12 Interesting Things Anime Has Taught Me

Anime taught me if you scream loud enough, you can become a Super Saiyan and make the earth shake. The problem is: when I tried it, the earth didn’t shake and my hair is still black.

Maybe there’s a secret Akira Toriyama is hiding from me.

All jokes aside, I really did attempt to do the “Ka-me-ha-me-ha” when I was a kid. But I was disappointed with the results.

Isn’t it funny how when you’re a kid, doing things like that is considered cute. But when you’re an adult you’d be considered to be a lunatic?

Here’s what anime has taught me over the years…

What Anime Taught Me:

1. People DO judge a book by its cover

You’ve heard the stupid, tired saying: “don’t judge a book by its cover”. Well, the thing is… that’s a load of bullshit.

That might work for robots, but not humans. And anime proves this over and over.

In the anime: Little Busters, people judge Mio Nishizono based on how she acts (she has no friends). And so: nobody gives her the light of day. She’s ignored.

In the anime: Monster, Nina Fortner is judged as “beautiful” and nothing more. Nobody cares that she has feelings, problems or that her life is far from perfect.

This is obvious when a girl called Lota judges Nina as “being perfect and not having any issues” because she’s pretty. This is despite the fact that Nina’s life in comparison has been a living hell.

People do judge a book by its cover. For better or for worse.

2. Having a harem is easy

Harem anime. I make it a rule to avoid them like a disease. It’s one of the most cliché genres and surprisingly loved by many.

One thing that’s common with harem shows is: when a guy forms a harem, it’s never because of his good looks, charm or intelligence. It’s more about how “desperate” the girl is for attention.

And like all fiction, there’s an element of truth to this. Even if it’s not to the extremes…

And before you say it: yes it works both ways. 😉

3. If you comment on a girls body, you’re a “pervert” by default

Unverified source: Pervert Meme Photo

You see it all the time:

A male character thinks another female character is HOT.
And the female character screams “pervert”.

But ironically: when a girl comments on a guys body, nothing is assumed.

Again, like all fiction, there’s an element of truth here that’s pretty interesting.

Maybe this is what fake feminists refer to as “feminism” these days?

4. We’ve all got our own personal problems

When you watch the anime: It’s You Guys Fault I’m Not Popular! You realize a few things:

You’re not the only one with problems.
Nobody’s life is as perfect as they’ll have you believe.

Tomoko Kuroki (main character) is anxious, a complete amateur when it comes to socializing, and she struggles with confidence issues. And yet all she wants is to have friends.

Or how about Shouko Nishimiya from the movie: A Silent Voice.

She’s a girl with a hearing disability, and she’s bullied for it. And years later she’s seen suffering from the repercussions, hidden behind a bright smile.

You never know what a persons going through, no matter how happy they seem on the surface.

5. Laughing is an important part of happiness

Comedy shows teach you that (Lucky Star, The Devil Is A Part Timer).

What is life without laughter? I can’t imagine it.

Laughter makes life easier. It helps you feel good. And it activates the dopamine in your brain, helping you feel happier and more positive.

A life without laughter is no life at all.

6. The world is messed up, and we’ve got a long way to go

There’s no better example than the anime Monster.

Initially it’s about a doctor and a serial killer. But you come to learn it’s much deeper than that.

The realistic storytelling and depictions of human nature is a grim reflection of what life looks like in some parts of the world.

The world we live in is full of:

Unhappy people who will do whatever it takes to sink your ship like the Titanic.
Unthinkable crimes happening behind closed doors.
Twisted people who will commit terrorism and believe what they’re doing is “ethical”.
Kids who suffer from depression at the age of 10-12-14, because of the types of environments they’re raised in.

And so much more.

7. On the flipside, the world has never been a better, safer place

Smartphones. Technology. The internet. Apps. Being able to connect and speak with anyone within seconds…

We’ve come a long way from world wars, slavery, disease and destruction.

It’s easy to take it all for granted when you look back at history.

8. Some people are beyond being helped, and there’s nothing you can do about it

Some people don’t want your help. In fact: sometimes helping someone is the worst thing you can do.

Or said another way:

“Remember that kindness can hurt instead of help.” – Inaba Himeko

And there’s another quote that represents this truth well:

“The more stubborn a person gets about what they think is right, the less happy they’re going to be.” – Junko Kaname

So it’s not your job to help those who don’t want to be helped.

You can’t save everyone. Even if they need saving.

9. The power of friendship

Yes it’s true, anime DOES dramatize the “friendship” elements and even exaggerates it sometimes…

But other times there’s truth to it. There’s realism. There’s something you can relate to, understand and feel.

There’s power in how the power of friendship is portrayed. And why it matters.

Fairy Tail might have gone overboard in this area, but you can’t deny the real emotions associated with it.

There’s a real lesson there in regards to friendship and how we treat each other.

10. There’s always that ONE person who eats a lot and never gains weight

You know characters like:

Goku.
Vegeta.
Monkey D. Luffy.
Naruto.
Yamato.
Akagi.

All these characters have monstrous appetites. And even though it’s done for the sake of comedy, there’s always that one person like that in life.

You could class me as one of those people. I have a high metabolism, and I’ve always been physically fit no matter how many cakes, cookies, junk (or good food) I’ve ate.

I’ve also never exercised obsessively to maintain my level of weight. But then again, I am 6’2 so that helps. 😉

11. Even superheroes are flawed

The thing about superheroes is: even though they’re supernaturally strong, they still have flaws.

And there’s no anime that paints a clearer picture than My Hero Academia.

All Might, the worlds greatest and loved hero, has deep flaws hidden from plain sight. And only a few people get the privilege of seeing this “flawed” side of the charismatic hero.

That’s just how the world works. Nothing is ever perfect, no matter how much we strive for perfection.

Things can always improve. And we can always improve too. But a life without flaws isn’t really a life at all. Because by definition, if things were perfect there’d be nothing left to do.

Before long we’d all die of boredom if life was perfect in every way possible.

12. The power of communication and working together

The anime that pops into my mind is Haikyu! A sports/volleyball anime about teamwork, pushing yourself and self-improvement.

In the beginning of Haikyu this fact is made clear: a lack of communication and understanding makes it difficult to work as a team.

In the grand scheme of things, the type of technology that exists today… And how far we’ve come as humans wouldn’t be possible without communication and teamwork.

In fact you won’t get anywhere in life without these skills. Because as long as you live, you’ve got to communicate and work with someone to get what you want.

And Haikyu has subtle life lessons that prove that. Both on a small and large-scale.

Nobody succeeds alone (as cool as that would be).

–

What has anime taught you?

Read:

10 Types Of Anime Art Styles Commonly Seen In Popular Shows

35 Anime Character Outfits That Are Both Cool And Stylish