Outrage Culture on Social Media: Anime Edition

For better or worse, social media is as ubiquitous as your favorite works. Though as J-List’s own Peter Payne has shown, it’s not without some hitches, such as how certain anime blogs manipulate fans in the name of “engagement.” Would it surprise you that what he described on Facebook is just the tip of the iceberg? Chances are, no, and you might have seen some of these “hot takes” and fearmongering posts out in the wild.

On the one hand are the proverbial “usual suspects”: the ones who make various comments about how “problematic” a certain work is, how it’s offensive to certain people, or patronizing remarks about Japan “improving” its representation. Twitter alone has no shortage of such ludicrous takes, from random activists complaining about Redo of Healer or Spy x Family to misinformed comments decrying sexism in Japanese media for the nth time, especially from those who ought to know better. And as I’ve covered previously regarding Onsen Musume, this is neither exclusive to one side of the Pacific, nor something that could just be handwaved away as hot air, when such comments could lead to censorship, harassment, or worse.

Inevitably, Twitter (and YouTube) have no shortage of those pushing back against such outrage. Some, however, go above and beyond to drive that point home, ironically by fueling outrage of their own. The tendency instead is to present an image of anime and manga under perpetual siege from hostile Western interlopers, if not on the verge of bending the knee to “wokeness” or whatever is deemed “problematic” by such posters. You’d be forgiven for thinking that this has become an overcorrection that’s outstaying its welcome.

This extends to those jumping onto hearsay to cast judgement, even before there’s any clarity on the matter. Case in point, recent allegations that Weekly Shonen Jump was “getting rid of all ecchi manga” have been stoking fears in some parts of social media of widespread censorship being imminent and of creative freedoms being taken away in Japan. That the original Japanese source is from an anonymous thread that only exists in archived form, and the fact that such claims have been made for years (with varying degrees of seriousness), hasn’t stopped fearmongering or outright panic.

This isn’t to downplay the legitimate concerns underpinning at least a sizable chunk of such takes. The rationales and politics may differ greatly, yet regardless of which “side” they’re on, some ironic parallels emerge. Still, why do they do it?

• For some, it’s much as Peter has already brought up: click-bait. Whether for financial gain or personal clout, the old saying “if it leads, it bleeds” remains as true as ever. What are a few bad takes, or outright manufactured outrage, when compared to all the clicks and views you could get?
• For others, there’s a warped sense of conviction factored into the picture. There are those out there who think that they’re doing it out of “love”, whether for Japanese culture or a desire to see it improve. And anyone who says otherwise has to be a bigot or a fake fan… right?

It’s thus unsurprising that such content on social media is fostering a self-fulfilling prophecy of near-constant outrage within certain circles. Whether it’s “woke vs. anti-woke”, “everything is problematic vs. everything is on fire”, or some variation of saving the Japanese from themselves, it can feel as though it’s almost designed to prime angry mobs for the next hot take. As hilariously hyperbolic as some of it can be, it can also be toxic, if not horribly defeatist. It can even make you wonder whether those pushing these even enjoy anything anymore.

All that being said, it’s not a zero-sum game. The best response to outrage culture isn’t so much to ignore it, but rather to remember that there’s much more in anime and fandom than just the latest controversy or drama. A little empathy as well can go a long way, not just to creators or other fans, but even to erstwhile enemies. Not everyone out there hates you, and chances are, the other guy might just think the same way. Still, how do you think this conundrum be resolved?