Why is anime so weird?

[West Leas Oros 2]

I thought anime was all about buff dudes punching the crap out of each other and licking things.

But if you want sexualization, hoo boy:

JoJo when I'm watching alone: *matcho fight scenes and card games*

JoJo when my family walks into the room: *fabouslous poses and people stuck in gay sex positions*

Joseph and Avdol Flashback

[SD_Film Artists]

JoJo when I'm watching alone: *matcho fight scenes and card games*

JoJo when my family walks into the room: *fabouslous poses and people stuck in gay sex positions*

Joseph and Avdol Flashback

Ooohh NOOOoooo!

[Disgraces]

Only anime I've watched is hentai

[Kandorith]

The thing is that the internet subculture and the real life variant of it, who indeed obsess over it, are not really your average anime fans.

I myself mostly enjoy Studio Ghibli, Spacebattleship Yamato, Gundam, etc; but I don't really obsess over it. Other than those I never really gotten into it any more as I got older. Sure I have some models from the series and a Totoro plushie but HEY! Who can say no to Totoro?

I think a large part of the obsessive fandom comes from a variety of factors and from what I tend to notice in some of those fans, who I know quite well, is that they are quite the loners. It could be a form of western style "hikikomori" who knows? Just like you have obsessive gamers who shut themselves out of the world, it could be that these obsessive fans do the same but in a different way.

In the end, I don't really know and I tend to just go "meh, let live and let die." Just let them enjoy whatever they enjoy, no matter how weird it might seem to you.

Only anime I've watched is hentai

Ah! I see you are a man of culture.

[Emilia the Hero]

For the user behind this nation, I credit the original animation style of The Real Ghostbusters (the cartoon spinoff of the original Ghostbusters movie) for why I'd later like anime. I'll be the first to point out there's a big difference between liking anime and spending time and/or money on it.

I think why some of it seems so weird is much global media is based on Western European and American worldview and culture. Whereas anime is based on Japanese worldview/culture.

I’ll just start this off by saying I never liked anime, ever, but I have been around this weird subculture on the internet and in real life that obsesses over it.

Anime seems so weird, almost every anime seems to have people with artificial hair, the hyper sexualization of everything, and other weird things like catgirls and all that. What makes it even weirder is there is a certain subset of people, usually in the West, who obsess over it and spend every breathing moment of their life talking about anime. Why is it so weird and particularly so socially awkward?

The internet has always had communities of niche interests, not every niche interest will be the liking of everyone. Not everyone who likes anime watches it for catgirls or "fan service".

It's kinda like saying "I play an online text-based political simulation game called NationStates", and receiving a funny look with or without "why are you on a political simulation game", "I'm surprised that server is still online", and/or they go into an argument about how it was created as an advertisement for a book (which I was well aware of when I created my first nation in late 2002 or early 2003).

It just is. The drawings, the face, the voices, I don't like them.

That's perfectly alright. Nothing requires anybody to like anime. BTW, one of the valid points made by some are that the English-language voice dub actors change the tone of the anime.

Anime isn't much weirder than any other Internet phenomena. Every fandom, franchise, or phenomenon has its 'bad sites' or 'bad examples' that make it appear weird.
So you are neither wrong nor absolutely right.
There are parts of the anime fandom/community/whatever-you-call-it that have some 'weird' attributes for someone that is not that into it. There are people who throw half their income at Anime-merch and whatever else, either out of obsession, or because they want to support the creators of their favorite anime.
But it isn't much 'weirder' than people obsessed by a specific music genre, movie genre, specific artist, movie itself or whatever else that can be obsessed about.
What about meme-culture? Just like anime fans throw half their income at merchandise from an anime, in meme culture people buy stuff worth half their income just for the giggles.

I'd have to agree; ever known anybody who spends their free time watching certain types of movies, listening to certain types of music, reading books on a certain subject, collecting sports cards/bottle caps/etc., fixes up old junker vehicles, or saves up their money to buy merchandise related to something they like? Anime should be no different.

[Dumb Ideologies]

Some anime is crap. I like the anime that I watch. Sections of the fandom are cringe. Sections of every fandom are cringe. So what? Being ashamed of what you like because some other people who like it do things you don't like - now that's cringe.

[West Leas Oros 2]

Some anime is crap. I like the anime that I watch. Sections of the fandom are cringe. Sections of every fandom are cringe. So what? Being ashamed of what you like because some other people who like it do things you don't like - now that's cringe.

My opinions on anime are as follows:
*ahem*

Jojo good, SAO bad

[Cordel One]

It's just a strange artstyle. Some people like it, some people don't. That being said, you'd have to tie me to something and pry my eyes open to make me watch it.

[SD_Film Artists]

Some anime is crap. I like the anime that I watch. Sections of the fandom are cringe. Sections of every fandom are cringe. So what? Being ashamed of what you like because some other people who like it do things you don't like - now that's cringe.

