What is a "real" Anime fan?

[JTurner]

I would like to have this thread deleted, as I realized that I created it at a time when I was at my most unstable. I want to put aside my constant worrying about my own views and move on from my "dub complex" mode. I apologize for this thread in every way.

-Jon T.

[The Great Bear]

They refer to themselves as "real" anime fans, "true" otakus, or purists. Other anime fans think of them as snobs or pretentious pricks.

I think that pretty much sums it up right there.

[jlazar]

#2 is closer to what I'd consider a 'real' anime fan.

The first is mostly an anime snob.

On the other end of things, some people consider themselves anime fans if they just watch a few series mostly from the same genre (shonen fighting shows, for example). They may be fans of those shows or genre, not not anime as a whole.

[Suwako Moriya]

There's nothing like being given two options where one of the two options is by default not worth choosing. Seriously all they need to do to make option 1 even worse was have the person randomly blow up planets.:P

[Splitter]

#2 fits much better, especially the bit about watching anime they like even if no one else is watching it.

[Ashyukun]

"What is a 'real' anime fan?"

Someone who enjoys watching anime. If you want to be a bit more specific (though it's really not necessary): Someone who enjoys watching anime enough to consider themselves a fan.

Anything beyond that is semantics and personal preference.

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

#2 is closer to what I'd consider a 'real' anime fan.

The first is mostly an anime snob.

#2 fits much better, especially the bit about watching anime they like even if no one else is watching it.

That's the definition that works for me, too. I think that being casual best sums up how many here at AoD see their fandom.

[Mr. Nail Bat]

This again.

I realize that some people may be offended by not being considered "real anime fans" by dorks on the internet, but I can't imagine why.

[LelouchLamperouge]

To me, I think #2 fits me about right.

I guess I have a different definition of "casual" as one who doesn't care what language it's in, as long as it has subtitles or a language I can understand. I won't be an ass about it not being in my native language. I'll enjoy it. I'm up to watch anything as long as it conveys what it's supposed to. I can enjoy it no matter what, heck.. if you can sit through that 1 silent anime movie and all 30 minutes of it, more power to you. Most people that claim they are "casual" here are very biased, snobby and egotistical...

... but you know, you asked what a "real" anime fan is. I'm just calling it how I see it.

[Sensuifu]

This again.


you mean this? (http://www.mania.com/aodvb/showthread.php?t=82215) :sdsmiley:

[JTurner]

This again.

I realize that some people may be offended by not being considered "real anime fans" by dorks on the internet, but I can't imagine why.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to resurrect a dead horse. I'm just trying to say that I'm perfectly happy with being the sort of Anime fan that fits #2.

-Jon T.

[treatment]

I reckon a real anime fan is somebody who don't go into forums asking what a real anime fan is. :sd::relief::cool:

[something]

Ehh we seem to get these questions quite often, usually as a sub dub debate in all but name. A "real" anime fan is any fan who doesn't need to prove to others that they're a real anime fan, nor worry about what language people are watching their anime in.

[Draneor]

Personally, I consider someone an anime fan (anime otaku?) when they watch anime primarily because it's anime. Not for a seiyuu, a character, or the property it was based on. Instead, they just enjoy what they think is good animation. They might follow the directors and animators or notice good and bad key framing. They may just enjoy a good story or beautiful backgrounds. It really doesn't matter what aspect of the animation they like--they're watching an anime because it's anime.

Because of that, I do not consider myself an actual anime fan. I watch for other reasons, and if those are not there, I won't watch a property--no matter how well done it is (i.e., Miyazaki films). Truth be told, I don't notice flaws that others do either. In summary, an anime fan enjoys the medium of anime and watches because of that.

[Garasharp K7]

I'm just a fan, and that's it.
I've got my various standards, likes and dislikes, etc, but I've never gone into that 'true fan' mentality or anything. I just love me some Japanese cartoons, is all. :)

If I put myself in any category, I'd be in #2, though.

[Fudce]

I don't really give a damn about the specific definitions people give for anime fandom. All I know is that if someone was to ask me, I'd say that I am an anime fan. I enjoy my anime the way I want to watch it, not the way some strict set of guidelines tells me to watch it.

Seriously, anime is a form of entertainment. Sit in front of a TV (or monitor) and be entertained. Don't fret over analysing every little word to be written by faceless people you've never met.

[ArcticMech]

If you enjoy watching anime and devote some of your leisure time to it every so often you're an anime fan. And that's real enough for me.

[Leroy_Landers]

A real anime fan is someone who buys the show in an effort to support the artists so more can be made as opposed to someone who does nothing but download and then deleting them off the hard drive when they are done and not giving it a second thought.

[Glamrgrl104]

I agree with articmech's comment.

