Have you ever thought as an idiot or baka when it comes to anime? An anime fan must know this and know that. An anime fan should have this and have that. An anime fan should have watched this and watched that. There are so much anime nobody knows everything about anime, nobody has every anime product, and nobody watched every anime series; otherwise, the anime fan has too much time on his or her hands and, perhaps, too much money.
Not every anime fan fits the "anime fan" description--if there is a standard. New anime fans may feel the true anime fans own Sony Playstations, are techies, watched all Project A-Ko episodes, and are Science Fiction fans.
Take me as a counter-example. I don't own a Sony Playstation; rather I own a Sega Saturn and Sega Dreamcast (and I rarely play them). I never played Final Fantasy and Warcraft. I majored in Economics. I work at a commercial real estate company. I never touched JavaScript (but I'm learning). I only watched the first episode of Project A-Ko. I never chatted on the web or participated in web groups. I watched one episode of Babylon 5. And I don't own any Star Trek products.
Every anime fan is different.
Neither did I. There are so many anime series. Some anime series have tons of episodes. For example, Sailor Moon has 200 episodes, three movies, and the specials. (Has anyone seen the American Film Institute Top 100 Movies of the Century?) Some anime series are not available to purchase commercially.
I never saw El Hazard, Bubblegum Crash, Dragon Ball Z, and Ranma ½ episodes after the second season tape It's Fast or its Free. I know a person who never saw Neon Genesis Evangelion. I know a person who is an anime fan since 1991 who never saw El Hazard.
One way to watch unseen anime is an anime get-together. Once a month is plenty. Make it a pot-luck event: the visitors bring the food, the host provides the facilities, and everyone pools their anime. It's like the video rooms in the anime conventions (except the food).
Another way to watch unseen anime is renting anime. Some anime stores and comic book stores have anime for rent. Renting anime is an inexpensive way to view unseen anime. Blockbuster Video and Hollywood Video have anime for rent mostly dubbed and their selections vary. Ma and Pa rentals are worth visiting because some have better selection.
When I started collecting anime, the debate of subtitled vs. dubbed existed. In my first year, I enjoyed dubbed anime. But the more I watched subtitled and hearing original Japanese dialogue, I preferred subtitled.
In my opinion, the debate is over. I don't think anime fans care whether other anime fans enjoy subtitled or enjoy dubbed. An anime fan who prefers either subtitled or dubbed is an anime fan. There is no "must watch subtitled" to be a true anime fan. Dubbed anime does lose the genuine dialogue and parts of the story may be slightly altered; for example, Sailor Moon and Pokemon.
In anime conventions and anime retailers, however, the preference is subtitled. Recently, some video rooms in anime conventions are showing anime dubbed. One reason is viewers in the center and the back rows can't see the subtitles. One suggestion was to reduce the video size to raise the viewing so everyone can see the subtitles; unfortunately, the subtitles are smaller for the center and back rows to read. I expect the discussion to continue in future anime conventions. Bring binoculas?
Do you think an anime fan purchases DVDs, purchases CDs, reads art books, reads comic books or manga, displays anime cels (or original production sheets), displays anime art, puts together anime models, plays anime related video games, and so on? I don't think so. There are anime fans who like anime just for the anime cels and anime art, but never watched the anime series. There are anime fans who purchase their favorite anime series and the music CDs, but don't purchase the reading material and/or the comic book series. Neon Genesis Evangelion, Sailor Moon, and Ranma 1/2 are series with comic books.
(Anyone who watched an anime series and don't understand, it's likely the anime series is from the comic books. These anime series assumed the viewer read the comic books. Ah! My Goddess and X: The Movie are examples.)
Collect the anime you are interested and don't collect the anime you are not interested.
Some anime fans like to parody anime series such as Fast Food Freedom Fighters parodied from Project A-Ko and Fanboy Bebop parodied from Cowboy Bebop. Some anime fans like to create music videos such as Caffine Enconium from Kodomo no Omocha and Tainted Donuts from Cowboy Bebop and Trigun. Some anime fans like to write stories from anime series known as fanfiction. Unfortunately, I haven't read any fanfiction and I can't give specific examples. Some fanfiction writers welcome anime fans to contribute to the story.
Parodies and music videos can be viewed in many anime conventions. Fanfiction can be viewed on the web.
They are anime fans, and that is what counts.
Anime is expensive. Anime fans with huge credit card debts damage their credit card history. Having a bad credit card history can affect future loans for a car, a home, investments, and major necessity purchases. It's not worth the credit debt for the desirable, most wanted anime.
Anime conventions are a great place to find bargains and negotiate deals. DVDs are popular purchases dealers are selling VHS at close-out prices. Some dealers sell music CDs, art books, comic books, models, toys, cels, posters, pencil boards, video games, and anything related to anime are at prices below anime retailers. The last day of anime conventions are the best time to find the best bargains because many dealers don't want to carry goods back to their place of business.
