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Has Anime broadened your horizons to new interests?


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IchigoK90



Joined: 13 Aug 2005
Posts: 1634
Location: Scarborough, Ontario
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:42 pm Reply with quote
I've been wanting to do this topic for a while but have never gotten the chance but as the title suggests:

Has Anime broadened your horizons to new interests?

At first when I was thinking about doing this topic my only examples were sports related Anime but I decided to broaden the subject so that it covers more than just sports Anime.

Anyways for the main point:

I will have to admit this but Anime has opened up new horizons in interests for me in both Boxing and American Football (just to be politically correct). Before watching the titles Hajime No Ippo and Eyeshield 21 I virtually had no interest in either sports. However after watching the Anime for both sports I began to develop an interest in both. Though both Anime/Manga exaggerate the sports in an entertaining way and make some of the actions look ridiculously impossible I still found myself getting more and more into both sports. Learning the rules, terminology and in some cases sports history proved to be an entertaining experience. I'll admit that I've turned into a fan of both sports and find myself wanting to participate in them through either sparring or touch football games with friends.

Well there you go, it'll be interesting to see what other people will put down.
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Momoko_Yumi



Joined: 05 Mar 2007
Posts: 98
Location: Heidenheim, Germany
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:02 pm Reply with quote
Oh yes...it broadened my interests for Japan itself. Befor mangas/animes (I prefer mangas befor animes) I don't know nothing about Japan. Now I know many about the country, learned a little Japanese words, listen to J-Rock and J-Pop music, see Japanese films (not only animes, also real films) and so on.
And influenced by mangas/animes I began to write own stories, playing in Japan and based on shojo-themes. These stories are written in German and published on a German manga forum.
I didn't think that I would have written such stories without mangas/animes.
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Vortextk



Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 892
Location: Orlando, Fl
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:40 pm Reply with quote
Eh, same here basically. After you get over the initial shock that this is a subculture of Japan and Japan is not "just like anime"(some people always knew this, some people never will...), it would still be nice to learn the language and live or visit sometime. I actually wanted to be able to read japanese for video games before I ever really got into anime.

Outside of that, I can't think of any hobbies or interests that I'm into because of anything else japanese.
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Keonyn
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Joined: 25 May 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Coon Rapids, MN
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:45 pm Reply with quote
Not really, at least not anymore than exposure to another medium and culture would do. It is certainly feasible that anime alone could broaded ones horizons to new interests and I've seen people get into more interests as a result of getting in to anime.

On the other hand, I've also seen plenty of examples of people who become Japanophiles, and obsess over Japan because of anime and manga. While this broadens their horizons in regards to Japan, it often seems to close their minds to the rest of the world as well, so it's possible an interest taken to far could actually have the opposite effect.
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fokkusuhaundo



Joined: 28 Feb 2008
Posts: 346
Location: San Diego ♥ ☼ ▓
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:54 pm Reply with quote
Before GitS SAC I was never really into the cyberpunk genre other than the first Matrix movie, before Cowboy Bebop I was never into Jazz music, before Monster I was never interested in Germany and Eastern Europe, and before Yakitate! Japan I never knew how exciting it can be to bake bread.

Anime really has broadened my interest for many things I never would have thought were interesting, but the same can also be said of any medium of entertainment. I never really found myself that interested in Japan and Japanese culture however even after all the anime titles I've seen, maybe because being a US born Asian American I grew up right in the middle of Eastern and Western views and cultures.
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sj21



Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Posts: 312
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:55 pm Reply with quote
Yes, I really got into kendo through bamboo blade and football through eyeshield 21 and the most influental and one of my most favourite anime of all time... the prince of tennis. Thoose shows really got me into those sports and in tennis i even made up my own move.- I hit the ball low by putting a whole of top spin on the bottom part and it is really hard to hit.
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Ishmoo



