Opinion

Here is why Grambling students should enjoy Anime

 Anime was adopted by animation in Japan; It’s supposed to represent a western perspective of  Japanese culture. Anime does not have a certain style or dialogue. When the U.S. artist became familiar with anime it became a style. The culture was recognized by the U.S. in the mid-1990s.  Anime can be graphic whether in a sexual matter or in a horrific matter. Most plots of anime come from a history that may have been forgotten. Anime has a way of adding emphasis on a  character’s looks, personality traits, and many mediums in programing.  

 

 I think Grambling students would enjoy Anime because it’s an innovative way to understand real-life situations through a cartoon. The hit show ‘The Boondocks’ is an anime and most people are unaware of it. The animator of ‘The Boondocks’ Aaron McGruder says he created the show from his love of anime. Huey and Riley Freeman are the main identifiers of the show being an anime series. Huey fight’s for black justice as a freedom fighter known as a terrorist of America; While Riley, his ignorant brother is usually caught in the middle of trouble. The action,  presence, and graphics of ‘The Boondocks’ are representations of Anime.   Regular cartoons are usually unrealistic, but Anime has a way of making fiction and reality intertwine. For example, in ‘Cowboy Bebop’ he is a space cowboy traveling through the earth and the rest of the galaxy, as a bounty hunter. He faces love struggles, life or death fights, and stopping criminals in his spaceship. These situations can usually be found in sci-fi films as well.  I think that Anime gets a bad rep because of its representation of women. The main characters are usually overly sexualized.  Most American women think it’s sexist, but the women each have dynamic roles and are very intelligent.  

 

 Anime will also feature women of different shapes, sizes, and figures working together to show women's empowerment. However,  people do not care for the violence that may be depicted. This is understandable because it seems like anime glorify fights to get more viewers. This is false because the anime characters engage in fights when provoked to diffuse a situation or when they have to defend themselves. The universal plot seems to be to follow your gut, work hard, and never give up on a challenge. The unique situations will have you at the edge of your seat wanting more.   Honestly, I used to think that anime wasn’t for me because I judged the graphics. That was the worst mistake to judge a book by its cover because the animation is so realistic. The animator shows the character’s making and cooking food, crying, and so many other surprises.  The details of the character’s facial expressions and on-point reactions are ludicrously awesome.  The social, political, and culture of anime can connect to audiences because the purpose of each episode is clear, heartwarming, and has great theme music. I hope I was able to encourage readers to at least watch one episode of an anime.