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Dec 6, 2023 7:03 PM
#1

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Apr 2012
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How long has your passion for anime lasted? During this time, were there any moments of excitement where you were literally obsessed with anime, or burnouts where you could take a significant break? In general, how many of your hobbies have stood the test of time and not remained in the past for one reason or another? For example, I can say that I went through phases of both "Japanese cartoons" and "Pokemon Sailor Moon mania", but I still wasn't an ACTUAL fan of anime itself as a medium until 2006-2007, when a friend introduced me to Shaman King or I started my communication with the local anime community after watching Evangelion.
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Dec 6, 2023 7:08 PM
#2

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Dec 2020
322
Started watching in 2017. I used to watch anime every day but I've got kinda burned out. Slowly getting back into watching stuff though.
Dec 6, 2023 7:20 PM
#3

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Dec 2020
298
Basically since mid 2020, so for 3 and a half years. i watched some animes before that, but I really wasn't "into anime" until COVID and a load of free time with nothing to do.
"Those words are meant for those that dare defy god's final warning... An epigraph of their stubbornness"
- Maho Hiyajo (Steins;Gate 0)
Dec 6, 2023 7:22 PM
#4
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Oct 2006
98
Since 2000, the premiere of Gundam Wing dub.
Dec 6, 2023 7:22 PM
#5

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May 2021
95
I've been into anime since 2018 so 5 years.
Echidna best waifu :D
Dec 6, 2023 7:25 PM
#6

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Dec 2022
4428
1

I only watched anime on an extremely infrequent and sporadic basis before last year, but I've liked other kinds of Japanese stylised media like JRPGs and visual novels for much longer.


Shaded Horizon


Dec 6, 2023 7:26 PM
#7

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Jan 2023
3396
Casually around 2021, seriously in 2023 when I made my MAL account in early January. I only consider after January 2023 as being into anime/being an anime fan so almost 11 months.
Dec 6, 2023 7:28 PM
#8

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Nov 2018
5479
Ever since the day I made my MAL account, so for over 5 years now.

Please show your love for my Kiss x Sis manga review here. It will only take you 2 minutes of your time 🙏🙏
Check out my list of emojis you can copy and paste in the forums here. List will expand in the future.
Dec 6, 2023 7:30 PM
#9

Online
May 2020
2616
Been into anime since October of 2018...
Doesnt mean i havent watched anime before that...
I only watch few battle shounen back then...

Since then,

There are atleast 2 to 3 week break every now & then due to life getting in the way...

Barely get any burnouts since anime is not my only hobby...
" Kindness can sometimes lead you to trouble. "

Dec 6, 2023 7:31 PM

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Oct 2022
372
I know anime and love some show like Naruto since I'm like 5, but I never get into the medium and until late 2021 (or early 2022).
Dec 6, 2023 7:31 PM

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Apr 2008
2584
Since the late 90's when Toonami started their anime block (DBZ, Gundam Wing, Ronin Warriors etc.) so around 25 years now. Watching anime has always been sporadic for me as I have never watched it continuously but I have always enjoyed it. I watch it more now then I did when I was younger though as it's easier to come by through streaming as it wasn't before.
SevenDec 6, 2023 7:38 PM
Dec 6, 2023 7:38 PM

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Sep 2020
5416
Besides anime I watched in my childhood, I’ve watched anime for 8 years.
Dec 6, 2023 7:40 PM

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Jul 2021
1484
Growing up in the mid 2000s I watched some Ghibli/Miyazaki movies and I think those were my first animes (in addition to some Digimon and Sonic X).
Then sometime early 2010s I watched some random Dragon Ball movie which I can't remember.
Around 2015-2016 I watched a little hentai.
And in January 2017 I started actively but casually seeking out anime after a friend recommended I do so, starting with Tokyo Ghoul. I then watched its second season, Charlotte, Akame ga Kill!, and I think JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (in that order). This is where I consider the start of my life as an anime fan.
I picked up the pace a little bit in late 2019 to July 2021 and then started getting serious about anime when I created my MAL account.

That's the basic history because I don't really know how else to answer the question.
Dec 6, 2023 7:54 PM

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Feb 2023
290
Started taking anime seriously in the Fall of 2014. I did kind of get burned out and my viewing of anime declined quite a bit from 2019-2022, and also the quality of anime in general declined. However, this year has been a massive improvement, and now I have been viewing it more than ever.
Dec 6, 2023 7:59 PM

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May 2015
3097
First started in 2007, but took a break for about a year in 2010, and then casually watched some shows until 2015 when I began to keep up with seasonals. It's been significantly more prevalent since then.
Dec 6, 2023 8:02 PM

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Aug 2020
7751
RobertBobert said:
How long has your passion for anime lasted? During this time, were there any moments of excitement where you were literally obsessed with anime, or burnouts where you could take a significant break?

