What
is an anime fan? "It's very much apparent that there is a huge
variety," said Dr. Susan Napier of the University of Texas. "There is
no typical anime fan." Spurred by her own appreciation of sequential
art, going back to a childhood spent snaking comic books into her home,
Napier has been studying the nature of anime fans for years. She's been
surveying U.S. anime fans at schools and conventions, and has made some
interesting discoveries. If anime is moving into the mainstream of
American entertainment, then the anime fans also are becoming part of
the mainstream. Some of the fans surveyed said they were geeks, but
others sounded like rock-ribbed main street Republicans in their
political beliefs.
Napier
found there is a generation gap about anime and attitudes towards
Japan. From showing a tearful death scene from Grave of the Fireflies,
Napier has gauged reactions and found that younger people are more
likely to be fans than older people. "When you deal with older people,
you're dealing with this kind of baggage," Napier said about those with
memories of World War II. Many of the youth who like anime become
interested in Japan, but others are attracted because anime is cool and
trendy, she said. The affluence and technology of the 21st century
makes it easier to be involved, and fans love conventions because they
have a chance to retreat into a weekend fantasy world where they can
commune with other fans.
However,
the 21st century infatuation with things Japanese is mirrored by
similar feelings in the last two centuries. Napier mentioned
"Japonisants," an old French word that described artists such as Manet
who liked exotic art from Japan. Around the same time, high-class
American ladies in Boston were learning how to give Japanese tea
ceremonies. A century ago, President Teddy Roosevelt won a Nobel Peace
Prize for negotiating an end to the 1905 Russo-Japan war - and learned
of the way of Bushido. The war ended that infatuation, but it's come
back with a rush in recent years. Napier figures it has to be
mainstream when "anime" is a clue in the New York Times crossword
puzzle.
What
is an anime fan? "It's very much apparent that there is a huge
variety," said Dr. Susan Napier of the University of Texas. "There is
no typical anime fan." Spurred by her own appreciation of sequential
art, going back to a childhood spent snaking comic books into her home,
Napier has been studying the nature of anime fans for years. She's been
surveying U.S. anime fans at schools and conventions, and has made some
interesting discoveries. If anime is moving into the mainstream of
American entertainment, then the anime fans also are becoming part of
the mainstream. Some of the fans surveyed said they were geeks, but
others sounded like rock-ribbed main street Republicans in their
political beliefs.
Napier
found there is a generation gap about anime and attitudes towards
Japan. From showing a tearful death scene from Grave of the Fireflies,
Napier has gauged reactions and found that younger people are more
likely to be fans than older people. "When you deal with older people,
you're dealing with this kind of baggage," Napier said about those with
memories of World War II. Many of the youth who like anime become
interested in Japan, but others are attracted because anime is cool and
trendy, she said. The affluence and technology of the 21st century
makes it easier to be involved, and fans love conventions because they
have a chance to retreat into a weekend fantasy world where they can
commune with other fans.
However,
the 21st century infatuation with things Japanese is mirrored by
similar feelings in the last two centuries. Napier mentioned
"Japonisants," an old French word that described artists such as Manet
who liked exotic art from Japan. Around the same time, high-class
American ladies in Boston were learning how to give Japanese tea
ceremonies. A century ago, President Teddy Roosevelt won a Nobel Peace
Prize for negotiating an end to the 1905 Russo-Japan war - and learned
of the way of Bushido. The war ended that infatuation, but it's come
back with a rush in recent years. Napier figures it has to be
mainstream when "anime" is a clue in the New York Times crossword
puzzle.
