I have been meaning to do this post for some time. I brought it up time and time again, but never really focused on it for one of these I the American Otaku posts. Although it has been some time since I did one of these, and I actually wanted to do this one a while ago, specifically right after the event that happened I will discuss, well it is finally time to talk about it.
Instead of rambling on for what the secret is, well it is the fact that I am into anime and manga. So, there is my blog, which all I do is talk about anime and manga, and wish to talk about comics more. There is twitter, which according to my brother word for word “Oh My god calm down with all the anime stuff seriously.” My secret does not really seem like a secret.
So, I will say one of my brothers know about the fact I am into anime. So, I guess I should start to explain how that came about and why I kept it as a secret. For starters I guess I can say no one really asked and there was no reason for me to really bring up the fact I was watching anime, so it naturally became a secret.
As for my brother finding out it was not even being into anime for a year and back when we would watch Smosh videos every Friday together when I accidentally exited the web browser and my background being the Fairy Tail logo showed. He naturally questioned what it was, and I said it. He gave me a disguised look. I tried to explain, he continues to this day making fun of me about it. One reason for this is, one he is my younger brother and likes to make fun of me, and two he does not care what it really is, since he just does not care in any way.
So, with that event happening I decided for the best to keep it a secret. I did not really talk to a lot of people, so it was not like I had an opportunity to talk about anime with classmates in University. This is probably one reason why my conversations with people about anime can go on for a long time, be it in my posts, comments or one twitter. I finally have a means to talk to people about it. If you like the fact that I do that, well thank you for being able to put up with my rambles, but the fact that a lot of people read my posts now I might as well say thanks to everyone for putting up with the length of my posts.
Anyway as per usual with these posts I went off on another tangent. I guess I should bring up the reason why I never really bring it up other than that experience with my brother causing me to fear what my parents would think.
Well I can say for certain my dad would not care. My mom is another story. I guess talking about the more recent example would be the best. Not really sure where she gets the stereotypes from, but that is just how she is. I mean with my mom being the only woman who has been a constant in my life it is obvious that I care what she thinks about me, so really I am just protecting my image, even though I know nothing bad would happen if she found out, kind of weird that a twenty-two year old man is saying this. Anyway back to the back story time. (Of course after this part it has been about two weeks since I worked on it, so I am only going over the recent event)
My brothers were still in school. I myself have only been out for about two weeks. This was the next to last week in May, which much I remember when this happen. Of course now remembering when this took place it really took me a long time to get this post out. Anyway, back to what happened. (I took a pic from a tweet, only to realize that the event happen twice in May, and I found at least one that could work. I may not have tweeted out what was happening)
Anyway besides that minor distraction. It is always a little awkward in the car when my mom drives. It was a half a day for my brothers so my mom wanted to go out to eat for lunch. well were we were going was a half hour away and what not. She never keeps the radio on, so half the time we talk about something. She naturally brought up work. This was after me bringing up comics and her bringing up a comic event at work.
She went onto talk about how they are going to be changing the comic and manga selection. (By the way she works at the same bookstore I buy manga in on days she has off. I talked about it a few posts ago for I go Buy Manga) So, I was a little excited about this fact. Then it happened. I am not sure what got her to say it, but she talked about manga.
“Manga is that thing from Japan,” she said.
“It is Japanese comics mom, same as American comics,” my response.
“All the people who buy that pervy stuff are women, lesbians, and guys that probably live in their mother’s basements. I am glad I don’t have to worry about you kids getting into that weird (substituted word incoming) stuff.”
A weird feeling went over me, worry was one, a part of me was giggling since I happened to be into anime, and a little bit of annoyance. My mom tends to have a set belief about things and trying to get the right or at least a better view of things is difficult, very, very difficult. It feels like it I were to try to explain to her what it is, she would not listen. Of course at the time of this happening my brother was poking fun at me since he knew I was.
There are always people like that in the world. It is weird now that I am older I am starting to see the many flaws in my parents that when I was little would always think they were amazing.
