Some reflections about "getting people into anime"

thewiru said:


1 - Your favorite anime: Well, unless it was the one that got YOU into anime, i wouldn't do it. Your favorite is usually your favorite because of all you've passed and watched prior to watching it, so i fail to see how many of them would make someone seek out for the media.

thewiru said:
Originally posted on Reddit:

Let me start this post with a question: Do you want people to like ANIME, or do you want them to like SOME anime? In case you chose the second option, then i ask you: What do you gain with that?

Some time ago i saw a post here on r/anime about a guy wanting an anime in order to make a philosophy work or something like that. And what made me sad were the comments: EVA, Akira, Tenshi no Tamago, Lain, etc.

No there's nothing wrong with those listed anime well, except Akira, the point is: If you're going to make about one of those, why even care making about an anime in the first place? Sure, you could read some blog articles or wikipedia about all the "hidden messages" behind those works, but what would that prove? When i read that thread i had the sense that the OP wanted really badly to show his teacher or his classroom that "H-h-hey guys, anime i-is d-d-deep and not for children, o-okay?", he thing is: He was doing it wrong.

Imagine you met someone who never listened to music, and you want him to like music, would make him listen to Vivaldi's Four Seasons for 10 hours straight as his first contact to music? The thing is, if you're going out of your way to pick anime that YOU DON'T CONSUME in your daily basis in order to make someone "like" anime, you're doing it wrong. Let's suppose someone there DID LIKE such anime, what would they do? Go back to watching TV series or movies because those you recommended are not "the rule" in anime, but the exception.

If you have to go for "100% philosofical niche anime" to prove that "anime is smart", then perhaps anime really isn't smart, but that's the thing: It is. Knowing that, instead of going for one of these, you should've just really done an indepth work on any series you liked. I can go talking half an hour just on the "introduction and background" part of why i think RE:Zero and KonoSuba are good, i've seen half an hour Patreon-funded anime videos that was worth passing on TV, i've seen people making pages-long blog posts defending their favorite characters, and ultra-long discussions about world-buildings.

Now, after this 2k character introduction, let's get to the point: People commit the same mistake when trying to get people into anime. The definition of what a "fan" is that i use is "Someone that likes and continuosly consumes something", based on that, i made a "How to get any normie into being an anime fan" guide in portuguese, and to simplify it, it was: Break the image such normie has about anime, introduce him to influential anime that made entire tropes and that need no previous knowledge of tropes in order to be enjoyed, introduce him to a plethora of different genres and, finally, make him watch seasonal anime.

It may seem like it is something anyone would think, but it is not what i see people doing, so let's come with a list of things NOT TO RECOMMEND to newcomers:

1 - Your favorite anime: Well, unless it was the one that got YOU into anime, i wouldn't do it. Your favorite is usually your favorite because of all you've passed and watched prior to watching it, so i fail to see how many of them would make someone seek out for the media. As an example - and a bad experience - that i had: I once asked an old-school mecha fan some titles in order to me to get into the genre, he passed his top-5, i started with the first, "Getter Robo: Armageddon", an anime whose appeal comes from liking Go Nagai super robots and the Getter Robo series, needless to say that for me that one was crap.

2 - Anime of his/her favorite genre: Echo that in your mind: "Do you want that people to like ANIME, or to like SOME anime?", sure you will show your mistery-loving friend two or tree milketoast mestery anime, your friend will watch it, say he liked it, and then go back to watch TV series or movies.

3 - Western Styled Anime: I will keep repeating "Do you want that people to like ANIME, or to like SOME anime?", sure, you showed your friend Monster and Cowboy Bebop, he probablu liked those anime, but did he started liking anime? No. Best case scenario he will watch more anime and turn in that guy that makes the weekly theard on MAL forums on how "anime sucks nowadays and was better in the 90's". Why do we like anime? Because of a bunch of tropes it has, if you want someone to like anime, PUT HIM OR HER IN CONTACT WITH SUCH TROPES, NOT AWAY FROM THEM.

4 - Anime for otaku: Like it or not, not every anime is made to be someone's first anime, quite the opposite actually, as also complained by Miyazaki who complains of the industry since freaking Osamu Tesuka: Anime tends to be a feedback loop in some aspect, having lots of "anime for otaku". Now, as much as this may seem negative, know that it is just because of this that we can have lots of niche stuff nowadays: If not by many "generic" ones being there, there probably wouldn't be that "deconstruction" anime that you like. That being said, while being something good, it isn't exactly the best thing to make someone get into anime. Sure, KonoSuba is good, but your friend won't get the appeal if he doesn't know what J-RPGs or Isekai is. That's why anime such as Death Note or Code Geass is so recommended: Because not only you don't have to have previous package in order to be able to enjoy it 100%, but they also GIVE YOU some package for future stuff.

Well, that's what i think.

StarSwoardsman said:
Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood and Death Note made me realize that there were Anime shows that were made for adults. But, Darker than Black and One Piece made me want to watch alot of more anime.

