Anime.
I've been watching anime for the past 4 years. That's not considered very long if you compare me to those who have started watching Naruto, Bleach or Detective Conan since a long time ago. But still, I've realized how much anime has influenced and changed my life.
Just what makes anime so intriguing and addictive, I've always wondered. Perhaps its because anime always depicts the perfect world, where studies and parents don't matter. All that matters are friends, bonds and living your life to your fullest. That world is so perfect, when you step in it, you don't want to get out of it. It's like when you step into Universal Studios, you wonder, "Is this Singapore?" and when you step out of it, you're forced to face the truth, "Face it man, it's Singapore alright." It's that kind of feeling that makes anime so hard to resist. But of course, there are people who are 'immune' to manga and anime, because they think it's fake. I guess different people have different perspectives of things, since I can't understand how they feel about anime or manga being fake, I shall keep my mouth sharp.
Over the years, what I look for in an anime/manga has also changed a lot.
My first year watching anime was I guess a 'relaxing' year. It is this one year when I tried my best to catch up to the mainstream anime - anime that are probably the most well received. As for the anime that are released by season, I admit that, what I once looked out for were BISHIES.
Bishies, no doubt, is still what many Otakus look for in an anime. Pretty boys, who are all shiny and are so perfect that they absolutely do not exist in this world. I once looked only for that.
My second year of watching anime, things sort of changed. It wasn't so much of looking out for bishies. This time, plot and the message that the anime tried to convey mattered as well. Bishies were no longer referred to as bishies, but instead, referred to as good animation and art. Anime that revolved strongly around friendship and 'nakamas' strongly appealed to me, more than bishies did. (Of course, if bishies are involved, spazzing is definitely still involved -coughs-)
My third and fourth year (this year) of watching anime, things took a drastic change. I started taking notice of the seiyuus involved, the production company involved, how well developed the plot is, how well the characters are designed, the colouring of the anime, the animation of the anime and so many other details.
I started thinking more in depth, more than what simple message that is hidden in the anime. I started liking animes that were adapted from novels (Shin Sekai Yori), and I'm trying to understand what is going to happen next, and what actually inspired the author to write this.
Anime has changed me in a way. To be more sensitive and observant about things around me, things on the surface are not worth spotting because everyone else does. I do not regret being a fan of anime, in fact, I', proud to be one.