[JTurner]

I don't really give a damn about the specific definitions people give for anime fandom. All I know is that if someone was to ask me, I'd say that I am an anime fan. I enjoy my anime the way I want to watch it, not the way some strict set of guidelines tells me to watch it.

Seriously, anime is a form of entertainment. Sit in front of a TV (or monitor) and be entertained. Don't fret over analysing every little word to be written by faceless people you've never met.

This.

And yeah, I DO confess that I AM guilty of sometimes over-analysing everything written by faceless people. This is why I'm often guilty of writing such unhappy sounding threads. :(

I don't mean to cause trouble, though; it's something I've been struggling with ever since day one of my Anime fandom, and I have trouble overcoming the difficulties I've been facing with it.

-Jon T.

[Draneor]

I don't mean to cause trouble, though; it's something I've been struggling with ever since day one of my Anime fandom, and I have trouble overcoming the difficulties I've been facing with it.

I don't think there is something wrong about wanting to find solidarity with people who enjoy a niche hobby like anime. But rather than focus on what those on the extremes say anime fans should do, focus on what people actually do. The fact is many people watch anime in English. Truth be told, I doubt most people have a strong preference either way (i.e., they will watch both dubs and subs at various times and under certain conditions). If most people will watch either, surely there can't be anything unfanlike about it?

I apologize for the ramble, but I can understand why you would want an accepting community. For some people, though, you just got to toughen up and role with the punches. In the end, like what others have said, it matters what you consider yourself--not what others say about you. If you like anime and English dubs, be proud about it. There is nothing to be ashamed of.

Full disclosure: I have an exclusive preference for watching anime in Japanese.

[Sensuifu]

can we all just please stand up?

[Suwako Moriya]

If you enjoy watching anime and devote some of your leisure time to it every so often you're an anime fan. And that's real enough for me.

Short, simple, and to the point. In other words it's perfect logic.

[GundamWingMan]

My vote's for definition #2 because that pretty much described me to perfection.

[Njr Scrawl]

#2 fits much better, especially the bit about watching anime they like even if no one else is watching it.

That's me. I'm my own anime fan club. Like & dislike what I do. Different reasons for different shows & releases. I have a general consumer attitude to anime, same as most other things.

[braves]

Obviously, I'm more in agreement with the 2nd definition, but I'm susprised that nobody has pointed out the "definitions" come from urbandictionary.com, where pretty much anybody can make up their own definitions about anything.

[JINROH]

#2 is closer to what I'd consider a 'real' anime fan.

The first is mostly an anime snob.

#2 fits much better, especially the bit about watching anime they like even if no one else is watching it.

That's the definition that works for me, too. I think that being casual best sums up how many here at AoD see their fandom.


But how is 'casual' defined ?

I would say most here are not at all 'casual'.Many here spend a lot of time energy,and money on anime,in one form or another.

I would say anyone who enjoys Japanese animation,manga,figurines,etc,and has supported the industry with actual dollars,big or small.

Anyone who spends more then a few hours a week talking about it,watching it,or researching it,or all of the above,is a fan,imho.

Maybe I'm wrong but thats how I see it.

As to the urban dictionary's two examples,I dont like either of them really,but
I guess number two isnt half bad of an explanation.

[zaldar]

Mix of 1 and 2 except that I have no respect for fan subbers. I watch anime for the good stories and animation. The fact that it is made in Japan honestly doesn't matter to me all that much. If there were equally good stories in America I would watch them, haven't found any yet though.

A real anime fan buys the materials goes into bestbuy and buys things to support best buy continuing to sell and promote anime, the real anime fan doesn't steal from the creators and follows what is being released IN THEIR COUNTRY and can be bought legally.

[Draneor]

A real anime fan buys the materials goes into bestbuy and buys things to support best buy continuing to sell and promote anime

Let me guess. You work for Best Buy? Cause I'm not really getting why real fans don't shop at Borders, Circut City, Walmart, or TRSI.

and follows what is being released IN THEIR COUNTRY and can be bought legally.

It's perfectly legal to import R2 or R3 DVDs for personal use.

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

I think that being casual best sums up how many here at AoD see their fandom.


But how is 'casual' defined ?

I would say most here are not at all 'casual'.Many here spend a lot of time energy,and money on anime,in one form or another.

It stems from a discussion that was going around AoD right around when I joined a couple of years ago, I think. I was not part of that discussion (though there are plenty still here who were), but I was reading those threads, and the general idea of a "casual" fan (the red text was part of that idea being offered, though I personally don't remember its origin or significance) is virtually the same as that definition #2 in the first post. Someone who buys and enjoys their anime just to enjoy it. No need to advertise on the street "hey look, I'm an anime fan!" or anything like that. They just follow their own interests without regard to what others think a fan "should" be or let others dictate "how" they should be a fan.

