Anime and You.
They say that those who watch anime or read manga are ”special”, but not in the way that you or I would like to think. It can be noted that anyone can watch an anime, or read a manga, but why is it the different people. the ”uniques” as I like to call us, who get all the social negativity? I can talk about this personally, because I was. I remember it like it was yesterday: sitting on the floor of the crowed middle school hallway, minding my own busiess as I was reading some Naruto, like every young anime/manga fan has, I’m sure of. All of a sudden, there’s a hand infront of my page, and a bunch of jocks laughing and mocking me with ”HURDERP WHATCHYA READING THUR, SUM NARUTOMON OR SOMETHIGN?” I used to dislike those kinds of people, who constantly messed with me, just because I was ”different” as my mommy gently put it.
I was flipping through the tube the other day, and noticed that a little kid was charged with murder when he killed a couple of jocks. I could tell right away he was like me in a way. Nerdy, unpopular, and always at the ass-end of jokes. Through-out grade school, I was always bullied and picked on because I was different from the other kids. It continued into middle school, and by high school, I had managed to become the ”Most Nerdiest Kid” in the entire school, quickly joining Anime Club, and becoming Club President. Unlike him, I didn’t go killing people with my ninja swords, and pretend that I was my favorite anime/manga character. This can be said for anyone who is a nerd, geek, dork, dweeb, or otherwise the ”social outcasts” of our time. Don’t let people who mess with you because you are different get the best of you. Just because you read anime and manga, doesn’t mean you can’t go on to become great people. My mother, for instance, used to watch anime with me every day after school, and she’s now the owner of 3 local business. We even have plans to go to AWA this year as Keitaro and Naru from Love Hina. (Crazy, isn’t it?)
Remember this reader: As long as you do what you love to do, be it an aspiring voice actor, or the next best manga-ka, don’t forget that there will always be people who are just like you. Know your fellow brothers and sisters, and let us all enjoy that which is anime and manga.
-Richard-sama