Joined: 11 Nov 2006
Posts: 413
Location: Fredericksburg, VA
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:33 pm Reply with quote
I definately got a little more into learning about Japanese history, samurai and such. Also, I never paid much attention to japanese architecture or landscaping before, but now I love it and try to incorporate some of that beauty into my own garden.
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Murasakisuishou



Joined: 22 Jun 2006
Posts: 1469
Location: NE Ohio
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:40 pm Reply with quote
In a broad sense, yes. I started drawing and painting because I wanted to imitate the manga I was reading, and it's now one of my favorite hobbies. Serial Experiments Lain partially inspired me to try building a computer for myself, and I realized that it was something I could be happy doing for a living. Also, I love trying to cook Japanese foods I've seen mentioned in anime.
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Aromatic Grass



Joined: 31 Dec 2003
Posts: 2424
Location: Raleigh, NC
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:47 pm Reply with quote
Like everyone else, I've learned a bit more about Japan, but it also helped me get into all forms of art (not just anime and manga). But it also got me interested in what I'm majoring in and plan on doing in the future: graphic design.

I had no clue what I wanted to do when I entered high school and only really had an interest in "stereotypical" art, like drawing and painting. But it was when someone in our anime club showed me a copy of Newtype USA that got me interested in printing. I joined up with the journalism class and those were quite literally the best three years of my school life -- we did more than just journalism. The class really got me more "open" and just plain changed me in a lot of ways.

That, and I got into graphic design. Graphic design is, like, everywhere and nobody notices it as an art form. There's really a lot of stuff involved with it that I'm now really into but never noticed at first. Sorry for my rambling, but I just think it's awesome. Razz
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Red Lotus
Exempt from Grammar Rules


Joined: 16 Apr 2008
Posts: 85
Location: In the tunnels beneath your feet
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:41 pm Reply with quote
Dito above. It got me interested in Japan, a lot Embarassed I went crazy for a little bit then i got back on track. I wrote a lot before I started reading and watching. One of the notes i got on a paper i turned in was "you have really changed your writing stile this year... WHAT HAPPENED!???" Razz Razz Razz That and i have begun to do the unthinkable for a American. Im learning Japanese. And i have to tell you its hard. alough my principal boasted to my parents and me about how a student at our school is teaching himself Japanese (me), that was funny. Laughing
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zawa113



Joined: 19 Jan 2008
Posts: 7358
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:33 pm Reply with quote
For me, its broadened my interests in different genres. before anime, I probably would have only watched comedy things and would've avoided drama because I assumed it was boring. Now I adore sci-fi/drama (probably my fav anime genre) and other non-anime drama films.

Something else anime/manga has also opened me up to is the fact that other countries have different diets. Yes, I think this sounds a bit obvious that other countries wouldn't have a Starbucks every 5 blocks, but when you're unaware of the idea (as I was when I was younger, its not unrealistic), of course the thought wouldn't occur off the top of your head. I'm actually looking into the Japanese diet a bit more now as they appear to be healthier than most people I know in America. I may be a lot younger than the sterotypical person who gets into healthy eating and joins the gym to prevent future health issues, but the earlier the better. Seaweed, rice, and veggies are healthy and I feel I should eat more sushi (I'm also vegitarian, I won't quite follow the diet fairly high in fish, but I might get a cod liver oil dietary supplement, I know I still need the nutrients). Anime kinda alerted me to actual Japanese food, and the existance of "WacDonald's", but I don't intend to eat there.
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Jih2



Joined: 24 Jul 2007
Posts: 403
Location: East coast
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:39 pm Reply with quote
Yeah, that can happen. I've looked more into fashion (particularly the primarily experimental scene in Japan) after watching Paradise Kiss, I've learned more about Japanese culture, society, I know a couple of Japanese words and Lain inspired me to learn more about computers, coding and other net related things. Those are certainly the things that have stuck with me, sure I've ventured into a couple other groups of info simply because a series or movie mentioned them but those are the things that have stuck with me.
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Masayume



Joined: 10 Jun 2003
Posts: 115
Location: Indiana
PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:34 am Reply with quote
I was into Japan and Japanese culture well before getting into anime, but by getting into anime and then into manga, it's all just continued to kind of circle in on itself.