"Casual" fans enjoy the hobby for what it is -- a hobby, at least in the AoD vernacular, as I've understood it. It's not something you consciously do, it just describes how you approach it. How much money and time is invested has nothing to do with it; it's an attitude. In other words, the size of anyone's collection has nothing to do with "how much" of a fan one is. The person with a 50 DVD anime collection can be just as passionate about their hobby as the one with 1500.

[zaldar]

A real anime fan buys the materials goes into bestbuy and buys things to support best buy continuing to sell and promote anime

Let me guess. You work for Best Buy? Cause I'm not really getting why real fans don't shop at Borders, Circut City, Walmart, or TRSI.

and follows what is being released IN THEIR COUNTRY and can be bought legally.

It's perfectly legal to import R2 or R3 DVDs for personal use.


Check my blog, best buy was just a reference to a store I work for a community college. Certinly if you want to import that is fine but really what percentage here do you think are doing that....5%,.......1%.......000001%? I suspect the latter.

[something]

But how is 'casual' defined ?
The philosophy of casual (http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/2448/casualtr3.jpg).

[JINROH]

*snip*



Ok.Thanks for the explanation,(edit...)and to you too something for digging that up !

[something]

It stems from a discussion that was going around AoD right around when I joined a couple of years ago, I think. I was not part of that discussion (though there are plenty still here who were), but I was reading those threads, and the general idea of a "casual" fan (the red text was part of that idea being offered, though I personally don't remember its origin or significance)
It's a big inside joke.

There was a troll named Otaku America who was hilarious elitist nutjob personified, and disparaged all fans who weren't fluent in Japanese or whatever the hell it was as being "casual". I think he also typed it in red at least once.

In the grand tradition of language, we co-opted the slur and turned it into a badge of pride.

[zaldar]

Wow! I am sorry I missed that one...though I mean anyone who spends like $1000 a month on anime I don't consider casual. I love playing with trolls though...can be so much fun. Just have to make sure you don't turn into one in the process.

[Isuzu Inugami]

I think that being casual best sums up how many here at AoD see their fandom.


But how is 'casual' defined ?

I would say most here are not at all 'casual'.Many here spend a lot of time energy,and money on anime,in one form or another.

It stems from a discussion that was going around AoD right around when I joined a couple of years ago, I think.

Yeah, as I recall it was someone who was way overboard about Anime, The Art Form, and somewhere along the way when we were suggesting that analyzing the hell out of a boring cerebral anime was fine, but enjoying a not so boring or cerebral anime was fine too, at which point he blew up, denied that "enjoyment" had any place in appreciating anime, and called us a bunch of casual(his color choice) anime fans, who Just Don't Get It; at which point we adopted casual as the proud badge of Not Getting It and just enjoying our anime as we please.

It was epically hilarious.

Someone who buys and enjoys their anime just to enjoy it. No need to advertise on the street "hey look, I'm an anime fan!" or anything like that. They just follow their own interests without regard to what others think a fan "should" be or let others dictate "how" they should be a fan.

Yeah, that's it in a nutshell.

[JINROH]

It stems from a discussion that was going around AoD right around when I joined a couple of years ago, I think. I was not part of that discussion (though there are plenty still here who were), but I was reading those threads, and the general idea of a "casual" fan (the red text was part of that idea being offered, though I personally don't remember its origin or significance)
It's a big inside joke.

There was a troll named Otaku America who was hilarious elitist nutjob personified, and disparaged all fans who weren't fluent in Japanese or whatever the hell it was as being "casual". I think he also typed it in red at least once.

In the grand tradition of language, we co-opted the slur and turned it into a badge of pride.


Is the infamous thread still on here somewhere ?

[something]

Is the infamous thread still on here somewhere ?
He was all over the forums, it wasn't confined to one thread. It was also some time ago, so I have no idea if the posts still exist.

[The Great Bear]

Is the infamous thread still on here somewhere ?
He was all over the forums, it wasn't confined to one thread. It was also some time ago, so I have no idea if the posts still exist.

Sadly, the posts are long gone, with the forum transitions.

Doing a quick little search shows that there are only 7 posts of his that survived the transition, and none of them have any amusement value.

Alas, the great casual debate has been lost to the shadows…

[Legion]

#2 describes me to a T, but like Geoduck I had the same reaction to your topic: This again. C'mon, it's urban dictionary, man. Granted I'm surprised how accurately their second definition described my views, but still, it's urban dictionary. Who cares?

[Suwako Moriya]

Alas, the great casual debate has been lost to the shadows…

It could be worse, we could still be dealing with the actual headache itself.

