What Makes Anime a Rewarding Medium of Entertainment.
If you have never been a big fan of anime, chances are, you probably think about Dragon Ball or Naruto when you hear the word “Anime”. Fairly enough, Dragon Ball and Naruto are two immensely popular series that had a huge impact not only on the anime industry, but also on how the world perceived anime as a whole. Moving on from Dragon Ball and Naruto you might be able to name a few more popular series such as One Piece, Bleach, Attack on Titan and Fullmetal Alchemist. All great shows that have been watched and loved by generations of anime fans around the world. And all these shows have one thing in common: they’re all aimed at a younger audience.
The most prominent reason as to why these younger audience anime, officially labeled “shonen” anime, manage to break through the bounds of popularity and reach the vast majority of TV viewers, is because they’re aimed at kids. Animation has always been associated with childhood, immaturity and basic morality. And unless you take time to dig deeper and watch more consciously, popular shonen shows mostly seem to abide by the laws of “basic cartoons” with energetic protagonists, explosive action scenes, lively scores and colorful designs. And for seemingly operating within their expected style and appeal, shonen anime are widely accepted and deemed appropriate.
But something the vast majority doesn’t know is that behind the facade of colors and energy, shonen anime cater a lot more food for thought than you’d expect from a typical work of animation. And something that the vast majority won’t anticipate is that beyond the border of shonen anime is an entire medium of entertainment, varying in their targeted demographic, sometimes philosophical, sometimes hilarious, sometimes emotionally devastating but not any less brilliant than the greatest movies, TV shows or books the world has come to admire.
6 Reasons Why Anime is a Rewarding Medium of Entertainment.
Breathtaking Animation
Captivating someone in an instant can most often be attributed to the visual element. When it comes to anime not only are the visuals all animated, making room for better imaginative expression, but it has been done so beautifully.
From the use of color and shading to the sheer detail and clarity, everything is created so meticulously and thoughtfully. When you’re immersed in anime you’re immersed in continuously active frames and scenes that manage to keep you completely engaged with what is being presented through it.
It’s very therapeutic. Visually pleasing items are generally regarded as therapeutic. And while live action movies and TV shows can be visually pleasing, the escapism presented with the details in anime make it more relaxing to watch. The fact that it’s far from reality can trigger a blissful tendency to enjoy its surreal appeal. Imagine being engrossed in breathtaking art, colors, animations and transitions for twenty minutes. It’ll feel like 5 minutes and leave you wanting more!
Great Stories and Life lessons
Even the most basic anime has a soul and the ability to tell a great story. Most live action movies, TV shows, books and even cartoons tell great stories but there’s something that makes anime stand out.
Anime can tell you a story about anything at all! And treat it all with the same seriousness. It doesn’t matter if the story is about a young boy going on an adventure or about a spiritual healer wandering about through ancient Japanese villages, if it’s an anime it will dive into the depths of these seemingly bland premises and draw out either the most dramatic or the most thought provoking tale- or both at once!
But it’s not always a competition of how dramatic or supernatural the stories can get. There’s enough and more anime that explore the grounded realism of ordinary life, the beauty of its simplicity and the relatability of its characters. Nichijou, Non Non Biyori, Yuru Camp, Barakamon, Tamako Market and Toradora all follow ordinary lives and simple plots that can easily bore you out of your mind had it not been done right. All have premises that regular movies and TV shows would drop immediately. However creators of shows like these seem to have uncovered a technique of flawless execution that can make you fall completely in love with ordinary life and its simple beauty. It’s almost like a therapeutic reward to our frustrated minds in this cutthroat world we live in.
The Music
The best complement to the visual treat of an anime is its audio accompaniment. The first time that an anime soundtrack took me on a wild emotional roller-coaster ride was when I watched Fullmetal Alchemist (2003) for the first time. Take a listen to this masterpiece:
It’s quite mysterious and almost miraculous how music can transform something into a powerful echo of emotions. So when it’s paired with a visual companion that is so stunning and intricate as anime, music truly delivers. From deeply moving soulful compositions such as Brothers from Fullmetal Alchemist (above) to highly energetic blaring compositions such as Guren no Yumiya from Attack on Titan, music in anime is a rejuvenating element to the work that it belongs to. The following scene in Death Note is a brilliant example of the amplifying effects that music has on a story:
Japan has always been blessed with musical masterminds such as Rentaro Taki, Toru Takemitsu, Kitaro etc. Modern Japanese musicians who compose for anime seem to draw inspiration from this ancestry and create masterpieces that embody the respect they have towards the very medium of music.
You can’t compliment music in anime without mentioning the revolutionary works of composers such as Joe Hisaishi in Studio Ghibli, Yoko Kanno in Cowboy Bebop, Yuki Kajiura in Fate series, Madoka Magica and Pandora Hearts and Shiro Sagisu in Neon Genesis Evangelion and Bleach.
