There are some wonderful things about growing up. Especially if you manage to somehow avoid all responsibility in the process! For example, no one can tell you to turn off those silly Japanese cartoons and go do something productive with your life. And that’s good, cause you’re a responsible human person, you don’t need that type of advice.
Welcome to the club friend, I am also a responsible human who does not overindulge in simple pleasures at all. In fact, I have created a list of completely normal and unremarkable things that occasionally happen when you watch sensible amounts of anime. Because normal, reasonable people do stuff like that!
5. You get excited about seeing merch in the wild
As people, we tend to form groups and loose affiliations based on shared goals, interests and/or beliefs. It’s a pretty deep-rooted part of human behaviour. But anime fans have long been a little visible minority and access to organized communities is still not a given for many.
This is why seeing a complete stranger out and about with an anime backpack or a recognizable accessory can be downright thrilling. Suddenly, we are no longer alone. Not that we’ll necessarily go talk to that person. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. But we’ll notice, and the knowledge will give us a little boost all day.
This is the privilege of being part of a group that’s not yet prevalent. Sightings remain rare enough to be special!
4. You constantly catch yourself referring to anime
When you expose yourself to a medium, your brain starts to form connections. That’s normal. So of course when you try to explain things or describe situations your mind will go back to that medium to come up with examples. There’s nothing weird about that.
And if all your comparisons and examples happen to involve anime, that’s just because you are super efficient and manage to get everything simile you need from a single source. Yay! Besides, anime is incredibly varied, there’s really no need to look elsewhere.
So what if people have no clue what you’re talking about half the time. At least it made them really think about it. Win!
3. Anime starts to influence your lifestyle
If we enjoy watching something long enough, it’s not uncommon for some of us to want to bring a bit of that fantasy into our reality. It’s normal and healthy. Really there’s no shame in buying an overpriced skirt that’s too big for you and paying extra to get it fitted just because it slightly resembles what a character you like wears. It’s ok to dye your hair the same ridiculous colour as your fave if your boss doesn’t understand, do you really want to work their anyways.
And driving an extra half hour to do your groceries at the Asian market just makes sense. Your daily omurice and okonomiyaki are just not going to taste the same without Japanese mayonnaise. Most people would drive a full hour for that stuff. In short, living your life as if you’re part of your favourite show of the moment is just a reasonable standard to set for yourself.
2. You pepper your speech with Japanese words and otaku expressions
Anyone learning a new language would be excited to show it off! And I bet your friends, family and casual acquaintances are super happy to know everything is daijoubu thank you very much! It’s cute to refer to your new crush as your dream waifu/husbando. Sharing knowledge is like sharing wealth.
So what if you’re learning this language at the rate of three words a year and some of them may not mean what you think they mean? That’s no reason not to show off a little. And yeah, a lot of them are exaggerated exclamations or expletives that would never be commonly used in public because that’s what’s said with the most emphasis and easy to remember but let’s not pretend we don’t all learn the swear words first!
If anything this mix of several real languages and a few fan-based dialects is an entirely new language you are pioneering. Impressive!
1. You start an anime based blog
You want to devote your precious little free time to writing about anime? A challenging art In and of itself. And then you’re going to edit and format those pieces of writing, get pictures, write captions? You’re going to put together an entire working website and upkeep it. Fuss with the layout, personalize the whole thing. You might even try to promote it a bit.
Not only that but with any free time left over (how much time do you have?), You’re going to read other blogs. Maybe you’ll try to keep up with general anime News and shows that come out every season. Ok well, that might be going too far. It’s nice to have a hobby and all but there are limits, you know?
I guess I finally found one sign that you may be watching just a smidge too much anime and four perfectly normal things a lot of great people do. This turned out to be a weird list. Do any of you have any lovely little quirks that coincidentally developed around your anime watching? Let us know.
