Why do you watch Anime?

[Heaven's Cloud]

I watch it because of the art, and outstanding action. The action is mind boggaling, and the art is amazing. I also watch it because the qualityh, and in depth storyline adds a nice twist. That is why I watch it.

[Aibou]

- entertainment
- quality
- it's animation
- music
- inspiration

[DanekJovax]

Wow... The responses to the question "Why do you watch anime?" in here have been really eye-opening for me. Mainly because a little of each reply I've read thus far is part of the reason I've chosen anime as the preferred medium for my entertainment.

Anyways, as I get a little typographically expressive (read: really wordy), what follows below is my answer. Please bear with me, or at least read the next statement and move on:

- I watch anime mainly because of what it is and how it express itself. -

Let me digress and explain this 'esoter-ism'.

Yes, I've watched probably more anime titles than most of you would want to admit to, and like Technomancer said, I think a vast majority of the anime is basically "ok but not a classic". But this isn't why I watch anime...

I have an artist for a father and have been raised to appreciate things that are of fine art quality. To be truly a "Fine Artwork," the item must not only be pleasing to look at, but also something that expresses itself in a unique way (not cliched or redundant with other things of its class) and also can project a characteristic or quality of being "more than a thing". Look at the fine classics of art today and you'll sense that the work embodies *more* than what it appears to be. To behold a beauty of art that transcends the artwork itself through its expression/media/theme makes it something that stands the test of time and may ultimately award it the "priceless" status.

Getting back to anime, I see animation as a medium - a form of artistic expression. Now I know that some animation production companies don't really treat their animation titles as really 'art' but a 'way to make more money from <fill in your favorite age bracket>.'

Of all the animation I have watched, I find myself enjoying the japanese forms of it the most (hence the popular term 'anime') because the japanese anime creators tend to treat the medium as a true form of expression of their ideas, stories, and thoughts, not (usually) binding themselves to the limitations that many western animation studios (I will not name names here) tend to put themselves under.

Here's a good way of explaining this: If you eat a burger, how many different ways can you picture that burger being dressed with various toppings and condiments, but yet it's still a burger? This is basically what I've found with western TV and animation... lots of different dressings, but at its core, it's still the same old hum-drum burger. Now, every so often I like a good burger, but only SOME of the time.

Now, picture a buffet decked out with the most tasty, exotic, spicy, and delicately spiced foods known to man, all garnished to look like works of art, and all served on crystal and silver, to be eaten with the finest of drink. This food is treated as more than just food, but given special treatment and presented in a way that makes it *more* than just food... to be appreciated more than just as something to eat... but something to enjoy seeing... smelling... and then the taste is well above anything you've eaten in a long time, if ever.

...that's anime to me. :2)

Yes, anime has its good sides and bad sides, but all-in-all, anime has something that makes it more than a plain animated cartoon, and something that many people may never come to appreciate (like not everyone likes sushi, but those who do enjoy it very passionately - like me :2) because of different mindsets, life priorities, etc. It is this extra treatment that anime enjoys so much of my free time, that I seek to enjoy yet another 'flavor'... another fine 'aroma'... another exotic 'dish'...

Like any other hobby, 'anime-optera' is a pursuit that only certain people will come to appreciate, and the rest may like only a few shows here and there. Understanding this will help keep one from being frustrated as to why their friend can't appreciate anime like he or she does. As for myself, I have enjoyed the exploration and discovery of watching anime new and old, and found some rather surprising and wonderous discoveries along the way, and greatly desire to share all the best that I have found with others - you - whenever I can. But... I know that this level of passion is not shared by many... not even my wife (though she's slowly coming around to the 'light' :2).

Anyways, I hope this helps you see what I like with anime, and why I so passionately seek it.

that's my 3 yen... ja ne. ;2)

PS: Hey, I think there are still visionaries in anime that are akin to Kurosawa.... I think of Katsuhiro Otomo, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and I'm even placing early bets on Makoto Shinkai (creator of Hoshi no Koe - Voices of a Distant Star).

