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Endless Soul · 2011-06-15, 12:37

Like many others have stated before, my anime appreciation has probably changed as I got older.

Growing up I remember running home from school so I could watch shows like Speed Racer, Starblazers and Battle of the Planets. However I didn't recognize them as anime for many years.

Then, in 1985, along came Robotech, or more specifially the Macross Saga. It was quite a slap in the face and dealt with some really heavy stuff, especially compared with other cartoons of the day such as Voltron and G.I. Joe. This show had an actual story.

Spoiler for Plot Points:

This was unheard of in those days, especially in a cartoon. I still remember the shocked numbness I felt after watching the episode Bye Bye Big Brother. This show was clearly a cut above anything else available on American TV at the time.

In those days there was no internet, I actually had to go places to learn things. In my case I started going to the Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention (when it was still held at the Ambassador Hotel, which has long since been torn down) to start collecting Macross related stuff such as books and many, many models (some of which I still have). It was then that I learned that this wasn't a cartoon, but anime, and there were several other shows of equal quality. I don't really want to say it, because I strongly dislike Harmony Gold (I try very hard not to use the word "hate" in my life), however it was because of them that I became a fan of anime and I actively looked for anime.

Throughout the years I collected various other titles as much as I could (remember, there was still no internet so I had to find titles through video stores in Little Tokyo or the aforementioned convention). Akira, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, and various Miyazaki Hayao movies. I have others, but I can't remember them right now. Yet through most of the 90's and early millenium years anime fell by the wayside for me. Not so much that I lost appreciation for them, but more because I didn't have time. I worked a lot, I dated a bunch of girls until I finally found the right girl and married her. (turns out she was a huge Chobits fan and collector)

My interest in anime was rekindled with the release of Macross Zero. A lot of stuff had changed over the years, especially how anime was created with the use of computers. I know my join date says May 2011, but I found AnimeSuki around 2005. I've since discovered dozens of titles that I like.

Now I am nearing the age of 43 and I don't think I'll ever find something that affected me as much as Macross did all those years ago, and still does to some degree. I certainly don't go out of my way to collect merchanise like I used to. My tastes seems to have changed as well. These days I seem to collect more comedies than anything else although I do get some dramas. Detroit Metal City was a riot as was shows like Kamen no Maid Guy. This season I'm watching shows like Softenni, Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko and AnoHana. I find myself having less "Wow, that totally ruled!" reactions to shows and having a lot more "I can relate to that" and "That was beautiful" reactions.

EDIT: (somehow this got posted before I was finished typing. I guess i hit the wrong key!)

I have a four year old daughter now and she loves Miyazaki's Castle in the Sky.

Spoiler for More Plot Points:

Perhaps in the future she will become an anime fan.

2011-06-15, 12:37	Link #51
Endless Soul Megane girl fan Join Date: May 2011 Location: Diagonally parked in a parallel universe. Age: 55	Like many others have stated before, my anime appreciation has probably changed as I got older. Growing up I remember running home from school so I could watch shows like Speed Racer, Starblazers and Battle of the Planets. However I didn't recognize them as anime for many years. Then, in 1985, along came Robotech, or more specifially the Macross Saga. It was quite a slap in the face and dealt with some really heavy stuff, especially compared with other cartoons of the day such as Voltron and G.I. Joe. This show had an actual story. Spoiler for Plot Points: People died. Main characters died. The Earth was devastated in a matter of seconds. The "bad guys" were really bad guys. This was unheard of in those days, especially in a cartoon. I still remember the shocked numbness I felt after watching the episode Bye Bye Big Brother. This show was clearly a cut above anything else available on American TV at the time. In those days there was no internet, I actually had to go places to learn things. In my case I started going to the Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention (when it was still held at the Ambassador Hotel, which has long since been torn down) to start collecting Macross related stuff such as books and many, many models (some of which I still have). It was then that I learned that this wasn't a cartoon, but anime, and there were several other shows of equal quality. I don't really want to say it, because I strongly dislike Harmony Gold (I try very hard not to use the word "hate" in my life), however it was because of them that I became a fan of anime and I actively looked for anime. Throughout the years I collected various other titles as much as I could (remember, there was still no internet so I had to find titles through video stores in Little Tokyo or the aforementioned convention). Akira, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, and various Miyazaki Hayao movies. I have others, but I can't remember them right now. Yet through most of the 90's and early millenium years anime fell by the wayside for me. Not so much that I lost appreciation for them, but more because I didn't have time. I worked a lot, I dated a bunch of girls until I finally found the right girl and married her. (turns out she was a huge Chobits fan and collector) My interest in anime was rekindled with the release of Macross Zero. A lot of stuff had changed over the years, especially how anime was created with the use of computers. I know my join date says May 2011, but I found AnimeSuki around 2005. I've since discovered dozens of titles that I like. Now I am nearing the age of 43 and I don't think I'll ever find something that affected me as much as Macross did all those years ago, and still does to some degree. I certainly don't go out of my way to collect merchanise like I used to. My tastes seems to have changed as well. These days I seem to collect more comedies than anything else although I do get some dramas. Detroit Metal City was a riot as was shows like Kamen no Maid Guy. This season I'm watching shows like Softenni, Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko and AnoHana. I find myself having less "Wow, that totally ruled!" reactions to shows and having a lot more "I can relate to that" and "That was beautiful" reactions. EDIT: (somehow this got posted before I was finished typing. I guess i hit the wrong key!) I have a four year old daughter now and she loves Miyazaki's Castle in the Sky. Spoiler for More Plot Points: It always makes me smile as she tells the story of how Sheeta fell from the sky and Pazu catches her. Perhaps in the future she will become an anime fan. Last edited by Endless Soul; 2011-06-15 at 14:31. Reason: I wasn't done yet!