The mysterious appearance of a political message in the currently airing anime “Rideback” threatens to cause a storm; the message is widely interpreted as calling for the removal of the current Korean President.
The controversy begins with the appearance in the latest episode of Madhouse produced anime “Rideback” of a mysterious sequence of characters on a car number plate: 2MBOUT.
Amongst Korean net users, a well-known abbreviation of Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s name is 2MB (his name in Korean is 李明博, where 李 has the same reading as “2”). Thus Korean observers were quick to interpret this as “Lee Myung-bak Out”.
This is a not unreasonable interpretation, not least since the title was animated by a Korean studio, “DR Movie”. Many Koreans aware of the case thus suspected that the message had been slipped into the scene by the animation company. In fact many seemed quite pleased, as the President is far from universally popular.
However, someone connected with DR Movie flatly denies having had anything to do with it, unsurprisingly enough. They claim their only responsibility is colouring pre-completed scenes: “We merely colour the pictures sent to us by our Japanese clients. It is totally unimaginable that we could have altered the number plate.”
They go on to say “And it’s beyond us why a Japanese company would make a number plate with that phrase.”
If what this company says is true, and Madhouse added the message themselves, some speculate the matter could create a significant diplomatic issue, which as anyone familiar with Korea’s recent reactions to the harmless satire present in Hetalia will attest, is no laughing matter.
Sceptical observers rightly point out that the average Japanese is extraordinarily unlikely to know of the significance of “2MB” (to say nothing of the fact that most hardly care about their own premier, let alone that of Korea).
This would either suggest that the Korean studio is attempting to pass the buck, and in fact interfered with the drawings themselves, or that perhaps a zainichi Korean on Madhouse’s staff took the opportunity to insert the message.
In either case, the repercussions could be far-reaching, as this might either reduce confidence in the business of outsourcing animation to international animation studios (if it causes a ruckus), or may result in accusations of interference in Korean domestic politics (not that Koreans are shy about interfering with those of Japan).
Needless to say, the anime in question is not set to air in Korea at all.
Via Nida-soku.
Possibly Koreans will find something better to do than attempt to have this banned, and the matter can be forgotten about. We can but hope…
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Well, thank you, Angry Koreans™! You've set a chain of events in motion that led to my coming across an image of a hot chick on a robotic motorcycle dealy and subsequently piqued an interest in whatever this Rideback anime is. One man's trash, as they say!
You won't be disappointed. I consider Rideback to be this seasons best anime.
Mecha meets ballet. Gotta love it.
Indeed, gotta love it. Great animation too.
To hell with the ballet, it's all about the political dystopian drama. I found it annoyingly boring till it popped up with the political drama...to clarify, I don't mean this license plate. Guess I can attribute my disinterest to a relative lack of interest in mecha/racing anime. Though I do admit the concept of the Rideback does have something of an appeal to me.
Also does have great animation.
It's good to see more political engagement in the entertainment industry. Though it's quite odd to see that happening with an anime, since its main public could be classified as being kinda alienated.
I also want to make a suggestion: next time they should criticize those leftist leaders here in Latin America. Things are getting pretty chaotic in the last years. :P
WHY are koreans so crazy with this "everyone hates korea" shit in anime!? hetalia had this too!
Hmm, isn't that a Kia nameplate on the car? And an American license plate? Kias (and Korean cars in general) aren't terribly popular in the US, certainly much less so than Japanese ones.
Wouldn't the Japanese artists have used a Japanese car marque, if for no other reason than familiarity?
It seems to me that the Korean studio had more involvment then they claimed.
I wish America would leave South chorea so the North can kill everyone in the south.
wow your a very sad person. depressing troll is depressing...
I keep getting confuse with that topic.. Wasn't the north consider to be the bad ones and while south is suppose to be okay?......
Thats Arizona's license plate!!!!!
This post is politically incorrect and has no reference. Lee Myung Bak or whatever his name is hated in Korea very much (In case you don't know the beef incidence assuming that weaboos don't follow along with the news IRL)
You fail at reading comprehension.
This is an OVER-Analysis of Korean old-timers and politicians that want to dig up some dirt. It's so retarded.
I feel sorry for the Korean anime fans. I think RideBack is freaking awesome.
PS: AWESOME PIC.