My opinions on anime are as follows:
*ahem*

Jojo good, SAO bad

I....I liked SAO. Ok the main character was a Mary Sue but the first half-season felt so tense as people aren't supposed to die in games, meanwhile someone dies in Narcos and it doesn't matter as it's normal.

As for my favourite, I'm a huge Ghost in the Shell fan especially GitS SAC.

[Rusozak]

You ever encounter someone that was just "very punchable?" They didn't do anything wrong, their actions didn't warrant anything, but just something about them offends your senses and makes you want to punch them. That's my relation to anime.

[Whitemore]

Some anime is crap. I like the anime that I watch. Sections of the fandom are cringe. Sections of every fandom are cringe. So what? Being ashamed of what you like because some other people who like it do things you don't like - now that's cringe.

My opinions on anime are as follows:
*ahem*

Jojo good, SAO bad

I like Sword Art Online and am still a loyal Fan.

As for my favorite it's Aldnoah Zero, and if you haven't watched it you should! It's a wonderful anime.

[Castelia]

As for my favorite it's Aldnoah Zero, and if you haven't watched it you should! It's a wonderful anime.

Season 2 does not exist. Repeat, Season 2 DOES NOT exist.

[SD_Film Artists]

You ever encounter someone that was just "very punchable?" They didn't do anything wrong, their actions didn't warrant anything, but just something about them offends your senses and makes you want to punch them. That's my relation to anime.

I have the same reaction to Dragon Ball Z and a lot of other anime in the 'shonen' genre, but I'm still an anime fan.

[West Leas Oros 2]

My opinions on anime are as follows:
*ahem*

Jojo good, SAO bad

I....I liked SAO. Ok the main character was a Mary Sue but the first half-season felt so tense as people aren't supposed to die in games, meanwhile someone dies in Narcos and it doesn't matter as it's normal.

As for my favourite, I'm a huge Ghost in the Shell fan especially GitS SAC.

I mean, nobody of real importance died. Also, the character interactions feel... off. There's just no... personality.

Also, they legit look exactly the same.

[Salandriagado]

It isn't. It's just based in a cultural context with which you are not familiar. The "cultural distance" between me and the US is significantly smaller than between Japan and the US, and a lot of US media still just feels off, in much the same way that you are describing.

[Whitemore]

As for my favorite it's Aldnoah Zero, and if you haven't watched it you should! It's a wonderful anime.

Season 2 does not exist. Repeat, Season 2 DOES NOT exist.

Slaine did nothing wrong!

I did like the action though, always good. >.<

[Norastan]

Anime is the reason why two bombs wasn't enough.

[Whitemore]

Anime is the reason why two bombs wasn't enough.

[Castelia]

Anime is the reason why two bombs wasn't enough.

Anime is as bad as it is exactly because two bombs were used. If a third had been used, we would be seeing things a lot worse than catgirls. A lot worse.

[Tagorford]

It's just a strange artstyle. Some people like it, some people don't. That being said, you'd have to tie me to something and pry my eyes open to make me watch it.

Anime is so weird it blows your mind. Used to be able to watch anime with a more open mind.Used to be a huge fan of anime too,before it reached the current insane levels of popularity.

[The Huskar Social Union]

Because in Americas campaign to defeat the Japanese they simply made them stronger. All shall fall to the power of anime.


It is a bit mental at times though.

[Whitemore]

Because in Americas campaign to defeat the Japanese they simply made them stronger. All shall fall to the power of anime.


It is a bit mental at times though.

I have the power of God and Anime on my side!

[Nejii]

Anime is the reason why two bombs wasn't enough.

That’s Jersey Shore and Keeping Up With the Kardashians your thinking of.

[Aeritai]

Anime just like in all fandoms are weird and will sometimes have a toxic fanbase. However, it is also important to note that just because a fanbase is weird doesn't ruin the experience.

Personally I tend to avoid the pervy animes... For obvious reasons. I rather watch a anime for the story and characters.

[SD_Film Artists]

I....I liked SAO. Ok the main character was a Mary Sue but the first half-season felt so tense as people aren't supposed to die in games, meanwhile someone dies in Narcos and it doesn't matter as it's normal.

As for my favourite, I'm a huge Ghost in the Shell fan especially GitS SAC.

I mean, nobody of real importance died. Also, the character interactions feel... off. There's just no... personality.

Also, they legit look exactly the same.

You want to talk about exactly the same? Knights of Sidonia is amazing and one of my favourites but as for character recognition I almost just gave up trying as they're all wearing the same space suits with the same faces; you end up becoming an expert on hair styles because that's their only distinguishing feature and even then there's not much variation other than the pink-haired triplets. One good thing about it; its odd mix of weird-ass aliens and surprisingly realistic physics, notibly everyone in the ship-city having to tie themselves down or be killed from the sheer inertia of the ship performing a relatively simple maneuver.