Whether you are a weeb or a normie, you know the stigma that exists around the genre of anime. People choose not to enjoy it because of several things, from the style to its fans. Here are a few reasons as to why people don’t watch, but why they should.
Cartoons and anime are for kids
It’s understandable for someone not to be interested in cartoons simply because that’s “not their style.” However, not all cartoons are for children. Consider Adult Swim, which shows content that is animated but caters to adult humor and thinking. Shows like “Archer” and “Family Guy” display all kinds of violence, sex and crude jokes that are not entirely appropriate for children under the age of 15.
In regard to anime, there are plenty of shows that cater to more adult subjects. Shows like “Berzerk” and “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” have complex plots, themes of brutality that require a deeper understanding of emotion and heavy subjects. Other anime has more sexual innuendos and nudity, such as “The Seven Deadly Sins” and “Queen’s Blade.” These anime are not appropriate for children under the age of 14-17 because of their content, so this generalization is simply not true.
It’s not relatable to my life
Yes, there are plenty of fantasy and outlandish animes out there for anyone to enjoy. But there are so many other stories that may seem crazy, but teaches you about the way life changes and how you see the world. Take a quite infamous anime, “Death Note.” The premise is more than just an insane story about a boy who can kill people with a notebook. It takes on themes of justice. The story makes viewers question their own sense of justice. It shows which characters are more relatable.
“Violet Evergarden” is about a war-rattled young woman raised for the sole purpose of killing. Emotionless, deadly and alone, she tries to find work as a conveyor of emotion and memory. However, her journey to become her own person after the war ends is what makes the story so relatable. As we watch her, we see moments of real human development present itself. Violet’s progress in emotional intelligence is huge. You salute and cheer for her growth right alongside her.
I don’t like reading all the subtitles
There is plenty of English-dubbed anime to watch that doesn’t have any subtitles at all. Even though the subtitled anime provides more cultural immersion, the dubbed versions are relatively sufficient at using phrases or words that an American audience is more likely to understand.
An important thing to note is that English voice-acting in anime is notoriously bad. Typing in “bad anime voiceovers” into the YouTube search bar will show that quite easily. Be wary of dubs, but don’t discount them if you’re against reading things while you watch.
They all look the same
Like any other animated show, there are going to be different styles for each depending on the kind of story it is and the genre. “Kill la Kill” does not look the same as “Fullmetal Alchemist” which does not look the same as “One Punch Man.” All three of these have completely different styles. “Kill la Kill” is meant to look more hand-drawn and boxy in shape. “Fullmetal Alchemist” is fantasy and holds more color with rounder and cartoony shapes. “One Punch Man” is an action-comedy; it contains a combination of simplistic detailing and hyperrealistic work.
There are shows that have the same designers and animators, which makes certain shows and movies look similar. However, this is the same idea as watching different movies by the same cinematographer. The story is different, but the style is the same. Hayao Miyazaki is considered one of the most famous Japanese animators of all time. He is the co-founder of Studio Ghibli and a co-creator of some of the most critically-acclaimed anime films. Movies like “Ponyo,” “Spirited Away” and “Princess Mononoke” are considered masterpieces of the art. Their style may look the same, but the stories are vastly different.
People who watch anime are weird
There is no denying that there are weird people in every fanbase. Some might have more “weird” people than others. However, there are plenty of people in the world who don’t stop watching “Star Wars” simply because they think the fanbase is weird. The same could be said for Marvel fans or for Potterheads.
No one is asking anyone to go to anime conventions or to do cosplay or to even watch anime consistently. Just give it a chance. Find a plot that interests you, sit down and watch it.
It’s over-sexualized
This subject is a touchy one for some anime viewers. Anime porn, otherwise known as Hentai, created an overt sexualization of the anime genre. People often associate anime with Hentai because of its increasing popularity with American audiences. Its animation styles can look similar to legitimate anime shows and movies. However, that type of porn only shows up on porn websites, so assuming all anime is sexual simply isn’t true.
It is true, however, that anime has had problems with its over-sexualization in the past, and that can socially affect people.
In a 2017 study titled, “The Examination of Anime Content and Associations between Anime Consumption, Genre Preferences, and Ambivalent Sexism,” researchers found three potential reasons why women in anime are shown provocatively and stereotypically. Japanese people hold stereotypic views of gender, anime itself is enmeshed with patriarchy and “fan service” meant to promote the male gaze.
One thing to consider is that sexism is present in all facets of society. That does not make over-sexualization or stereotypic aspects of some anime acceptable. It simply means that avoiding an entire genre just because one facet of that genre is bad is not fair to the people who create quality, wholesome content.
