The popularity of Animes
Adults often wonder why younger people, especially teenagers, like things. It is sometimes difficult for them to understand the infatuation that young people have for certain social media, for example, or certain genres of music, films or series. It is easy to feel lost in the tide of new phenomena that are emerging every day. Sometimes, therefore, criticism is easier than trying to understand what makes young people interested in such and such a thing. The aim of this text is to shed some light on adults and to convey to them a little of the enthusiasm felt by youth for a particular medium. This is Japanese animation more commonly known as anime.
I'm not really going to focus on the historical aspect of Japanese animation, but rather on the artistic and emotional aspect of these works. Indeed, Japanese animation is not just one form of art. It concentrates many disciplines in a single easy-to-consume medium. So there are many layers to Japanese animation and many ways to enjoy it. Among these, we can find music, drawing, dubbing, but also writing. The way in which Japanese animation succeeds in conquering its audiences is very varied. Some will particularly appreciate the music, the scenes in which the characters fight, the explosions of color, the meticulous and thoughtful drawing or even hearing the voices of professional voice actors. Others will be interested in the themes, violence, emotions, thrilling scenarios and so on. There really is something for everyone and the audience reached is therefore very large.
Japanese animation can serve as comfort after a hard day, but also provoke fascination and curiosity. It can make us express emotions such as joy, sadness, anger. Finding your favorite anime is like hugging your favorite stuffed animal before falling asleep. Another effect that Japanese animation can have is a kind of catharsis, that is, "a liberating emotional discharge" (Larousse, 2006). To give an example of catharsis, it would be to watch a play during which people are killed by a murderer and thus project his rage on this play and process his repressed emotions in a way ... Watch some anime horror for example, with terrifying demons straight out of someone's over-fertile imagination, can help release some heavy emotions. By watching a violent or emotional scene we externalize our emotions by transposing them to what we are watching. We can see ourselves in the character or even in his situation and feel less alone in our reality. The anime makes it possible to make a little lighter an important topic in the life of the young person who consumes this medium.
The themes covered in Japanese animation are also extremely interesting. Themes such as death, loneliness, friendship, love, coming of age, personal growth, adventure, magic and more are illustrated in a way that is as dramatic as it is playful. Also, some anime are still going after several years. One example being One Piece. This allows listeners to find a kind of stability in the characters and their stories, as well as in their world. It evolves in parallel with those who watch it. Among other things, young people can create communities around certain anime, their themes and narratives that they find interesting, as well as provoke funny, deep conversations that can be transposed into everyday life.
In conclusion, Japanese animation is an art that has a lot of appeal for a variety of reasons, including the ones I mentioned. She may seem youthful from the outside, but I assure you she has tremendous depth and people who create anime usually do so with infinite care and passion that comes through very well when you watch.