People's Different Opinion On Anime

[ Linzhou Zhu]

[Name of Instructor]

[ English]

[26 June 2019]

People's Different Opinion on Anime

Introduction

This is the age where information and imagination rule the world. According to most political and social thinkers, it is information which is most prized in this global village. Media is the outlet for imagination and information. It is the prime platform where opinions and ideas are molded and then they are directed towards a certain end. This is a common way of doing things in this modern world. It would not be wrong that media is the greatest influencer today where different things are displayed and discussed. In this vein, one case is of animation content in media. Recently, massive growth is witnessed in the animated content and one cannot ignore the role of anime in it. Anime is derived from the Japanese language and it denotes animations. This word is well-known in the world as it refers to the animated content from Japan or the Japanese industry. This anime industry has grown so much that it is affecting every aspect of life in the world. It has grown up to such massive scale that people have started discussing the pros and cons of the anime industry. Around the world, several perceptions and viewpoints exist regarding anime and its different shows. These perceptions and opinions are mixed in different circles. The protagonists of anime consider it an art form of expression and a kind of awareness program for higher social ideals such as the concept of strong and independent girls in societies. However, the anime and the associated ideas are not without shortcomings. Anime is considered a source of addiction and even an obsession for young individuals. Furthermore, anime is also associated with the burgeoning menace of xenocentrism, and juvenile delinquacy in American society. In this purview, anime has generated mixed opinions in the world. For some viewers, it is the artistic expression and a way to promote higher social ideals, nevertheless, for others, it is the source of addiction for people and a cause behind several social problems.

Discussion

To begin with, the anime industry is fully integrated into western culture. People are accepting the Japanese way of life as they consider it a different form of expression. Besides, the viewers outside Japan or particularly Americans take it a form of artistic expression as mentioned in ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"KIfl5Yqx","properties":{"formattedCitation":"({\\i{}Why Western Culture Is Beginning to Embrace Anime | The Artifice})","plainCitation":"(Why Western Culture Is Beginning to Embrace Anime | The Artifice)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":313,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZD9MNZ2P/items/T4MFNXZ7"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZD9MNZ2P/items/T4MFNXZ7"],"itemData":{"id":313,"type":"webpage","title":"Why Western Culture is Beginning to Embrace Anime | The Artifice","URL":"https://the-artifice.com/western-culture-embrace-anime/","accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",6,26]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Why Western Culture Is Beginning to Embrace Anime | The Artifice). American society considers anime not a cultural invasion, but the mere expression of art. For instance, the Crunchyroll has millions of American subscribers and the number goes on increasing every day. The variety of anime shows- Death Note, School Rumble- are so captivating for the audience. People are free to choose between Netflix and Anime, but they spend most of their time watching anime. Besides, anime shows are available with modest subscription fee which makes them avalibale for everyone. The series and shows are more accessible now as technology has facilitated people in many ways. People realy admire the the way Japanese use vibrant colors, and innovative stories in their shows to captivate the attraction of the viewers. Americans love talking about anime and this is more common in California where they adore the artisctic content of anime in different ways. Thus, people are much enthusiastic for anime and its presentation.

Furthermore, people in the outside world are willing to accept the social concepts propagated by anime. The anime heroines are the role models for the American youth such as Haruhi Fujioka who attends the college on the basis of her intellect and hard work. other strong characters such as Kushina, Levy, Taiga, Nami, and Lucy are all famous among viewers. However, on the top of the list, it is the Shoujo Manga’s heroines who are incredible persons, for instance, Nobara Sumiyoshi, Maria Kawai, Mafuyu Kurosaki, and the Kyouko Mogami. Sociologically, it appears that people readily connect themselves with whatever they watch on tv if they share the same circumstances ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"yjsGqjxa","properties":{"formattedCitation":"({\\i{}Japanese Anime Heroines as Role Models for U.S. Youth: Wishful Identification, Parasocial Interaction, and Intercultural Entertainment Effects: Journal of International and Intercultural Communication: Vol 5, No 3})","plainCitation":"(Japanese Anime Heroines as Role Models for U.S. Youth: Wishful Identification, Parasocial Interaction, and Intercultural Entertainment Effects: Journal of International and Intercultural Communication: Vol 5, No 3)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":317,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZD9MNZ2P/items/A8LY6QBS"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZD9MNZ2P/items/A8LY6QBS"],"itemData":{"id":317,"type":"webpage","title":"Japanese Anime Heroines as Role Models for U.S. Youth: Wishful Identification, Parasocial Interaction, and Intercultural Entertainment Effects: Journal of International and Intercultural Communication: Vol 5, No 3","URL":"https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17513057.2012.679291","accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",6,26]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Japanese Anime Heroines as Role Models for U.S. Youth: Wishful Identification, Parasocial Interaction, and Intercultural Entertainment Effects: Journal of International and Intercultural Communication: Vol 5, No 3). Moreover, the phenomeon of Parasocial relationships are also common with anime characters. This is the affinity that Americans develop with the character they associate themselves with as the paper mentions it. People even dress up as their favorite characters. They idealistically assume themselves the role models and then they try to perform brave acts like them. So, anime is responsible for promoting higher social values in society.

