How come many of you are Manga/anime fans?

[ohheybbyitscorixx]

I love how anime isn't just for kids. It's not cartoons. It can be for younger or older audiences. I respect a lot of the artists and the time it can take to create a series/manga. I think I started to get into it because I really enjoyed drawing. But for me, I mostly like how a lot of anime have, as someone else put it so well, complex stories. Anime and manga gives me the same feeling I get as reading a book. I feel like I'm part of the action, partly because it's a drawing with voice overs and I picture my own voice sometimes. I can't do that with human actors.

 

[Ithior]

This is going to sound so bad, and I am so sorry, because I want to give an honest opinion, but there's no nice way to say it.
From what I've seen by going to conventions/seeing posts from people/general online and personal knowledge, it seems a lot of anime/manga fans act like loud 12 year olds. They're not afraid to act out in public and say some...odd things in social situations, and I believe that could lead them to being ostracized/having few friends/being made fun of.

I believe that this is the opinion most people have on anime fans. I wouldn't say it's completely true though. I believe there's also another large group of people that enjoy anime and manga, but people don't notice them. Or rather, they don't make themselves noticeable as the ones you described do. In this group, some are not afraid to reveal their hobby, others are. These people don't go around telling everyone they enjoy anime. Those not afraid to reveal it will tell people if asked, the others will hide it even when asked. This group seems more mature and controlled than the one you described.

Maybe what I said is not completely true though, I don't know anyone IRL that enjoys anime or manga. But if it is true, I would put myself in the group I described, in particular in the one where people hide it from others. I believe everyone I know has the same idea about anime fans that you do, and I hide it so I'm not associated with that group.

 

[BlackPuma]

I'm into both western and japanese animation and I think tucktick explain it the best. For example I'm a huge justice league and young justice fan and I trully think that pretty much episode are amazing but it's not a deep or as long as one piece for example

on a side note what do people consider avatar: the last air bender or the legend of korra ( saw the first two episode last night) a anime or a western show?

Avatar (The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra) are both American productions that is (I believe) animated in south Korea. It was originally intended for US broadcast. But of course, ever since it has gained appreciation from around the world.

The question is, though, does animation alone qualify it as Anime? It's my understanding that "Anime" is generally a urban term for Japanese cartoons specifically (in visual- as well as writing, style). Which would technically mean; no. Since it's Korean animation, written in the US, and not at all Japanese in origin.

 

[jaim38]

No time to watch anime anymore, but definitely a manga fan!
What some people said rang true for me too. I have no active social life so I spend my free time reading manga and related fictional stuff.

 

[ForWantOf]

I love western comics as well as anime and manga. Superhero comics, specifically, had a big impact on my life.

For me, whether it's anime, manga, comics, music, games, or books, it all comes down to escapism and avoidance behavior. The real world is big and frightening, but I derive all the sick pleasure I want from the microcosms that exist in media.

 

[Hellhound]

I'm just used to watching it since I was a little kid. But I also like a lot of other cartoons.

I don't think it has to do with having SA. It's merely about tastes.

 

[NathanielWingatePeaslee]

I don't really watch much anime, but what I do watch, I really enjoy. I think it's partly because of the foreign/fantasy aspect of it- plus the plots sometimes don't make sense from a Western point of view, but I personally find it kind of intriguing, and stay glued to a story for that very reason.

I'm a fan of cartoons in general, though, and I think it's because it's not so much based on "reality." The further I can take myself from my own harsh/stark environment, the better.

Yep.

Escapism FTW! :thumbup:

 

[Luka]

I like anime and manga simply because I grew up watching VHS of sailor moon, doraemon, etc sent by my Japanese grandma. I know a lot of people irl who don't have sa but still watch anime. I reckon it's just very popular nowadays in western countries.

 

[Unspoken]

Anime/manga seems ridiculously popular in general. A lot of people here also probably like music that isn't on the radio - correlation?

 

[Phoenixx]

I myself am more into Western comic/animation culture. I've never really understood the appeal of anime apart from the Miyazaki films but am open to learning more about it.

