People laughing at grown-ups who watch anime

@dan20071 (724)
Romania
May 30, 2008 10:48am CST
In my country, when you tell someone that you watch anime they automatically associate this with cartoons and they start laughing in your face. "Ha ha you still watch cartoons at you age?", they say. I just want to know if were you live, people are as childish as here. They don't know that anime is for all ages, and that they are not cartoons. Why do people always laugh that you like something they don't want to try...
1 person likes this
12 responses
@xParanoiax (6987)
• United States
31 May 08
I'm not an adult, but actually around my state it's not usually seen as childish or laughable, it's actually quite a fad. Sure, you get some people who laugh, but there's like five more to every person like that you get...at least in my experience. If not anime, then at the very least..manga.
1 person likes this
@dan20071 (724)
• Romania
31 May 08
What you're saying is true but unfortunately, some people who watch anime regularly, say they don't in front of other people. I don't know what's about this hesitation, you shouldn't be ashamed that you like something
@emarie (5442)
• United States
1 Jun 08
I used to care what other people thought as well. Me being the outcast just wanted to fit in with everyone else. But after a while you just stop caring about what people think because you're not being true to myself. I see all types of people in the anime stores (what few we have) here. Japanese culture is starting to pick up in the US and it doesn't help that the man I married is Japanese and grew up watching some of these type of animes. I kind of got sucked into it, and I love it. My choice is my choice. I don't like some animes, but some people LOVE it. I hate romantic movies, but some people love it. And I really don't care because those people aren't me. Its not like I'm rude or anything, you just brush it off.
1 person likes this
• United States
31 May 08
It's 'cause alot of people care what other people think of them to the point they don't want to be themselves if someone else doesn't like it. It is pretty silly, but that's people for you, sometimes.
1 person likes this
@rovian (1924)
• United States
30 May 08
I watch anime but not many people know that I do. If people do not ask, I do not tell them, and I feel I shouldn't have to. I prefer watching it over the cartoons here in the United States, because most of the ones currently being aired are just stupid. Sponge Bob Square Pants for example.
1 person likes this
@dan20071 (724)
• Romania
30 May 08
You're right, I also prefer not to tell if I'm not asked, but sometimes I just want to convince other people to watch it, to give it a shot. In some cases, I succeeded and now I can talk about anime with certain friends and that's a good thing. Thanks for your response
• Dayton, Ohio
31 May 08
Yeah, I've had that reaction. I always want to sit the person down in front of an episode of "La Blue Girl" and say "Yeah, this is for kids."
• Philippines
1 Jun 08
err.. thats harsh from what country are you?? here in the philippines every kid and even old ones are watching even reading mangas and such.. im a collector of toys and dvd's i have certain titles like slam dunk, pokemon, devil may cry buzzer beater and such titles. im already 24 yo but i still do watch anime very often
1 person likes this
@dan20071 (724)
• Romania
1 Jun 08
He he, you're lucky. I am from Romania, where anime isn't really well known, I don't even think that you can buy anime DVD's here yet, or I haven't seen a store like that up until know. OK, so here anime is seen like cartoons that only children watch, maybe because even on TV they take out the gory scenes, the blood from the wounds, that's why I don't watch it on TV. But soon, I guess, the anime mania will hit here too, or so I hope ^_^
@ladysakurax (1161)
• Canada
13 Jun 08
Well I am 22 and i still enjoy watching anime and even reading mangas. I think your friends or those people have never tried so they think it's like cartoon. Maybe you can suggest them something. A chapter can keep the reader hooked :P and we'll see what they will think. It's for all ages...let's not for get there are also gory ones and violent, comedy, romance..for all kind of tastes.
1 person likes this
@dan20071 (724)
• Romania
17 Jun 08
I agree with you. I believe that if they would just try it, their opinion would change hastily. The fact is that they won't even try it because most people will consider the children.. Even if they did, I'm rather sure they will not say they do watch anime. Anyway, as I said before it's their true loss, not ours (the anime lovers)
@Cley_CJ (105)
• Malaysia
14 Jul 08
It's the same situation here in my country. People here tend to just easily push anime aside as for-kids-only cartoons. They don't even accept there're animes for all ages and even for adults only. For them, everything that's not real people and animated are cartoons, even live action movies that combines with 3d cgi & animations are considered cartoons too. How shallow is that? Once, I was reading a manga magazine while eating at McDonalds. A waitress came to refill and she asked why a grown up like me still reads cartoons(I know it's a comic but that's what she called it). I just smiled and lucky for her, I didn't show a gory scene of a man with a big knife struck through his head on the next page. Local companies that do subtitling & dubbing of anime vcd & dvd are also not very serious about it. The voice actings are terrible. Their English & Malay(our local language) translation are horrible, that I mostly had to think what the translations mean rather than understand the story. They just thought that animes are just for kids and they can get away with it easily and just gain profit. So how can they blame us for downloading fansubs, which are of far greater quality? So, they say people like us who watch animes & read mangas are childish, well, actually those who think this way are more childish & naive than us.
