When Astroboy debuted on American televisions in 1964, it started a revolution that has never been seen in TV history. Here was a different kind of cartoon, one that endeared itself to people of all ages. It was not just for kids; it appealed to adults as well – a robot boy with a powerful computer mind and a heart of gold. The creator, Osamu Tezuka, never expected this kind of reception from audiences. It was a far cry from the cartoons that have been shown in Japan or the US. The name coined for this type of cartoon was anime.

The History of Anime

Decades later, the viewership of anime has exponentially grown to include people of all ages and backgrounds. Anime is a unique style of animation originating from Japan that features colorful graphics and illustrates dynamic characters in fantastic situations. Manga refers to comics and graphic novels with similar characters and aimed at adults as well as children. 

There are many ways to access your preferred anime and manga. The most convenient way is to go to a niche streaming site and watch your favorite anime online. You can still reach out to a comic store and buy your preferred anime titles – once the most popular method. Today, watching online is more convenient. 

In recent years, anime has exploded all around the world. According to a survey done by the Nippon Research Center, 33% of the people in Japan have stated that they often watch anime or read manga. Outside Japan, the United States consumes more anime than any other country. It beat out its closest rival, the Philippines. The most popular in the US are Naruto: Shippuden, One Piece, Dragonball Z, Naruto, and My Hero Academia. 

The Universal Factor

We discovered several reasons why kids and adults like watching anime. It is mainly because of the passion of the characters involved in the stories. Also, the unique approach to each story entices fans to binge-watch the series at every opportunity. Unlike cartoons of an earlier age, these characters have interesting and somewhat realistic backstories. 

For non-Japanese fans, it is an opportunity to learn more about Japanese culture – which is seen as exotic in the US and other western countries. It must be remembered that Japan has been closed to other countries for 220 years. Japanese culture has been a mystery to some westerners from the mid-17th century to the mid-19th century. 

The Japanese Heritage

If you watch anime, you will agree that food is an important part of anime. Fans get to learn different Japanese food and, sometimes, how they are cooked. In Naruto, his favorite food is ramen, and he eats it as often as he can. In Ranma one-half, you learn about a dish called Okonomiyaki. In Pokemon, we can see a type of rice ball called Onigiri. 

Anime is not just about entertainment. Often, there are lessons to the story that fans are not likely to miss. There are many stories in anime where hard work, patience, and teamwork are rewarded. In most cases, arrogant characters and bullies get their deserved punishment at the end of the story. Not being grateful to your parents will lead to regret when they suddenly die. Those are valuable life lessons that every fan learns when watching. 

It does not matter if you are watching anime from a niche streaming site, or a DVD set bought from a store. The satisfaction that you get when watching your favorite characters has no equal. It takes you to a world you have never even dreamed of belonging to and introduces you to friends who were just conceived in somebody’s imagination.