What do we actually mean when we say “I like anime”?
Remember 15 years ago when you might become a castout after saying you were into anime? The hostile treatment of almost every fan of this type of media was a good enough reason for anime fans to become friends back then. Nowadays, anime is treated with much more respect than it used to be. People are starting to realize that there is much more to anime than pretty sexualized girls and fighting screaming boys. Just like countless movies and TV series, anime offers a huge variety of genres, that’s why just “liking anime” is not always a proper reason for bonding anymore.
Long time anime watchers may find it frustrating and baffling when people say they love anime, but then it turns out they haven’t really watched anything apart from Attack on Titan or Demon Slayer. But who decides which anime gives you the right to possess the title of an anime fan?
Keeping in mind that anime used to be a “banished from the society” type of crime, it’s easy to understand fans who wish the anime community to be more elitist. They were not allowed into some spaces, so why do they have to let everyone into theirs?
However, the times have changed and it’s not so bad for anime lovers anymore. Anime has influenced millions of people, it has a huge community with thousands of devoted fans, many of whom surprise us with their fandom content every day. And all of that is because fans stayed by anime for all these years and cultivated these fandoms and made non-anime viewers understand the depth of anime.
Anime is not a genre, it’s a type of media, and we shouldn’t forget about that. You can always find a show to your liking no matter what you’re into. Romcoms, psychological thrillers, detective stories, deep traumatic experiences and light cheerful moments can all be found in various titles. So let’s not generalize anime and treat it as a unified thing.
With that being said, we think that the solution to the issue of elitism may not be that complex. Everyone starts with something, and of course it’s much easier to start with exceedingly famous titles such as Death Note or Naruto. Try not to get offended if someone hasn’t seen all of your favorite series. If you want other people to explore more anime genres, you can always give them advice and treat the “I love anime” just like a simple ice breaker.
What do we actually mean when we say “I like anime”?
Remember 15 years ago when you might become a castout after saying you were into anime? The hostile treatment of almost every fan of this type of media was a good enough reason for anime fans to become friends back then. Nowadays, anime is treated with much more respect than it used to be. People are starting to realize that there is much more to anime than pretty sexualized girls and fighting screaming boys. Just like countless movies and TV series, anime offers a huge variety of genres, that’s why just “liking anime” is not always a proper reason for bonding anymore.
Long time anime watchers may find it frustrating and baffling when people say they love anime, but then it turns out they haven’t really watched anything apart from Attack on Titan or Demon Slayer. But who decides which anime gives you the right to possess the title of an anime fan?
Keeping in mind that anime used to be a “banished from the society” type of crime, it’s easy to understand fans who wish the anime community to be more elitist. They were not allowed into some spaces, so why do they have to let everyone into theirs?
However, the times have changed and it’s not so bad for anime lovers anymore. Anime has influenced millions of people, it has a huge community with thousands of devoted fans, many of whom surprise us with their fandom content every day. And all of that is because fans stayed by anime for all these years and cultivated these fandoms and made non-anime viewers understand the depth of anime.
Anime is not a genre, it’s a type of media, and we shouldn’t forget about that. You can always find a show to your liking no matter what you’re into. Romcoms, psychological thrillers, detective stories, deep traumatic experiences and light cheerful moments can all be found in various titles. So let’s not generalize anime and treat it as a unified thing.
With that being said, we think that the solution to the issue of elitism may not be that complex. Everyone starts with something, and of course it’s much easier to start with exceedingly famous titles such as Death Note or Naruto. Try not to get offended if someone hasn’t seen all of your favorite series. If you want other people to explore more anime genres, you can always give them advice and treat the “I love anime” just like a simple ice breaker.