Since 2014, but I didn't watch anything besides a few shonen shows. 3 years ago, I started watching different genres and seasonals.

Burnouts... never in these years.

Dec 6, 2023 8:07 PM

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Jun 2019
6078
Since the late summer/early autumn (specifically September) of 2016, over seven years ago. When I first stumbled upon a series with an ability to uniquely appeal to me and I have to say it was indeed transformative and changed my life. I watched only six series from then through December and the end of the year - Koi Kaze, Usagi Drop, Mushishi, Inuyasha, Rurouni Kenshin, and finally Aishiteruze Baby.

Then in all of 2017 and 2018 I only watched a handful more series, as the time I spent relating to anime was mostly still stuck mentally on revisiting some of the first ones I watched; especially those which became instant top favorites and remain prized and special to me to this day.

It wasn't until March of 2019 that I began quite consistently watching more and more new series back to back, one after the other. And it wasn't until early 2020 that I began watching seasonals.
Dec 6, 2023 8:15 PM

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Jun 2020
690
For at least 24 years, by technicality due to having anime shows dubbed airings on my local TV show channels (and it wasn't Toonami). Generally loved animation since I was a kid, but that's when I first encountered anime. Well that and some VHS tapes of Robotech and Sailor Moon.

"Don't let your memes be dreams."- Ancient Japanese proverb, probably
Dec 6, 2023 8:22 PM
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Jan 2017
556
I watched Pokémon and Dragon Ball when I was little, but I didn't actually get into anime itself until about 10 years ago.
Dec 6, 2023 8:33 PM

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Nov 2023
1451
How many years have you been into anime?

I started around 2016 end.

If you count Pokemon or Doraemon then since I am 3 years old (2009).

I know people make promises all the time
Then they turn right around and break them
When someone cuts your heart open with a knife, now you're bleeding
But I could be that guy to heal it over time
And I won't stop until you believe it
'Cause baby you're worth it
Dec 6, 2023 8:35 PM

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May 2015
1580
If I don't include the cartoons that I watched as a kid while having no inkling about that they were anime, or the the anime series that I saw sometimes on TV when I was a teen but I had better things to do than following them regualrly (I watched only one episode from Naruto and maybe two or three from Inuyasa), then I have been watching anime regularly only from the summer of 2010. How many hobbies I left behind in the past? A lot. Hiking, table soccer, tabletop role playing games with friends, obsessive interest in antiquity and especially Roman History... all of them took up all my free time at a period of my life but then I drifted away from them. I am pretty sure it will happen with anime as well, I just don't know when.
IshitatesoDec 7, 2023 12:34 AM
Dec 6, 2023 8:45 PM
Nobu Enjoyer

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Apr 2020
203
If I don't count Naruto during middle-high school, then 3 years since 2020. When COVID opened the gateway for me.
Dec 6, 2023 8:55 PM

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Aug 2010
2070
solid 2 decades, even if i dont count when i would watch stuff like dbz or pokemon as a child.
https://combosmooth.itch.io/ - I make free-to-play browser games for PC and I sell pixel art animation here
Dec 6, 2023 8:57 PM

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Sep 2007
1427
I started watching subbed anime in 2003/2004, so more or less 20 years. If dubs on TV like Pokemon, DBZ, Yu Gi Oh and Digimon counts (this is before I knew about anime), then about additional few years (3-5).
Dec 6, 2023 9:46 PM

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Feb 2020
75585
Decades already, but I truly started to binge anime in 2019.
Dec 6, 2023 10:24 PM

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Apr 2018
266
I have been watching anime since 20 years ago i was maybe only around 2-3 yrs old with Doraemon, Mahoujin Guru Guru, pokemon and the Ghibli Movies, in cantonese dub. I really started getting into anime around 2011-2012, and i was only in 5th grade by then.

And as an american born Hong Kong person, I grew up calling Doraemon as either Dora-A-mon, or Ding Dong, anyone who is a Hong Kong person will relate. and I grew up with the Kelly Chen version of the original Doraemon no Uta song, which is just titled Doraemon. link to the song is below this paragraph
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOF6dhNv_Pg&pp=ygUTa2VsbHkgY2hlbiBkb3JhZW1vbg%3D%3D

another fact about doraemon's popularity in HK, is nearly identical to the popularity of Doraemon in Japan, we even have Doraemon themed chinese new year red envolopes

Pokemon, the first exposure to pokemon I ever had was also in cantonese dub, and its the first ever pikachu short, Pikachu's Summer Vacation or Pikachu no Natsuyasumi, the cantonese dubs never used the 4kids localized version of various anime that aired in america at the time they use the same version as the original japanese, but in the original series pokemon they just use a cantonese version of the Mezase Pokemon Master opening, and for the ending themes they are banger songs in cantonese especially the Mewtwo Strikes back movie in cantonese dub. but after the original series they only changed the voices and that is it, the openings and ending themes are still japanese. and the cantonese dubs are pretty damn good too.

