Too Old For Anime

[bansheeblue13]

I really should have seen this coming...but as I get older...it gets harder and harder to not be embarrassed about liking anime and manga in general...I really don't like to admit to other adults that I'm even associated w/the term anime. Most adults have this generalized idea that anime is for children which I guess in their eyes makes me a child. I mean I'm not extremely old, but not terribly young either...I'm at the weird age of 20. Which is normally an age when young adults are persuing serious relationships, worrying about school, dealing w/a full workload, but here I am suck in the midst of all of this w/my weird anime obsession. Now really what is a girl suppose to do? Sometimes being half-way between the children's world and the adult's world is so frustrating that I just want to toss the whole problem out the window by forgetting I even know what anime is. Deep down though I really don't mean it...I'm just to obsessed at the moment to give it up just yet...but maybe in the near future I'll get my head on straight and toss anime out on it's ass. <_<

Perhaps some of the older FAC members have some helpful advice or comments about this problem. Younger members are welcome as well, but remember the whole point of this topic is to tell about your experiences dealing w/anime and how your age affects how you view it.

Another question do closet anime chicks have trouble finding boyfriends?

[Touzoku-joou]

(I'm 17, to start things off)

I just calmly explain to people that anime isn't all Pokemon and YGO. And yes, while I do love Pokemon and YGO, I prefer [i]not[/i] to go into explanations as to why with other people and wind up not mentioning it at all. I tend to discuss DeathNote and GetBackers and other such series that are aimed at older teens.

But I never really recieve any ridicule for it, even by adults. My study hall teacher likes FMA. ._.;

I don't think there should be any shame in it, unless you're a rabid "omg kawaii cosplay!1" otaku. But I think even kids who do that should be ashamed of themselves.



And my trouble with finding a boyfriend lies more in the fact that I'm aggressive and boyish and most guys are under the impression that I'm a nasty dyke that they should stay away from at all costs. I'm told I'm attractive and have lots of lovely *cough* qualities, but I'm too boyish for anybody. D8
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[DG-sama]

Touzoku-joou pretty much summed up my opinion.

I actually know quite a few anime fans that are A LOT older then 20 and fairly normal. In specific there's this saleslady at one o my local bookstores, she's probably in her mid fifties. She's completly in love with Orphen (as in the title character from the anime and manga of Orphen). Always goes on about how cute he is. She's always fun to chat with (except when the latest volume of Orphen comes out >.> then that's all she talks about XD )

I don't know guess I went a bit off topic.

Basically I don't see anime as a problem. It's just like any other hobby. There are thousands of americans obbessed with sports, or soaps, or stupid reality TV. Anime is just the same thing basically. As long as you don't let it go to the point where it becomes so much of an obsession that it completly takes over all other aspects of your life
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God damn you signature WORK!

[bansheeblue13]

I suppose I maybe a little sore from a little disagreement I had w/my art teacher the other day about anime...to make things short and sweet...the only reason I really got into liking art period is to do fanart and now I'm trying to make a career out of it b/c I started to do it all the time and got kinda good at it...(good can have alot of meanings...maybe not so great...whatever)

Anyway the career path I chose was an art teaching degree...still debating if it's right or not...and then suddenly one fateful day in painting class...oh I despise painting...I thought I might start conversation about anime...at the time the idea really hadn't sounded so bad b/c almost any kind of conversation goes in that class...but I just wasn't prepared for the strong response my art teacher had for liking for anime. Oh he went on and on about american kids now days were discracing Japanese culture by copying their artwork in anime and how we didn't understand the context in which the symbolism in anime was being used or something like that...Honestly all I wanted was a nice clean cut talk about japanese cartoons...not some brow-beating about how I was disrespecting japanese culture by doing fanart...I think of fanart as a tribute and not plagiarism. My art teacher was a laidback guy that I really didn't think he'd blow up at me like that.

Sorry just had to get that out there...it's situations like these that really make me think twice about even mentioning anything about anime...after all if I don't admit to being associated w/anime I can't be flamed for it like this again...maybe I'll just wait for someone else to mention the topic next time...perhaps that's safer.

