Why would it be wrong to like mainstream anime? For those who are either new to the medium, or take a more casual approach and only watch the most popular anime, it makes a lot of sense as to why they would tend to like them. Many of them tend to have one specific angle that makes them really stand out and potentially resonate with their viewers. Swort Art Online would be massively appealing to gamers; Angel Beats! would attract the emotional crowd; Elfen Lied and Deadman Wonderland attracts those who like their gore. Regardless of their quality and how they turned out, they all have these certain traits and angles which make them stick out to those who are scratching at the surface of anime.
If you're someone who doesn't delve too deep into analysing and critiquing anime, chances are you're not going to care as much about any apparent plot-holes, clichés, poor writing and the like. You get to enjoy the positives these anime bring without particularly caring about the negatives. Not to mention that not all mainstream anime are points of contention between fans - anime like Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and Death Note tend to, from what I've seen, be far more accepted and liked than some of the others I've mentioned. For every 'bad' mainstream anime, there's another 'good' one.
But at the end of the day, you like what you like, and don't let anybody else tell you otherwise. I might personally feel that SAO and AB! had a ton of issues which stopped them from properly utilising their potential, but that doesn't mean you aren't allowed to enjoy them, and take more from them than what I was able to. It's fairly natural for those who haven't delved too far into the medium to stick to the popular, well-known stuff; you can't really be expected to dig around for lesser-known anime when you're still finding your feet and exploring multiple genres as your taste develops.
It also kinda makes sense to start with mainstream anime, because it's - as the name would imply - the type of anime that you're more likely to come across. If nobody talks about other anime then you'll have a harder time actually finding it in the first place. Not all of this is specifically relevant to you, though; I wouldn't quite say you yourself are a total newbie since you've got a few hundred completions. I guess you should just tell those people who criticise you to fuck off. It's none of their business what you like, and that they should learn the world doesn't revolve around them and their childish opinions. |