The negative side of anime is the feeling of addiction it produces. People outside of Japan are highly addicted to anime. Millions of subscribers are regular viewers and they do not miss the shows. Here comes the feeling of obsession where such individuals become socially aloof and distant. They are glued to their screens most of the time. As a result, they spend most of their time in watching different shows of anime such as Pokémon, live-action Remakes. The article mentions ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"MTO7URei","properties":{"formattedCitation":"({\\i{}Are You Addicted to Anime? - Japan Powered})","plainCitation":"(Are You Addicted to Anime? - Japan Powered)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":319,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZD9MNZ2P/items/JIQM9FRU"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZD9MNZ2P/items/JIQM9FRU"],"itemData":{"id":319,"type":"webpage","title":"Are You Addicted to Anime? - Japan Powered","URL":"https://www.japanpowered.com/otaku-culture/are-you-addicted-to-anime","accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",6,26]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Are You Addicted to Anime? - Japan Powered) that this anime burgeons internet addiction and the anime addiction specifically. Thus, anime makes people addictive and even obsessive in nature.

Moreover, this anime is also associated with several social problems. First of all, This is associated with xenophobia where society adopt foreign norms when they feel inferior and subordinate. Americans are more xenocentrism nowadays as they adopt foreign cultural patterns and unique ethos. This excessive adulation of anime is engendering this cultural sentiment in society. This is highlighted in the ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"BUP2ORO4","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Newitz)","plainCitation":"(Newitz)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":324,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZD9MNZ2P/items/EAJHDKWA"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZD9MNZ2P/items/EAJHDKWA"],"itemData":{"id":324,"type":"article-journal","title":"Anime Otaku: Japanese Animation Fans Outside Japan","page":"13","source":"Zotero","language":"en","author":[{"family":"Newitz","given":"Annalee"}]}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Newitz) that otaku- a Japanese word- is adopted by American people in the society as a symbol of pride. They feel good about it when someone calls them anime otaku. They do not mind that it is an insulting word in the Japanese culture which they have adopted as a mark of pride. This is totally not good for American social Darwinism that once ruled the world. also, the risks of juvenile delinquency are increasing day by day. Hence, this anime from a foreign culture is harming the cultural patterns and the social fabric of American society.

Conclusion

To summarize, it may be concluded that anime has mixed opinions among people all across the world and specifically in America. Some people call it a way of articulation and the mode of artistic expression. They also remark that anime is the source of promoting healthy concepts in society such as women empowerment and gender equality. Nevertheless, the other section of people considers it a source of addiction and means of cultural invasion. Such diverse opinions exist in the society, but, it is noteworthy that Japanese have really overtaken the animation industry and even Americans borrow their content. The Japanese firms and shows have a major share in the world's animation which is around 60pc of the total. Though people consider anime in positive and negative ways they cannot deny that it is powerful in effects. This global age of the twenty-first century is all about information and technology and it is not an understatement that one who controls the information, controls the world. Therefore, it is mandatory to pay attention on content one watches everyday.

Works Cited

ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Are You Addicted to Anime? - Japan Powered. https://www.japanpowered.com/otaku-culture/are-you-addicted-to-anime. Accessed 26 June 2019.

Japanese Anime Heroines as Role Models for U.S. Youth: Wishful Identification, Parasocial Interaction, and Intercultural Entertainment Effects: Journal of International and Intercultural Communication: Vol 5, No 3.

Newitz, Annalee. Anime Otaku: Japanese Animation Fans Outside Japan. p. 13.

Why Western Culture Is Beginning to Embrace Anime | The Artifice. https://the-artifice.com/western-culture-embrace-anime/. Accessed 26 June 2019.