Black_Flower_1 said:
~~Sword Art Online and Attack on Titan aren't gonna make you want to watch more anime~~

StarSwoardsman said:

Not true at all. Those two shows are the reason why Anime had a nice boom after 2013.

They were very accessible and had good premises. Both good shows (yes, SAO is a good show) and Attack Titan in particular created a lot of excitement. Whenever I talk about anime and mention those two shows to non anime friends, their interest is more pegged than say Cowboy Bebop (which is probably the biggest crossover hit once people watch it). I started a few friends on AOT and they are now watching more Anime. One finished AOT in one weekend.

The point is that if you are new to Anime or haven't watched a ton, SAO and AOT are good shows to start out with as you'll watching something entertaining and realize that Anime has something to offer and then want to watch more.

Black_Flower_1 said:
Sword Art Online and Attack on Titan were one of the first animes I watched and I gave them both 1/10.

StarSwoardsman said:

So what? SAO has it's haters, but still has gotten a lot of critical acclaim and has a huge fanbase.

Attack On Titan is still a huge hit and has garnered comparisons to Breaking Bad in terms of it's writing and use of plot twists.

I'd say that you are actually in the minority. But, I guess it's cool to hate a popular show.

BTW, I gave season 1 of SAO a 7/10 and AOT season one a 10/10.

Black_Flower_1 said:
I don't hate these shows because they're popular. I hate these shows because they're both trash.

StarSwoardsman said:

That's your opinion. And you are in the VAST minority, even with SAO.

HitaYuutsu said:


Your mean score is 3.66 in a total amount of 307 anime, are you sure you enjoy watching anime at all?

Black_Flower_1 said:
Yeah because only smart people know that both these shows are trash. :)

StarSwoardsman said:

I think he or she only wants to hate on Anime.

Black_Flower_1 said:
Yes I enjoy good shows like Darker than Black and Hunter x Hunter. If I only wanted to hate anime I would have gave everything in my list a 1/10

StarSwoardsman said:

That's like only two shows. You gave Steins Gate, a highly regarded show a five and Death Note, another highly regarded show a six. '

I think that you like some Anime, but you don't actually like Anime. Otherwise the majority of your list wouldn't be shows with scores of three, four and five.

Black_Flower_1 said:
I only like good anime. I don't rate everything a 8/10

StarSwoardsman said:

LOL okay. Like I said, you like SOME Anime, but clearly you are not an Anime fan.

Black_Flower_1 said:
Anime fan doesn't mean someone who gives every single show a good rating.

StarSwoardsman said:

No. But they wouldn't dislike 90% of the shows that they watch.

mihyon said:

You don't know how they calculated their rating on anime. They could have enjoyed the anime and rated it low because it lacked in certain parts.

StarSwoardsman said:

Nah that makes no sense. I'll give you example. I enjoyed SAO. But, I didn't think that the writing was good and I am stickler for writing. But, my enjoyment of the series plus the music, animation, some of the characters and certain moments was enough for me to give it a seven.

If you rate something low, you don't like it. Like I gave Soul Eater a six because I think it's mediocre. I like the design, the fights and the characters outside of Blackstar. But, I can't say that I really enjoyed the show.

No one rates a show that they enjoyed a six or below. That makes no sense.

mihyon said:


MAL's rating is by numbers and its meaning.

4 being bad, and 5 being average - although I know I don't take those scores with my rating, some people may use these numbers as guidelines for their opinions. An example would be giving an anime a score of 5, meaning, that anime is average: nothing amazing, just ok. Yes, you could have enjoyed an average anime, but it does not mean you disliked it.

I'm not justifying this user rating all his anime with 3 & 4, but everyone should be entitled to their opinion. He can be an anime fan and rate low for fun. In the end, we don't know how he calculated his score.

thewiru said:
Let me start this post with a question: Do you want people to like ANIME, or do you want them to like SOME anime? In case you chose the second option, then i ask you: What do you gain with that?

thewiru said:
Imagine you met someone who never listened to music, and you want him to like music, would make him listen to Vivaldi's Four Seasons for 10 hours straight as his first contact to music?

thewiru said:
The thing is, if you're going out of your way to pick anime that YOU DON'T CONSUME in your daily basis in order to make someone "like" anime, you're doing it wrong. Let's suppose someone there DID LIKE such anime, what would they do? Go back to watching TV series or movies because those you recommended are not "the rule" in anime, but the exception.

thewiru said:
People commit the same mistake when trying to get people into anime. The definition of what a "fan" is that i use is "Someone that likes and continuosly consumes something", based on that, i made a "How to get any normie into being an anime fan" guide in portuguese, and to simplify it, it was: Break the image such normie has about anime, introduce him to influential anime that made entire tropes and that need no previous knowledge of tropes in order to be enjoyed, introduce him to a plethora of different genres and, finally, make him watch seasonal anime.