Oh good, I’m perfectly normal then – since I do all but #1. Great story about #5. I went out in public one day wearing my Crunchyroll t-shirt. Pretty subtle, just a black t-shirt with small orange logo. One young man ran up to me at the bus station and HUGGED ME. We both jumped up and down and did a little happy dance. He showed me his swag. We talked half an hour. Same day – later – stopped at the legal marijuana dispensary. The young man who checked me in went NUTZ and, yeah, we talked anime another half hour. On the way home I got off the bus at a different stop to get some food and another HUGE man stood up, blocked my way – skipped the hug but showed me his One Piece tattoo (very nice BTW). Damn, I love it here! LOL. Oh and I have to say it’s fun being hugged and treated as a fellow traveler by people young enough to be my grandchildren…
Clearly I have to move to where you are
Las Vegas is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the U.S. You would probably be as delighted as I am here with the many Japanese/Asian festivals, stores, restaurants… I came for the medical care for hubby but the city itself has wowed me now 😀
Interesting. I’m more of a tundra than dessert girl but who am I kidding…i don’t go outside
THIS! Lol, this had me laughing my ass off. Everything’s so relatable, glad to know there are others who feel this! Great post!
I’m glad you liked it!
All but the second one apply to me…but people probably think of me as a new level of “elitist among weebs” because I’ve dedicated 8 years and some of my Serious Academic Brain towards the language. (Apparently I’m still missing a year if I want to take the next step to becoming a proper Japanese-English translator, though…)
go for it! I’m constantly on the lookout for qualified JP technical translators and they are not that easy to find
Ever seen the movie Up? The dogs with squirrels is me with anime merchandise.
same! Great imagery
I mean sure can I relate to all 5 of these??? Yes, but the only one that makes me feel a touch weeby is number 2. 🤣
nah…All the cool people do that
I’m not bashing and I don’t think I could stop if I wanted to! 🤣
Well, I’m only guilty of 4 of the five. . .so, obviously, I’m fine!
You would be fine either way! These are completely normal!
Oh, oh. I’m 5 for 5.
Or maybe 4.5 for 5. I haven’t yelled “nani?” even once today.
Should I seek medical attention?
Or is too late?
Let’s be optimistic. Just go now!
Japanese mayo is amazing and weirdly available in my local area which, given I can’t buy a pair of socks without mail-order, strikes me as truly bizarre in terms of priorities.
Anyway I’m watching a perfectly reasonable amount of anime. I’m not even watching half of the currently airing shows so clearly I’m not yet watching enough.
I think the priorities are just fine! I think we could probably stop slacking off and watch a little more anime really
Definitely. There’s dozens of shows I haven’t even tried this season and certainly my catch up watch list from the last couple of seasons is so large I’ll never finish it at this point.
Only 5 really applies to me. That must mean I’m not watching enough anime.
Also, if you’re driving an extra half hour to that Asian market, that’s one anime episode you’re not watching – two, if that’s only one way. (Public transport and mobile devices, though… just remember that some people might not understand you’re apologising for bumping into them if you give a short bow and say “sumimasen”.)
Most people assume I’m a small child
This allows my to plow through in public settings with surprisingly little scorn!
That last one totally called me out.
I was specifically thinking of you when I wrote it
Haha, what an awesome post. 😀 And David, 5 years of creating podcasts? I tip my virtual hat to you! Anime problem? What anime problem? サンキュウイ、リーナちゃん！(Thank you, Irina-chan! )
Shoot, I misspelled your name in Japanese. That should have read… サンキュウ、イリーナちゃん！
I didn’t want to say anything…
Is there even such a thing as an anime problem?
I am also a perfectly normal person who doesn’t watch too much anime. xD
We’re in this together!
I frequently experience four of the things you mentioned, all but the one about driving to the Asian market. There is one about 20 minutes from me, but I don’t drive, and getting rides is… very difficult with social anxiety.
The you are welcome for dinner at my place. Japanese mayo is pure magic and I don’t even like mayonnaise…
Aw thanks lol. I don’t like mayo either, but I wonder how the Japanese variety tastes.
I mean, you’re right. Haha. Can’t deny any of this.
Yes – another perfectly reasonable person!
Guilty as charged. First one dealt the largest damage.
Been there! you keep staring at some poor kid and they get all embarassed when all you’re thinking is, where can I get that t-shirt???
Busted!!!
🙂
I think I may have done all of this…
That’s normal! Everyone has. Yup!!!
I don’t have a blog, but I have been doing anime podcasts for about 5 years. Does that count?
Oh, and all the others, too.
I guess it does.. Congratulations on your reasonable anime watching habits!