mnkboy907 posted...
Wasn't there also a Lapras that communicated with Ash telepathically? And there was that Gastly that turned into a Venustoise.
Yep. Holiday Hi-Jynx.
And Drew's just a bishonen; they're pretty much a dime a dozen in anime and while they seem kind of gay the first few times you run into them, you quickly learn that this is just Japan being Japan and having wildly different standards for what is considered attractive. Let me quote TV Tropes Wiki for a good example of how Japan and the US have very different standards:
"Since the 1970s, cuteness has become a prominent aspect of Japanese popular culture, entertainment, clothing, food, toys, personal appearance, behavior, iconography and mannerisms. Foreign observers can find this cuteness odd because the Japanese are stereotypically seen as stoic and employ it in a vast array of situations and demographics where, in other cultures, it would be considered incongruously juvenile or frivolous (public service warnings, office environments, commercial airlines, government publications — even military advertisements).
The word "kawaii" in Japanese has a broader definition than the English word "cute". When applied to pop culture, "cute" will suffice; however "kawaii" refers primarily to the affection of a parent toward a child coupled with the protectiveness for the innocent and weak. Thus a pop cartoon character is considered "kawaii" because it exemplifies the innocence of a child and evokes general protective, caring instincts in the viewer. Other translations of "kawaii" can include "precious", "lovable" or "innocent". Cuteness saturates Japanese culture so much that one can call this "The Cult of Cute". Just like being sexy and attractive is considered desirable for Western women, this is considered a desirable trait for a Japanese woman, among other feminine traits. Women in their twenties or even thirties might use a high-pitched voice simply because it sounds cute, despite the rest of the world finding it rather weird.
Cute elements can be found almost everywhere in Japan, from big business to corner markets and national government, ward and town offices. Many companies, large and small, use cute mascots to present their wares and services to the public.
Cute can be also used to describe a specific fashion sense of an individual, and generally includes clothing that appears to be made for young children, outside of the size, or clothing that accentuates the cuteness of the individual wearing the clothing. Ruffles and pastel colors are commonly (but not always) featured, and accessories often include toys or bags featuring anime characters. The popularity of Bishonen maybe partly based on this.
Japan traditionally has had a fascination with beauty. Japan's appreciation with cuteness is a part of this trend. As a current cultural phenomenon, cuteness is increasingly accepted in Japan as a part of Japanese culture and national identity. Tomoyuki Sugiyama, author of "Cool Japan", believes that "cuteness" is rooted in Japan's harmony-loving culture, and Nobuyoshi Kurita, a sociology professor at Musashi University in Tokyo, has stated that "cute" is a "magic term" that encompasses everything that's acceptable and desirable in Japan. This is not entirely a bad thing.
Cute merchandise and products are especially popular in some parts of east Asia, such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore. In America, however, the opposite applies.
In Japanese culture, the polar opposite of this is Hentai."
--from the opening of the "Kawaisa" page. I think this pretty much says it all.
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Ulti (in one of his Post-Contest Analyses): God of War turned a 5 hour deadlock into a total laugher
Anagram: Oh God, Tidus and Yuna were involved?