The Catalyst

By Rachel Davis, Reporter

Since its rise from the underground scene of the early 90’s, Japanese cartoons and comics, known as anime and manga, have seen a massive increase in fans worldwide. The response in America has been impressive; manga claims its own section in bookstores, and most video rental stores have at least a small library of popular anime series. English-dubbed versions of shows are regularly featured on Cartoon Network, and lampooned or emulated by numerous American programs. Love it or hate it, our culture has been strongly influenced by this foreign style of media, and the student body of Fruita Monument High School is no exception.

However, the general public still harbors many misconceptions about anime and fans of it. And though the high school anime club might seem like the lowest form of nerdiness, that idea couldn’t farther from the truth – Just ask Kyndall Dyer, vice president of the club.

“We’re not all the same,” Dyer, a junior, says. “The majority of us are sane.” Many anime fans have been stereotyped as ‘otaku’, the Japanophile equivalent of the archetypal comic book nerd, but in reality their interest is based on more than just cartoon characters with big eyes and odd hair colors.

“The art is unique, and the plots aren’t like anything I’ve seen on other shows,” says Cassie Archuleta, another junior and member of the club. While it can’t be denied that anime and American cartoons are alike in terms of basic execution, that’s where the similarities end; art styles are noticeably different, as are plots, theme, and general mood. Even shows within the same genre can be portrayed in a vastly different light, most noticeably in the fields of comedy, horror, and romance. When these differences are identified, much can be learned about the point of view of the country that these comics and shows originate from. The same is true for any nation that produces creative media.

While there’s much to be learned about cultural perspectives, what seems more relevant is how to enjoy (or at least cope with) the rising popularity of anime. For those who want to learn more about it without being traumatized in the process, there are a few important steps to follow.

“Watch out for the really involved fans,” advises Leanni Hoffman, a senior. “Most of them are pretty normal, and the obsessive ones are easy to spot and avoid; they can kill the experience if you hang around them.” The best course of action for anyone new to anime is to investigate it on your own. Most bookstores have entire sections devoted to manga, often located directly by the other graphic novels, and many online sites offer free downloads of episodes from many series. As with anything, some precaution is always necessary to avoid adult-oriented genres, but actual pornographic anime (known as hentai) isn’t as widespread as rumors claim it to be.

“It’s definitely not all hentai,” Hoffman says. Much of the anime that has successfully made its way into the mainstream was originally geared towards children and young teenagers, and even with those that involve a certain amount of bloodshed and violence, very little can be considered inappropriate or offensive.

So although anime might strike most as a nerdy interest, consider this: how is reading a manga different from looking through any other comic book? Whether it’s Superman or Sailor Moon, all comic fans are united by a common interest and appreciation for the level of artistry involved. We all enjoy a good story; some just prefer them with pictures as well.

Since its rise from the underground scene of the early 90’s, Japanese cartoons and comics, known as anime and manga, have seen a massive increase in fans worldwide. The response in America has been impressive; manga claims its own section in bookstores, and most video rental stores have at least a small library of popular anime series. English-dubbed versions of shows are regularly featured on Cartoon Network, and lampooned or emulated by numerous American programs. Love it or hate it, our culture has been strongly influenced by this foreign style of media, and the student body of Fruita Monument High School is no exception.

However, the general public still harbors many misconceptions about anime and fans of it. And though the high school anime club might seem like the lowest form of nerdiness, that idea couldn’t farther from the truth – Just ask Kyndall Dyer, vice president of the club.

“We’re not all the same,” Dyer, a junior, says. “The majority of us are sane.” Many anime fans have been stereotyped as ‘otaku’, the Japanophile equivalent of the archetypal comic book nerd, but in reality their interest is based on more than just cartoon characters with big eyes and odd hair colors.

“The art is unique, and the plots aren’t like anything I’ve seen on other shows,” says Cassie Archuleta, another junior and member of the club. While it can’t be denied that anime and American cartoons are alike in terms of basic execution, that’s where the similarities end; art styles are noticeably different, as are plots, theme, and general mood. Even shows within the same genre can be portrayed in a vastly different light, most noticeably in the fields of comedy, horror, and romance. When these differences are identified, much can be learned about the point of view of the country that these comics and shows originate from. The same is true for any nation that produces creative media.

While there’s much to be learned about cultural perspectives, what seems more relevant is how to enjoy (or at least cope with) the rising popularity of anime. For those who want to learn more about it without being traumatized in the process, there are a few important steps to follow.

“Watch out for the really involved fans,” advises Leanni Hoffman, a senior. “Most of them are pretty normal, and the obsessive ones are easy to spot and avoid; they can kill the experience if you hang around them.” The best course of action for anyone new to anime is to investigate it on your own. Most bookstores have entire sections devoted to manga, often located directly by the other graphic novels, and many online sites offer free downloads of episodes from many series. As with anything, some precaution is always necessary to avoid adult-oriented genres, but actual pornographic anime (known as hentai) isn’t as widespread as rumors claim it to be.

“It’s definitely not all hentai,” Hoffman says. Much of the anime that has successfully made its way into the mainstream was originally geared towards children and young teenagers, and even with those that involve a certain amount of bloodshed and violence, very little can be considered inappropriate or offensive.

So although anime might strike most as a nerdy interest, consider this: how is reading a manga different from looking through any other comic book? Whether it’s Superman or Sailor Moon, all comic fans are united by a common interest and appreciation for the level of artistry involved. We all enjoy a good story; some just prefer them with pictures as well.