[Jimmie M]

Any person who likes many different anime. This person will watch both versions of an anime (dubbed and original) before making a balanced decision of which one they like better. Often times these people will have animations in which they prefer the original and animations in which they prefer the dub. Or sometimes they will find that they like both equally. They like a wide range of different anime from popular favorites to obscure ones. They would watch an anime they liked even if no one else liked it. They try to avoid being biased and judgemental and will welcome any new anime fan into the fold. They rarely refer to themselves as real anime fans because it seems egotistical, and they are humble. >>


This describes my level of fandom pretty well.

[Mateo_home]

Me? Let's see...most of the anime I like is from after the year 2000. No, I don't hate older shows. It's that most of them don't interest me. Yes, I get tired of hearing elitists say things like "if you haven't seen this anime from the 80's, then you don't know what anime is" garbage. So I say an anime fan is one who likes anime regardless of which decade it was made. In addition to what language one chooses to watch it in.:P

[Torriate]

A real anime fan is someone who buys the show in an effort to support the artists so more can be made as opposed to someone who does nothing but download and then deleting them off the hard drive when they are done and not giving it a second thought.

So what if I only have bought 10% of the shows that I've watched? I can't buy every show, as not all are deserving.

[lesterf1020]

Then I guess you're just a casual fan like me.

[Leroy_Landers]

So what if I only have bought 10% of the shows that I've watched? I can't buy every show, as not all are deserving.My point is that at least you buy something, I understand you can't buy every show since funds are limited, I advocate a mixture of buying, renting, and downloading.

[Maxflier]

I don't fit into either of the 2 options, but I consider myself a "real" anime fan. I wouldn't own 300+ anime DVD's if I weren't.

[superdry]

This type of discussion reminds me of the days when I use to partake and read about "what is industrial music?" I have to say, this is probably on par with that.

I'd align myself more with definition number 2, but I do not watch any of my shows dubbed.

[lesterf1020]

I am not a “real anime fan”. I love to be entertained and as long as I find anime to be entertaining I will support it along with all of the other things I find entertaining.

I have many live-action and animated movies in my collection. Some of them came out this year and some of them were made in the 1930’s. I do not fuss over whether they are in the original language or whether they are accurate to the source material. I do not care where the movie came from. I prefer my entertainment in my own language but I am not afraid of subtitles. I have French, Japanese and Russian subtitled movies in my collection. I do not freak out if the subtitles are not “accurate” (How the hell would I even know?) as long as I can understand them and they seem to match the scene. I am actually pleased if there are several different language tracks. I frequently flip between them to see if another VA captured the essence of a scene better or if they are hilariously bad. I would rather not have to learn the intricacies of a culture to enjoy a story but I am not afraid of learning something new either.

My criteria for viewing and collecting movies are simple. Is it entertaining? Did I like it? Was it interesting or thought provoking? Would I like to see it again? If it meets one or more of those criteria I will probably seek it out and pay for it if I can. Everything else is minor.

Someone like me could not possibly be a “real anime fan”. I am not fussy enough or loyal enough. If anime stops meeting my criteria I will go somewhere else to find my entertainment. The fact that I have acquired over 500 anime DVDs in 3 years just means that at the moment I find anime very entertaining.

I do enjoy watching the passion of the “real” anime fans though.

[Kellory]

Well, I am a real anime fan. I know I am. Just last week a coworker told me I must be an Anime Fan after the mailman dropped off a TRSI box with a dozen or so Anime DVD's in it. And I know I'm real as later that same night I got slapped by this girl at a party and it hurt, proving it was not a dream as I did not wake up. Thus I have scientific data proving I am a Real Anime Fan.

Kinda sucks too, because had I been a fake Anime fan it would have meant that it was all a dream and she would have ended up going home with me instead. Of course, she also would have seen the error of her life considering I got that slap for calling her a "mindless sorority bitch who hadnt had an original thought since her mother started dressing her in Osh Kosh." For some reason, she took offense to that. Pity too since she was pretty cute.

What does any of this have to do with anything here? Well, not much other than I find most of this silly.

Every fan of anything will consider themselves real. Otherwise they would not consider themselves fans. Now it's quite possible that others in fandom (whichever that might be) might not consider them to be a "real" fan because they do something or act a certain way or dont do certain things or dont conform somehow. But to me it doesnt really matter much. I dont live my life looking for validation from others, even others within the same hobbies I am in. If they like me great, I'm happy. If they dont, well, great too because I'm still happy. I value the opinions of those close to me, but the general masses? Not so much.

Whether people here consider me a Real Anime Fan or not, Casual or not, Intelligent or not, doesnt really affect me as a person for the most part. Even less so when you expand it out to the rest of cyberverse. If I took the time to care what others, whose existence meant nothing to me, thought of me based on a 15 second snapshot of my life, then I would become nothing more than them.

For myself, I consider myself a fan of Anime. Nothing else really matters to me. I am the only validation I need for myself.

[Steve_the_Talking_Pie]

People who enjoy watching anime. Probably all that really needs to be said there.