Discussion Do People Around You Know You Like Anime?

This is a lot, be warned.

Ever since I watched my first anime, Naruto, when I was in 7th grade, I've been an anime fan. I've watched hundreds of episodes by now of all different genre. I've gone from Dragonball Z to Anohana, from slice of life to shonen, and from psychological to romance. It wouldn't be exaggerating to say that I have watched enough anime to cover 6 months of continuous anime. I can definitely say that anime has been an impact in my life. But here's the thing...

I'm not proud of being an anime fan.

For some of you folks, you don't feel this way. You've got anime figures, have anime posters, go to anime conventions, and share anime with people in your life. For me, I hid it. I don't want the world to know I like anime. I do tell some people I like anime, but I joke about it. Whenever I watch anime, I hid in my corner so that they can't tell I'm watching anime.

My fear is that people would look at me and cringe. I don't think the society's response is totally unreasonable. If you reflect on how much fan service and how unrealistic the girls are drawn with tits the size of melons, maybe society is right in certain aspects. Yes, anime is not just for kids, but the kind of reality that most anime portray is something that only desperate depraved men desire.

Spoiler: Examples

Incest, Harem, Sexualizing Young Kids, Being a OP underdog, Believing yourself as the only justice vs evil

The irony is that I really cringe when other people talk about it. I've been in conversations with someone that admires anime and I can't help but cringe at their childish thoughts. I see that a lot of anime fans are socially awkward and only group with other anime fans. I feel that a lot of them imagine the world a bit unrealistically. In that way, maybe it's why I've looked down on people in real life that love anime.

To be honest, I understand what it's like to be chuunibyou. I think I draw a lot it from anime. I'm not to extreme in like the anime, but when I close my eyes and listen to music that drifts me away, I begin to dream of my own world. And when I open my eyes, I scoff at how disgusting I am to play pretend. Maybe that's another reason I distance myself from anime in the public.

Maybe as someone who's been growing older and experiencing the world in my own perspective, I've lost a bit of the "magic" that I once had as a child. Maybe I've realized how unrealistic anime is and it's time for me to accept that most anime are not advertised to my age group.

I'm not saying there's no good anime. There's plenty of them that explore deep philosophical questions, but anime as a whole doesn't make me proud of sharing my passion with others.

What about you guys? What are some experiences you had with other people when they found out you liked anime? Maybe you feel similarly to me except with other forms of media. Or maybe your experience is different from mine. I'd like to know what you feel about this topic.

 

One piece fan here....so is my sister

 

You need to grow a pair


Who cares about what others think about you

 

Yes people know I like anime. My brother was the one that got me into them. My supervisor where I volunteer when to japan and he was making me jealous telling me all about it lol.

Never had a bad experience with people knowing I like anime. I wouldn't care if anyone had a problem with it anyways~

 

Edit: read that wrong. yeah people know i like anime
I understand how you feel bro. I hide anime from my family and pretty much in public aside from my friends. Being an anime fan can be pretty embarrassing since anime has lots of (intentional or unintentional) sexual content that just weird to other culture (unless you're watching something old like Astral Boy or Legend of the Galactic Heroes). People would think you're a "weeaboo" but honestly, don't give a fuck.

Edit2: At some point in life, you ran out of fucks to give. Someday, you can a proud otaku too!
Also, anime is a new thing that's getting more accepted and popularity. When people are cringing about the anime/manga culture, that's just them hating on a branch of another culture.

 

I don't really hid the fact that I am an anime fan but that's because I come from an area where that is acceptance for that. If I wanted, I could find someone who does share the same sentiment as me. However I usually don't go out to tell people. Over the year people who know me just picked up on the fact that I like anime. But I hid the fact that I like BL. I can count about 3 people in my life who know that. I don't like telling people because it is controversial and to me embarrassing.

 

Holy....Trump of Wall. Not gonna read that. Yeah they know.

 

I watch anime and everyone around me knows. Don't see a reason to feel ashamed of it to be honest.

There are one or two friends who would jokingly tease me about it sometimes, but never anything serious. Never suffered any sort of social bullying because of people knowing I like anime.

Honestly, I could care less of what people would think of me for liking anime. As long as they don't bother me I'm okay.

 

everyone believe I like Anime... I don't even like it...

 

You're not qualified to cultivate the great dao of anime !!!

Stop watching anime if you are not proud of if .

You have only one life so don't waste it worrying what other people saying about you.

 

No one around me shall know that I am an anime fan. I don't know why but I'm embarrassed about it, even if the other guy watches anime too.

 

Not like I cared what my friends thought of when they found out that I watched anime and stuff.

If they couldn't understand that watching anime, reading manga, and reading web novels was a part of me, then they weren't "friends".

Friends would understand that doing such things is a part of you, even if society looks down on it. (Not stuff that gets you arrested pls.)

Hell, I think even people around me in my classes understood that I was one of the go-to guys in the class if they wanted some information on some animes or manga. Not like everyone hung around me, but most people in the class understood and also sort-of liked it. Guess I was lucky.

 

Yea? If it comes up in a convo, then I go with the flow, but I don't like it enough for it to be outwardly (figurines, clothing, phone cases, wallpapers, lock screens, etc) noticeable. Not ashamed for liking it, and everyone that has brought it up likes it so *shrugs*
I haven't really met anyone that hates on anime irl. They might joke about it and hentai but eh, it's all fun and games to me

Though, I think some people think I like anime more than I really do, just because I largely introduced them to it.

 

No need to hide anime, only hentai, doujinshi and anything related to rule 34.

 

Some people know about my past obsession with anime. But really..

Anime is NEVER for kids. Not even shinchan and Doraemon imho. It is for preteens, teens and young adults. There is again a limited scope for serious adults. Ofc, this is just my opinion and anyone can watch whatever they want.
EDIT Also..never been to a convo or bought some merch.

 

Peoples mostly only knew naruto which is quite childish IMO. In my country, naruto=anime, anime=naruto.

 

I neither share nor hide. If it comes up it comes up.
Honestly, most people simply don't care unless you are walking around with a body pillow of some anime character. Even then they'll give you a weird look and probably pretend you don't exist(that's what I'd do anyways)


One thing you can count on from people is apathy. To anyone I've ever dated, liking anime was the same as liking video games or excessive reading or any other nerd hobby, it was all lumped into the same thing for them and mostly ignored.

 

It should be " Do people around you know that you're a weeb ? " HAHAHA Kawaii <3

 

I get where you're coming from but if you're so afraid of the judgements of the people you surround yourself with then maybe you've surrounded yourself with the wrong kind of people.
It's not like you have to rant about anime to them, just express a general liking to it. If they seriously ridicule you for just saying "I'm just gonna watch some anime on the weekend" or thereabouts, then they're not worth your friendship.

 

I come from religious family, my parents hated anime to the point where they would constantly pray to god that I stop it . They even called it "gini gini".

When I lived in UK, there was no problem. Tho some called those who read manga "no life"

But now I am in Africa one look at screen they say kids show.