That's how old Arby's itself is as a company. I don't know how you could read it as anything but a joke.
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#Arbyswaifu "Actually, she's 54 years old"
- Thread starter FriskyCanuck
- Start date
Yeah, sometimes I honestly wonder if the site gets botted to blow up these innocuous issues, similar to how social media does. There's been a rise of threads that have blown up over similarly innocous issues and it's getting pretty weird. All the while issues that you would think the people of this site would care a lot about go almost ignored.
You guys really need to tell the rest of the internet what waifu really means.
https://www.yourdictionary.com/waifu
"(fandom slang) A fictional character from non-live-action visual media (typically an anime, manga, or video game) that one is attracted to and considers a significant other."
"From Japanese ワイフ (waifu, "wife"), from English wife."
It's the first entry when I google what a waifu is. And aligns with how I personally saw it used by quite a few people. And what I would expect to get as a rough definition if I asked outside of this thread.
Then slapping it on a barely chibi and more of a child like drawing while also making a 1000-year old dragon joke is bound to lead to some people who don't like it and voice that.
https://www.yourdictionary.com/waifu
"(fandom slang) A fictional character from non-live-action visual media (typically an anime, manga, or video game) that one is attracted to and considers a significant other."
"From Japanese ワイフ (waifu, "wife"), from English wife."
It's the first entry when I google what a waifu is. And aligns with how I personally saw it used by quite a few people. And what I would expect to get as a rough definition if I asked outside of this thread.
Then slapping it on a barely chibi and more of a child like drawing while also making a 1000-year old dragon joke is bound to lead to some people who don't like it and voice that.
The opening tweet itself looks fine, if misguided. What's not fine is that it ends up attracting a horde of internet nerds who replies it with creepy words and images. If you check the replies you may recognize some artists known for creating child porns. Gross.
That's my point, yes. It's a self-aware joke leaning into the 1000 year old dragon thing.
This ain't anywhere near 8chan AMA level; I'm not riled up and saying they're seriously trying to pander to pedophiles. I just think they're still trying to pander to a crowd that shouldn't be pandered to.
And then there is this definition and history.
https://www.japanpowered.com/otaku-culture/what-waifu-means
That link goes further in depth to the origin of the word too. It's most popular usage now is to refer to your favorite character, usually in a memetic or joking way.
I don't think this history actually tracks, though?
Like both the ideas in isolation, sure - it was a loanword before the point of its usage like that. But... in Azumanga Daioh, he's not using "wife" as a loanword! He just straight up says the actual English phrase "my wife" and that's it; he's not dropping "wife" into a Japanese sentence.
It was adopted as a term in English communities because people thought someone saying an English word with a Japanese accent sounded funny, not because they were adopting a use of a loanword back. And even if they were adopting it back...
You'd still write it "wife".
It became popular in English speaking fandom because of how it's used, not as a loan word. People don't seriously say 'my waifu' while heavily breathing and touching themselves. I always hear it when people are excitedly talking about a show they like. I've even heard it used for Walter from Breaking Bad
This.
This is literally nothing but, you know, it's a chibi anime drawing so it must be for pedos. And if you don't agree then you're one too! /s
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It's literally the equivalent of seeing a character you'd want to be with and saying "MAH WIIIIIFE" in Borat's voice.
Nah, they used the word "waifu" and parroted that idiotic "but she's really XX years old!" excuse. They kind of lost the right to claim "it's only chibi!" as a defense.
Well, that, and if you look at the responses... I mean, you gotta think about the kinds of people they're attracting with this shit. This ain't a good look. (Seriously, don't look at the responses anywhere in public...)
I'm pretty sure the "she's 54 years old comment" is a satire of the 1000 year old dragon excuse and not permission from Arby's to sexualize the drawing.
It's still a terrible use of the phrase as there are obviously lots of people who will gladly use that excuse and run with it.
So the anime exclusively about kids and high schoolers popularized the term?
Not exactly a roaring endorsement for the term being benign.
In the show's defense it was not in reference to any of the girls but to tye teacher talking about his actual adult wife. The guy was always leering at high school girls as his main bit though and the joke was that he was more "normal" than they thought so... Yeah. Take it as you will.
Fuck it's been a while since I saw the show (one of my favs side note), I forgot about that character though, yick.
I also thought the reference of popularization was to fans of the show talking about some of the kids being their waifus... which ick.
Well it's that and the fact that Arby's, as a company, is 54 years old.
Yeah that's a pretty nutso interpretation. Also as someone else put it. If you interpreted that picture as "titillating". That might say more about you than the picture.
People do realize that 90% of people saying the term waifu are saying it in jokey manner right?
I hope to god you've never seen a western high-school show.
Again not blaming the anime itself.... I mis-read the snippet as saying that the fans of the show starting using the word in reference to the kids and that's what popularized it,
Saying it, even jokingly, about a child like character is at the very minimum in bad taste any which way you look at it.
I didn't realize that the Waifu Wars was going to converge with the Franchise Wars too. Demolition Man was only half right, I guess.
Do you really think Arby's intended for this character to be a child?
Pretty fucking obvious the answer is no.
I never said it was good taste. But it's pretty obvious the Arby's was making a hacky joke.
None of this real galaxy brain conspiracy shit like some of you are peddling.
Some of you take yourselves too seriously.
It's a real weird Venn diagram that's slowly just becoming a perfect circle.
Either that or you're underestimating the prevalence of channers. Waifu and husbando is EVERYWHERE to the point I'd say it's entered the common vernacular for non-channer anime fans. Like you see it everywhere in twitch chat for one.
People that say it's a conspiracy are in the minority, but when you're in charge of your company's social media you should be more careful of your choice of words. The type of responses the tweet is attracting is telling.
Yeah but like, Twitch chat is also full of racist stuff so saying something is popular there doesn't really mean much.
Everyone knows when I call someone out for pedophillia and sexualizing children, I whisper it calmly while sipping on my green tea.
DBZ and Street Fighter also. When they did an FLCL ad a few years ago with a driverless stop-motion Vespa driving through an Arby's drivethru like in the FLCL ending credits, with the comment "Ride on Shooting Star," I remember thinking 'the person who made this is alright with me.' According to the internet that ad person is literally Jared from Subway though, so I guess #cancelled?
Are kids that watch Cartoon Network also covered? IIRC there's been references to it in Gumball.
Everything was fine until they used "Waifu" The drawing on its own is perfectly fine.
The term whether you like it or not is loaded.
Then someone's galaxy brain activated and said it was 54 years old. Then it all went downhill.
The term whether you like it or not is loaded.
Then someone's galaxy brain activated and said it was 54 years old. Then it all went downhill.
I'm old enough to remember when it was the Christian conservatives who used to lose their minds over stuff like this. Yet here we are.
Mellow out, my dudes.
Mellow out, my dudes.
Mate, just look at the responses to it on twitter.
Or better yet, don't. I can't even post some of those responses here without eating a ban.
