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The anime industry has grown significantly over the past few years. Many fans have acknowledged its diverse nature.
The business is becoming more diverse while slowly emerging as mainstream in major parts of the world. Though being an otaku can be tricky or awkward at times, overall, this community has lots to offer.
Like everything else, being an anime fan has pros and cons. There are a lot of folks who love anime, but there are many inconveniences as well that fans find hard to deal with.
Five joys that come with being an anime fan
1) Diverse genres for every audience
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Unlike other cinematic media, this community offers various genres to pick from. It is not meant only for kids. Rather, it is available to an audience of every age group.
Popular shonen shows like Naruto and Pokemon are targeted toward a younger audience. At the same time, anime like A Silent Voice and Your Name can be enjoyed by older people and are slightly more niche.
Genres such as romantic comedy offer a pinch of romance with a blend of humor, while slice of life lets its viewers enjoy the daily life of the characters. Apart from that, other genres like seinen, sci-fi, shojo, etc., offer different narrative styles that viewers can enjoy depending on their tastes.
2) Explores Japanese culture
Having originated in Japan, this community is deeply rooted in its culture. Many shows explore the themes of Japanese origin, allowing fans to immerse themselves in Japan's diverse traditions.
For example, Chihayafuru is a sports series that follows the theme of Japanese playing cards. Noragami is another series that features actual gods of Japanese origin in its cast. Barakamon and Golden Kamuy are some other examples.
3) Both educational and inspirational
Anime can impact viewers with valuable teachings and life lessons while being fun. Many series often come as perfect blends of entertainment and education while inspiring fans.
Naruto, for example, is an impactful character who has a positive outlook despite his hardships. His hard-working nature and care for his friends can significantly influence audiences.
Cells at Work! explains the functions of human anatomy in a fun way. Dr. Stone follows Senku, a genius who uses scientific laws for practical use to revive humanity.
4) Have smooth animation with stunning visuals
Many popular animation studios like MAPPA and Ufotable are known for their advanced animation techniques and big-budget productions. This results in captivating animations with vibrant colors, smoother framerates, artistic camera angles, and overall superior series quality.
Famous shows like Demon Slayer, Fate, Violet Evergarden, and Jujutsu Kaisen are known for their breathtaking visuals and overall quality. They are good enough to capture the attention of even new fans.
5) Slowly becoming mainstream
There was a time when anime was a niche, with fans often labeled Otaku in public, but not anymore. With the community's increasing popularity, viewers have started to accept its potential while becoming mainstream.
Popular streaming platform Netflix has even included many of the most popular shows like Death Note and Cowboy Bebop. Moreover, the streaming service has started releasing original shows like Record of Ragnarok and Bubble.
Five ways being an anime fan is tough
1) Many fandoms considered toxic
Though this community has an overall rich and diverse fandom, certain ones just don't want to treat other series well. They often mock or try to belittle other series they have not even watched.
Such fandoms flood other series with negative reviews if they get better reviews than their favorite series. Gatekeeping is typical for such fandoms.
They often argue about their favorite character's power levels and harass other fandoms if they disagree. This comes as an unsavory side of the community.
2) Most series often left incomplete
Most anime adaptations generally follow a 12-episode format. The series only covers twelve episodes' worth of source material and ends there.
Many manga and light novels receive adaptations in such formats and are left unfinished. These adaptations are often left as an advertisement for the source material.
While most series are canceled after the first season, many are put on long holds. The popular show Classroom of The Elite was renewed for a second season after a four-year gap. The Devil is a Part-Timer fans had to wait eight years to see the second season.
3) Some series have lots of filler episodes
Filler episodes don't play any significant role in the series' overall story, serving as extra episodes between the main story arcs. However, too many filler episodes disrupt the show's pacing and its overall quality. Though many fans might enjoy filler episodes, it becomes hard to deal with for many new ones.
Naruto and One Piece are some of the most popular series. Despite this, many fans remain hesitant to get into them because of the vast quota of filler episodes. The lesser the number of such episodes, the better the show.
4) Regional unavailability might be an issue for fans
Despite its significant growth, this community is still a bit niche in many parts of the world. Most countries don't have a regional streaming platform dedicated to anime like Crunchyroll or Funimation. Hence, most fans cannot enjoy livestreaming.
Moreover, anime movies are released only in select countries. Many fans will have to wait months to watch films until they are released on Bluray or made available on OTT platforms.
5) Too many series to pick up from
Substantial amounts of new series annex the community every day. It creates a pile of choices for fans to choose from. They often get frustrated because they cannot decide on any series, mostly ending up not watching anything.
It might not be a big issue for fans who can just watch out for anything. However, it is undoubtedly difficult for fans who are picky about the series they want to watch.
New fans also often get overwhelmed by the myriad choices available.
Note: This article represents the author's personal opinions.
