Why Men Like Anime So Much, And Why It Matters

It’s no secret: men like anime, and we like it a LOT. In fact, we love it without sounding too dramatic.

This is no surprise to anyone in 2021, especially Feminists and the loud minority who can’t stand it (that being anime, or men liking anime).

That said, few people have answered the question: WHY do men like anime in particular?

What is it about:

The medium
The characters
Themes

And everything else that seems to draw MEN into anime, being the dominant demographic?

This will piss some people off, but that’s the nature of the truth at the end of the day.

Let’s get into it.

This is why Men like anime:

1. Physically fit female characters

Let’s address the ELEPHANT in the room: physically fit female characters.

The pictures above are:

Goddess Aqua.
Megumin.
Darkness Lalatina.

They’re all from Konosuba, which even though is a parody series, is full of women of this style and attractiveness.

And in THIS picture, we have:

Lucy Heartfilia.
Erza Scarlet.

They’re just 2 of the hotties you’ll find in the Fairy Tail series.

Ignoring the obvious unrealistic elements you “sometimes” see with female characters, in general, they’re always physically fit and physically attractive to MOST men across the board.

This isn’t about promoting certain ideals or standards or being insensitive, but more about anime being a reflection of Japanese culture.

What does that even mean?

Japanese women (and men) are generally of a certain weight. A healthy weight.

Seeing an overweight Japanese woman is like seeing a unicorn. As we say in the UK, “fat chance”.

No pun intended by the way.

The anime girls and women you see are just a reflection of Japanese culture, so it shouldn’t be surprising.

But with that said….

Men in general prefer physically fit women, and anime fulfills that

It’s not shocking to me why anime is popular in the West, or I should say why ANIME GIRLS are popular in the West.

Even here in the UK, or the USA and Australia, men absolutely love the designs of female characters. Whether realistic or otherwise.

I say “even in the UK”, etc, meaning being overweight is statistically more common in the West than in Asia or Africa.

Despite that fact, Men from all countries have responded with their wallets and attention.

Terms like “Waifu” that have become prevalent in the industry, are proof of that.

It’s easy to see why there’s so many waifu’s, and how ONE of their many qualities is their physique.

That’s controversial and politically incorrect to say these days, but it’s the truth. Especially with regards to why MEN like anime.

It’s one of many reasons, yes, but it’s still a valid one from a visual point of view. And visuals matter (for both genders) but for Men, we’re wired a certain way.

I wonder If any of this is taken into account when designing characters.

And let’s not pretend THIS isn’t true the other way around.

Men are also designed a certain way on purpose. You don’t see female fans claiming big guys as “Husbando’s” now do you?

You see, it works on both ends of the stick. Let’s not act like it’s not normal to be attracted to fitness.

Let’s not be hypocrites and play the game of double standards. Or jump to shaming and insults.

2. Feminine female characters

It’s no mistake that REM and EMILIA are so attractive in anime like Re:Zero.

More importantly, it’s no mistake that Rem is one of the most popular female characters (ranked).

Rem (blue hair) is a maid and a feminine character. It’s part of her charm as a “Waifu”.

Emilia is the same. A very feminine female character, wholesome, beautiful, and gentle. The kind of femininity that draws your masculinity towards it.

That’s the whole point of femininity and masculinity. Both have the power to attract the opposite.

Men LIKE this in anime girls. It’s the way nature intended it.

The opposite is true for Disney and the SJW types of female characters in Western movies or shows.

They’re so busy trying to make women like Men, that the male audience just doesn’t give a sh*t.

There’s a reason why Hinata is more preferred than SAKURA in the Naruto series. Men are naturally attracted to feminine women.

It’s no surprise that also translates to feminine female characters.

Characters like Temari are an exception to this rule because she still has attractive feminine traits. There’s more to it than that though.

Men (as a general rule) are attracted to feminine energy from women. This is why anime is doing so well, kinda, and why men and boys are drawn to the female characters each season.

Not to say that it’s the ONLY reason, but it’s one of many and it’s valid.

While it’s true that you have:

Tsundere’s
Yandere’s

And other tropes of female characters, some of which aren’t “feminine” outright, it doesn’t change the facts.

The reason why Tsundere is liked is that it’s a cliche, a funny trope. Even for some of the more masculine Tsundere’s (or girls), they’re still physically fit. Going back to point #1.

Yandere are the same. They’re nut jobs, and for what it’s worth some will fetishize that.

In the end, though, they’re STILL physically attractive and even feminine. It’s just they’re “crazy” but that’s a story for another day.

Tsundere’s in particular are cute as well. So there’s that.

3. Powerful stories from a male perspective

It’s no wonder anime like Naruto have become so famous and popular. One of those reasons, just like SHONEN in general, is the male perspective.

Young boys like seeing we’ll say, stories written from perspectives they can relate to, understand, and contextualize as Men.

