One of the best things about anime is that it exposes us to a lot of new ideas as it entertains us, literally opening up an isekai — another world — of experiences that can potentially influence us in positive ways. I asked J-List customers to share what they’ve learned from anime, and here’s our list of 16 things we have learned from anime.
It’s great when we can learn something new while enjoying our hobby. Show us something you’ve learned from anime!
Anime is Joshiraku. pic.twitter.com/RAac5ipCh1
— J-LIST (@jlist) May 27, 2020
While some anime provide light-hearted escapism about heroic battles fanservice, others have the complexity that can make it possible to really take inspiration from them. Sometimes I’ve observed this first-hand: my son got into K-On!, and asked me to buy him a guitar, which to my surprise he become very skilled at playing. He then got interested in the Yowamushi Pedal anime, about long-distance bicycling, and the next thing I know he’s joined his university cycling club and put in thousands of hours riding all around Japan, from Hokkaido to Shikoku.
I love the idea that somewhere in the world, someone has been inspired to enter the field of medicine or biology because of Cells at Work.
The hit anime Yuru Camp (Laid-Back Camp) showed the otaku world how much fun camping could be, either solo camping by yourself, or camping with a group of friends. The show went out of its way to explain the techniques of planning a successful camping trip, like how to light a fire, and how to avoid violating the rules of each campground.
The genre of “anime about cute girls getting into a new hobby” is really taking off. The Koisuru Asteroid anime allowed us to follow cute girls as they learned about astronomy and geology, Rifle is Beautiful taught us about the sport of competitive shooting, and Smile Down the Runway let us learn about the fashion world. In all of these cases, the series was made with the support of industry manufacturers whose products were shown on-screen, for example, Vixen telescopes in the first example. These shows become both a way for people to become interested in a new hobby as well as rallying points for existing fans.
Yama no Susume, a show about girls learning the joy of mountain climbing as a tool of self-improvement and to manage social anxiety issues, was a trail-blazer (sorry) in a lot of ways. It was the first show to test the super-short episode format, but it also delved deep into the world of mountain climbing gear, helping viewers learn what they’d need to learn before trying it themselves.
I’ve always been interested in the way anime otakus have a reputation for being introverted nerds…and yet there’s a whole lot of crossover with other hobbies, like the high number of “brotakus” who love to watch anime yet also love hitting the gym. One show that taught us a lot about how to get healthier was How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?
Obviously, Sailor Moon was an important moment in the history of anime, but I believe it actually helped make the world a better place in 2020. Melding the sentai and magical girl genres into a show that both boys and girls could enjoy on an equal footing, the series was also the first exposure a lot of people had to alternate sexual relationships, the “cousins with benefits” Haruka and Michiru.
Someone commented, “Sailor Moon taught me that it was okay to be feminine and have great domestic skills, yet be incredibly strong, too.”
Another commenter said, “I’m so glad I got into anime because, without it, I shudder to think what a bigoted, racist person I might have grown up to be, with only the influence of my family around me at the time.” I thought it was an interesting insight.
What’s the most enlightening thing you’ve seen in anime? Mewtwo really blew some minds in this scene.
Another piece of wisdom that teaches us the importance of having empathy in our human relationships. It makes so much sense, yet most of us don’t practice this as often as we should.
Sometimes you can feel the creators are trying to pass on advice based on their own experiences to viewers through their works.
Another very reasonable bit of wisdom from anime!
Another example of things we’ve learned from anime is this quote from Evangelion.
Another important thing to keep in mind. Always keep reality and fantasy separate!
What have you learned from the current anime season? I’ve learned a lot about survival.
Sauce is Sounan Desu Ka? pic.twitter.com/BGNhulnqIW
— J-LIST (@jlist) September 28, 2019
Thanks for reading our list of 16 things we’ve learned from anime. Got any other examples? Post them below, or share them with us on Twitter!
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