GUNSPECTRE
THERE'RE NO Korean anime fans
We can BASH KOREA AND CHINA ALL WEE WANT because they deserve it
Japan is the GREATEST nation in the earth no, the universe. In fact, putting it into words does not do its greatness any justice at all. Just submit to their greatness. The chinese (CHINKS) AND koreans (GOOKS) ARE LIARS and less then human beneath pigs no ants. Anyone who disagrees should DIE a horrible death.
I HATE my presidents, both US and Argentina ones (Obama has yet to screw sth up). So everyone and anyone can hate any president from any nation.
Now let's go back to some delicious anime chicks/guys.
For the love of god, do Koreans overreact at anything?
It's like a game of guessing what something truly means. Once someone overreacts at something they've randomly seen it starts a freaking rampage. Is that a tradition or has the world finally gone mad?
A Japanese anime featuring a Japanese car with Arizona license plates with a Korean message printed on it. How confusing is that?
This would either suggest that the Korean studio is attempting to pass the buck, and in fact interfered with the drawings themselves, or that perhaps a zainichi Korean on Madhouse’s staff took the opportunity to insert the message.
Wait a minute...Madhouse's staff, or someone in the cast...you know whom...
FUCK JAPS!!!!!!!!!!!! SCREW THE GOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO AMERICAN PIGS!!!!!!!!!!
Not just nude filter for Rin, but for Fuego too??
Oh man, I haven't seen Arizona plates en masse in quite a while -- it's been almost 9 years at this point, since I lived there.
1. I am a Korean.
2. I Totally APPROVE the car's number plate.
3. Korean anime fans will soon be asking Korean cable companies to dub the Rideback anime and air them as soon as possible. They will cry foul if the number plate is altered in any way.
4. Only two Korean news agency covered this news, and they are both in anti-government side, thus it is likely that most of the politicians in Korea are, and will be ignorant about this unless you make a ruckus about this.
5. Some comments I need to highlight, and ask " Do you want your website to be the gathering place of bigots and hate groups? " In fact, I wonder if these people would be willing to have these comments be tied to their real name and identity.
Comment by Narcissist
2009-03-11 00:53:10
Since most sane people despise Koreans in one way or another, even though not admitting it,
Comment by EroKero
2009-03-11 00:53:31
Right, who listens to half a country anyways? I’ve always wondered, which Korea was worse, the dictorial northern half, or the pansy, fruity southern. No wonder half their people don’t want to be associated with the others. Seriously, this is why people need wars to keep them in check, when they stop fighting, they start forgeting that men don’t wear fruity body spray and shave with female shaving cream.
Comment by Anonymous
2009-03-11 05:04:37
I wish America would leave South chorea so the North can kill everyone in the south.
I can't believe the uneducated idiots that infest this website. But then again, these type of articles attractive degenerates like these.
What I like to think? These type of people will get nowhere in life with thinking like that. They're the losers that have a life-changing event after having a long piece of glass taken out of their side because they were discriminating.
Oh wait, they're just a bunch of pansies who can't voice out their hate because they're weak and useless.
I see the logic in your points, and I agree with ya 110%. At least we're the two sane Koreans on this site.
Can anyone link me to good Ride Back Images/sites ^__^
Holy shit.
Don't Koreans have anything else to do all day, instead of finding the smallest things that they attempt to make into a huge fucking deal.
Koreans in general? No
Korean Politicians? Yes
Has it ever hit your puny brain that there MIGHT be Korean anime fans?
@GUNSPECTRE
FUCK YOU!
There are NO korean anime fans
We can BASH KOREA AND CHINA ALL WEE WANT because they deserve it
Japan is the GREATEST nation in the earth no, the universe. In fact, putting it into words does not do its greatness any justice at all. Just submit to their greatness. The chinese (CHINKS) AND koreans (GOOKS) ARE LIARS and less then human beneath pigs no ants. Anyone who disagrees should DIE a horrible death.
Oh Korea.
Oh Japan.
Seriously though, this is probably a coincidence. The plate number is probably just "random vanity plate plox." If the Koreans didn't do it, who the hell in Japan would 1) know about the nickname, 2) actually care about foreign affairs at all and 3) feel like making an arcane statement that no one but random Korean netizens would understand?
ITS A CONSPIRACY
They might... 2chan actually has a board called "Korean Economy", for whatever strange reason... http://dat.2chan.net/38/futaba.htm
It's not really strange considering there are a million or more Koreans in Japan.