They can put themselves in the shoes of the male protagonists, and anime like that are usually winners.

Naruto is about a kid who’s isolated, shunned, and most of all: lonely. While the series is supernatural, many people can relate to that… But guys relate to it specifically from a different perspective.

Seeing Naruto grow up, prosper, make something of himself, and inspire others along the way, is inspirational.

Goku is another one. In fact, he’s the MAIN reason we can even have this conversation.

There’s n Naruto without Goku.

In the series we see Goku start out as a kid in Dragon Ball.

For him, the inspiration we take from his character and journey isn’t about PAIN like other shows. It’s more about Goku’s relentless work ethic and hard work.

Men are expected to work hard. It’s what we do regardless of expectations anyway. We like working towards things, building, and achieving goals.

The world is the way it is because of this fact.

Goku takes this to a new level not seen before in media, especially as a male character.

It’s the reason why people worldwide have started their own gyms, workouts, businesses, and more because of Goku.

Even in Japan, a “Goku Day” is dedicated to him, which says it all.

And then there’s anime like Fullmetal Alchemist.

The two brothers Edward And Alphonse, set out on a journey to restore their lost limbs. The reason? They tried bringing their dead mother back to life, and there were consequences for trying it.

The concept of “Equivalent exchange” and how both characters navigate the world around them is inspiring and has depth.

It goes deep.

It’s no accident this anime is so successful (male characters, male perspective). It’s what guys want, and the results speak for themselves.

4. Aesthetically pleasing art style

Even with this image from the 1990’s anime: You’re Under Arrest, the art style is aesthetically pleasing.

Natsumi Tsujimoto (to the right) is the more masculine of the 2, but she’s STILL feminine and gorgeous.

This goes back to points #1 and #2 again.

I’m a man so obviously, I’ll show the art style of female characters, but it goes both ways.

The first rule of art is beauty.

How that’s expressed comes down to what’s trying to be portrayed, but it has to look good or attractive enough for you to care.

Japan seems to know this on a fundamental level. You can see it in their various designs (unless they have a reason to not do it).

If we go to NEW anime in 2021, Jahy Sama (airing right now) shows the art style continues to be stunning, 40+ years later.

That almost chocolate brown skin, golden eyes, and physique are alluring and captivating.

This goes for both genders watching anime as far as aesthetics, but it’s especially true for Men and why Men like anime.

More so in the context of this article and where I’m going with it.

5. Strong female characters…. without the politics

It obviously goes beyond JUST feminine characters and whatever else. There’s also the appeal of strong female characters.

This has less to do with the semantics of femininity and masculinity, and more to do with the female characters’ role and style.

Revy Rebecca is a solid example. Strong, but still sexy. And one of the most memorable anime girls in the industry.

Seeing an anime partly from a woman’s perspective in this way (without the politics) is appreciated. Especially given the realism.

There’s also the group of strong female characters… who are STILL feminine, as opposed to other traits (like Revy Rebecca).

Mirajane Strauss from Fairy Tail is the perfect example of a strong, but feminine female character.

She doesn’t take sh*t from anybody, similar to Revy in this way, but at the same time, she’s endearing, alluring, and has an attractive personality.

And then you have strong female characters who are also protagonists. Nobara Kugisaki from Jujutsu Kaisen is a stellar example of this.

Not only is she stunning, and feminine, but she’s also strong, capable, and has confidence to her that makes her more appealing.

She’s one of the best examples of female leads (more so in Shonen) in recent years.

Her character dynamics and chemistry with others are a sight to see. On top of this fact, she’s:

Not a damsel in distress.
Isn’t made to be strong for strength’s sake.
Isn’t written in an SJW, politically correct kind of way.

That’s what I mean when I say “strong female characters” WITHOUT the politics.

6. Anime life lessons

Anime is MORE than just entertainment. You can also learn things from it. Men seek out life lessons from anime, and it’s a strong reason for watching it.

I’d know because I started Anime Motivation, the biggest anime site on the internet for life lessons and anime quotes.

Remember when the author of BERSERK died in 2021? Anime fans came RUSHING to this site in search of the quotes from Berserk.

There was a flood of traffic for that particular post. And it was consistent for well over a month.

Anime like BLEACH, one of the most famous Shonen series, is one of many anime filled with life lessons.

Each lesson can be applied directly to a person’s life and can be used in a way that’s practical.

The quote above is an example of this, even if only a small window into the things anime can teach you.

The potential is endless.

7. Escapism

This one goes without saying, but it has to be said anyway. Let’s talk about the escapism aspect. Sometimes the term is viewed in a negative way, but escapism is healthy when used in the right way.

Music, video games, or even meditation is a form of escapism really.

Anime fulfils that for many people from all sorts of backgrounds, cultures, and so much more.

I’ve talked to fans who are: