WATCHING ANIME CONSIDERED CHILDISH?

How would you feel when someone told you that you are being childish because you still watch anime or read manga at this age? It really did surprise me how some people would come out with such a remark. There are few hundred thousands of anime and manga in the market and most of them are purchased by adults. Even the illustrators are adults. Don’t tell me that they are childish too? Most Asians considered these as part of their culture while most Westerners related anime and manga to children. What a misinterpretation?

I am actually an anime lover by nature. Regardless what people might say about me, I still watch anime until today. It could be due to the facts that I was bought up in the Walt Disney environment and I am still an active member of the booming manga libraries. You will be surprised if I tell you that I do watch anime such as Sailormoon, Pokemon, Doraemon or even Digimon. I have also a wide collection of these anime by the boxes, ranging from Studio Ghibli collections, Cardcaptor Sakura, Detective Conan, Q Detective School, Ragnorak, Kindaichi, Saiyuki to western anime such as Rugrats, Kim Impossible, Atlantis, Nemo and so on.

To prove that anime is not only for children, let me share with you one of the anime which has 48 episodes in total. It is the Digimon Savers. In Episode 12, it was mentioned that Digimons invaded earth due to a few reasons. They are somehow related to the evil sentiments of humans which are wrath, lust, gluttony, sloth, envy, greed and pride. Even quite a large number of adults do not even understand the meaning of these words, what about children? Do they really understand the content or merely watching the animation for fun? In fact, I do learn a few new lessons too by watching these anime.

Let us listen to a short soundtrack of Digimon Savers. I have enclosed the lyrics in Japanese as well as the translation in English. If you digest the translation of the soundtrack, I am sure too that a 6 years old child might not understand the meaning of hope, future, power to dream, ambition, determination to succeed.

Waratte fuzake ate mo, Nanika ga chigau nanika tarinai
Yurayura yureru mayoi wo, Fukitobase
Hoshii mono wa ichiban, Tooku te mo tsukamu sa
Itsuka wa ano sekai wo, Teni ireru sa
Mirai wa mou tomaranai, Ashita mo kagayaku darou
Donna toki mo, Hikaru hitotsu hoshi

Omou mama kaketeku, Turimu koto wa shinai
Ashita wa kirihiraku, Hatenaku kono te de
Dokomade mo kaketeku, Nakusanai zettai ni
Yumemiru tamashii no chikara, Kanarazu ikeru kara

Translations:
Although we laugh and fool around together,
Something’s different, something’s lacking.
So blow away, the wavering, swaying hesitation
Even if what I want is the farthest away, I’ll grab it!
Someday that world will be mine!
The future won’t stop anymore,
Will tomorrow shine too?
No matter when, there’s one shining star!

I’ll run as much as I want, and never look back.
I’ll cut my way through tomorrow, with these hands.
I’ll run anywhere and I’ll never want to lose it.
With our power to dream, we can definitely do it.

If you ask me on my opinion in allowing children to watch anime, I would for sure have some doubts on its effects on the children. But again, am I stopping them in their process of growing up? Am I stopping them from knowing the real world out there? Do you think that even anime like Tom & Jerry, Bugs Bunny are suitable for children? Look at the “violence” involved with a cat using a hammer to hit the rat, vice versa. It somehow will affect the thinking and growing up of a child. Comparing with movies and TV show, watching anime can be even less violent. How children behave and grow up lies in the hands of the parents. Being overprotective is unhealthy, ignoring does not help either. No matter what, moderation is the ultimate answer. What is your view on this? Am I behaving too childish because I do watch anime and read manga? Share it out here.