Slowly I am starting to get to know (and talk with) more and more anime fans. And guys, they’re just like normal people! 😏
This has led me to discover that although we are all very different, there are some things that seem to unite almost all Anime fans. Anime specific experiences we’ve all gone though at some point but unless you’re an avid anime watcher, you might not even know such a thing could exist.
When I started making this list it sounded more like an array of unpleasant symptoms so I tried to make it more optimistic since being an anime fan can be great fun! These are just from personal experience, so maybe saying all anime fans go through this is a gross overstatement. Let’s see:
5) Seasonal manic depression
Eventually, most fans discover and start following the advent of anime release seasons. 4 times a year we get an onslaught of new series and a chance for the return of one of our favourites. It’s a time of excitement and anxiety. For a few weeks we’re on a high of anime overload as we take in a whole bunch of first episodes and find out what we want to watch for the next few months. We welcome long anticipated shows with a slight nervousness that they won’t live up or get our adrenaline going with surprise gems.
And then, I’d say about 3 weeks in, the inevitable down sets in. Series loose that shiny new feelings, shows settle down into a calmer build up and we, anime fans, get a bit tired and busy to watch every show available. The new season sheen wears off and we go back to normal which seems just a little duller now.
It’s a pattern I have noticed over and over again but only with anime fans. Want a favour from an otaku in your life, wait till the start of the next season, they’ll be in a great mood!
4) Anime series mourning
Every type of entertainment ends at some point but there’s something peculiar that happens when an anime you’re really enjoying ends. You get bummed out. Well I do. It feels sort of lonely and a little empty. Boy that sounds melodramatic but I’m sure someone out there knows what I’m talking about. I’ve talked to a lot of anime fans and a lot of them have experienced this sort of slight soft depression when they no longer have the comfort of their favourite show to go home to.
But I’ve never hear anyone describe something similar at the end of sitcoms or Western tv shows. Sure people were way angry when game of thrones ended but not for the same reasons. Maybe it’s because so many anime go unresolved so as a viewer you feel like there *should* be more. Maybe it’s because I don’t actually talk to many people about tv shows since all I watch is anime and they do in fact feel the same way….Who knows??
3) Morality mambo
Has this ever happened to you. You are super excited about a new anime you’re watching and you’re talking with a friend unfamiliar with the medium and you’re about to explain the romantic sub plot between brother and sister and they start to look at you weird… Or you try to explain that Hisoka is an amazing character with predatory pedophile tendencies that are shown by the show but never addressed or reproached. (And I do love Hisoka!)
I’ve always maintained that the lack of oversight in anime is mostly a good thing but it means that a lot of elements that are completely off limits in other sort of media just show up, sometimes randomly, in a lot of shows. And I am not at all pro predatory pedophiles and it’s really weird that I actually have to write that… But when you’re an anime fan you sort of learn to navigate around a lot of minefields that are just foreign to the uninitiated.
2) Platform paranoia
Remember way back in point 5 where I talked about the high of new seasons. Well those that go one step further in their appreciation of anime might actually seek out anime release schedules before the season even starts. Just to sort of get an idea what you’re in for. And if those fans are like me they get psyched about a whole bunch of upcoming titles.
The problem is that seasonal release schedules are pretty easy to find on the internet. They’re translated from Japanese airing schedules and industry news. What’s missing though is the international distribution platforms as sometimes, those haven’t even been properly negotiated or secured yet.
So you get all wound up and giddy, then you have to obsessively see what’s been released on all your platforms just to see if you’re actually going to be able to watch those shows after all. Of course Murphy’s law dictates that the show you are most looking forward to is going to be our of reach and you’re left with the dilemma of getting an entire new streaming service just to watch one series… It’s a drag. I am still very upset that Beastars never made it to Netflix Canada and there’s no sign it ever will….
1) A secret (or not so secret) 2d awakening
I’m sure a lot of us have had a phase when we thought those Otaku falling in love with anime characters and getting body pillows or dozens of figures were…a little odd. I mean sure the designs are nice and all but it’s still just a drawing. And then one day it happens. You’re just innocently watching a really great anime when it hits you. You love that character!
Ok there’s nothing unusual here, people love great characters that’s normal. But then you start thinking about that character a whole lot. Maybe you start to compare actual real people to this character. You buy a figure cause the artistry is so great. Maybe also a key chain cause you needed one..and a wallet is always useful, a couple of t-shirts…you can’t walk around naked after all and you start thinking a body pillow would be nice. Before you know it you have framed fan art staring at you lovingly from your desk. Congratulations you just got your first waifu/husbando. Welcome to the club!
Some of us still feel a bit embarrassed and keep our 2d crushes to ourselves, others openly distribute our erotic fabrics to anyone willing to listen. Either way, most anime fans have had a 2d awakening t some point and it’s magical!
So tell me, do any of these sound familiar or am I way off the mark here? Maybe I forgot something? Is there anything else that unites us anime fans in our experience while leaving others confused an possibly a little concerned?
I have to say that I feel I’m slacking. The reason I say this is because usually I have a hard time getting back to watching another anime. I usually wait until my one of my friends recommends an anime before watching it. The only downside is that sometimes I start watching an anime, life gets in the way, and then I never get back to it. I no doubt get excited when I hear about another season coming when it is an anime that I enjoy. I also hate anime that go too long and don’t give the same punch as they use.
As a creative writer working on my own story, I sure hope that I can create characters that people will fall in love with. Whether that will be as seeing yourself or having a crush, that has yet to be determined. I can only hope at this point since I’m still working on it. When I was single (a few years back now) these characters were all I had and I did love them to a certain degree. Other characters were without a doubt part of infatuation or lust even. I have to say that the last part of this post really resonated with me. I honestly did think about getting an anime body pillow. I’m not going to lie.
I have to say you are not off the mark as a conclusion to my rambling.
We have a few authors in our community and they are great. I’m sure you’ll write some awesome as well.
this is too true but the one thing you left out was crying when your favorite character dies
Oh my…don’t make me think about that…sniff
God, that Morality Mambo is too true😅 I’m watching Interspecies Reviewers now and I can’t even tell people about it without feeling like a pervert
Nothing wrong with a good pervert
LOL you’re too kind
“Anime series mourning”
Yup. Still praying for another season of “3 Gatsu no Lion”. Another season of “Chihayafuru” was a gift from Heaven! “Nana” is probably beyond hope.
“Platform paranoia”
Oh yes. And all the anime you can’t watch, period. Tied up in licensing arguments. Or the owner only wants to sell DVDs. Or no longer available in your area. I installed NordVPN just so I could watch a couple of anime that were only available in Asia.
“Morality mambo”
Yeah, that’s a big one. Anime that gets into incest or loli/shoutacon is unlikely to be acceptable in mainstream America. And it is one of the things that bugs me, that Japan seems so cool with it.
Even some of the ecchi… “OMG! It’s cartoons. You want to show that to children?” Or, “Is THAT what turns you on?”
You have to be really careful who you show it to because some folks even find it triggering. My wife got tweaked that I enjoyed “Perfect Blue.” Somehow liking an anime means I supported the abuse it described?
“you can’t walk around naked after all…”
Oh yeah?
It gets super cold!
I would say series mourning is fairly universal. I’ve felt it with TV shows, books, fanfiction, comics. Most famously in the US you can look at the airing of the last episode of an old TV series MASH where their last episode has been historically the most watched episode for a US TV show ever. It was a multi year show that managed to capture the love of America and all the fans tuned in to see the end of it. I think you could call that a kind of mourning.
There’s definitely a recognized feeling among fiction readers with book mourning especially among a YA and fantasy audience as well.
Some 2D characters ironically have more depth to them than some 3D people I’ve met.
Sadly me too
I think Beastars is making it your way too in March? Want to do a colab on it if true?
Also, not sure if number 2 is true anymore. Even normies have to figure out what streaming services they want and what shows they want to watch because there is too many of them.
For example, I want to watch Star trek Picard and Mandolorian with everyone else, but those are on streaming services that are too expressive for me.
Also, yeah. Number one has true. I don’t own anything for Akane yet and I feel very sad about that. I should look into that…
I want to. I want to very much.
Yay! I hope it happens and we all get it when it appears then :).
I’ll be watching carefully
I would be lying if i said none of these applied to myself.
It really does sucks whenever your favorite manga or anime series does come to an end especially if it was left on a cliffhanger and there is still plotholes that have yet to be resolved.”Ahem outlaw star”
No matter how much of a otaku you are its impossible to watch every show that is out so for me i’d stick to the shows that i am interested in or if there is a sequel of a show that i have watched not too long ago i’d might take a look at it.
