrealistic feats, and usually mecha where as the Alien movie is known...for...well the Alien. I guess the thing is that if you watch a lot of anime, or read a lot of manga(japanese styled comics), the connection will seem really obvious, but if you don't you'll naturally connect them to the next closest thing.

On a side note do you know what your friends rebuttal should've been? "Well you're a Quebecois"...depending if he was from quebec Calling him a Sepretists would've been funny too....yay history class!

I meant the suit that the the main character uses to fight the queen at the end.

Thor665 wrote:

CountCross wrote:no one has yet built up a worthy argument about the anime issue.

Really? I thought Orkeo did a very good job in showcasing the anime/Japanese elements within the Tau. If showing pictures of anime (which oddly enough contains many bits of Japanese iconography) and showing similar iconography in Tau fails to make the connection for you I am forced to ask - what sort of evidence would prove the question for you? Whether or not you agree with it is another question, but I do think sufficient evidence has been shown to highlight where the anime label comes from.

The japanese and other asian aspects of the Tau culture was obvious, however the anime thing is fairly vague to me. I see no resemblance from the tau to any anime or manga I have ever seen or read (of which there are many).

CountCross wrote:The japanese and other asian aspects of the Tau culture was obvious, however the anime thing is fairly vague to me. I see no resemblance from the tau to any anime or manga I have ever seen or read (of which there are many).

Have you ever watched Macross, or Robotech, or Appleseed? Is the picture Orkeo posted not enough? Do you want us to post screenshots from those series or need to watch the series for it to count?

If you accept that their armor looks like space samurai armor, and you accept that their mecha suits look like...well...mecha then that should qualify for showcasing the imagery that makes people refer to them as looking anime-ish.

Thor665 wrote:If you accept that their armor looks like space samurai armor

Samurai are not distinctly anime.

and you accept that their mecha suits look like...well...mecha then that should qualify for showcasing the imagery that makes people refer to them as looking anime-ish.

They look about as anime as SM dreadnoughts. The only thing the posted pics had in common were antennae on the heads.