Of course when we were eating and my youngest brother and my mom left for a moment I told my brother the absurd amount of manga I have hidden under my bed. We also laughed and questioned where my mom would get these stereotypes. Really do not know where she gets it. To me every time I see someone talking about manga or anime, or see them reading it the only one that they would fit of the stereotypes on occasions would be the fact they were a women, so I mean one third of what my mom said was kind of right but then again even if she said guys it would be a similar scenario so I guess that cannot really be counted.
Anyway, it is still a little hard bringing it up even around my younger brother. When trying to explain what anime is? (The day this post went up I had a short discussion about how anime work in episode length and how the series run since my brother was a little curious but it was still awkward to talk about it) It is different, and yes there are some things that can be perverse. At the same time it feels like that is just a small fraction, but the entirety of it is being looked down on because of it. I really did not know what anime was until seeing it.
Each passing day I question why I worry so much, but that is just how I am. I am naturally like that. I care to some degree what people think about me. I mean I bring up the fact I am into anime every now and again at University if the opportunity calls for it. The older generation really seems to close to their set ideals, and that is who my mother is, one of the older generation and not will to accept what is different. We are a generation of change, were it does not matter what we are into and it does not matter about just anything. Look at all the people doing stupid stuff just to get internet famous. That is just how our generation is.
It feels as though that might be the root cause of the misunderstanding and what keeps my biggest hobby a secret is that difference. It is weird to think about it. But the more I do the more I realize how small this world is. We are changing rapidly. My parents’ generation everyone in the neighborhood knew each other. Now I know people all over, from the same state, Canada, Philippines, Sweden, and just about everywhere. Our generation is one about change and understanding of one another and connection on a larger scale.
I keep it a secret in hopes that they will someday find that on their own. Plus like I said I am a person who worries what people thinks, namely my parents. Sounds counter active, but it is true. There are just some things people are not ready to do. But I acknowledge the fact that I might not be into anime forever, I might not be blogging forever, and I might not even be able to keep it a secret forever either. I will just have to make do, trying to make a small change one step at a time.
I know I do not just keep it a secret for just that, but because it is my own hobby. When I was into Pokemon, my brother did. When I was into comics, which the hobby is slowly dying after almost five years, this is reading comics not superheroes and everything else or manga for that matter. Anyway my youngest brother got into comics as well. Anime and manga is a hobby that is just mine. I like it that way. I do not like to keep it a secret, but I like to keep it a secret. There is just so much that comes into play if I were to tell them about it, or have it discovered. It is awkward. But to me, it seems like this is how it should be for now be it for either of those reasons.
What do people around you think about being into anime or manga, specifically the ones that are not into it?
So yeah this life reflection post was long over do, kind of wanted it out over a month ago, but things get in the way. But then again they are not always meant to be a regular thing and only come out whenever I feel like it. I hope you enjoyed. These posts always help me think about things, some from writing and some from responding.
– Joe
The Reviewer's Corner 
July 11, 2015 at 9:53 pm
Hello there Joe,
It was nice to see the prejudices against anime from a different perspective. I guess I can sorta relate. For me, the issue of me watching anime is less about the content but rather the source. I dunno how much of history you know, but there has been bad blood between China and Japan for many years following the Chinese-Sino war. As I am Chinese, my family has suffered directly from the Japanese invasion and thus holds a deep grudge. My father was from Nanjing (Or Nanking in some places). If you know your history, then you would know the atrocious events that occurred there previously.
Yet I do not hold the same grudge, but rather I love the culture of Japan greatly, both anime and else. The manners they have and general living resonate with me at a personal level, much more than China, my motherland.
My parents are quite accepting of my hobbies generally, but I can’t help but feel a slight scorn in their eyes whenever they happen to see the merch I have gathered. My mother, a kind soul, actually appreciates the things I buy. She has often times said “This looks really nice! (Pointing at an anime poster) What’s it about?” Yet I feel as if she’s not truly understanding what it is, and is simply entertaining what in her eyes something childish. Same for my dad.
But I’m glad they are accepting rather than confrontational.
Different cultures, different views. But parents are generally accepting of their children. But that acceptance is hard to confirm at times.
