Purple hair, big eyes, terrible lip syncing, giant robots fighting each other or those sparkly transformations sequences from “Sailor Moon” all are part of the umbrella term, anime. Anime is a complex art form that for many otaku, or fanboys and fangirls, is more than an entertainment form and is a way of life.
Anime can be expensive. Manga, or the comic books, are generally about $10 a piece and a short series is about eight volumes long, but some run into fifty or more volumes. Anime, or the TV shows and movies, are also not cheap, especially if they are out of print or come out in a fancy collectors set. A big part of the otaku culture is collecting, it is always fun to go over to a friend’s house and see their collection or finally have that missing volume come in the mail. It is important to understand that people wouldn’t save up large chunks of their paychecks if it wasn’t for a good cause.
There are many different types of anime and it would be impossible to try to label or name them all. Two major categories are shonen and shoujo, or shows made for boys and girls. Following the gender stereotypes, shonen has more fighting and action with killing monsters and powering up with new outfits and bigger muscles. For an example of shonen anime, think of “Dragon Ball Z”, “Bleach” or “Naurto.” Shoujo anime features more romance and general all around cuteness and drama; if anime was a soap opera, shoujo would be it. Think of “Fruits Basket” or “Vampire Knight” with their focus on emotionally driven plot lines as examples.
I will admit that I was skeptical when I first was exposed to the world of anime. I thought the plot lines were corny and I somehow missed out on the so called cute factor. What I soon discovered is that there is an anime for everyone and yes there are many with complex plotlines and well developed characters. No, it is not just for kids; sure there are some that are but there also are many that tackle distinctly adult themes. Just this weekend I watched a short series with my roommates that left me in tears. Some anime transcends from being a simple TV show and crosses over into the art category capable of evoking strong emotions and capturing a specific moment in time. Anime, like any other hobby, has the power to unite people who may not have otherwise crossed paths. You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their collection or hearing about their favorite characters.
Anime is a culture all of its own and with comic con headed to Denver this summer, all of us otaku will come out of the woodwork to dress up as our favorite characters, get art drawn by our favorite artists and share in the joy of spiky haired, big eyed characters. Before you rush into judgment of anime I challenge you to give it a try, you just might end up surprised.
