How I Discovered This Thing Called Anime
Animevice member, crusader8463, guest posts!I still remember the day I was scrolling through the channels on my TV when I came across a show with a weird un-pronounceable name I had never heard of. I curiously tuned in, and with that simple decision I discovered a show that would become a major influence in my life.
I wondered how a cartoon about a young boy who leaves his home to roam the world, with nothing but a yellow rat who shoots electricity out of its face, could ever have gotten made. However by the end of the first episode I found myself hooked on this strange show. Soon, each morning I was waking up and running to the TV to make sure I didn’t miss a second of the next episode. I hadn’t realized it at the time, but I had just become what would be known as a Pokémaniac. No matter what was going on in my life I had to start out every day seeing what new story this cocky young boy and his yellow rat would find themselves in, and what new friends and adventures they would find along the way.
Of course, I am referring to Pokémon the anime series. What was it about the anime that made me love it so much? Was it the characters? Was it the idea of discovering some new mysterious monster? Perhaps it was seeing Ash grow up and mature right alongside myself as I watched the show daily. Or maybe it was the marketing machine that developed one of the greatest RPGs in video game history that was set to this strangely named cartoon series. In truth it was probably a combination of all of these things with the joy of waking up every morning and being transported to this amazing world that I had discovered on my own. Pokémon was my secret show that no one else knew about. Whatever the reason behind why I fell in love with the series, it wasn’t long before its influence would introduce me to a whole new world that I had never knew existed.
Pokémon was my introduction to anime. Soon I discovered Japan, its culture, its history and an appreciation for one of its more famous forms of entertainment, tentacle porn!...I mean Anime! If it wasn’t for growing up with Pokémon I may never have discovered I had an appreciation for anime, and I never would have found dozens of other anime that would also become a part of who I am and how I think today. Whether it was developing the patience to enjoy watching a show that could take ten episodes for two guys to stand a couple meters from each other squatting and screaming their lungs out in Dragon Ball Z, unraveling the mystery of how a young boy got sucked into a video game and was forced to live his life inside the virtual world in the .hack// Sign series, or the joys of laughing so hard that I started to cry; only to be so emotionally moved a few moments later that I started to weep like a new born baby. With shows like Please Teacher! and Gundam Wing I had found an appreciation for a more matured form of anime that further cemented me in a culture that I was proud to be a part of and that I was never going to let go of.
Without Pokémon, I would not be here today writing this article and being a part of such a great friendly community of people. Even though I may believe the show is now a pale imitation of its greatness since its pinnacle during the first few season, I will always be thankful to Pokémon for how it changed my life, and for the influence those first seasons still have on my life. I honestly can’t imagine how my life may have turned out if it wasn’t for discovering the world of Pokémon that rainy early morning before I went off to school. For that reason alone Pokémon will always hold a special place in my heart as one of the best anime.
What was your introduction to Anime?
I didn't really get into anime until I saw DBZ and Sailor Moon on BKN before school in the late 90's. Then I rented this Akira thing.
I couldn't tell you what the first subtitled anime I saw was: it was probably something in an Otakon video room circa 2000.
Pokemon was definitely the first anime I ever went really crazy over (Jesse and James FTW), but I think the first anime I ever watched regularly might have been...
Woah, Samurai Pizza Cats is one of the most random yet potentially awesome things I have ever seen. That intro is way too long though.
Ranma 1/2
Pokemon at my friend's house was the first anime I saw as well. He had satellite TV and my parents didn't move onto satellite until the old antenna fell down when I was in 10th grade or so. I did get some of the Electric Tales of Pikachu manga though and the games. As for anime/manga even though I was introduced to it when I was around 10 or so I was a really casual fan until 16 or so.
As for Pokemon, my only interest in this was learning that HAYASHIBARA Megumi was one of the villain voices. As such, I've watched a few Japanese episodes. I have a few more I could blog on. Maybe I will if I feel up to it.