My only reason for pushing for pure pixel art methods is that they produce better results most of the time. Control produces better results.
But for resizing lineart, my method produces better results than say, redrawing the whole lineart or rescanning or whatever. It's a different thing. It's not a matter of purism.
Most of the stuff that 'light the NPA fuse' as you say, for me, do not get better results than manual pixelpushing.
Even if someone reduces from hicolor, scans a base, or grid copies, as long as he a) is transparent about his methods, and therefore isn't trying to trick anybody by wowing them with lented strength [hello demoscene!] and b) goes in and pixelpushes to regain control at some stage, it's okay with me.
