I don't find it very hard to try new forms of entertainment. If someone is out to make me smile, I'm willing to see what they have. That's why I'm open to all sorts of various mediums for storytelling. Books, movies, TV shows, comics and anime...they're all equal in my head. It's a bunch of different methods in the same playground, and all are out for my attention.
While books, movies and TV are widely accepted as 'normal' ways to entertain yourself, comic books and anime aren't on the same level. Comic books have definitely risen in the ranks of acceptability in recent years, thanks to all the movie attention. Those comic-to-movie adaptations have done a lot to make comics a lot more appreciated, but anime seems to still suffer.
I firmly believe that there is an anime for everyone, but sometimes it seems very tough to get people to just try anime at all. There are those that just aren't willing to give anime a shot, but they have plenty to say about anime in general. What they know is mostly incorrect factual information or opinion based on a lack of knowledge, and both hurt the future of anime as far as new fans are concerned.
Why is it that anime has such a rough time being accepted? Does it have to do with what anime offers itself? Has it just worked out that anime finds its way to those that are more open-minded? Are anime viewers more willing to suspend disbelief in general for all mediums?
It's a tough call, because people don't really have to be open minded to watching movies or TV shows. They may be reluctant to view a specific genre of a movie, but overall they enjoy those forms of entertainment. Anime obviously falls into both TV and film categories, but is met with a lot of resistance. Where does the open-minded aspect come into play? What is the stumbling block here?
The stumbling block is one word "Japan".
ReplyDeleteOnce people look past the differences of Japan and America, they will come to accept anime. Don't worry the time will come.