My first "anime" anime I watched was still before I knew what anime was, when I was in 3rd grade my mom showed me Yumeiro Patissiere in japanese and chinese subs(though I can't really read chinese aside from the basic level ones), and I loved it(and i am a male by the way), and even now I rewatch it occasionally, although my mom only seen the first 4 episodes, I'm the one who completed the series, and even bought some Yumeiro Patissiere mangas as well.

When I truly got into anime, when I was just getting started with middle school my first anime was A little Snow Fairy Sugar/ Chicshana Yukitsukai Sugar in dubbed(which I recently rewatched it in both subbed and RAW and gave a way higher rating than when i first watched it). and the first subbed anime i watched when I was truly getting into anime was Aoki Ume's Hidamari Sketch, which then also led me to discovering Madoka Magica and the whole entire magazine franchise the mangas of both series were serialized in, Manga Time Kirara.

Now my anime taste is way too high to the point that Japan is the only place for me to buy anime merch, because non of the animes that mainstream in america and other countries outside of east asia suits my taste anymore.
Dec 6, 2023 10:30 PM

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Aug 2019
1558
Have been watching animes since childhood but started following the seasonals and stuff from 2019

Dec 6, 2023 10:43 PM
Downhill Ace

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Oct 2020
65
Fall 2020, just in time for the Covid times. Went down the rabbit hole and never came back. Tokyo Ghoul and Code Geass fueled the early obsession, the Fate series has since sustained it.
Dec 6, 2023 10:54 PM

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Jun 2017
609
I has been 8 years. I started from 2016.
Dec 6, 2023 11:17 PM

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Jun 2016
2644
Reply to BigBlueBash
I has been 8 years. I started from 2016.
@BigBlueBash Same. I started with Girls und Panzer when I was 25.
Dec 6, 2023 11:49 PM

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Jan 2021
131
i started in 2016/17 somewhen with elfenlied



𝕳𝖔𝖜 𝖉𝖔𝖊𝖘 𝖎𝖙 𝖋𝖊𝖊𝖑 𝖙𝖔 𝖓𝖔𝖙 𝖊𝖝𝖎𝖘𝖙?

Mei Misaki
Dec 6, 2023 11:57 PM

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Mar 2014
164
Even though sailor moon, yu gi oh and pokemon were technically my first animes it wasn’t until i was 10 years old (in 2003) that i delved into the medium deeper and understood what it was thanks to hamtaro and .hack//sign on toonami, and inuyasha, flcl, wolfs rain etc on adult swim- moreso inuyasha more than anything- that was the “spark” that really started it i’d say. From there i started buying anime DVD’s and VHS tapes, newtype usa magazines, and manga. Newtype usa was another thing that really helped expand my horizon into the world of anime because it included so much and was great in that it included free episodes of several random anime.

Throughout the years i’ve been on and off with watching/my love for anime, sometimes not bothering with it for years at a time which is why i probably have a lower completed list than you’d expect for an anime watching of 20 years. It’s funny, before i discovered MAL i always considered myself to be legit one of the hugest anime fans ever but there’s many far more dedicated and passionate than i could’ve ever imagined lol
purplemoon_Dec 7, 2023 12:07 AM
🌙



I wish you an ounce of luck
Dec 7, 2023 12:03 AM

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Jul 2020
226
I got into anime when the corona pandemic started so I think it was around early 2020

Dec 7, 2023 12:04 AM
John Titor

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Jul 2017
1237
Consciously knowing that I was watching anime, about 24 years, or a few more if I count Ranma 1/2 as my starting point (censorship aside, Ranma 1/2 localization was very respectful of all the characters' names, Japanese traditions and humor. I liked it a lot and it made me make the link to how special Japanese animation was).

I considered myself an anime fan, despite only watching about 3 animes per year. It wasn't until 2018 that I started watching 4-15 shows per season.
Mi música chiptune (auténtica, no fakebit) / My chiptune music (real, no fakebit)
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Dec 7, 2023 1:27 AM

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May 2018
10630
"How many years have you been into anime?"

