Hi, Alysers! Have you ever wondered why some people just can’t resist anime? I have the answers for you. In this post, we will look at the 10 reasons why anime is amazing!
Of course, we all have our reasons why we watch anime. Some of us simply enjoy the stories, while others appreciate all the technicalities that anime does so well. Hence, to get a well-rounded insight into the things that make anime great, this post will consider both subjective and objective reasons.
I know that 10 reasons are not enough to explain why anime is amazing, but this should be a good start! Let’s explore this love for anime together!
10. Anime has a distinctive art style
Anime is amazing because you can immediately identify what it is based on how it’s drawn. Its style is distinct from animation drawn by Cartoon Network, Pixar, and Disney. This is because while most anime makers maintain unique elements in their drawings, they employ generalized techniques to make their art align with typical anime styles.
For example, most anime tend to use large, exaggerated eyes on girls. Meanwhile, men tend to be drawn with narrow and angled eyes. Many characters, including regular students, are also drawn with unnatural and vibrant hair colors.
9. Anime concepts are ground-breaking
Anime continually introduces storylines and concepts that are considered unique and groundbreaking in the animation world.
For instance, Sailor Moon introduced the entire genre of magical girl. From there stemmed several other animations that are centered on young girls who have magical powers. Sailor Moon influenced Western cartoons such as WINX Club and Star vs. the Forces of Evil, with their transformation sequences, storylines, and style choices.
In fact, anime has become so instrumental to culture that “Western anime” have begun popping up. TV shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender and Batman Beyond have anchored their themes and styles on anime influences.
8. Anime is a great form of escapism
Anime writers are great at creating worlds that are distinct from real life. As such, it is very easy for viewers to find themselves being fully immersed in the shows. This is especially therapeutic and relieving for people going through a hard time in their lives and looking for a way to escape their realities.
This is why it is common that anime watchers end up binging the shows for hours on end. Once you get drawn into an anime world, it isn’t easy to pull out of it. And although too much of this may be a cause for concern, properly managing and enjoying the escapism offered by anime can also be helpful.
7. Anime emphasizes emotions
This is not to say that other artistic mediums do not value emotions. However, anime takes this to the next level. It is not afraid of being sappy or cheesy just for the sake of appearing cool. Instead, it delves into the trauma, experiences, and feelings of the characters without shame nor apology.
For example, it is only in recent years that Western media have embraced the narrative of an awkward, introverted student trying to find his way in life. In contrast, anime has always leaned into these themes. Shows like A Silent Voice and Kimi ni Todoke even take the time to explore and address the consequences of school bullying fully.
What makes this even better is that anime markets these emotional series towards men and women alike. This is different from Western media, as they only direct emotion-heavy shows and movies towards women.
6. Anime has a solid community
Anime is amazing because it has managed to build a solid community without even trying. For the most part, there is also a unity that binds everyone together, with the simple common denominator that we all like anime.
Anime watchers tend to find solace and support in online forums and cosplay conventions, despite the stigma that surrounds these things. In fact, it may even be argued that the stigma has only brought anime watches closer because now, we have to make a stand for the things that we like and enjoy.
What makes this particularly interesting is that it doesn’t really matter what anime you like; you will be considered a part of the community nonetheless. This is different from communities of other artistic mediums that create their own niche communities, such as Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
5. Anime is fantastical, but it’s also rooted in human realities
Anime creators like to employ unique storylines in their shows. This is why a considerable amount of anime have fantastical, magical, or supernatural elements. These things ensure that, in one sense, the stories take place in a different world or reality. As said earlier, it is an excellent form of escapism.
Yet even with these elements, the major plot points continue to revolve around human realities and struggles. For instance, in Sword Art Online, a group of people go on a deep dive into the AR world and become trapped in it. To ensure survival, they make sure that their levels continue to rise, their HP bars are well in the green, and they have enough money to purchase updates and critical items. In this sense, we are unable to relate to these elements in the show.
However, the show also captures the frustrations and realities of being a human. The death of a loved one, the conflicts brought about by relationships, and the struggle to adapt to a different place and culture are addressed, even amid all the video game fighting.
And this can be seen in anime across the board. No matter how outlandish or other-worldly the storyline may seem, the core of it boils down to the human experience.
4. Anime values character development
Anime contains a myriad of artistic aspects that make the shows fun and exciting to watch. However, most anime will not focus so much on the battle scenes and the world-building that they leave out the development of the characters. This is not like Godzilla vs. Kong, wherein animation and graphics mattered more than character storylines. Even fight-based series such as Naruto, One Piece, and My Hero Academia take the time to show the journey of their characters.
In anime, the growth of the characters is important. It’s what draws people in, and it’s what keeps viewers coming back for more. An anime series that has little character growth will likely be panned by critics and fans alike. Meanwhile, an anime series that is not necessarily ground-breaking yet is able to develop great characters is well-loved. This is why slice-of-life stories continue to abound.
3. Anime has great soundtracks
Music has a significant impact on how much we enjoy TV shows and movies. For example, a movie with a fitting soundtrack is much more memorable than a show with a great story but inappropriate or insignificant background songs.
It’s a good thing then that anime has mastered the art of masterful storytelling and magnificent soundtracks. If you watch Shakugan no Shana, hearing that intro song by LiSA is sure to get you fired up and excited for the episode. And who can forget the classic theme song of Pokemon? The music just adds to the entire experience, which is amazing.
2. Anime has a variety of different genres
Every artistic medium has different genres, but anime takes this up a notch. Sure, there is the typical romance, comedy, action, and adventure. However, anime has unique genres such as ecchi, harem, mahou girl, mecha, and isekai.
These genres make anime a different viewing experience, and some shows even include a mix of them! The best part is that when you’re tired of watching romance anime, you can refresh yourself by watching mecha instead. And when you’re done with watching all those robots, you can move on to mahou girl anime. The point is that you always have the option for something new.
1. Anime is for all people of all ages
Anime is amazing because any person can watch it. While we vary in our preferred genres and storylines, there remains the fact that young children to adult men and women can watch an anime and enjoy it wholeheartedly.
In fact, anime tends to be categorized according to five demographics, namely:
- Shounen – intended for the young male demographic, ranging from pre-teens to eighteen. The word “shounen” directly translates to “young boy.”
- Shoujo – intended for the young female demographic, ranging from pre-teens to eighteen. The word “shoujo” directly translates to “young woman.”
- Seinen – intended for the adult male demographic, aged nineteen and above.
- Josei – intended for the adult female demographic, aged nineteen and above.
- Kodomo – intended for the children demographic with ages ten and under.
This reflects how anime caters to all audiences when they make their shows. There will always be something for everyone. That makes anime pretty amazing.
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