DISCLAIMER: I PERSONALLY ENJOY ANIME, WHICH MEANS THIS POST MAY BE SLIGHTLY BIASED. ALSO, I WROTE THIS AT 3 IN THE MORNING.
I mainly think it’s because of cultural differences in the West and the East. When I live living in Korea, it was socially acceptable, even encouraged, to watch anime and manga.
Most people in the West have only seen the explicit side of anime and it’s community. My first impression of anime was less than ideal. Why were these grown-donkey men ogling over 14 year-old girls? Not surprisingly, it didn’t leave a great impression on 10 year-old me.
Now, I realize these people aren’t the only ones who enjoy anime. My friends, for one, absolutely love anime and they’re some of the greatest people you’ll ever meet. But for some, the only exposure they’ve gotten isn’t that pleasurable.
Also, I think many people confuse anime with hentai. Most people, including myself, only have a faint grasp of hentai. It’s not the most child-friendly content, is it?
I also think the language barrier plays a major role in why people dislike anime. Many people who don’t like K-Pop usually argue they can’t understand anything. Subs/dubs can also contort the meaning, which adds to the confusion and prejudice.
Now, we move on the the subject of weeaboos. While the definition of “weeaboo” may vary from person to person, most agree weeaboos are people who are 1) overly obsessed with Japanese culture, 2) identify as Japanese, or 3) both. I don’t have the best opinion on them. My best connection would be Koreaboos, who fetishize East Asian culture. While it’s nice they appreciate the culture, there’s a line between appreciation and downright cultural appropriation. As long as you don’t disown your culture to become Japanese, you’re fine.
While people may have varying opinions on anime, I think all of us can agree to disagree. People have opinions, and not even the best of us can change that. Thanks for reading this long-donkey post!
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