Is anime only for children ?

[Bluewyne]

I'm in my 30's and have seen a shift in views on anime: watching anime (as an adult or a kid) seems to be more socially acceptable nowadays than it was when I was growing up. Things that used to be nerdy are now just a part of popculture and widely beloved.

I think the majority of anime is aimed at teens, but like Western YA novels, a lot of adults consume media that are aimed at younger audiences.

 

[Zerpina]

Well, look how Twilight was. God, I hated the books and movies, but we will use them.

They were a phenomenon nationwide, like Harry Potter. And a ton of adults liked them, which is weird, but how many adult moms went crazy over Twilight?
It is purely aimed at tween girls, like Harry Potter was at tween boys.
When the first movie came out, I was outside the target audience, and I never got into it.

But I know a lot of people ten years my senior who were pure potheads, that's what I called them.
So anime is for whoever wants to watch it

watching anime (as an adult or a kid) seems to be more socially acceptable nowadays than it was when I was growing up. Things that used to be nerdy are now just a part of popculture and widely beloved.

And that's true.

When I was a teen, it was only the as they were called, weirdos, nerds, etc... who watched anime.
You know, the typical trope of the basement-dwelling D&D-playing nerd.
Not what people called them, but the image that was conjured up if explained then.

Yeah, now anime is proudly talked about by your everyday average Joe, as they call them.

 

[mauvemasqeurade]

Theres a lot of anime I’d say definitely aren’t for children. Whether Teen or Adult lol

 

[Moth_Lobster]

This is a weird conversation that pretty much only happens in America iirc. Anime is just the Japanese word for cartoon. Its animation. Its a medium. There are plenty of anime for kids, plenty for teenagers, plenty for adults. They have superhero shows, mysteries, thrillers, romance, so much more.
For some reason here in America we just have this mindset that cartoons are for children, which is also incidentally why I think Netflix started calling their animation aimed towards older audiences "anime" even when its western. If they called it an animated series, people would assume its for kids for some reason.

Now if you wanted to talk about what anime gets popular here, then yes, most of the shows that get popular in the west are Shounen, but I see no reason why the popular shows aimed at 12 year old boys existing should nullify the rest.

 

[Zerpina]

This is a weird conversation that pretty much only happens in America iirc. Anime is just the Japanese word for cartoon. Its animation. Its a medium. There are plenty of anime for kids, plenty for teenagers, plenty for adults. They have superhero shows, mysteries, thrillers, romance, so much more.
For some reason here in America we just have this mindset that cartoons are for children, which is also incidentally why I think Netflix started calling their animation aimed towards older audiences "anime" even when its western. If they called it an animated series, people would assume its for kids for some reason.

Agreed

Now if you wanted to talk about what anime gets popular here, then yes, most of the shows that get popular in the west are Shounen, but I see no reason why the popular shows aimed at 12 year old boys existing should nullify the rest.

It shouldn't. Digimon is just as valid a show as Ghost in the Shell is.
It's just for different audiences.

 

[Strategist's icon Strategist Strategist]

This is a weird conversation that pretty much only happens in America iirc. Anime is just the Japanese word for cartoon. Its animation. Its a medium. There are plenty of anime for kids, plenty for teenagers, plenty for adults. They have superhero shows, mysteries, thrillers, romance, so much more.
For some reason here in America we just have this mindset that cartoons are for children, which is also incidentally why I think Netflix started calling their animation aimed towards older audiences "anime" even when its western. If they called it an animated series, people would assume its for kids for some reason.

Actually, not completely true. There are American animations aimed at older teenagers and adults, but a lot more niche. For example, Heavy Metal, the works of Ralph Bakshi, etc... Even stuff like the Simpsons, Family Guy and South Park are not exactly aimed at young kids, even though they watch it anyways.

 

[Moth_Lobster]

Actually, not completely true. There are American animations aimed at older teenagers and adults, but a lot more niche. For example, Heavy Metal, the works of Ralph Bakshi, etc... Even stuff like the Simpsons, Family Guy and South Park are not exactly aimed at young kids, even though they watch it anyways.

I never said we didn't have animation for older audiences, just that for some reason the general public has the mindset that cartoon=kids

 

[Evaccaneer Doom]

If anime was only for children, then Berserk is quite the violent kids media

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

I never said we didn't have animation for older audiences, just that for some reason the general public has the mindset that cartoon=kids.

And there's that weird stigma that if you make an animated movie it will never get as much recognition (especially at ceremonies like the Oscars) as a live action regardless if your movie is great.

The only exception is if you're Disney or as a foreign animator Ghibli.

 

[Ogmios]

Cartoons weren't even made for children you wascally wabbit

 

[Moth_Lobster]

Cartoons weren't even made for children you wascally wabbit

Honestly true, they were made for general audiences, to appeal to everyone. They were never just for kids.

The Flintstones was literally just a sitcom, about on par content-wise with other sitcoms except the characters were cavemen ffs lol

 

[C-MS]

This is the kind of questions that makes me look for my katanas, but then I stop because I dont want to look like a manchild. Also to not go to the big house and stuff...

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

This is the kind of questions that makes me look for my katanas, but then I stop because I dont want to look like a manchild. Also to not go to the big house and stuff...

I kinda feel like that as an adult you're not supposed to be overly enthusiastic over something or that if you have a hobby outside of sports or cars (despite that some "enthusiasts" could act in an immature way) that you're really invested in you'd be seen as childish or immature even if you're polite, respect other people, have some empathy and don't mock others for what they like.