^ Same here. I love Miyazaki films, but aside from that I don't really get into anime or manga hardly at all. I mean, I do love Japanese-based video games too like Pokemon, The Legend of Zelda, Kingdom Hearts, etc. But again, aside from those things too I never really got much into it -- even as a kid. I remember when I was younger I would watch Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and a little bit of Dragon Ball Z. They barely stuck with me though, they just didn't capture my attention as much.

As for western cartoons and animations, I can't get enough. I'm a sucker for Disney, Pixar, and Dreamworks films alike and old cartoons. I will even give newer cartoons a try once in a while. I'm often left disappointed though.

 

[CookieCatKay]

Anime is also a way of being understood by others. As long as there's a balance...

 

[Flanscho]

I do neither especially hate or love them. Same as all media, some are good, some are bad. I know one series I like and half a dozen good movies of that genre, but that's about it.

 

[Steiner]

I like anime/manga. Sometimes it's just more realistically drawn cartoons when compared to western styles. Though I also like western cartoons also. I don't like some more than others. There is just a lot more anime than there are cartoons which actually have a story to them. If there was a cartoon that actually had a story to it that would be mind blowing. Adventure time sort of has a story going though. That's why a lot of people like that show. Including me.

Cartoons are starting to adapt to having actual storylines that run through the episodes. I actually like the way western cartoons are done with their storylines though. Much better for TV viewing. The episode is still view-able as an episode alone but it can connect to previous or future episodes. Most anime are good for watching straight through since sometimes it's hard to watch an anime thats on tv and its just a random episode. Then you watch it just to appreciate the style. It's like toonami on adult swim. I like to watch it on saturdays while going to sleep.

 

[jellzzz]

anime gives me the power to move on.
a lot of anime shows are about going on, not giving op, and believing it will be better some day.
"believe in yourselve, you can do it, don't be afraid, keep believing."
that are al things that are improtant in anime.

anime is for my also a way of comunicating with people. if i find out someone is a animefan two, it easier to talk to them and you have a subject to talk about. being part of a fanbase, a comunity, is a great feeling. it gives you the feeling that you are part of some group, al is it just on the internet.

its also just realy fun to watch, and the storielines are awesome

 

[Flanscho]

For me they are just another form of art, same as all kind of movies or novels or whatever. I do not value them higher than those, nor lower. :idontknow:

 

[TreeBones]

that's a good question, I was actually wondering that myself. One reason I love anime is because I grew up with a BUNCH of them, But I also love western cartoons too, especially when it comes to super-hero stuff, a lot of influence from my older brothers I guess (one of my brothers has so much comic books he has another room for them )

 

[JuiceB]

I like unique stories whether their anime or otherwise. Most of the stuff coming out of Hollywood bores me nowadays.

 

[Diend]

The action sequences are drawn better in anime than in american superhero cartoons
I was a violence junkie as a teen and loved animated fight sequences. The japanese did those better. American cartoons rarely use blur animation which the Japanese do very beautifully. The kungfu choreography in anime is also more complex than american cartoon sequences. The characters in japanese action anime are also more unique than the superhero cartoon ones. All superheroes are the same to me. They are hard to relate to as a teenager since most of them are adults. Most action anime protagonists are teenagers like their targeted demographic. Manga is in black and white which is easier on the eyes. Most modern action comics are too colorful and acts as a distraction to the plot. Marvel and DC comics could not fill the void that my teenage heart needed: teen romance.

 

[ForeverTheWeirdKid]

It's a way of coping with not being accepted.

 

[Quietguy11]

I have friends who don't suffer with social anxiety who are obsessed with anime, so I don't think there's any link between social anxiety and loving anime. For me I just find the characters in each story of a manga or anime live a particular lifestyle that involves going to school, socializing with friends, and living an ordinary, normal, functional life - and then there's magical powers, but I won't go into that. Needless to say I just think some of the characters in anime/manga live an ideal life, and I kind of wish my life was like that, too. -_-