1 person likes this
@dan20071 (724)
• Romania
18 Jul 08
Very nice comment you gave here. I agree with everything you said, people nowadays are not very open-minded, hell, they even act like a herd sometimes. "Most people like that, I like that, Most people hate that, I do too", this is a very stupid idea which I came across more and more. Seriously, I had just about enough, answering to this stupid question "Why do you still watch cartoons?", I am through with explaining to everyone about the differences between anime and cartoons, and then get a reaction like "Yeah right" or "Whatever..". In fact, I shouldn't really care what people say about my habits, as long as I know it suits me. In the end, your last statement is a good one, maybe these people really are more naive than we are.
• United States
14 Jul 08
I get mixed reactions when I tell people that I love watching anime. My family look at me weird and ask the 'how can you watch cartoons still' question. To try to explain the differences in cartoons (Western) and anime is like trying to pull a tooth from a hippo's mouth. Some people I tell that too turn out to be anime fans as well. In the end, it's up to my own personal choice and whether or not they make fun of me, I truly don't care. I love anime and will continue to watch it for as long as I can.
1 person likes this
@dan20071 (724)
• Romania
18 Jul 08
I really like your opinion. I also find out that my friends watch anime only after a while or so. I guess, it's really hard to open up to someone, being afraid of his/her reaction. It's strange that most of my friends watch anime, and I didn't even know that when I've met them... Maybe there's something that draws us all together n_n. Thank you for your nice comment.
@emarie (5442)
• United States
31 May 08
I didn't get into anime till I was an adult. But by that time, the anime craze was getting pretty popular where I grew up. I always knew about it and I knew they weren't all for kids I just didn't think I'd like it. Now, I love anime. I watch it then most regular TV. When I started getting into it my mom told me "you're watching cartoon!" and I was already married with a child. I didn't mind because I didn't care what people said. It takes time for something to catch on in other countries. Its still a little slow in the US. We have a network which shows anime and they do play it on Cartoon network. Anime is really just short for Animation anyway. Cartoon is normal like a Western type of style. I would just them to mind their business. There is so many different genres of anime out there that you should be able to find it something that they like.
1 person likes this
@dan20071 (724)
• Romania
31 May 08
You're absolutely right. People should stop following each other and start doing what THEY like, and not what they should. After all, we're not cattle, so the statement " I'm not doing it because others don't " is kind of lame..
@anaknitatay (1335)
• Philippines
31 May 08
Where I'm from there are still a lot of people who think that watching animes are childish but it is generally accepted here. It will have to take time before this form of culture will be fully accepted.
1 person likes this
@dan20071 (724)
• Romania
31 May 08
At least where I'm from, anime is still considered something taboo. It hasn't been on television just for a couple of years, and from that time, they were introduced as cartoons. Maybe someday, people will see the difference
1 person likes this
@saizo6 (2199)
• United States
1 Jun 08
I don't usually get people laughing at me when I tell them I like watching anime. Most of the time, it's either a funny look or a blank expression followed by a question about what anime was. Although, after telling them, I do sometimes get the "You watch cartoons?" line often. It actually doesn't bother me if someone laughs and tells me I'm too old for anime. They, obviously, don't know what they're missing out on.
@dan20071 (724)
• Romania
1 Jun 08
Do you sense irony when they ask you which anime it was? Because sometimes people tend to do that. Maybe they want to be polite, and seem interested. Anyway, you're right, they don't know what they're missing :)
• United States
31 May 08
I Watch Anime and when i go to school if i know some ppl who watch anime i will talk about it. IF im talkin to someone i think dont watch anime i keep it a secret.
1 person likes this
@dan20071 (724)
• Romania
31 May 08
Yes, it's true. If you look closely at people, you can see if they will laugh at you for speaking about it, or would want to find out more
@Kx2luv (27)
• United States
13 Jun 08
Do you live in the U.S.? Just asking. I'm still in my teens, but whenever I go to buy anime in a store, often I'll see older male (usually it's male) adults (like in their 30's-40's), & if my mom's w/ me, I can hear her critisizing them. I get kinda pissed becuz really, it's not childish thing, it's ART. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. They look at anime as a CARTOON, but it's beyond that (IMO). I've been through lots of phases (Barbie phase, video game phase, then the anime phase), & I've been loyal to anime for a while, so I believe that when I'm in my 30's, I'll still like anime. XD
@dan20071 (724)
• Romania
17 Jun 08
No, I'm not from the U.S but my situation is kind of similar to yours... I know there are lots of people here that watch anime, but sadly they won't admit it (for whatever reason). Thanks for responding ^^
@SHIFTY13 (97)
• Philippines
24 Oct 08
If you like anime just watch it. even im in my 30's i will watch anime who care's My uncles still watch hajime no ippo cool right. Just go philippines and live here. lol