How To Get Your Friends Addicted to Anime

On Wednesday, December 12, 2012 8 comments


Anime is awesome. You know what makes anime more awesome? Watching it with friends. What’s that, you say? Your friends think anime is weird and refuse to give it a shot? Well, have I got some good news for you: I’ve created a dandy little guide that will help you help your friends become every bit as anime-obsessed as you are. Read on, and soon you will be able to spread the joy of anime faster and easier than spreading a venereal disease.

Why would your friends think THIS is weird? It's just a rifle-wielding teddy bear.

1. Find stuff that interests them
Admit it, your desire to get your friend addicted to anime is mostly self-interest. You want someone you can laugh with, someone to share your hobby with to make it even more fun. That’s understandable. However, you are far more likely to succeed if you think about what your friend likes first. If they love Disney movies and romantic comedies, starting them out with a psychological meltdown like Evangelion or Serial Experiments Lain probably isn’t going to go over so well. Try something like Fruits Basket instead. And if they’re a sci-fi nut, steer away from Sailor Moon. Introduce them to Ghost in the Shell instead. There’s an anime out there for everyone. However, the uninitiated think Pokemon or Naruto are the norm. If you show something that captures their interest, they’ll be more willing to sit through an episode. After the strangeness of “japanimation” wears off, then they might be more willing to branch out into new territory. Until then, though, your best bet is to show them that anime can be cool be introducing them to genres they already like, just in a different medium.

My friend likes Twilight.  I bet she'd LOVE this show.
Look, it's got a vampire and a werewolf!
2. Control your inner nerd. 
What’s more annoying than a squealing fangirl? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. You know how most people mock Twihards and people who wear Jacob Black shirts? It’s because people don’t like you rubbing your weird obsessions in their face. If they’re a fan too, that’s another story. Then they might just squeal along with you. If they aren’t a fan, though, more than likely they will find your constant blabber about the “godlike sexiness of L” annoying, and it will turn them off to all anime. You can show you like something without looking like an obsessive maniac. As a general rule when talking about shows or characters you love, imagine someone saying the same thing about a subject you are disinterested in. If you don’t like My Little Pony, and someone says, “Man, I love those ponies. That show makes me laugh,” chances are this won’t bother you unless you are really immature. But if someone goes, “Omigosh, I freaking watch My Little Pony seven hours a day! I’m saving all my chewed bubblegum, and I’m gonna make a huge sculpture out of Pinkie Pie with it. You have to see it when it’s done. Anyone who doesn’t like MLP is gay!” …that’s weird. What are the chances you will want to go home and watch MLP after this? Not very likely.
Pop quiz: This guy sits next to you on the bus. What do you do?
Answer for a non-anime fan: Be very uncomfortable.
3. Help explain things they might be confused about
Spolier: anime comes from Japan. This means that anime uses different narrative techniques to express itself. When people first watch anime, they might be totally confused over something as simple as honorifics. If they are, briefly explain what you know. Tell them that when characters go “super-deformed” it is usually for comic relief and not what is literally happening. Let them know that magical-girl transformations usually don’t happen in real-time. This may seem like common sense to you, but it isn’t. You learned it intuitively over a period of time. Your friend can’t help being a stranger to the culture and norms of anime. Don’t make them feel like an idiot, because they aren’t (and making them feel bad will only associate a negative emotional state with watching anime, lowering their future enjoyment). Try not to overwhelm then, and don’t talk so often that they can’t hear what is going on onscreen. But if they are confused, try to explain it to them. They are in unfamiliar territory, and you are their guide.

For example, your friend might have questions like:
What exactly is a host club? And where can I FIND one?

4. Don’t strap them to a chair. 
Here’s a little anecdote a hope you will find enlightening: when I was in middle school, I had a friend who was absolutely insane over Inuyasha. I did not like Inuyasha, but she was certain she could “convert” me. On a sleepover to her house, she forced me to have a non-stop marathon of the show. Before, I had only known enough about the show to think it was bland. After sitting through fifteen episodes, though, I changed my mind. Now I hate it. Forcing me to do something didn’t change my mind. It just made me bitter, and forever sparked a fiery rage against the fur-eared faux-female. The same can happen to your friends if you coerce them into watching anime. Refer to step 1. Find a show you think they will like, and explain that it appeals to their interests. If they don’t want to watch it, then drop the subject for a little bit. Only bring it back up occasionally, extending the invitation but not being pushy. No one likes a pusher.

Behold the subjects of my darkest nightmare.

5. Give it time.
So they watched a few episodes of whatever with you, and they are unimpressed. Fine. Don’t fret. Give it a little while. If you did step 1 properly, then chances are they will want to see what happens eventually. It just might take some time for them to lay aside their pride and admit they actually like an anime. If they don’t come around, then either they are really biased against the medium, or you didn’t do step 1 properly. Try again, choosing another anime that you think they will like. Again, don’t force it. If you introduce them to something that sparks their interest, they’ll come around.
Well, I hope you enjoyed my guide! If you did, feel free to browse some of my other nerdy blog posts. And for the even more nerd, check this sweet puppy out

8 comments:

  1. B-But she still doesn't want to watch it

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    Replies
    1. offer cheesecake

      or pizza

      if food doesent work, offer smethink they like

      if that doesn't work, find new friends

      jk, find new anime-buddies

      Delete
  2. Many of us have a problem which is, ( my friends don't wanna watch it!! They just don't wanna give it a shot!!). I used a method which may work for you too. Firstly, collect information about what your friend likes, the genre. For example action, romance, strategy or whatever. Once you are certain of their taste then proceed further. Invite them over to your house. Watch anime of the genre which your friend likes ( my friend likes action so, God eater did it) your friend will surely ask that what are you watching or what the hell are these kiddy shows??!!. Then explain him that it's not a kiddy show and bla bla bla. ( you know what to explain). Watch as much as you can in front of the friend. ( death note is highly recommend for this purpose. Most new comers start their journey with it.) Keep in mind that anime is not for shitheads. ( if your friends are shitheads (

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  3. My friend likes anime and japan culture but not as much as i do, she asked me to suggest and anime and she didn't really specify what genre so I was like Danganronpa, she watched the first ep and yeah. she hasn't said anything about it since but she says she likes the anime

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  4. My friend and I watched an anime together and then a few days ago, she said she was done WATCHING it. I was a bit okay with it (mah feels hurt tho). Anyways, then today, she deleted ALL the stuff related to it off her computer. I was like, "WHAT!?" Because we shared a strong passion and all of a sudden she isn't interested. Then she said she was done with ANIME. I was immediately like, "WHAAAAT!???" And now I don't know what to do. We do reference animes sometimes, but she refuses to watch anime again. I love anime, so I don't know whether to just sit back and let it happen, or try to get her back into it. I know she is still at least SLIGHTLY interested.... I dont know what to dooooo ;(

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  5. welp guess what it worked!!

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  6. I actually just stumbled on this guide http://techanimate.com/how-to-get-your-friends-into-anime/ it shows you about getting into anime although I still like this post much better. Either way keep up the great work

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  7. DANG! This was a good post, especially with number 2 control your inner nerd. But I can't help it lol :) Sometimes I just want to fill their head with the latest and greatest shows so they can appreciate anime the same way I do.

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