If they had a zainichi Korean on staff...
judging by the current popularity of '2MB' I think most koreans will welcome the anime to be aired in korea?
Many apparently do feel this way.
i see another stupid cancelation on the way
Seriously fuck the gooks, haven't we learned to ignore their insanity by now. They can go back to building our semiconductors and uninspired derivative cars and electronics.
I believe this was a coincidence, Japanese studios will think twice before outsourcing to korean studio.. Why destroying you own rice bowl?..
Nice Rin nude filter! Is Tamayo next, maybe?
Korea: Part of being a modern democracy is protecting free expression, especially when it is politically unpopular. For all your posturing you aren't nearly as far removed from your northern counterpart as you'd like to pretend. Also, get over yourself. Not everything is about you.
Someone has a really, really overactive imagination. But also, in the immortal words of Clow Reed: "There are no such things as coincidences."
"There Are No Coincidences In This World. There's Only The Inevitable" Yuuko.
meaning of course, that someone would have trolled eventually, right?
Two Megabytes Out, meaning if you download the anime, its probably an archive bigger than 2MB. Thats what they probably meant.
But it was prob roundabout 200MB.
Isn't it possible that it's just Japan doing something coincidental?
Why don't they look at the original uninked images?
Don't they keep copies?
I don't smell some animu banning by the koreans since this is favored by some but there's still a possibility since this goes against the current president.
I doubt DR Movie Studios claim. I think someone in their production dept sneaked during the coloring process but of course this would compromise their contract and their paycheck
I'm not particularly interested in the debate on the license plate, but god damn that is a hot pic of Rin.
I second that!! LOL
Wow, how did I not notice that...could it be? Am I...GAY???
One really needs a lot of background information to get this message. Seriously, I don't think this was intentional. If it was... well, I hope he didn't troll it too hard by "2MB".
I guess Korea needs another war or something, so they pick a fight with even the smallest matters.
If someone along the production line did slip this message into the animation- they thought they were being clever to get a jab in.
Instead, they have sabotaged their own paycheck (unless of course they were already slated to be laid off in this economy). And now I'm sure anime production houses will blur/mosiac vehicle plates in an over-reaction.
Also, I'm sure this will put people on alert for subtle political "Easter eggs" from now on. Watch all kinds of "finds" crop up now.
To the mysterious anime production troll, well played sir, well played.
It's not exactly impossible... But will they actually take the risk by doing something as obvious as this?
Which company in the right mind would want to lower their audience count (though maybe it'll increase with this episode). Since that is pretty straightforward for an attack.
I think 2MBOUT refers more to "2 Motorcycle Bout" ... as in ... Motorcycles fighting. Which is a core premise of Rideback.
It's just the oversensitive who choose to see what they want to see. It's like my friend who drew a web comic.. in it, a typical stud drives up to pick up chicks. The plate reads "L84 DTE" ... posters however, instead of seeing the plate as an indicator that the guy was slime, went on a rampage accusing the artist of condoning violence against women.
Wtf, how does that work? I can't see this as anything other then "Late for Date"
sometimes nudity is not necessary
Since most sane people despise Koreans in one way or another, even though not admitting it, it is obviously not something that would lower the audience in Japan.
Way to go, I say. My respect is not easily earned.
One could imagine that it is revenge for Hetalia. And the Korean trash politicians can keep dreaming of touching a large-scale production anime from Madhouse.
Indeed, it's unlikely to lower the viewer count. Not sure I can say I respect them for this, however I do like this move.
Lol@“We merely colour the pictures sent to us by our Japanese clients. It is totally unimaginable that we could have altered the number plate.” then turn right around and say they have no idea why the Japanese would put it in in the first place.
It probably is revenge for Hetalia and indeed I would imagine that they wouldn't touch something that should be bringing in decent money into the country.
I still think it's just coincidence though.
Third'd! lol
This article made my day.
This is just pure coincidence. Or maybe inevitability. >.<
Second'd!
People have too much time on their hands to overanalyze stuff like license plates. It just reminds me the 2/3 pixels pantsu on Kannagi and stuff like that.
Nitpicking... that's wot this is... NITPICKING!
yeah... what he said...
I smell yet another Korean CANCEL IT BITCHES ragefest.
Dear god, they're starting to make 2channers look sane.
... what if they were the 2channers all along?
2channers are always sane eversince 4channers were born.
