Anime: Why You Should Watch It and the Impact It Can Have On Your Life

Serenity Amiatu

Did you have that one kid at school that was so obsessively fanatical about Anime that they would imitate and mimic the characters? Did it make you think; “Man, that kid is so weird?” The way they would run like Naruto all over the school and how they themselves believed they could be ‘Super Saiyan’ whenever you made them angry. I had a kid like this at my school and in all honesty, I would tease that kid by saying the words, “Grow up! Anime is weird why do you watch it anyway?” And there was no way that I had the right to say those things when I, myself, had never watched it

It took a monumental event in my life, a childish and yet painful break-up, for me to begin the journey of appreciating Anime The first Anime that I ever watched was Spirited Away It wasn’t the one that really got me hooked to Anime, but the plot, editing and artwork were just out of this world, the anime was the greatest of its time which is why this film was awarded ‘best animated feature’ at the 75th Academy Awards in 2003

The two anime series that really got me hooked were none other than One Piece and Naruto Both storylines investigate the idea of morality, defying the odds and doing absolutely everything you can to achieve your goals and dreams

They depict the idea that through strength and gaining power, the characters will be able to make a change to the traditional norms of their society and bring about a new generation of change that will finally bring world peace. They show great examples of character development, building new connections that form into great friendships, taking on any challenge and battling formidable foes They prove themselves to the very people who degrade their existence and show the world that they deserve a place at the highest table

Both Naruto and One Piece have a whole bunch of episodes already available, and while Naruto is already completed, One Piece is still ongoing reaching over 1000+ episodes. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend these two to first time anime watchers but as someone who did choose to watch these first, I do not regret it at all For first time Anime watchers, I have listed a few anime’s in the table below for you to enjoy.

Anime became my comfort, my means of emotional support and it definitely made me develop unrealistic expectations for love and relationships, hence the reason why I am still single Regardless, the many messages and morals that are taught in Anime shows and films have been influential and impactful and have given me an appreciation for life itself Anime brings out the hidden potential that is rooted in every one of us and begins to stem out a beautiful aspect of life in retrospect to the challenges it brings and teaches us ways to develop our character, take on any challenge and rise above it all to become the very best versions of ourselves.

Am I one of those girls that simp over these fictional characters? No lie, who wouldn’t? The way that they draw characters to fit any girl’s type or needs and creates a personality that derives from a girl’s fantasy of ‘what a guy should be,’ who wouldn’t simp over them?

Especially when it comes to the fictional characterisation of girls and their overboard sexualisation bringing once again unrealistic expectations of a girl, but you know, that also stems from the fantasies that boys have It goes both ways and provides the stimulation of fantasies for literally anyone, making both boys and girls delusional

Is anime for kids? Mostly, no and in other cases, yes. Anime that is suited for kids includes Pokémon, Beyblade, Digimon, Astro Boy, Sonic and more.

Anime recommended for mature audiences would involve everything else that includes dark themes, blood, gore, sexualisation of characters, inappropriate language and profanity and more that derive from the childlike behaviorism from the others that were listed So, in cases that you are to watch anime with kids or younger audiences, make sure you either watch it yourself or read the summary plot and the movie rating (from G-R) it is given

So, should you watch anime? Is it really worth it? You won’t know until you give it a chance and instead of being the naïve kid who judges every little thing without trying it, how about taking anime into consideration and unlocking a whole new world of possibilities and new experiences. I bet you’ll end up loving anime just as much as I do.

What are you studying? Primary Teaching (pdhpe ofc)

Where's your home away from Avondale? My home away from Avondale is Port Mac/Gladstone

Why did you decide to come to Avondale? Ngl only because of free dorms + Tanner lived down here

How has last semester shaped how you are going to approach this semester?

Hmm last semester was pretty cruisey for me Starting assessments early is something I’ve always done so I think I’ll stick to this approach

On an average day how many pigeons do you think you could reasonably carry at one time?

I hate birds with a passion so none if I had the choice

Let's be real, who wears the pants in your relationship?

I would say me. I think everyone will agree that tanner is whipped

What's something about you that only your closest friends would understand best? Everything has to be organised Lists for everything!

Is there an odd quirk your partner has that has gotten out of hand if so what?

Not really a quirk but Tanner playing eagle rock purely to get all the boys to dance with him pantless has gotten out of hand