Prologue

I’ve never been one to snub cartoons (some people think they’re a childish form of entertainment, especially when you’re past 20), but for the life of me, I couldn’t wrap my head round the reason why there seemed to be a sizeable crowd who really love their Anime. Notice the phrase their Anime – you could say that Anime has a rather large and dedicated following.

This confused me on a number of levels. Firstly, Anime art was a far cry from being sophisticated. It seemed to me simplistic, 2-D and unreal – why were so many Anime characters endowed with impossibly long legs and tennis ball-esque eyes, not to mention androgynous to the point of being disturbing? Secondly, female characters all spoke in a shrill treble which made the ear drums quiver. And thirdly, the aforementioned factors combined didn’t look promising in the way of blockbuster plots. Even an impressive plot wouldn’t be able to save the disaster of shrill voices perched on stilt-legs.

Or so I thought.

My younger sister, an avid (read: rabid) fan of Anime and cosplay, sparked my curiosity with her unflagging passion for watching one series after another, and I soon found myself glued to the screen for hours on end together with her. My older brother followed soon after.

Though some Anime fell within my constructed stereotype, others were fresh and imaginative, with yet others even bordering on profound. At the beginning it was easy for me to write it off as insipid, but after giving it a chance, I’ve gained an appreciation for why Anime has appeal for people aged 13 to 30.

Currently, you could say I’m a big fan of Anime. Though they’re cartoons, their underlying themes can be surprisingly deep and engaging for an older audience. Taking this into consideration, its characteristic style of drawing becomes a non-issue and over time, will endear itself to the viewer as it comes to signify the imagination that is unique to Anime.

This blog will feature Anime reviews which will explore themes that older viewers may take interest in beyond Anime’s face-value entertainment, and hopefully spark interest in those who are thinking of watching Anime, but need that extra nudge to start.