Ooh, nice one there.
4channers weren't born. We fermented into existence.
Oh, very clever.
I was so caught up in the political shenanigans that it took me a full thirty seconds to notice the naked girl on the CG mechacycle.
In the future, I recommend less paying attention to the collective stupidity of Korea, and more postings of naked girls on mechacycles.
We have to keep our priorities in order.
"Collective stupidity"?
I'm pretty sure you meant the collective stupidity of those retarded, old Japan-haters and those ultra-conservatives in the government. Because if you did, you wouldn't be an ignorant retard. I can assure you that there are Korean anime fans that are face-palming at this OVER-analysis.
As a Korean-American, I do a double-facepalm.
*Face palm*
Right, who listens to half a country anyways? I've always wondered, which Korea was worse, the dictorial northern half, or the pansy, fruity southern. No wonder half their people don't want to be associated with the others. Seriously, this is why people need wars to keep them in check, when they stop fighting, they start forgeting that men don't wear fruity body spray and shave with female shaving cream.
both Japan is the GREATEST nation in the earth no, the universe. In fact, putting it into words does not do its greatness any justice at all. Just submit to their greatness. The chinese (CHINKS)AND Koreans (GOOKS) ARE LIARS and less then human beneath pigs no ants. Anyone who disagrees should DIE a horrible death.
I'm sorry but this is just flagrantly racist bullshit. Yes, the ultra-nationalist Koreans tend to take shit WAY too far, but that is no reason to generalize an entire racial group.
It's good to be anonymous, isn't it. Racist jack-ass. You make Japanese people look bad.
Ummm....I dont know if anyone mentioned this yet...but that picture on the top is FUCKING AWSOMENESS INCARNATE!!! Naked babe!? Check!! Motorcycle/Robot!? CHECK!!
I'm assuming you don't even know where it's from..
Artefact's a pretty cool guy, yeah? Posts nude pics of Rin on a mechacycle, stirs up Sankaku's constituency w/ yellow journalism and doesn't afraid of anything.
It's why we keep coming back here! :)
I'm rather happy to see naked non-loli chicks on bikes.
Artefact needs hits for his blog, which is why he post things like this.
You may wish to substantiate your claim of yellow journalism, or else hold your tongue.
Maybe it wouldn't give the impression of yellow journalism if you were to present a little bit of the reason why people do what they do. Instead of a one sided presentation of the argument.
Explained why Korean politicians love to pick on Japanese things?
I think not.
he explained it. isn't that enough? D=
don't know what to say.. seriously... it's not like showing the s.korea president got crushed or something
Hmm...
I don't really see how the Korean president has anything to do with Hetalia. He didn't even touch the topic, I think. Or rather, it wasn't significant an issue for him to come out on it.
The only reason why a zainichi Korean would hate 2MB himself would be if they were a North Korean since he practically cut off the supplies that were being sent to NK from SK as aid till NK stopped its nuclear efforts.
SKs mostly just blame him for the economic crisis after he had promised huge growth in the economy. (which really couldn't be helped because the United States (being dubiously connected to every country's well-being) was the cause of all of the economic downfall and not the president.)
I think the Korean are over reacting to just a number plate. It can mean many things other than thier beloved PM or it's just a random number that is pick up with no special reason to it.
It would help clear up if Madhouse show the original production to the public and see who are telling the lies.
Korea again? Seriously, fuck off.
Now, before people keep on making comments bashing Korea.
Though I do agree that this is nitpicking and superfluous. I would like to point out to everybody that the bad blood flowing between Japan and Korea has existed since the Second World War. If I were to make an example that is easily understandable, it is like the relationship between Cuba and USA.
We need to understand that the people running politics in Korean right now are survivors/sons/daughters of the era that Japan conquered Korea. Until they pass away (give it another 50 years) the resentment between Korea and Japan will exist and you will see things like this. It is like talking to anybody who survived the Bay of Pigs Invasion (on the USA side) about Cuba.
@Ararara-ra
FUCK YOU
We can BASH KOREA AND CHINA ALL WEE WANT because they deserve it
Japan is the GREATEST nation in the earth no, the universe. In fact, putting it into words does not do its greatness any justice at all. Just submit to their greatness. The chinese (CHINKS) AND koreans (GOOKS) ARE LIARS and less then human beneath pigs no ants. Anyone who disagrees should DIE a horrible death.