This article discusses common misperceptions about anime and recommends some titles to help viewers appreciate the genre. It notes that anime, like other media, includes a range of genres from slice-of-life to action to comedy. Certain popular anime like Naruto and Dragonball Z are targeted at teenage boys, while titles like Grave of the Fireflies and Attack on Titan appeal to broader audiences. The author urges open-minded viewers to watch anime without preconceptions and find shows they enjoy.

1. A question of anime

2. Okay many of you weren’t expecting this in our Art and Life column. Stay with me. In this series I will be discussing
anime and why it has some people hooked and others repulsed.
There are many different perceptions around anime and with most things, much of these opinions are derived from a
narrow exposure to the subject matter. In a similar vein to comic books, anime has many stereotypes which repel
would-be enthusiasts from further exposure to the medium.
Some people believe that anime is something for children, others believe that it is grossly perverse (lewd camera
angles, animated porn, etc) and suited to teenage boys, others believe that anime is too strange in its culture and can
only be enjoyed by Japan enthusiasts. Most of this is totally false.
Much like any passionate fan, it’s good to feel ‘in the know’ and there is a subculture around anime, just as there is
around music, movies, fashion, food, or anything else. This outspoken group (known as “otakus”)is by no means an
authority on the genre. Anyone can understand anime and its subculture just by watching anime they enjoy.
The first thing that must be clearly explained is that there are good anime and there are bad anime. Think of this like
TV, not every TV show is as awesome as Breaking Bad. So avoid getting put off anime by watching rubbish.
The must-watch anime of recent times is most certainly Attack on Titan (below).

3. Many anime are slice-of-life and feature no fantastical or sexual elements at
all. The famous anime film, Grave of the Fireflies (below) is perhaps the best
example of this tone in anime. Grave of the Fireflies is by Ghibli (if you don’t
know these guys and you like Pixar movies, you’ll like their work). Grave of
the Fireflies is anime I’d urge anyone sitting on the fence to try.
If swords and sorcery aren’t your thing and human emotion is, try to make it
through this shocking story of loss and sacrifice without crying buckets. This
movie chronicles a brother and sister living on the brink of death from
starvation during the final hours of World War II.

4. On the other hand, just as you wouldn’t want your kids watching Game of
Thrones but you yourself are hopelessly addicted, there are anime shows with
sex and violence with deep characters and mature themes (called “seinen”
anime) as Perfect Blue (below).

5. There also pant-wettingly funny comedies, such as Nichijou (below) which
anyone can enjoy

6. Famous anime (the ones which may perhaps tainted your view of anime) like
Naruto, Bleach, Dragonball Z etc are all the same type of anime called
“shounen”, they are similar in style because they are targeted at teenage boys
and are specifically action-centric.
Anime should not be thought of as a separate medium but rather
indistinguishable from television shows and films. Due to their animated
nature, there are fewer limitations to what can and cannot take place and as
such, these shows tend to feature more fantastical elements than their liveaction counterparts.
Now that you know, I hope you’ll give anime a chance.