Anime Fandom Posted Nov 18, 2016
How anime fandom has created one of the world's biggest yet most tightly knit communities
The anime community is one of the world’s largest subcultures and fandoms. In addition, the community is known for being particularly tightly knit, but also inviting to newcomers. So how does the anime community achieve this? Let us have a look at some of the contributing factors that make the anime fandom the best ever.
While many people like anime worldwide, it can often be thought of as a ‘weird’ or ‘geeky’ hobby as it is not very much a popular hobby in mainstream popular culture. Sci-fi, fantasy, and comic books have all become mainstream nowadays and while anime is much more popular than it used to be it’s still not as mainstream as it could be. There aren’t nearly as many wide theater released anime films as there are superhero films or sci-fi films. Therefore, many anime fans may not have any other friends who enjoy anime in their immediate geographic locale. As a result of this, many anime fans go online to find like-minded people who share their love for anime. Anime is very much the same as other tight knit online communities such as real money online bingo games that bring people together and allow them to chat through an online chat feature.
I saw and heard a lot of bingo being played while on my most recent vacation; whole families would get together and have a whole bunch of bingo cards in front of them and get so excited when their numbers would come up. It was fun to watch and listen to while I sat nearby reading my book. By the way, anime trope bingo is a great party game to play when having an anime get-together in real life. But I digress....
There are many anime based message boards, such as MyAnimeList as well as the Anime board on IGN, that are at the center of the anime fandom. These message boards act as a centralized location for anime fans from all over the world to come together and discuss various anime related topics together.
In addition to anime related topics, these message boards also provide a place for members of the community, who share a certain ethos, to discuss other topics, such as current affairs, music, as well as casual discussions. This allows for a greater sense of community due to increased social engagement. While many friends within the anime fandom may not know each other in real life, the bonds they forge online are very much real and as strong as people who see regularly in real life. The fact that many anime fans may find it hard to connect to people they meet in real life due to their diverse interests, could also explain with the anime community has become incredibly tight knit and defined by its closeness. However, this closeness does not mean that the community is experienced as cliquey to newcomers. In fact, the anime fandom is especially welcoming to new members, as they know that everyone was once new themselves.
Aside from their huge online presence, people in the anime fandom can often be found at geek culture conventions, where there is often cosplaying competitions. Many people who love anime also enjoy cosplaying as it is something fun to do and allows you to express your love for a certain anime character. Many people within the anime fandom meet at these events and become lifelong friends. It is not uncommon for people who make friends within the fandom to organize their cosplaying outfits to match – for example, all cosplaying characters from Sailor Moon.