Great Characters
Encountering fascinating characters is a treat for fans of any medium. Anime does not lack its share of well-written, carefully crafted characters. From protagonists like Goku that serve the hero archetype and unconventional protagonists like Edward Elric that seek redemption, to protagonists like Shinji Ikari that mimic real life enough to turn archetypes on their heads, have all fascinated fans around the world.
“Anime characters” itself is such an interesting and broad topic that deserves its own blog post. That proves how diverse and serious character creation is, in anime. From the outlook design to personality building to casting, every process is carried out so as to deliver a message to the viewer. Sometimes this message would be as simple as “Do your best and never give up” but most times it goes beyond just a motivational statement to give a complete commentary on themes such as twisted ideas of justice or God complex.
Anime doesn’t fall behind when it comes to delivering well-written female characters. Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell, Saber from the Fate series, Akane Tsunemori from Psycho Pass and Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop, are a few of the best written characters I’ve met in any medium- and they’re all women in anime!
And why it’s so rewarding to have these well-built characters is because they don’t feel like fictional characters. Every character is given some quirky trait that manages to break the barrier between us and them. A character that seems cool and has a big resolve can still be very much human and have a fair share of insecurities. And that’s because in anime, characters don’t just exist to move the plot. In anime, the characters are the plot. That’s why even when there’s very little in terms of plot, like I mentioned before, it’s never boring. Characters have always driven the stories. In anime, the characters become the stories.
Cultural Awareness and Respect
Being introduced to a new culture, although strange and rocky at first, is a fulfilling experience. Anime is a wonderful gateway to Japanese culture. While not every anime provides insight into Japanese culture as a focal point in the story, its elements can always be spotted in most series and movies.
This is not to say that anime can’t be based on Japanese culture as well. Series like Chihayafuru, Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū and Kabukibu explore renowned writing and performance traditions of Japan such as Karuta, Rakugo and Kabuki. Characters that embody unique personalities complement the grandeur of these traditions in telling compelling stories.
Aside from direct commentaries on Japanese culture, there are series and movies that look at culture and history in an interesting fresh perspective. The Ambition of Oda Nobuna and Saint Young men are both works that turn culture and history as we know it, upside down. The best part about it is that none of that is done to offend a culture but, if anything, to make it more endearing. While The Ambition of Oda Nobuna tells the tale of Oda Nobunaga and his journey to unify Japan, the great characters including Oda Nobunaga himself have all been turned into women in the anime. Saint Young Men is a hilarious and refreshing tale of Jesus and Buddha living in an apartment in Tokyo.
The ability of anime to adopt cultural elements and make them look cool is a wonderful achievement. There’s so much inspiration to be drawn from this innate relationship Japanese creators have built with culture. It is a format that breeds new venues for creative expression and the best example that I can draw out of its impacts on my own culture is Sakkai Muniyai by Papadamn. Sakkai Muniyai explores relationsips and the clash of lifestyles and attitudes through a story that is based on Sri Lankan mythology. It follows the genius concept of bending culture and tradition. I call it genius because it’s creative, bold, interesting and serves its purpose wonderfully.
At the end of the day, even if you’re not a creator, the collaboration of anime with culture paves a path to deeper appreciation of ones own cultural roots. There’s something quite empowering about a medium that adapts and presents its roots as a unique story-telling device, that breaks down the sovereignty of Western cultures in mainstream media.
The Community
The icing on the cake of being any kind of fan is having a community to share it with. And the anime community is a welcoming and diverse community to be part of.
Given that anime drives creativity, the community is also brimming with tremendous talent and potential. Anime conventions provide great platforms for skilled artists, musicians, writers, costume designers, photographers, videographers and other content creators that are inspired by anime to present their work.
The community has also seen the rise of a YouTube creator sub-category called AniTubers that base their content on anime and manga. Arkada from Glass Reflection, Gigguk, Aleczandxr, Joey The Anime Man, Akidearest, Bryn Fandoms and AnimeIntensity are a few of the many many AniTubers that base their content on anime with reviews, skits, vlogs, commentaries etc. Other creators that contribute anime content to YouTube include musicians like MattyyyM and VARIANTZ.
It goes without saying that a community built with so many great, unique, talented personalities that are dedicated to expressing themselves through anime and manga is a fantastic community to be part of.
Ultimately the most rewarding thing about being an anime fan is the escapism. Regardless of what the story is about, each time, it takes you on a different journey. The content of anime is so diverse that if you don’t discriminate based on the genre it can slowly build an entire universe around you, that will constantly offer inspiration, consolation, motivation and so much more! So in case you have now changed your mind about what this medium actually entails, there’s a myriad of excellent shows and movies waiting for you. Here’s a list of sites where you can stream or download anime from. Hope you have a great time! Also as a final statement, I would like to leave this here:
