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Is There Such Thing As a Casual Anime Viewer?


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halochief_90



Joined: 06 Feb 2006
Posts: 466
Location: Canada
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 10:23 am Reply with quote
Think about it: You pretty much have to be hardcore to get into anime. I actually used to consider myself a casual anime viewer, as I didn’t download fansubs (and didn’t get into it via the internet), I bought only what most would consider “casual” anime (think Hayao Miyazaki movies or Fullmetal Alchemist), and I’ve really only seen a small number of shows compared to what the more hardcore anime fans have seen. But eventually, you start hiding your DVD’s from your cool friends and you geek out at the forums…Hardcore kind of comes with the territory.

Of coarse, there’s an exception to everything, but really, how many people out there get into anime after watching Cowboy Bebop and “casually” watch more shows. Most of those moviegoers probably assumed Spirited Away was just another cool Disney movie anyway (wasn’t it sort of advertised like that?).
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Eruanna



Joined: 05 Sep 2006
Posts: 451
Location: Canada
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:12 am Reply with quote
halochief_90 wrote:
Think about it: You pretty much have to be hardcore to get into anime.


Ummmm... sorry, no you dont. Razz
I know lots of people who arent very much into anime but have seen and enjoyed, say, Cowboy Bebop, or something.
You dont have to be hardcore.
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Moros



Joined: 29 Jul 2006
Posts: 369
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:28 am Reply with quote
{User banned following massive 'vandalism' of own past posts -- abunai}

Last edited by Moros on Mon Jun 25, 2007 9:30 am; edited 2 times in total
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KyuuA4



Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 1363
Location: America, where anime and manga can be made
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:32 am Reply with quote
I still watch anime -- but I hardly get any excited over it anymore. When I do watch - I just watch casually.

Furthermore, I have far more interests besides anime - namely history, sports, sciences, Wiki, etc.


Last edited by KyuuA4 on Thu Jun 07, 2007 1:16 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Iwatch2muchanime



Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 1291
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:34 am Reply with quote
I'd say that there is, until they accidently see that series that blows their mind and makes them become a fanboy/fangirl. I see it everywhere, someone whojust mybe borrows something from me or anybody else, than UH OH, this girl now owns every Inuyasha DVD, Backpack, Plushy, Figurine, OST, Wallscroll, Poster, and anything else with any character from Inuyasha's face on it (except that ONE that they don't like) and now they're watching more shows to try and find something like it. Happened to my sister with Naruto, happened to cousin with DBZ and happens to a lot of people with Hellsing, Cowboy Bebop, Chobits, CCS, and other very big shows out there.....

Possibly all that there may be....?
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Keonyn
Subscriber



Joined: 25 May 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Coon Rapids, MN
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 12:44 pm Reply with quote
It's completely possible to be a casual anime viewer. There's a lot of people that like anime but may just buy a few titles or only watch what show's on TV or maybe even like the movies. These people have little interest in Japan itself, do not cosplay or go to conventions and often put other interests ahead of anime. I have a couple friends who are casual anime viewers and I'd say I'm closer to casual than hardcore.

On a side note I know a lot of non anime fans who watched and enjoyed Spirited Away and not a single one of them thought it was just another Disney movie. Average people are much more aware of anime than that.
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fighterholic



Joined: 28 Sep 2005
Posts: 9193
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 12:57 pm Reply with quote
You could call my sister a casual anime viewer. She doesn't watch it like I do but when she gets the chance she'll watch some stuff with me and pretty much enjoys it.
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slickwataris



Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 1334
Location: Carol Stream, Illinois
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 1:08 pm Reply with quote
I got my sister to watch some Emma fansubs last week. She enjoyed it although most likely because she enjoys the "victorian romance" genre apparently. My mom watches anime with me sometimes although I can't tell if she actually likes it or just wants to spend time with me because she always watches my brother's shows and feels bad about it.
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EVA fiend



Joined: 19 Nov 2006
Posts: 314
Location: Somewhere in the UK.
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 2:14 pm Reply with quote
Most of my RL mates who watch anime are casual anime watchers. They rarely buy anime DVDs (they just borrow mine instead), but they'll watch it on TV if it's on. I have a couple of friends who love Evangelion, but that's the only anime series they've bought. Everything else they can take or leave.
Even my RL Japanese friend, who is a hard core manga fan rarely watches anime, & when if she does, she only likes Studio Ghibli's stuff.
So IMO you don't have to be a hardcore fan to enjoy anime.
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Gage



Joined: 06 May 2006
Posts: 480
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 2:18 pm Reply with quote
I believe in an anime casual viewer. It's not too un common on my opinion. All someone really needs to do is just watch anime occasionally and not follow a series to the fullest extent.

