Ask John: Why Do So Many Otaku Claim to Want Realistic Anime?

Question:
I might be in the minority when I ask this but why do Western anime fans try to draw parallels with anime and reality? I mean anime is fiction, I can understand viewer association but even anime like that is fictional to a degree. So why do fans need anime to be down to earth as possible in order for it to be enjoyable?

Answer:

This question elicits a bifurcated response, and ironically the explanatory principle doesn’t always manifest in reality. Certainly anime is fiction. Even more than live-action movies, which at least star human beings and frequently occur in real-world settings, anime is fiction because literally everything is made up, either hand-drawn or crafted with computer generated imagery. But the visual appearance of anime doesn’t distance its concepts and content from reality. Viewers would be wise not to base a comprehensive perspective of Japan and Japanese culture on its depiction within anime, but anime does, to an extent, reflect the common appearance, culture, and routines of Japan. After all, if anime was entirely foreign to Japanese viewers, it wouldn’t be as popular as it is. Small details in anime like homes with front gates, “uchimizu” (splashing water on the sidewalk), the popularity of family restaurants, school sport & culture festivals, after school clubs, sailor suit school uniforms, crowded commuter trains, typical Japanese foods, neighborhood shrines, drunken salarymen, and the relative scarcity of foreign visitors in rural Japan are all common tropes that do actually reflect real, everyday Japan. But other aspects of Japanese anime, including lunch on the school roof, teens living alone, and even the frequency of groups of teens of mixed gender, are exaggerated in anime for stylistic and narrative effect, not to mention that naturally the supernatural and sci-fi aspects of anime are complete fiction. So extrapolating some degree of parallel between anime and reality is not inappropriate. Furthermore, American fans sometimes allow their affection for anime to manifest in reality in the form of dyed hair colors and pointless goggles in public.

However, at the same time particularly Americans suffer under the yoke of an intrinsic abhorrence of escapism. Ironically, while Hollywood leads the world in the development of fantasy, Americans are socially encouraged to recognize reality. From the pitiful characterizations of literary characters like Holden Caulfield & Willy Loman that don’t recognize cold reality, to the American political accusation that politicians and the rich don’t understand the common man, to the widely held belief that comics and cartoons are for kids, American adults are inundated with encouragement to dismiss fiction, fantasy, and dreams in favor of goals and reality. Whether the fiction is literature, comics, games, movies, toys, or anime, Americans are encouraged to put away children’s toys and become adults, guiltily enjoy a temporary break from reality but never dwell in fantasy. American anime fans are thus caught between a personal compulsion to indulge their fascination with fantasy and external pressure to disregard juvenile past times. So the compromise is to consume fiction and fantasy that’s not far removed from reality. American otaku claim to appreciate realistic, dramatic anime because they feel justified and rational in doing so. There’s less reason to be embarrassed by watching cartoons if the animation is “realistic” and doesn’t revel in juvenile fantasy.

The irony, however, is that typical American otaku appease their conscience by claiming to appreciate and desire serious, dramatic, realistic anime, yet when anime appear that actually do exhibit those characteristics, like Human Scramble, Bartender, Ristorante Paradiso, Master Keaton, and Only Yesterday, American otaku typically don’t watch them. While we commonly claim to enjoy and desire realistic anime, we frequently only express that opinion to protect our egotism when we actually, honestly prefer and routinely watch more fanciful, fantastic anime. A film like Tokyo Godfathers is outstanding and relatively realistic, yet exponentially more American otaku will purchase and watch a complete fantasy anime like the bestselling Rosario+Vampire or High School of the Dead.

Personally, I honestly do appreciate and enjoy realistic, dramatic anime, but not as much as capricious, imaginative fantasy anime. I’m not embarrassed whatsoever by my wholehearted enthusiasm for anime, and I don’t feel any compulsion at all to justify, rationalize, or misrepresent my affection for anime. I encourage other otaku to adopt a similar perspective. Superficially claiming to prefer “realistic” down-to-earth anime as a psychological defense mechanism is pointless because the effort doesn’t convince anyone of anything important in any meaningful way. I think that anime fans should honestly embrace whatever variety of anime they most enjoy regardless of perceived criticism from peers. Claiming to appreciate realistic anime, just to appear more adult and objectively sceptical, is a fruitless effort. Viewers that genuinely prefer “realistic” anime should express that preference when appropriate. Those who honestly appreciate more fanciful anime should just admit their preference to themselves and others and simply enjoy whatever they enjoy instead of pretending to have tastes that they don’t. Anime is an entertainment medium. If we don’t watch the anime that entertains us most, we do a service to no one.