[Sephir0th666777]

[quote="DG-sama (DG-sama)"] In specific there's this saleslady at one o my local bookstores, she's probably in her mid fifties. She's completly in love with Orphen. [/quote]
0_0

There is someone almost exactly like that at my bookstore. Except with Sanzo. XD
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[Touzoku-joou]

[quote="bansheeblue13 (Alicia)"] Anyway the career path I chose was an art teaching degree...still debating if it's right or not...and then suddenly one fateful day in painting class...oh I despise painting...I thought I might start conversation about anime...at the time the idea really hadn't sounded so bad b/c almost any kind of conversation goes in that class...but I just wasn't prepared for the strong response my art teacher had for liking for anime. Oh he went on and on about american kids now days were discracing Japanese culture by copying their artwork in anime and how we didn't understand the context in which the symbolism in anime was being used or something like that...Honestly all I wanted was a nice clean cut talk about japanese cartoons...not some brow-beating about how I was disrespecting japanese culture by doing fanart...I think of fanart as a tribute and not plagiarism. My art teacher was a laidback guy that I really didn't think he'd blow up at me like that. [/quote]
Well then your art teacher's an elitist f**k. Though, I do agree with him on some points- American kids ARE obnoxious brats who can disgrace the Japanese culture with their omglol kawaii otakuness. But there's nothing wrong with liking anime. :/



Though, after looking at your gallery, I'm not sure if being an art teacher is the correct path for you.
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[Brianhjh]

[quote="Touzoku-joou (女王)"]

Though, after looking at your gallery, I'm not sure if being an art teacher is the correct path for you. [/quote]
LOL, jouowned!


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[Fayore]

[quote="bansheeblue13 (Alicia)"] but I just wasn't prepared for the strong response my art teacher had for liking for anime. Oh he went on and on about american kids now days were discracing Japanese culture by copying their artwork in anime and how we didn't understand the context in which the symbolism in anime was being used or something like that...Honestly all I wanted was a nice clean cut talk about japanese cartoons...not some brow-beating about how I was disrespecting japanese culture by doing fanart...I think of fanart as a tribute and not plagiarism. My art teacher was a laidback guy that I really didn't think he'd blow up at me like that.
[/quote]
Fail. Anime is just another art style, although truth be told, if you're not born in Japan and receive the same standard education as the rest of the Japanese, chances of doing much with anime in your future is pretty close to nil, especially if you want to do something like mangaka. Especially the businessy types, they're all very elitist, and although it's not a nice thing to say, a lot of them are pretty racist, too. I mean, I have this one Japanese friend, and she wasn't raised in Japan, right? Well, on an exchange day, she asked one of the visiting students from Japan what people in Japan would think of her in general, and they answered truthfully that she's probably even lower than foreigners/Americans/etc. in their eyes because she's Japanese but wasn't raised in their culture. That's how bad it is. I've even got the same beef from other asian kids, too. D:

lol tangent.

But anyway, I'll have to agree with most other people here. It's just another hobby like collecting stamps, or baseball cards, or gaming. There isn't really an age where you're too old for it. The only time you're too old is when you lose interest in it, and even then, you're not really too old because you can always go back. :0
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[LunaticCrow]

Just like cartoons there's anime intended for older audiences as well, obviously. It's not all Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat and Sherlock Hound.

But as for your art teacher, he's one of the types who doesn't see animu as a valid "artform". I personally can't argue with him, I'm sure the stuff he sees falls pretty short of fabulous. Huge flat eyes and depthless faces? yesplzotakuanimu.
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[bansheeblue13]

Bringing up anything that has to do anime in an educational setting is just a bad idea...PERIOD...I think most people would find that assumption to be reasonable. Who knows maybe I'll just consider that disagreement I had w/Mr. Tucker to be a rather useful learning tool for future reference.

As for the becoming an art teacher bit...I'm really having second thoughts...I've been observing elementary school and the little kids are so needy...I'm not really used to be around kids that are so young...they really try your patience and at the end of the day I really fear going back into that 2nd grade class room again. Joou, you're probably right...but at the time when I was choosing my major the only thing I was really interested in was art, but now that I have done more job shadowing on teaching it really sheds a different light on it. I'm also taking this watercolor painting and absolutely abhore it...maybe by having too much art around me I'm really learning to hate it...would explain why I haven't drawn anything lately though. Can't really decide what to do yet until I observe some more.

Putting more thought into the topic I think I've come to the conclusion that I can like anime about as long as I want, but should be sure to be weary about whom I discuss it w/. Yes...I think that sounds right.

[Touzoku-joou]

Unless you have super-duper holy God what planet are you from? talent, art isn't really the best profession to go into. There's very little money in it unless you hit it big or start some new trend, and even then, there are risks. And teaching doesn't have the greatest pay either. :/ And with sh*tty school budgets, there has been a lot of elective cutting, so there may come a day when the demand for art teachers isn't very high at all. So it's probably the wisest choice not to go in that direction, unless you go back to college and major in something else. Perhaps you can do a minor in art? It could still be a good thing to support you along with another job, but not alone.