It's the "when I get the chance to watch it" sort of thing. Am I wrong?
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Deltakiral



Joined: 07 Oct 2004
Posts: 3338
Location: Glendora, CA (Avatar Hei from Darker than BLACK)
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 2:23 pm Reply with quote
halochief_90 wrote:
Think about it: You pretty much have to be hardcore to get into anime.


False. You can get into anime just by watching anime here and there on [AS] and watching the occasional movie or two. Case in point I have a lot of friends who while they enjoy anime don't watch unless I bring a film up on our movie night. They really enjoy flicks like Jin-Roh and Perfect Blue but will never get into watching fansub or even buying dvds.

Keonyn wrote:
There's a lot of people that like anime but may just buy a few titles or only watch what show's on TV or maybe even like the movies.


Very true even more casual are the fans that just happen to catch anime when their channel surfing and never buy any dvds. I'd imagine that group is decently large and that who licensor are aiming at when they advertise.
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petran79



Joined: 10 Jun 2006
Posts: 122
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 5:44 pm Reply with quote
the main issue is not how many titles you watch but what you watch and how you interpret it.

I agree the majority of the viewers just catch a glimpse of anime and cartoons on TV or DVD.
All age groups belong there. They obviously have other things to do. That does not mean that they're uninformed though and some of them know a lot more more about animation, even if they dont watch a lot.

Then a minority (usually in their 20s-early 30s) catch up regularly with anime on the net and buy some DVDs.

An even smaller minority from that group are the hardcore fans that have watched a lot of titles from all genres and own a lot of DVDs but usually are not so well informed or are prejudiced about westerm animation.

Another minority not to be ignored, are the ones who have watched and own a lot of commercial animes and cartoons. Keeping up with both genres is a little difficult.

The antipode are the ones who prefer Western animation and the commercial or independent western titles to the commercial Japanese.

Thanks to them there is that polarization between cartoons and animes and mangas and graphic novels.

And the tiniest minority are the so-called animation fans who watch as much as they can not only commercial titles from East and West, but also the completely unknown titles. But this requires much patience (mental, accoustic and visual) since many works are shocking and incompatible with TV standards. Even more difficult than watching world cinema.

Of course any viewer can have many other interests irrelevant to anime but I am focusing just in animation.
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jetz



Joined: 31 Jan 2007
Posts: 2148
Location: Manila, Philippines
PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 2:06 am Reply with quote
In our country most of anime fans are casual anime fans - they CASUALLY watch anime and they don't bother to talk about it, know more about it, etc. Basically they watch anime just because it's there and there's nothing better for them to do.

Also the ones who just watch anime on local TV (Tagalog dubbed) are referred to as casual fans, and they call people like me (buys import DVDs, etc) seasoned fans.
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Randall Miyashiro



Joined: 12 Jun 2003
Posts: 2451
Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park
PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 5:54 am Reply with quote
EVA fiend wrote:
Most of my RL mates who watch anime are casual anime watchers. They rarely buy anime DVDs (they just borrow mine instead), but they'll watch it on TV if it's on. I have a couple of friends who love Evangelion, but that's the only anime series they've bought. Everything else they can take or leave.
Even my RL Japanese friend, who is a hard core manga fan rarely watches anime, & when if she does, she only likes Studio Ghibli's stuff.
So IMO you don't have to be a hardcore fan to enjoy anime.


My roommates and friends own a handful of DVDs and will watch something if I show it to them but are by no means "anime fans." I'm the only anime fan that I know who will buy models, figures and books with everyone else I know being a casual anime viewer. A good portion of my roommates anime DVDs and goods are hand me downs from me!
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Truered



Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Posts: 515
Location: Uni
PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 6:01 am Reply with quote
I think I may be a partially casual viewer. I have no obscure anime, and have a relatively small collection. With the exception of Evangelion I give little thought to the shows, and merely watch them for enjoyment.

It's probably due to my interest (read obsession) with manga. I don't see the point of watching the anime when I can read it in more detail (often at a lower price overall). I prefer reading at the moment, as i seem to get bored when watching DVDs. However with my manga collection reaching saturation point, I'm likely to turn to anime again (what i started with). And then it begins...
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