I love anime. My family doesn't. How can I convince them it isn't stupid?

Question

Anime is one of my absolute favorite things, but my parents shut their ears or roll their eyes at the mention of the word. Is there a way to show them it isn't stupid or silly as they think?

Answer 1

well for me, im just slowly injecting them with the idea. beside that try watching anime that might interest your family. my dad luv naruto coz i watch it in front of him accidentally. he loves it with all naruto's ninjutsu and all. he also into inuyasha coz he love the storyline.

Answer 2

Easier than you think.

If you have been watching anime for a while, you know that there is a ton of different types. It's not all big-eyed pre-pubescent girls with big titties and legs that go all the way up to their armpits. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of that in amine, but that is far from all there is to it.

There are so many different types of anime. Personally, I prefer anime to movies and TV. Production costs are much lower, so a good story can stand out, and a poor story cannot be hidden behind elaborate special effects, (last three Star Wars movies take note).

For anyone to eliminate animation as a serious form of artwork has cleary not seen anything animated within the past 10 years that isn't shown on a Saturday morning. Most likely they are the same people who can read "Horton Hears A Who!" and not realize that Theodor Seuss Geisel is talking about abortion (a person's a person, no matter how small,). Or they can read Yertle the Turtle, which is talking about the start of the Second World War and the rise of Adolf Hitler and facism. Remember how Yertle just wanted to get his throne higher and higher and commands more and more turtles build him up. Mack, the turtle at the bottoms who is tired of supporting all the turtles above him, and after telling Yertle he cannot take anymore, burps, which ends up shaking the entire stack of turtles and Yertle is thrown in to the mud. How does the story end? "And the turtles, of course... all the turtles are free, As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be."

I will admit, there is some debate about Horton Hears a Who! Some believe that while it is totally applicable to the debate on abortion, others believe that it is more about the Holocaust, and how regular Germans should have acted. Either way, it discusses the dehumanizing of a group of people. Do you think that is 6-year-old material? Personally, with my 2 neices when they were 6, which was more than a few years ago, I would rather not have to discuss how a group of people can dehumanize a group of their fellow man.

Remember, those two example I gave were Dr. Suess books, targeted at kids. And you are telling me that someone in your family thinks that animation isn't a serious form of entertaiment?

Here's how you go about this. Go over to your library and check out a few copies of Horton Hears a Who! Ask the people in your family to read it, and tell them that Saturday you have an important question to ask them. Then Saturday, over dinner, after everyone has breezed through it and gone, "yeah, yeah", ask them a simple question. Why was Horton the only one able to hear them? Not even Horton could see them, but he could hear them? Why? I think you will change more than a few people's minds. And remember, you are dealing with a book written for fairly young kids. If you have a family that likes to think about things and talk about things, no one in that family will be expecting a book most kids read or have read to them in Kindergarten to be the subject of dinner conversation.

Answer 3

First off, why do ppl keep lumping Anime and cartoons in the same boat. there is a huge difference between the two. and, now to your question, anime has a large number of different genre's find one that fits the interests of your family members and have them watch an episode or two of that series, if they still feel that anime is stupid, at least you tried to change their opinion. some ppl just won't get it. my dad doesn't like anime either, my mom loves most of the miyazaki films she's seen. and she watches inuyasha on adult swim. so it goes to show that some ppl can be changed, but others can't.

Answer 4

Quit trying to convince them. Does it matter that they don't like it? As long as they don't prevent you from enjoy it shouldn't be a big deal. Join a group or club that likes anime if you feel you need to talk about it. You can also try reverse psychology on them too. When they talk about something they like to do just roll your eyes right back at them. Maybe this show them how they are hurting your feelings.

Bleach fan.

Answer 5

there isn't a real way. I've tryed getting a friend of mine that hates the anime 'Naruto' to consider it. Didn't work! My parents are ok with it but my father likes to make fun. Just keep telling them it's cool an not stupid! Eventually, maybe show tham how many people enjoy it, show them fanfiction.net or a flier for Momo.con, they'll just exept it!

Answer 6

I've been trying for over a decade, just quit if any of this begins to sound familiar.

"Why do you watch the weird people and their mouths that don't match up?"
am I getting warmer? How bout this one?
"And you're how old again? Why are you watching this?"
here's a favorite...
"did that skinny little guy with the bad hair, curse, stab someone, and grow a drop of water out of his head?"

If u have heard any of these or the like, then it's time to give up.

Answer 7

Try getting them to watch Death Note,no one can hate Death Note...if they do...they arin't human!

My mom likes Anime, she likes Prince of Tennis, Bobobo*Whatever that show is called * She also likes more of the cute Anime.

My dad thinks it's the dumbest thing in the world...he hated so much when I was younger...he didin't like me having it or talking about it. I think Pokemon gave him a bad view on Anime, Pokemon isin't exactly the most intelligent Anime out there. but now he accpects it more , I own tons of DVD's and Manga and other Anime things. he even checked out a Anime con I went to last year, My mom thought it was cool, my dad was like..WTF?! He still thinks it's dumb.

It doesin't matter what your parents think..the fact that you enjoy it is all that matters. As long as they are not putting you down and making you feel stupid for watching it, don't worry about it.

Answer 8

You can't really. People are set in their ways. My mom doesn't care much for anime but one day I went over to her house armed with Spirited Away by Miyazaki and she loved it!!! If you want them to watch something then try all of his stuff, they are all movies so they won't feel pressured into watching series. Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Castle in the Sky, Nausicca's Valley of the Winds, and Princess Mononoki for starters. My dad loves the stuff, he is the reason why I'm still a big fan today!!! Good luck.

Answer 9

Well, as they say, you can't please everybody.. just don't mind them, let them be. I mean, you're not doing anything wrong, and as long as you don't hurt them, it's fine. Why not try showing them great animes that they will like? I'm sure they'll like Honey and Clover. It's nice, and it talks about the facts of life. I like it. My parents, too. Or maybe you could try animes with beautiful stories. Maybe Kare Kano, or something like that? Just show them that not all animes are that bad. [though i must admit, i am an addict but i don't like some animes.] If they still won't listen, just pray for them...ü But please, don't give it up! Don't stop watching anime. It's wicked! Okay? It's their loss, not yours.ü

Answer 10

My daughter is HUGE into anime. She's 21 years old! I think it's silly too. She watches it on youtube with english subtitles and all.

She's planning on getting married in a couple of years and I feel sure she'll eventually grow out of it. I don't really care if she likes it...I just don't get the obsession!

Answer 11

If they dont like it, they don't like it. Thats how it is with me. I love anime but my sisters hate it. But if you really want to convince them, try a ghibli film(s/p?) or sit down with them and watch your fav. series. If all fails, at least you still have it, they don't know what they are missing. or....try reverse phycology..(I dont think its actually called that) like whenever your parents start talking to you about something YOU think is boring, shut your ears and roll your eyes. Then they might know how it feels. =)