Today’s Friday and chances are you love anime. You may not be “in love” with anime, and you may not have an extra toothbrush at its apartment, but you’re probably having a “thing” with anime.
I personally love it. I love the way anime looks, sounds and how it makes me feel. It has a way of making me laugh and of inspiring me to think things I might not usually. Not to mention how pretty anime is, how easy on the eyes. It’s not a superficial affair, however, we have long talks about perseverance and heartbreak, about short term goals and long range plans. Anime told me it might consider permanently moving its stuff over here if its reception was any good. I hope it does. I do so love anime.
You may or may not have the relationship (going steady) with anime that I and I know many people do. It may be a phase for you, a casual fling you’ll toss out and forget about in the morning. A two or three year stand, if you will. I think my seven year affair has lasted so long and is still going so strong because of all the potential I see in it. I see a whole lot in anime: storytelling device, art form, entertainment, thought provoker, controversy, culture bridge, and so on.
But for some people, the magic is gone. There’s just no spark any more, and all those long nights in front of the TV seem so empty now. If you’re losing interest with anime, why have you? Has anime not delivered all it promised it would? If you haven’t lost interest but you know someone who has, why have they cut anime off? Is there a reason, or is it that the relationship has grown all it has and simply ended? What is it about anime that’s made you avoid it at parties and in conversation? Why have you or a friend ditched anime?
Please share in the comment section below your breakup scenarios with anime!
[I see a whole lot in anime: storytelling device, art form, entertainment, thought provoker, controversy, culture bridge, and so on. ]
5 years down the road (only subbed anime, longer if you consider stuff like dubbed speed racer or kenshin to be anime) and I still love it a bunch. I’m constantly surprised at how far anime can take a thought or idea and turn it into something far greater than it’s worldwide counterparts (dramas, cartoons and the like).
I’d probably love it well into my days too being the artsy guy I am. xD
It’s because anime cliches are repeated over and over like a recycling plant and after a while you sit there going “Can we do something else now?”
I feel if you are bit tired of anime you should take a break or at least find another hobby or interest. Anime should not be the only interest in the world. Or run your life.
I still love anime, but due to time constraints, I don’t get to watch much of it anymore, so I guess you can say that I ditched it. Instead, I moved to to something a lot more portable – manga. All of the action, comedy, and drama without the 42″ TV and dvd player.
I know a lot of friends have this problem with anime, myself included, that fillers are so goddamned apparent and bad it hurts the soul. So when fillers are everywhere, then the love for a series goes downwards. When you keep spotting fillers all over the place you tend to lose interest really quickly.
Oh, and because it’s faster to read mangas, atleast in my case. I can’t wait for a new episode too often, so I zip ahead and skip the anime from then on…
On the other hand, I’m less bored with anime than I am with western normal series. Whew, now there’s a can of worms. Except a few which are just extremely entertaining (Heroes, Stargate Atlantis), and those that are geniuinely fresh and awesome (Battlestar Galactica, Prison Break (although the latter is getting a tad old now, no variation in story-telling)).
@morghus: What series are you watching that has fillers? I can only think of a few off the top of my head, with them mostly being made by studio pierrot (I think that’s how you spell it) who are notorious for making D-grade fillers with bad plots as a way to make money on a long running series.
It wasn’t anime, necessarily, that kept me in a 2 year hibernation and now a subdued community participation, it was anime’s creepy groupies. Seriously, some people need to learn that although enjoyable, it’s just a TV show, not a life or death you have besmirched my honor thing.
As of right now, I’m watching very little due to time constraints. A 15-25 hour/week part time job coupled with school and homework= almost no free time. I can’t wait till summer break…
@Ez, I like anime as a subculture too. It’s so unique yet not. I must say this fandom is more fun than others.
@Hinano, have you broken up with anime or has a friend? Some series are pretty recycled, but there are those gems which make sticking with it worthwhile.
@scottfrye, I agree there can always be too much of a good thing and anything which devours an individual, no matter how awesome, is a dangerous thing. It’s the same in any relationship- having space gives perspective and let’s people keep their individuality.
@Julie, lol, I love manga too, but it seems anime and I have more in common- we’re both loud and colorful ^^.
@Morghus, “Oh, and because it’s faster to read mangas,…”, I absolutely agree with you on that! I’m trying to finish up all the Death Note manga, books, movies and anime and so far, I’m almost done with the manga but have a long ways to go with the series. So manga does rock for that.
@Caitlin, I too have experienced this odd identity projection some fans do towards their fave series. I never know what it was I said that would make someone I was having a discussion with switch gears when I mention a series sucks. So what if people don’t like the same things? It doesn’t mean they’re being judged based on an anime series.
@dkong, summer break is almost here, in the US that is. You’ll have plenty of time to take up where you and anime left off!
Some would consider me a late comer to anime. I remember Voltron, but I really don’t know if that would be considered anime or not. After that, I got addicted to DBZ. At the end of Cell in DBZ, I still watched DB:GT as bad as it was. I had an investment in the characters and wanted to know what happened to them.
I’m fully into Naruto (anime and manga), and am getting into Bleach and Full Metal Alchemist. The sad thing is that I’ve already seen the last episode of FMA, so I’m looking to get caught up with the manga and then go back and watch the anime.
While I can spot a plot line a mile away, if you’re invested into the characters, even though you know what’s going to happen, it’s how those characters respond to their environment that keeps you there and watching.
Anime seems too formulaic to me, these days. Every time someone suggests some great new anime I need to check out, it always seems to be based around the same thing. High school kids flying giant mecha, or wielding arcane arts, or struggling to become the best bread maker / tennis star / board game player / american football player / street racer, etc. And if it’s not that, it’s some other concept that’s been done to death by a million other anime.
There’s nothing wrong of course with the emotions these shows inspire in kids and young adults, but come on. Is there no damn originality left?
There are a few unique anime series still out there, I’ll grant you. But for the most part, I’m finding it harder and harder to find stuff that really grabs me. And I’ve just about had it with people recommending stuff to me; either everyone else’s taste and concept of originality is pathetic, or I’m just getting old and cynical. It’s probably a bit of both, but I’m willing to bet it’s more of the former than the latter.
@Shawn- Bleach the Anime, good character is the foundation of a good relationship ^^.
“It wasn’t anime, necessarily, that kept me in a 2 year hibernation and now a subdued community participation, it was anime’s creepy groupies. Seriously, some people need to learn that although enjoyable, it’s just a TV show, not a life or death you have besmirched my honor thing.”
Exactly. I met a number of uber-creepy kids years back that put me off the whole thing for close to 7 years. It doesn’t help that the average person on the street figures all anime fans are like those creepy otaku. Oh well. I’m digging my renewed casual fandom, but like said above, some of the cliched elements tend to wear on my patience.
@Chris N, It’s an unfortunate reality that some people in our fandom go a wee bit overboard. I too have come in contact with these odd specimens who will try and wear a person down through sheer creepiness (shouting, arguing, being really stalker-ish) in order that their anime opinion prevails. I usually nod and agree and walk away. Fanatics are the unpleasant side of any fandom, but if they don’t have an audience they usually shut up.
I have not ditched watching anime but I have ditched the influence anime has had on my own art. I have to agree with what this guy says about the influence anime has had on art in the US. Take a look,
http://www.myartspace.com/blog/2008/09/influence-of-anime-on-art-development.html
I also don’t rush to find the new best thing. I’m content with the classics.
@Vex, anime has a big influence on everything from individual art to commercial goods sold in the US. It’s not so unusual for someone to start emulating a favorite medium or artist and then evolve from there. Many new artists have grown up with anime, so it’s no surprise there’s so much anime-influenced art in the world.
im breaking up with animes too…
because as of this moment, my college life overtakes all of me. i guess this is what it means to “cool off”..haha..
goodbye animes, hello school.