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TinyRedLeaf · 2016-03-23, 14:36

I think it's been argued before in this forum that there's no such thing as a "golden age" for anime. Selection bias is a factor, so in effect, almost any given period could be called a golden age.

It's true that I have phased in and out of anime at various times, from my childhood through early adulthood. The period from 2006 to 2008 was my most recent peak, when I was drawn in by shows such as Mushishi, Kino no Tabi and Seirei no Moribito and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. So, this period was my "golden age", a time when I was surprised to find a variety of mature socio-political themes in TV anime.

But with the benefit of hindsight, I now realise that such titles have always been a minority among TV anime, and the business, as a whole, is simply not geared towards older adult audiences. Movie anime is a different beast altogether, thanks to bigger budgets and production timelines, so I don't usually compare them against TV anime.

At this point, I should clarify that it's most definitely not my intention to denigrate anime by pointing out that it's largely meant for kids — that's merely me pointing out the obvious. There's fun and joy to be found in children's entertainment too (I greatly enjoyed Disney's Zootopia, for example). And I have peers who remain staunchly dedicated to their Marvel/DC comics, even after all these years.

But in my case, there are things that I do just for fun, and there are other, deeper things that I actively look out for from my long-term hobbies. And most TV anime, I'm afraid to say, doesn't provide what I'm looking for. So, yes, I can confidently say that I've "grown out" of anime.

2016-03-23, 14:36	Link #530
TinyRedLeaf Moving in circles Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Singapore Age: 49	I think it's been argued before in this forum that there's no such thing as a "golden age" for anime. Selection bias is a factor, so in effect, almost any given period could be called a golden age. It's true that I have phased in and out of anime at various times, from my childhood through early adulthood. The period from 2006 to 2008 was my most recent peak, when I was drawn in by shows such as Mushishi, Kino no Tabi and Seirei no Moribito and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. So, this period was my "golden age", a time when I was surprised to find a variety of mature socio-political themes in TV anime. But with the benefit of hindsight, I now realise that such titles have always been a minority among TV anime, and the business, as a whole, is simply not geared towards older adult audiences. Movie anime is a different beast altogether, thanks to bigger budgets and production timelines, so I don't usually compare them against TV anime. At this point, I should clarify that it's most definitely not my intention to denigrate anime by pointing out that it's largely meant for kids — that's merely me pointing out the obvious. There's fun and joy to be found in children's entertainment too (I greatly enjoyed Disney's Zootopia, for example). And I have peers who remain staunchly dedicated to their Marvel/DC comics, even after all these years. But in my case, there are things that I do just for fun, and there are other, deeper things that I actively look out for from my long-term hobbies. And most TV anime, I'm afraid to say, doesn't provide what I'm looking for. So, yes, I can confidently say that I've "grown out" of anime.