Anyway, as for art teachers and the anti-anime thing... I've seen mixed. My art teacher doesn't like it, but he still accepts it as a valid art form. But even then, he prefers the more realistic styles (like he LOVED the art in DeathNote when I happened to bring a copy to class). Some are just elitist pricks who don't see beyond "realism" or "abstract". Can't win 'em all, I guess.
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[Fayore]

My art teacher knows anime and accepts it. Probably because 80% of our school is asian; she's probably seen anime eight hundred times before. :X
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[Brianhjh]

My art teacher eats beets, raw.


she'd stare at me for few hours if I mention "animu" XD
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[Astri]

[b]QUOTE[/b] (bansheeblue13)

Bringing up anything that has to do anime in an educational setting is just a bad idea...PERIOD...[/quote] I have to disagree. Might just be my school but firstly, most of the people there have never even heard the word "anime" before, and secondly, they usually become pretty interested in it when I start introducing the concept. The problem, I believe, isn't the fact that it's an educational setting so much as that when you talk to people who have a preset negative opinion about anime, then they will express it. At which point you have two options--try to tune them out and hope they'll become hoarse before the sun implodes, or parry and counter and start an all-out word war. My first reaction is always option two, but if you're in college, that might curtail your options a bit. I am a dedicated anime fan, and I probably will be even when I'm old and ninety and can't remember my own name anymore. Who cares what anybody else thinks about it? Tell your friends if not anybody else, and if they blow up at you, then blow them off. Friends who can't let you appreciate a hobby are not friends, they are life-controllers, and I doubt you need any of those. If you want to drop anime, that's obviously your own choice, but do it because you're tired of it, not because you're worried about what other people think. WHO GIVES A DAMN WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK?!?!?! We do, obviously, or we wouldn't start threads like this, but that's besides the point. Sorry if I got a little vehement there, but anime is near and dear to my heart and I had to let a little loose... _________________ [color=blue]Disgaea's [url=http://www.fanart-central.net/story-31977.html]Overlords Dance[/url] in [url=http://www.fanart-central.net/story-25745.html]Worlds Beyond Infinity[/url] while [url=http://www.fanart-central.net/story-27428.html]Mifuyus Magical Multiplying Mole[/url] reads the epic [url=http://www.fanart-central.net/story-25652.html]Chronicles of Yord[/url], and you learn that your [url=http://www.fanart-central.net/story-37925.html]Craving[/url] for [url=http://www.fanart-central.net/story-37922.html]Finding a Heart of Snow[/url] is [url=http://www.fanart-central.net/story-37924.html]Taboo[/url] in [url=http://www.fanart-central.net/story-37910.html]VG[/url] unless you dare undertake [url=http://www.fanart-central.net/story-32962.html]The Combine of Sin[/url]...[/color]

[Smexykage-sama]

Hell, I know 30-year olds who like anime and manga. I'm 24 myself! Half of my class are anime/manga-lovers and we're all above our 20's. Our teachers are quite annoyed by the style though. But that's because during the acceptance procedure (I don't know the proper English word for it, it's that you have to take 2 art-related exams before you get accepted) for new students on my school, they see tons of hyper otaku's drawing ONLY manga-ish characters. They mostly wonder if they don't know anything else to draw.....

[grimfairy]

Just as everyone else has said, there really is no limit on enjoying something. Old ladies collect Barbies and no one questions it. Old men collect baseball cards and that's perfectly normal. Enjoying something that people consider childish isn't a bad thing. I'm also 20+ and I still like anime. Of course there are series that I have no interest in whatsoever, but that's not so strange. I'll still watch American Cartoons and I still watch movies/shows from my childhood. Don't listen to people if they criticize you about it. If you enjoy it, then keep enjoying it.

As far as your second question, I'd say no. Although, the boyfriends I've had also liked anime as well. That's not how we ended up meeting or getting to know each other, was just something we ended up finding out about in time. I don't think most guys would care if you were into anime and they weren't, anyway.

[XxATLsGreatestxX]

I may not know too much about this im only 15 but my friends arent into anime and think its lame
Just keep it on the DL
no one can say any thing about something they dont know about
Dont give up some thing you like because someone else doent like it trust me ive dealt w/ a lot of this
Hope everything works out!!

[bansheeblue13]

Keep it on the down low?...Gotcha....*shakes head*...that sounds a lot like what I've encountered w/friends... <_<

[Brianhjh]

In my close circle of friends, Jew, Pakistani, yada, yada, yada. I watch the least anime, I don't keep my head down when I'm watching the only anime I watch nowadays, Mushishi. I don't because I am confident that almost any non-anime fans who watche it will think different of anime after doing so. But really, I do what your art teacher did when I hear my friends raving about almost every other anime series.

Seriously... anime, most of them aren't good.
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[Barney--TheAnti-Christ]

No age is to old. You like what you like, and other people can deal with it. That's my take on it.