Opinion
Anime rises above negative stereotypes
December 13, 2007
The majority of people I meet have had a hefty helping of ignorance when it comes to the magnificence of anime. When I mention that I am a fan, the most common reaction I receive is a blank stare followed by a cold “oh, heh.”
In fact, I’m sure I lost at least half of my readers with the introduction. These individuals most likely assume that every anime is a “Dragon Ball Z” replica, with ugly animation and unrealistic plots involving weapons, creepy little creatures that talk and women with really large breasts in small, gaudy shirts.
I suppose this angst I feel towards those who reject anime might actually be more about my disgust for the narrow-mindedness of people I have chatted with about the topic.
They sit there watching reruns of “Gilmore Girls” and when I suggest popping in something new, say, “Wolf’s Rain,” an abrupt “eww,” spews from their lips without hesitation.
These commoners tag anime fans along with those who are passionate about topics such as fantasy, sci-fi and anything else out of the ordinary. They presume that these subjects aren’t valuable in any way.
Maybe they spit up their creativity and imagination with their Cheerios as infants.
Under any circumstance, I’m not going to respect people who refuse to give something new a try. Some haters need to be reminded that some anime, such as “Spirited Away,” have won Oscars for outstanding plot lines and striking illustrations.
Anime on television is typically of the variety marketed toward young boys. If you dig deeper, you will find that it is like any other form of entertainment, with genres for romantics, intellectuals, perverts, action-seekers and any combination of these four and beyond. Anime can make you laugh, cry and quite possibly buy a sword just to hold one on a daily basis.
My favorite anime series, “Fruits Basket,” follows the life of a young orphan whose mother died in a car accident. Optimistic and determined to still live a rewarding life, she ends up living with a cursed family. When hugged by members of the opposite sex, the family members turn into animals of the Chinese Zodiac. This peculiar story line is presented with witty dialogue and its ending is inspiring.
You think I’m a nerd, don’t you? Nerd or not, anime and all that is quirky and unique is essential in my life—and if you’re one of those “Gilmore Girls” rerun-watching individuals or any anything of the like, I highly suggest you watch an anime series this J-term. The world would be quite dismal if everyone were as dull as you.
Annee Mayer-Chapleau is a junior studying creative writing. She loves astronomy and her main goal in life is to dance like David Byrne from the Talking Heads.