thewiru said:
3 - Western Styled Anime: I will keep repeating "Do you want that people to like ANIME, or to like SOME anime?", sure, you showed your friend Monster and Cowboy Bebop, he probablu liked those anime, but did he started liking anime? No. Best case scenario he will watch more anime and turn in that guy that makes the weekly theard on MAL forums on how "anime sucks nowadays and was better in the 90's". Why do we like anime? Because of a bunch of tropes it has, if you want someone to like anime, PUT HIM OR HER IN CONTACT WITH SUCH TROPES, NOT AWAY FROM THEM.

thewiru said:
If not by many "generic" ones being there, there probably wouldn't be that "deconstruction" anime that you like. That being said, while being something good, it isn't exactly the best thing to make someone get into anime. Sure, KonoSuba is good, but your friend won't get the appeal if he doesn't know what J-RPGs or Isekai is.

thewiru said:
That's why anime such as Death Note or Code Geass is so recommended: Because not only you don't have to have previous package in order to be able to enjoy it 100%, but they also GIVE YOU some package for future stuff.

StarSwoardsman said:

No. But they wouldn't dislike 90% of the shows that they watch.

StarSwoardsman said:
Rate low for fun? Then that's what people call a troll.

thewiru said:
1 - Your favorite anime:

2 - Anime of his/her favorite genre:

3 - Western Styled Anime:

4 - Anime for otaku:

Black_Flower_1 said:
Yeah because only smart people know that both these shows are trash. :)

Brb said:

>"Smart people"
>calling SAO trash.

yep I know a garbage opinion when I see one.

OT. I'd rather people like specific anime (or genre) because that is more feasible. Having different tastes makes for a better discussion rather than everybody agreeing that anime is God's gift to mankind.

EcchiKnightDarek said:
It's not my problem you can't accept that a show you don't like is not trash.

EcchiKnightDarek said:
Damn, just when I removed the comment about ad hominems from my profile, weird timing. Unfortunately for you Kill la Kill is a good show.

SupremeEdgelord said:
Here’s a question for you OP:

Why is it so important for you that other people like or not like cartoons?

Why do you care so much if someone doesn’t like them? Why do you think that they MUST like anime?

EcchiKnightDarek said:
Well... you're not exactly wrong, on the other hand what are you suggesting? to continue the circlejerk of the same anime and manga being recommended for starters? Hell, I lowkey want to get my sister into anime because I know she would like it. But I sure as hell won't be getting her into it through CLANNAD, Code Geass, Death Note or whatever.

I think that constant circlejerk is just as much of an issue. I lowkey regret I myself got into anime through Code Geass, even though it was a fun show, which I plan to rewatch soon, I wish I was recommended something else, different, at this point everyone starts at the same point, most of these' people tastes rarely expand beyond that point, they rarely try anything that isn't immensely popular like the shows they started with. It took me a forgotten seasonal from a few years back (So Ra No Wo To) to get away from that circle myself and expand my tastes and horizons far beyond the same old anime EVERYONE and their mothers watched.

What I think the true issue is, is not what anime we recommend. But instead, who we recommend it to. Some people just want to force it on anybody, with no reason what so ever. Other than to prove them that anime is different than they say, that is. "Why are you getting someone into it in the first place?" and "Who are you getting into it?" Are more important question than "How do I do it?". I want to get my sis because she likes storytelling, she is quite open minded, and openly admitted she may get into anime if she ever gets more time herself. Those are pretty good reason I'd say, but if all some people want is to get them into it just because, that is the issue here.

_Yuna_ said:
Honestly I think I do just want to get people to watch some anime. I personally am in the same boat as @GlennMagusHarvey, I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a “fan of the medium” in the sense that I watch an anime just because it’s anime. I’d just like to be able to discuss some shows with friends.

That being said, I do see value in finding them the “right” anime to watch so they’ll actually want to watch other shows and you aren’t just dragging them through it. This was an interesting read either way OP

StarSwoardsman said:

Nah that makes no sense. I'll give you example. I enjoyed SAO. But, I didn't think that the writing was good and I am stickler for writing. But, my enjoyment of the series plus the music, animation, some of the characters and certain moments was enough for me to give it a seven.

If you rate something low, you don't like it. Like I gave Soul Eater a six because I think it's mediocre. I like the design, the fights and the characters outside of Blackstar. But, I can't say that I really enjoyed the show.

No one rates a show that they enjoyed a six or below. That makes no sense.

simonephone said:


I enjoyed some shows I rated a five to an extent. Five is average for me. I can enjoy something I think is average. You sure are making a lot of assumptions in this thread.

nbyung09 said:
I would recommend them to start with To Love Ru/ Heaven's Lost property, then something milder.
Fan-services give them a good reason to watch anime, and in the mean time they have enough time to understand how anime comedies and characters work. Once they get the idea how to have fun with their toys, a lot of anime would be enjoyable for them.

Don't give them those "perfect anime" that early, they would grow tired of anime easily or have a wrong idea about modern anime.