Part of
anime lore is the Gundam concept of the "newtype," a kind of human who
has evolved beyond the common man. Dr. Susan Napier of the University of
Texas sees something like this happening with anime fandom. "This is a
whole different way of identifying what it is to be a citizen of the late
20th century," said Napier at a Saturday Ushicon panel. Napier is so interested
in what anime fandom means that she's studying this subculture, and handed
out questionnaires at the panel. In looking at anime fans she's met at
conventions and schools, Napier has found some fascinating differences
between this fandom and what passes for the average American - but it also
shows the different ways that the Western world has reacted to Japan. Napier
started her presentation with a video of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado"
and followed it with a music video based on "Grave of the Fireflies," which
demonstrated the differences.
For
Westerners to have a special appreciation of Japanese art isn't new, as
Napier pointed out in noting how Japanese styles were fashionable in 19th-century
France. What is different is the nature of the fans who follow anime at
the turn of the new century. They tend to be young and getting younger,
as Napier discovered when she observed the anime enthusiasm of high school
students in New York. And while there's a college crowd of fans, older
people also are interested. "Most anime fans tend to be more liberal than
the mainstream," said Napier. "They tend to be less religious, more environmentally
conscious, more inclined to vote Democrat." But the fans aren't all the
same. Napier has found that anime fandom comes from many walks of life
and races.
The anime
fans questioned by Napier said they're attracted to anime because "It's
different. It's not Hollywood. It's darker and more adult." The fans use
the phrase "cool" a lot in describing their art. Those fans aren't conformists.
They seem to see themselves as somewhat different from the mainstream.
"I haven't met that many cheerleaders who are into anime," she said. Rather,
anime fans tend to be into arts and music and drawing. "They're not part
of the going to law school and medical school culture, although that may
be changing." What makes it cool? It's exotic and appeals to what people
want to become. "People always want something different and new - that's
part of human nature. People into anime aren't finding something exotic
as much as they're finding themselves in anime.".
Part of
anime lore is the Gundam concept of the "newtype," a kind of human who
has evolved beyond the common man. Dr. Susan Napier of the University of
Texas sees something like this happening with anime fandom. "This is a
whole different way of identifying what it is to be a citizen of the late
20th century," said Napier at a Saturday Ushicon panel. Napier is so interested
in what anime fandom means that she's studying this subculture, and handed
out questionnaires at the panel. In looking at anime fans she's met at
conventions and schools, Napier has found some fascinating differences
between this fandom and what passes for the average American - but it also
shows the different ways that the Western world has reacted to Japan. Napier
started her presentation with a video of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado"
and followed it with a music video based on "Grave of the Fireflies," which
demonstrated the differences.
For
Westerners to have a special appreciation of Japanese art isn't new, as
Napier pointed out in noting how Japanese styles were fashionable in 19th-century
France. What is different is the nature of the fans who follow anime at
the turn of the new century. They tend to be young and getting younger,
as Napier discovered when she observed the anime enthusiasm of high school
students in New York. And while there's a college crowd of fans, older
people also are interested. "Most anime fans tend to be more liberal than
the mainstream," said Napier. "They tend to be less religious, more environmentally
conscious, more inclined to vote Democrat." But the fans aren't all the
same. Napier has found that anime fandom comes from many walks of life
and races.
The anime
fans questioned by Napier said they're attracted to anime because "It's
different. It's not Hollywood. It's darker and more adult." The fans use
the phrase "cool" a lot in describing their art. Those fans aren't conformists.
They seem to see themselves as somewhat different from the mainstream.
"I haven't met that many cheerleaders who are into anime," she said. Rather,
anime fans tend to be into arts and music and drawing. "They're not part
of the going to law school and medical school culture, although that may
be changing." What makes it cool? It's exotic and appeals to what people
want to become. "People always want something different and new - that's
part of human nature. People into anime aren't finding something exotic
as much as they're finding themselves in anime.".