[Solid Ronin]

I watch it to escape from reality

[Bobtheduck]

Just remember this: An escape is good as long as there's a return. If you're just going to "stay in Narnia" as my acquaintance put it, that's definately not a good thing...

As for why I watch anime?

I started watching, let's say, for the wrong reasons... As a rebellion and a slap in the face and a sophomoric "Wow, they just said bad words and there's a butt... and blood!" that was the amount of it... When I got my sailormoon tapes, it really changed... I found a level higher of storytelling than in the cartoons I'd watched up to then (I have always been an animation fan, except for a brief period of a year when I was like 6 or 7 when someone convinced me they were all stupid... that ain't gonna happen again, I know those people are wrong, though there may be many)

Now I watch anime for entertainment, of course, to pick up small facets of Japanese culture (though I've gotta filter them a bit...) and language, as well as watching stories that make me think, and that teach me something. The biggest reason I usually watch is just to see a really good story.

Now, I believe a story should have a beginning, middle, and end... This is not so in most american TV shows... WHEN DO THEY END??? Never, or when they are forced to. Those are the only two answers. I found something different in anime (and subsequently in Japanese live action TV as well, BTW off topic, anyone seen swim boys? That theme is stuck in my head) because most anime will run a season (26 eps) or perhaps a half or quarter season (13, 6 or 5) and they have an end. They aren't made, like most american shows, to go on forever, so the ending is planned from the beginning and the shows are usually made to progress from the beginning to end. So episode 17 is made with episodes 25 and 26 in mind as well as episodes 18 and 19, and the plot is made to get to that point in that amount of time... I like that. I get a nice long story (like a really long movie) and when it ends, it ends (unless it's a cashcow like Pkmn and DBZ, or gundam...)

I know not every anime show (or Japanese live action TV show) is like that, but I like that at least some exist...

[Solid Ronin]

[quote="Bobtheduck"]Just remember this: An escape is good as long as there's a return. If you're just going to "stay in Narnia" as my acquaintance put it, that's definately not a good thing...

Then its a bad thing....I like gundam good story action and bots

[Michael]

I watch anime because I like anime.

[DanekJovax]

Mike-san, that's like saying "I like eating because it involves food."

Gotta love those circular arguments. :2P

[Azier the Swordsman]

I'm getting sick and tired of Hollywood and I like watching an INTERESTING story with INTERESTING characters every once in a while. Not to say EVERYTHING coming out of Hollywood is bad, it just... disappoints me. Plus a lot of anime has a lot of interesting plots you wouldn't normally see in American entertainment. And these plots usually involve many twists and turns, and often turn out the way you don't expect. It's a fun escape from reality.

[Taslin_Jewel]

Do I really need a reason? I just like this style, I suppose.

[Cap'n Nick]

For me it's all about characters. Sure there are a few "sketch shows," but for the most part even the weakest anime series will have a plot to follow and characters that develop along the way.

[Kenshin17]

cause i like to watch big robots tear each other apart.

I'll second that one Mecha anime are some of my absolute favs.

I like to watch anime because of the art and the fact that anime writters will write stories that American writers won't try. Some one say Rah Xephon, Gundam?? And they do it with style to spare. You can find anything in anime, scifi, romance, drama, comedy, you name it. Its so much more original and fresh then american movies.
BTW: American giant robots are horid. (Robowarriors comes to mind)

I do also like the characters. In anime they are quit interesting and I love the whole animated part. You can create characters in anime that you can't in movies. In anime odd characters fit in so well because its more on a fantasy level then a movie.

My coworkers (the ones not anime fans) think I'm a total werido because I watch way more anime then movies. But its so much more interesting most of the time

[agasfas]

WHy do I watch anime..... To be honest probably because I have nothing better to do. Or maybe the stories are more engaging and interesting. Graphic wise, far superior to animerican cartoons. Also there are so many genres; theres something for everyone.

[Kaligraphic]

As Michael said, I watch anime because I like anime. It's fun. And I can count on one hand the number of TV shows broadcast locally which actually interest me.