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July 11, 2015 at 9:59 pm
I am starting to see a trend with people’s comment for this that in some cases there family does not care. But in most cases they really are just like you, a little curious but nothing more. It is always a weird sort of thing when it comes to it I guess no matter where you are from or what ever reason it may be. But thanks for telling me that. Responding and getting comments for these types of posts always help give me ideas. Not sure if I am ready to tell them, but I know my parents are an understanding type, it can just be a little hard sometimes with my own personal beliefs on how it may be.
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July 8, 2015 at 1:51 am
Philippines Representative~ lolol
As for me, I don’t think I ever actively tried to keep it a secret. I’ve watched some anime, those which aired on local TV and dubbed in the local language, as a kid. I used to draw the characters I see and play with other friends some toys derived from those anime. Anime here is not brutally “looked down upon.” It isn’t uncommon as a hobby, and people just say, “oh, so you watch anime. eh.” Not much of a big deal among friends who don’t watch it.
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July 8, 2015 at 8:14 am
I guess because it airs. Here in America we have Toonami and that airs one day a week at midnight. Other than that no anime really runs on television. So there is no real way for people to get used to it or see it all that often unless you are online and stumbled upon it. I guess there is a little bit of a difference when it comes to your location, which would make sense, when it comes to certain things.
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July 9, 2015 at 4:42 am
Locally/English dubbed anime now only air on exclusive cable channels, like Animax or HERO (not sure if this still exists). Anime used to be shown during the late afternoon (when I was still in elementary school), but now they are half-assedly shown on morning slots. Half-assedly, as in, too many commercials and bad dubs–not the same as the decent quality of dub before.
I think the apparent negative judgments received by anime fans elsewhere are rather received by the Filipino online gamers. The elitists tend to have shitty attitude that annoys global AND other local players. Meanwhile, online Filipino fans swarming on Facebook are, mostly, annoying as they have very insular communities there.
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July 9, 2015 at 9:10 pm
Yeah it used to be that way too with dubbed anime, some where heavily edited for kids like One Piece. Others, were Americanized, a lot were in terms of names. But that was a long time ago. When the Americanization stopped for anime it really stopped airing during the day too. The only anime that airs now is, Pokemon, Digimon, and an Americanized Dorremon.
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July 10, 2015 at 9:40 am
That’s on TV, right? So how do you watch the English dubbed anime?
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July 10, 2015 at 4:22 pm
Online that is the only real place to watch dubbed. The only time there is dub is Toonami which is after midnight. I cannot stay up that late, get too tired. Hulu and Funi, both have shows dubbed, but they are the older ones and not any of the ones released in the last two years or so.
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July 5, 2015 at 11:27 am
I actually chanced upon this post the day you posted but I hadn’t had time to leave a comment, haha! I see that your parents are still generally supportive of what you do, even when they may still hold some biases or prejudice against Japanese animation. Even so, that’s really good enough! As for me, my parents generally don’t support me watching anime but only to the extent that they think its an unproductive use of my time. They are slightly biased against anime as opposed to other medium for an irrational reason though – just because of the fact that they feel anime tends to couch violence and pornography in cutesy, hand-drawn and colourful animation, something they feel is more inherently ‘dangerous’. And also the fact that they cannot separate the notion of cartoons from immaturity, though they know as a fact that anime is not for kids. I barely get support for blogging about anime too, and I play it off by the argument that I am ‘polishing my writing skills’, so to speak.
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July 5, 2015 at 11:39 am
Well at least I am not alone in this case. I guess we all have are reasons for things and people will view things differently. Sometimes it is hard to distinguish two different things. I brought it up on one of the other comments that it feels as though a lot of people think anime and hentai are the same thing, they are both Japanese animation but I view it like how I view pornography not being labeled as television, so hentai and anime are two different things. It feels as though a lot of misconception about anime comes from getting it confused with hentai. My parents are supportive of a lot, of what I do, yet sometimes it feels as though I should keep some things away from them to save the time from trying to explain and messing up on explaining the right thing about anime. The last thing I need to do is accidentally make it worse then it already is.
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July 6, 2015 at 12:00 pm
Yeah, its also strange that even though most people are able to accord pornography that distinction from what television is, they can’t actually separate the concepts of hentai and anime. Lack of exposure and ignorance perhaps, but still. Yeah I know what you mean, sometimes the best way to do strike a balance is to not mention or try to explain too much to those who don’t understand because its often counter productive. I have tried and tested that before, whenever I try to explain my love for anime I end up getting dismissed or laughed at especially when I do it in a more intense, less nonchalant way. So I realised I was perhaps not helping the anime cause, and I stopped. Whenever people ask me what I like to watch during my free time, I just mention ‘mostly anime’, but I don’t care to elaborate. I feel any real anime lover will be able to pick up on this anyway, because well, we kind of all understand each other in that sense. (:
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July 6, 2015 at 12:02 pm
Yeah, the same goes for me as well, I only elaborate if the person actually brings up an anime or asks a question about if I saw a certain series. But yeah I can see what you mean.
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July 4, 2015 at 10:08 am
I don’t keep it as a secret, but I don’t openly talk about me being into all the Japanese stuff. I usually join in when people are talking about anime, but I never start the conversation about anime except when I already know the person I’m about to talk to is interested in anime.
My parents are okay with it, I think. They both know that I enjoy watching anime, and when they ask I just say it’s Japanese cartoon. No pervert stereotype or something like that. But that’s probably because the otaku stereotype is not well known here. However I do watch anime in a position which prevent them from seeing what’s on my screen (you can’t tell when the anime boobs are going to come up), or I just pause it until I’m alone again.
No one has ever called me a child for liking anime though, so I guess I’m having it easy.
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July 4, 2015 at 10:46 am
I was never called a child. But yeah. My position for watching anime always consists of my back to the wall with another web page open in case my brother comes in to see what is going on. Although I guess it really depends what I am watching at the time, some series I feel a little more comfortable watching so I don’t need to take that extra precaution. I even said I do not know where my mom gets half the stereotypes for anything. But I could easily see why some people think it is perverse with the ecchi genre, and it also feels like a lot of people think hentai, which I always have viewed as two separate things. But people view it as the same thing.
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July 4, 2015 at 9:14 am
I was like awwwww again towards one of your personal posts Joe.. you seem to do that to me when I read them. Haha that’s funny your mum works at the store you buy your manga, I’d say about your brother siblings will be siblings. My sister and family has known about my anime obsession for the longest time, I don’t hide the fact that I love it. My sister thinks I’m a weirdo yet I have caught her out watching anime herself so made me laugh. My parents aren’t really bothered about it but I won’t forget they went to the anime store I love and bought me my first anime ever so that’s pretty special. I have a pretty down to earth family ^^ they accept what I love plus I have stranger hobbies than this and that one they made a fuss over lol
I think it’s different with all families and sounds very different with your family, I wouldn’t let it bother you and embrace what you love. I have a couple of friends who aren’t into anime but they are still curious sometimes asking me questions about it so I think they accept it.
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July 4, 2015 at 9:34 am
Yeah, I can get what you are saying. My parents are always supportive of me. I probably should have put this in the post. When it comes to the fact I want to be a writer and publish my book and what not they have always supported it and my dream. I guess I never really thought about the two together. I think it comes down to more of my own personal worries. I mean for the longest time I was also worried what they would think of me writing a story and wanting to get it published. So, besides really should have put that in there. There is also the fact that it is similar with my brother him saying it is weird, but being a little curious about it as well. It is a little hard to say on what to do. Now that I am thinking about it more it is mimicking when I first started writing how I would not tell them for the first three years. Even then I am not sure how they found out, I think I just told them one day out of the blue. For all I know that might happen soon since I already hit that 3 year mark. Then I get a little nervous seeing that I have seen over 350 different series and well that part would need to be left out. But thanks I knew talking about this not just on the post would help me realize some things.
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July 4, 2015 at 9:53 am
Good to know your parents are supportive and it’s nautral to have your own worries about it in real life. let’s be honest real life can just be brutal and suck at times lol I’m sure your brother can make up his mind but I wouldn’t let it bother me too much. You have this place, your blog at the end of the day where you don’t have to hide anything and someday you will feel like you don’t have to hide this at all obviously not making it known to the whole world like everyone knows I do through my youtube because Lita is crazy lol those nerves, worries will hopefully fade away.
I understand your insecurities like at my work I don’t want them finding out I like anime or the other strange hobbies I have. Last place i worked found out and obviously made fun of me. haha
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