I also agree as well the lack of oversight for anime is generally a good thing and there is some pretty likable perverts such as Master Roshi and it does seem really awkward to state you are not pro pedophile when defending the characters and you have to be careful phrasing certain things too.
Some of my favorite crushes are Chiaki and Kyoko from Danganronpa and in Psycho Pass Shion Karanmori.
I have a One Piece Wallet as it was one of the earliest anime i have watched and in terms of anime figures i do have a Faye Valentine funko pop figure too because i really liked Faye-Faye.
And hey as long as you are perfectly content with your nature as a otaku then keep on doing what you love.
Very relatable post you have written.
-K (rogueotakugamer)
Side note
Beast stars is coming to Netflix Canada sometime in winter 2020.
(Finally getting it sent through after a few times now)
Post-anime depression is way too real. Even if the ending is well written and satisfying, I always want more! Sometimes I’ll try to fill that void by watching another anime that’s similar to the one I just finished, but that one usually ends up not being as good haha
I go the other way. Watch something as different as possible to try to reset. That usually doesn’t work either
I’d be lying saying that none of those points relate to me.
Its impossible no matter how much of an otaku you are to watch every single show coming out any season so its best to focus on the shows you are interested in or continue or focus on watching out the show you are currently watching and if this season has a sequel of it then you could go ahead and watch it.
It really does suck when your favorite show does end especially if its a cliffhanger and no word is out that there is going to be a sequel continuing where it last left. “Ahem Outlaw Star”.
I’ve also always believed as well the lack of oversight for anime has been a generally good thing and its pretty awkward having to assert yourself as not being pro pedophile either too and you have to be careful phrasing your defense points when discussing about lovable perverts like Master Roshi.
Some of my favorite anime girl crushes are Kyoko Kirigiri,Chiaki Nanami and Shion Karanmori.
I do have a funko figure of Faye Valentine of Cowboy Bebop and i also have a wallet of the main cast of One Piece as the show was one of the earliest anime i have watched.
And hey as long as you are perfectly content with your own nature as otaku keep on doing what you love.
Very relatable post.
-K Rogueotakugamer
Side Note Beaststars is coming out on netflix Canada sometime in later winter 2020.
I’d be lying if i said none of it applied to me.
No matter how much of a otaku you are there is no possible way to watch every single seasonal show that is currently airing so its best to focus on the shows that you are interested in.
It really is a bummer whenever a show that you really like starts to end especially if it ended on a cliffhanger and there is currently no sequel being announced. “Ahem Outlaw Star” and there was also many plotholes not being resolved either too.
The lack of oversight is generally good thing for anime and my all time favorite pervert is Master Roshi and theres a complete difference between reality and fiction and its also pretty weird having to state that your not pro pedo either as well too and as anime fan you better be really careful phrasing and defending certain tropes as well too.
I do have crushes on characters like Kyoko Kirigiri from Danganronpa and Shion Karanmori from Psycho Pass.
Because of how sexy Faye Valentine is in Cowboy Bebop i actually do have a funko figure of her right near my desk and my current wallet is a one piece wallet with the main cast on it.
And hey as long you are happy with being otaku then keep on doing your own thing.
Very relatable post you made.
Side Note
Beastars is actually coming to Netflix Canada sometime this year but it wasn’t fully specified what date or month it will come out besides it being in late winter.
https://www.monstersandcritics.com/anime/beastars-netflix-release-date-u-s-english-2020/
-K(Rogueotakugamer)
Awesome
Those are good examples. #3 is certainly one that I wonder when it comes to morality issues or how something is portrayed.
It gets dicey
It certainly can be and I hope I don’t go overboard.
Solid points. You did well placing 2d awakening at (1) on your list! I always think back to the days when I felt self conscious about my admiration and love for the first wave of characters I had to have more than just a t-shirt of. I would justify why I got a dakimakura, why I would buy doujinshi but after a while you remind yourself – as long as I’m happy, who cares and once you own that part of yourself, you realize just how many other anime fans there are like yourself. ^^
Among the many things I could be ashamed of somehow liking fictional characters doesn’t rank very high! But yeah, I’ve been therem