Anime has helped me with my Japanese on occasion, and manga definitely helped my reading skills, and now I'm into light novels. I found interest in stories and characters I didn't realize I loved.

More than that though, I did get into cosplay because of anime and manga. For a lot of people that's lame, I know, I thought so too at first. But through cosplaying I've found a love and a talent for sewing I had no idea was there. I've made amazing friends and met a wonderful man through it too. Yes it's dressing up like cartoon characters, but in a way, it's a creative release for someone who just couldn't completely grow up :3
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Top Gun



Joined: 28 Sep 2007
Posts: 4788
PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:41 am Reply with quote
I don't know that anime has broadened my interests in any particular (other than maybe getting me interested in a few genres I might not have been otherwise), but it definitely changed how I approach things that I'm not familiar with. I had an utterly close-minded, stereotypically negative view of "anime" for a good chunk of my life, and when I finally realized how wrong I was about the whole thing, it amazed me. Since then, I've made it a point to try to avoid forming preconceptions about new fields until I've actually given them a decent chance.
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RMC



Joined: 29 Mar 2008
Posts: 101
Location: Waco, TX
PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:12 am Reply with quote
Aromatic Grass wrote:
Like everyone else, I've learned a bit more about Japan, but it also helped me get into all forms of art (not just anime and manga). But it also got me interested in what I'm majoring in and plan on doing in the future: graphic design.

I had no clue what I wanted to do when I entered high school and only really had an interest in "stereotypical" art, like drawing and painting. But it was when someone in our anime club showed me a copy of Newtype USA that got me interested in printing. I joined up with the journalism class and those were quite literally the best three years of my school life -- we did more than just journalism. The class really got me more "open" and just plain changed me in a lot of ways.

That, and I got into graphic design. Graphic design is, like, everywhere and nobody notices it as an art form. There's really a lot of stuff involved with it that I'm now really into but never noticed at first. Sorry for my rambling, but I just think it's awesome. Razz


Wow, you and I are very similar in that regard. I was a graphic artist before I got interested in anime, but after I got introduced into the anime scene I've been itching to expand into that area. Journalism is something I got into during college and coming here to ANN has actually broadened my mind to news happening outside of the United States (and not just in Japan either; reading about what's happening in the anime/manga world has led me to start researching other things that aren't quite so Japan-related, such as international news). I'm curious to know what kind of graphic art you do.

As far as a more general broadening of horizons, I have learned a bit about Japan. But more interesting to me is the statistics that I've been seeing flung about lately (such as the Code Geass 3% stuff on another thread). I've never been particularly interested in TV statistics up until then, so it's helped me understand a few things that I simply had no interest in or wasn't aware of.

Anime as a whole has helped me grasp certain concepts that I've not thought about, as well. Certain anime in differing genres have moral/philosophical themes, and tackling them in the form of an anime is pretty brilliant if you ask me. So on the philosophy side of things, I've learned a bit.

But I haven't had any earth-shattering moments of clarity, to be fair. Anime/manga is essentially designed to be entertainment, so I'm not expecting it to make me turn a 180 and have my eyes magically enlightened to something.

Murasakisuishou wrote:
In a broad sense, yes. I started drawing and painting because I wanted to imitate the manga I was reading, and it's now one of my favorite hobbies. Serial Experiments Lain partially inspired me to try building a computer for myself, and I realized that it was something I could be happy doing for a living. Also, I love trying to cook Japanese foods I've seen mentioned in anime.


And this girl right here has been pushing, pushing, pushing me to do these things myself, whether she intends to or not. Razz She's the only person who's managed to make me take notice of voice actors/actresses and begin to appreciate them in a larger sense.
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