Since comic books were created, they have always seemed to have the stigma that they exist for children, and adults that enjoy them are nerds. But as comic book heroes have made their way to the silver screen and have begun generating millions of dollars at the box office. The success of these movies is a sign that comic book heroes are being incorporated into pop culture.
This incorporation into pop culture is proven by the fact that “Avengers: Endgame” has become the highest-grossing film of all-time, grossing over 2.5 billion dollars worldwide. It is great the “Avengers” franchise has broken this long-time held stigma that comic books and their spin-offs can only be enjoyed by children and “nerds.” Hopefully, this can open the door for another form of media, anime.
Anime is a Japanese-animated media that often takes the form of TV shows, and in some cases movies. Anime is usually created from Japanese manga series, which are very similar to comic book format. Anime brings the scenes from manga to the screen with some creators trying to strictly follow the manga or changing the original story line to try and make it work better as a television show.
Many of us grew up watching anime mistaking it for cartoons, which are a completely separate form of media. Shows like “Pokémon,” “Yu-Gi-Oh!” and “Dragon Ball Z” are examples that many of us grew up watching, but as we grow older, we are often pressured into stop watching, much like comic books and superheroes because they were deemed to be for kids and nerds.
I think Anime is primed to come out of the shadows and be publicly “okay” to like and watch. The art styles expressed in anime are often breathtaking and unique, with very few sharing the same style. There are a variety of genres for people with different preferences like comedy, action, drama and horror, which are some of the most popular currently.
Some shows are kid and family-friendly but if you want something darker you can have it. Shows like “Tokyo Ghoul” and “Promised Neverland” will leave you feeling horrified. I feel like there is an anime series for anyone. If you like “The Avengers,” watch “My Hero Academia.” If you enjoy series like “One Tree Hill,” watch “Kuroko’s Basketball.” Even if you only like cooking shows, there is an anime series about cooking called “Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma.” If you look hard enough, there is an anime series for you.
I would be remissive if I didn’t cover the one major complaint about anime, fan service. It is not uncommon in anime for female characters to be over-sexualized to appease male audiences. Not every show does it as much as others, but it often can often turn away many people. But the thing is, even traditional television shows and movies often do the same thing, except they do it with real women; they can be sneaky with it but other times it is obvious they are trying to appeal to male audiences. If you ignore the stigma that comes with anime, you can discover a plethora of television shows and movies that you can enjoy, and many people are starting to come to that same conclusion.
Logan Caruso, staff writer
carusolj18@bonaventure.edu
