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Bonding with anime newbies.




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Andy26



Joined: 05 Jun 2023
Posts: 68
Location: Flippin Arkansas
PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 2:13 pm Reply with quote
have had a few occasions over the years to be able to introduce someone to Anime. Every now and then they may even become just as hooked as I am, another person to share the fandom with.

Recently I had a new cell mate move in. He was a friend of mine and we had a lot in common so we were pretty compatible already. However, he didn't watch Anime. Not a deal breaker by any means, there are all sorts of people in this world and some of them don't watch Anime I you could believe it.

When you get a new cell mate there is a conversation had in which schedules, routines, and general expectations are discussed. I need to find out if its going to be cool if I leave my fan on all night, and that was agreed upon, he leaves his on as well. Have to discuss the big cell light and if we can leave that thing off as much as possible. Then most importantly I need to let him know, I stay up late on Saturday nights, Anime nights.

Luckily it has never been a problem for me. If I end up with a cell mate that doesn't watch then I generally stay on my bunk and keep quiet. We have headphones here so there isn't any noise and if the light from the TV is problematic, I can turn the color and brightness down enough to where it isn't an issue.

When you have a cellmate that watches Anime however, the night takes on a new dynamic. Now you have someone to talk about the shows with, you don't have to worry about trying to stifle a laugh, and when something amazing happens you can express your appreciation however you like.

After my new cellmate moved in and we talked everything out he expressed interest in starting to watch Anime as well. He had seen some Dragon Ball as a kid but that was about all he knew of the genre. He had seen a lot of my artwork though and thought it looked cool so there was a little bit of an interest there. We made plans to watch Anime that weekend.

This particular night was pretty much prime for bringing someone new in. Demon Slayer, entertainment district arc and Lycoris Recoil had both just started airing. I was able to bring him up to speed with the current plotlines and before the first commercial break for Demon Slayer arrived, I knew we had another fan in our ranks.

I didn't expect him to stay up much later than that but he hung in there with me through One piece, Naruto, and even IGPX. All the while laughing, cheering and providing commentary as if he had been a fan all along.

I think that this might be one of the most appealing things about Anime for me. That bonds can be formed over this genre of the sort that I just don't see replicated elsewhere in life. You can share a love of a favorite authors books, or a popular band, even entire genre of music but all those things are finite in comparison. Anime is virtually unlimited in scope and possibility, and when you see that someone else "gets it" now and you were the one that was able to bring them to that point, it is a rewarding experience indeed.

There have been way more misses than hits though in my attempts to introduce people to this media. Some friends just don't get it, or it doesn't appeal enough to them to make them want to stay up past midnight to watch it. Sometimes you'll have a partial success but that's rewarding as well. Every eye opened to any degree helps keep the genre alive.

I only have 92 days left in here then I can go out and seek other fans out there in the real world. Maybe through these very channels even. I'm looking forward to meeting you all, my current and future friends.

[EDIT: Changed the title to flow a little better with the topic. -TK]
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 24221
PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 3:28 pm Reply with quote
Hey Andy26 - that post was interesting on a number of levels but one that leaps out to me is something I have never really thought of before: negotiating with a cellmate. It's the sort of thing somebody like me would never consider but yeah sharing a very limited space with another human being must be pretty fraught with potential conflict so of course various negotiations must take place.

However, as big a fan of anime as I am, I do have to dispute your contention that bonds forged in the heat of anime are not as easily replicated in other fields. Humans have a positive genius for forming communities around virtually any subject under the sun. I'm willing to bet that out there there is a fanatical community of tropical fish owners who have bonded over their extreme love of tropical fish. It's just what we humans do.

...

Hey, who wants to bond over the topic of what a wonderful guy I am???

::crickets::
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vanfanel



Joined: 26 Dec 2008
Posts: 1261
PostPosted: Sat Mar 02, 2024 3:31 pm Reply with quote
Just dropping in to confirm the fishkeeping community is definitely a thing (complete with strong and competing opinions about all the detailed aspects).
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 24221
PostPosted: Sat Mar 02, 2024 5:00 pm Reply with quote
Laughing

There ya go.
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar


Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 16970
PostPosted: Sun Mar 10, 2024 8:34 pm Reply with quote
Must be a nice jail to let you and your cell mate watch anime in your actual cell. Last one I was in involved a homemade puppet show with a spoon, toothbrush, and shoelaces. It was not in 4k.
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