If we count from the first time I was fascinated by anime - 38-39 years.
If we count from last time my addiction to anime was activated due to access to anime - 20 years.

Not sure how to account for the years I didn't have access to anime...
Dec 7, 2023 1:52 AM

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Mar 2021
2465
RobertBobert said:
How many years have you been into anime?


I have been exposed to Japanese Anime pretty much my who life since the late 70s since my parents would always take me with them to Japan on missionary work from South Korea even as child. My father use to record Anime such as Lupin the 3rd on VHS off Japanese TV to watch later (still have some of those VHS tapes somewhere boxed in storage with a lot of other things my father left me).

Since I really started buying and collecting Anime for the 1st time on VHS in very early Highschool. I would say it's safe to say I personally been really into Anime for well over 3 decades now.

ColourWheelDec 7, 2023 2:01 AM
Dec 7, 2023 2:01 AM
Isekai Trucker

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Oct 2015
1627
Since 2004 if I remember correctly. So I've been on this sect for about 20 years or so. I binged a lot back then since I was young and dumb and didn't basically know that there was seasonal's. Also during that time it was easier to get your hands on full seasons from different sites. Good old times.
I created MAL account 2015 but wasn't active until like 2020 or so. Need more friends here with same interests.
Today, I may be a weak little bug that gets tossed in the wind,
washed away by the currents, and drowns, but tomorrow,
I may become the butterfly that spreads its colossal wings and flies the open skies!

~ Oe Kintaro
Dec 7, 2023 2:09 AM
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Nov 2017
732
If we're starting the count from the day you became aware of what anime actually is, 15-17 years or thereabouts. If just in general, since the late 90's

Nowadays I don't watch anime as often because Ive pretty much seen it all, but enjoy it just as much as when i first got into it, assuming I find a show im interested (usually 1, rarely 2 per season)
Dec 7, 2023 3:03 AM

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Feb 2018
637
Oddly enough, I watched a lot of anime growing up in the late 90s/early 2000s, but I never considered myself an "anime watcher" until around Attack on Titan. I think because at the time I looked at them as just another cartoon on TV. Also primarily watched everything dubbed until the mid 2010's.
Dec 7, 2023 3:26 AM

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Oct 2016
2213
Since 2008, I'd say. So...15 years?

Literally obssesed? 2016 I guess, though it was more escapism than anything else.

Burnouts? 2013, 2014, 2018. I watched considerably less than any other year.

I don't understand the last question so I'm leaving it blank.
Dec 7, 2023 3:32 AM

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Apr 2011
1488
40-ish years.

so yeah since pretty much forever
Dec 7, 2023 3:46 AM

Online
Mar 2023
1910
I have been a fan of anime for 11 years now.
Dec 7, 2023 4:02 AM

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Jan 2008
2634
Watching anime for a long time but I guess it kicked off during DBZ showings on UK TV somewhere around 2001 so around 21 years I guess. Probably longer though. I have certainly been watching anime for at least 35+ years though. I was just too young to knew it was different from cartoons
Dec 7, 2023 4:18 AM
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Jul 2020
763
I started actively watching between the years 2010 and 2012. There was at least a year-long break I took before 2017, which is the year I returned to anime. I have been devoted to it since.
Dec 7, 2023 4:18 AM

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Aug 2018
2136
since I was 4 yo, I started with DB and saint seiya without knowing what anime even was. I had a time during highshool when I dropped anime but after a while I started again in 2010 and still going.
Dec 7, 2023 4:28 AM

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Jan 2015
66
Started in 2013.
It makes me feel so old
My candies:
Dec 7, 2023 4:35 AM

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Jul 2016
251
Since 2016! Then I stopped during COVID bc I found different interests.. But I'm back again after watching the finale of AOT lol, and currently rewatching it & some other anime that I first watched. I haven't even touched my anime playlist on Spotify in years but I'm listening to it every day again now haha

Dec 7, 2023 4:43 AM

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May 2021
1227
Since may 2021. Good ol times without too much pressure and stress
Dec 7, 2023 5:06 AM

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Mar 2016
202
For nearly 18 years I've been watching anime frequently, there were a few off years of course, but it's been a very long time.
Just an avid anime watcher of 18 years, not much else I could say about myself (that I don't want to reveal, of course, just ask if you wanna know more!)



"So...look up, face forward, toward your chosen horizon and just...walk on." - Noah, Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Dec 7, 2023 5:10 AM

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Dec 2020
926
I started watching anime fairly recently. I think I watched my first anime (Death Note) in 2019. I properly started watching anime at the end of 2021, after I watched stuff like Monogatari, Tatami Galaxy etc.

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It’s time to ditch the text file.
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