UlasanAnime.com – Suiseiseki has emerged victorious in Saimoe, a development that appears to be noteworthy within these specific circles.
However, the significance of a title can be questioned. While it’s understandable that popularity contests, by their very nature, often reflect little more than popularity, the desire for one’s favorites to win is a universal sentiment.
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Or is it? While Suiseiseki holds a certain appeal for me, she is one among many characters who fit the “moe” archetype, are widely recognized, drive internet memes, and are prime candidates for PVC figures, often appearing in doujinshi that feel commonplace, much like roses.
Yet, even before her decisive win, I found myself supporting her over all the other contestants. It’s important to acknowledge that Saimoe operates under a set of contrived rules, common to all elections. These include criteria such as the anime airing within a specific timeframe, proper nominations, and adherence to strict voting formats.
Here are three observations:
1. Purpose. The distinction between Saimoe and a poll found in publications like Newtype lies not in their fundamental objectives. In essence, a primary reason for engaging with “vote for your favorite” contests is the inspiration they provide to create similar, more accessible events. It’s a genuinely enjoyable experience to discuss, contemplate, manage, and debate these contests in various online forums, observing how the community arrives at a democratic consensus. This is precisely why Newtype and similar magazines feature such polls; they serve as content to engage readers, promote the publication’s brand, and foster reader participation. Similarly, Saimoe serves to unite the anime community to some extent, particularly those segments that are influenced by discussions on the 2ch boards. It can be argued that these boards represent the heart of online anime fandom. While I cannot cite this with certainty, it’s estimated that approximately 25% of the votes in the final match originated from outside Japan, underscoring the global nature of anime.
2. Purpose, revisited. The key differentiator of Saimoe compared to other polls is its direct appeal to 2ch users. These individuals are demonstrably more dedicated than the average participant in Newtype polls, which cater to a broad, largely passive domestic audience. They actively follow the latest anime releases and prefer discussing them extensively, having already exhausted discussions on older series. Furthermore, for Saimoe to remain a recurring event, it’s crucial to avoid featuring the same characters annually, even if it might not significantly alter outcomes in a closed voting system. The organizers also aim to provide every character with an opportunity to win, and these dedicated fans are familiar with a vast array of characters, including obscure ones like Ms. Invisible from Magipoka or Nanoha’s magical staff.
3. The inherent enjoyment of these polls stems from active participation. The act of voting itself can be monotonous. However, the surrounding discussions, fan art, other fan-made content, and the campaigning efforts all contribute to the overall fun. This ties back to the second point: it’s more engaging to discuss characters one feels a connection with, and a larger selection pool enhances this enjoyment, at least in the initial stages. Once winners are determined and many characters are eliminated in later rounds, the accumulated history and the “politics” of voting can evolve into strategies for revenge motifs and consolidating voter blocs for leverage. This ensures that participants can continue to find enjoyment.
Ultimately, this is what it’s all about. I fail to understand why some people object to others taking Saimoe too seriously; embracing that seriousness is an integral part of the fun.