Some on-line stores have anime at discounts. One downside to purchasing on-line is pre-ordering and the wait time to receive the anime can be longer then as if purchasing at the store. Some on-line stores require a minimum spent and/or to register as a member to receive a discount. There is nothing wrong purchasing on-line. The money saved is terrific. When shopping on-line, visit a few sites to compare prices and review their policies in case the anime needs to be returned.
Used DVDs, CDs, and VHS stores are another place to purchase bargain anime; for instance, one used CD store had Slayers VHS Volumes 1-4 subtitled at a low price. The selection is terrible when visiting these store because many anime fans sells their used anime at on-line auctions; however, with good timing and luck, the selection can be great.
Getting anime at 20% off the suggested retail price is a good discount. Anime fans can save money when the major retailers have an anime sale or have discount coupons. Some anime series' suggested retail price are lowered because they are released for a long time and doesn't sell anymore.
DVDs can save money because many are subtitled, dubbed, and contain more episodes compared with a VHS tape. Patient anime fans can save money when scheduled DVD box sets are released. Anime fans should consider purchasing a DVD player. DVD players are cheaper compared to 1997, the year DVDs entered the market.
Bargains exists. Anime fans should always shop around.
Anime fans in their first year, I welcome you to Japanese Anime. Japanese Anime is an entertainment medium not found in the United States.
A first year anime fan may think his or her collection is small and may think he or she is not really an anime fan compared to the anime fan veterans who have a gigantic anime collection. Every new anime fan starts small. At the end of the anime fan's second year of anime collection, he or she says, "I have a bigger collection compared to my first year." Be patient. The anime collection and the anime knowledge grow.
My first year of anime I only had Sailor Moon USA version, Robotech, and the first season of Ranma ½. It is 2002, and I own more anime series, import anime CDs, books and manga, and wall scrolls such that I say the "I have a bigger collection compared to my first year."
Here are recommended must watch anime for first year fans in alphabetical order: Ah! My Goddess, Card Captor Sakura (first season is plenty), Cowboy Bebop, Fushigi Yuugi TV Series, Golden Boy, Magic Users Club OVA, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Princess Mononoke, Project A-Ko (the first is plenty), Ranma 1/2 (the first season and the first movie are plenty), Robotech, Sailor Moon (the first season and/or the third season is plenty), and Vision of Escaflowne. Another suggestion is Gundam for which I don't follow the series and I can't recommend which version to begin.
There are anime fans with bigger collections and there are anime fans with smaller collections. Be happy and proud with your collection. You worked really hard to find your favorite anime products at the best price and at your income. Enjoy your anime collection without dwelling someone else's gigantic anime collection.
I consider myself a "part time" anime fan. Why? I don't purchase anime magazines and anime publications on a regular basis. I receive a few email updates and I visit a few anime web sites when I find spare time.
Anime fans who are part time anime fans should feel happy they are anime fans. As mentioned before, Japanese Anime is an entertainment medium not found in the United States. Anime fans who have never ending questions (like me), there are many anime fans who love to answer questions. When anime fans answer questions, they test their knowledge and they feel proud knowing their anime. Anime retailers desire to answer questions since every anime fan asking questions are potential long-term customers. Ask away.
In past conventions, there were incidents which makes me angry. I saw incidents where anime fans shoplifted. Some of us are wild, rowdy, loud, gung-ho anime fans, and big-spenders who spend paychecks on anime. But we don't break the law. Anime fans who break the law are not true anime fans.
Anime fans with children, please don't forget your children in your car. In San Jose, CA, a laid-off father was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. He visited his brother-in-law's house to watch anime he purchased from a convention and left his five month old baby in the car for three hours during a very warm day.
When I see obsessed or otaku anime fans, I hope they have other interests and hobbies. Anime should be one of many hobbies and interests. The anime fans need to make an income, go outdoors, and do something. Anime is not a substitute for friends. Respect your friends who don't like anime.
Example of anime fans I know with other interests and hobbies: one anime fan is a systems administrator and follows the stock market, another anime fan is a lawyer and enjoys Philosophy, another anime fan is an engineer and plays tennis, another anime fan is a web-site manager and spends time building trains, and I met two anime fans at Anime Expo '99 who are married and have kids.
No anime fan should spent 24/7 or 24 hours and 7 days a week on anime. Any anime fan who does 24/7 on anime, "Get A Life." Anime conventions, however, is an appropriate time for anime fans to be an otaku. For instance, at Fanime Con 2000, I watched 13 episodes of Card Captor Sakura from Midnight to 6:00 A.M.
In conclusion, enjoy your anime.
Date Last Updated: Sunday September 1, 2002