Ask John: Why Is Anime So More Accepting of Reality?

Question:
Why is it that Japanese anime is so much more accepting of reality? I mean, anime is filled with sexual references (both straight and homosexual). A character often tragically dies (something kids never see in the US). Japanese people allow their kids to see so much more on television. Why is Japan so much more accepting of the realities of life?

Answer:
This is sort of a tough one to answer. Allow me to provide my own opinion, based on the relatively little I know about Asian culture. Asian cultures, perhaps more so than American culture, place a great deal of importance and weight on individual responsibility. In order for one to be self-sufficient and capable of making rational decisions, one must have experience and familiarity with all of the facets of life. Essentially, Japanese parents understand that their children are children, and allow them childish pleasures, but also expect and accept greater maturity in their children than Westerners do in similar American children. For example, Japan creates child-oriented phenomenons like Hello Kitty and Pocket Monster while, at the same time, placing a lot of stress and demand on children by expecting Japanese children to study hard and get into good schools, even from elementary-school age. The difference, then, between Japanese youths and American ones is cultural. Japanese society simply believes in exposing their children to all of the varying eventualities of reality, while American culture tries to hide or protect its children from some of the more difficult events in life.

As I’ve said, this is merely my own amature hypothesis. If anyone has an alternate take on this topic, or would like to expand on what I’ve said, feel free to send in your opinions to us through the AnimeNation Viewpoint.