Why/when did Anime become mainstream in the U.S.?

[Sky High]

for me when Adult swim came around i started being able to stay up late at night. and coming off pokemon, digimon etc, i was ready for more adult stuff. and after watching an episode of Fullmetal Alchemist i was an instant fan.

[semaphore]

I do not find it surprising. I avoid conversations about it because the response would be obvious. But say for example someone were to just walk up to you and say "Hey, whats your favorite Nikki Minaj song?" How do you respond? I say "I don't know any" and I get the typical "Oh you dont like the same things I do? allow me to think you're weird". I didn't think that would be the case for something so obscured from U.S. culture like Anime, but it isn't so.

That's a flawed analogy. Asking anime questions in a gamer crowd is more like someone going up to you in a specialised country music shop in Nashville ans ask you what Taylor Swift song you like. It's not really the general population with a random someone walking up to you out of nowhere.

---------- Post added 2013-01-03 at 08:44 AM ----------

I personally don't like women in anime. There just seems to be a few set personalities they have. Shy girl/girl who pretends to be cat/angry girl/always cheerful girl.

You need to watch better anime then

[Remilia]

I do not find it surprising. I avoid conversations about it because the response would be obvious. But say for example someone were to just walk up to you and say "Hey, whats your favorite Nikki Minaj song?" How do you respond? I say "I don't know any" and I get the typical "Oh you dont like the same things I do? allow me to think you're weird". I didn't think that would be the case for something so obscured from U.S. culture like Anime, but it isn't so.

I find everyone weird. Except everyone has their own likes and dislikes. This isn't that odd.

I personally don't like women in anime. There just seems to be a few set personalities they have. Shy girl/girl who pretends to be cat/angry girl/always cheerful girl.

You're finding the wrong one, :P

[Al Gorefiend]

That's a flawed analogy. Asking anime questions in a gamer crowd is more like someone going up to you in a specialised country music shop in Nashville ans ask you what Taylor Swift song you like. It's not really the general population with a random someone walking up to you out of nowhere.

But this is the Internet, surely theres no better blend of people of completely different backgrounds/believes than here?

If that sounded sarcastic, it wasn't. And if it sounded completely stupid, than I guess it was sarcastic after all.

[LiiLoSNK]

If I'm not mistaken, an American that really likes anime is called an "Otaku".

It's not that mainstream in America. There are only a few otakus (like 3 over the last 7 years) I've met that actually watch it/read it and I'm constantly meeting people in school, at parties, at bars on the weekends.

[Chrysia]

[QUOTE=Humbugged;19675884]

That's a flawed analogy. Asking anime questions in a gamer crowd is more like someone going up to you in a specialised country music shop in Nashville ans ask you what Taylor Swift song you like. It's not really the general population with a random someone walking up to you out of nowhere./QUOTE]

But this is the Internet, surely theres no better blend of people of completely different backgrounds/believes than here?

If that sounded sarcastic, it wasn't. And if it sounded completely stupid, than I guess it was sarcastic after all.

This is a gaming site on the internet, however, and gaming/anime interests have a bit of overlap. They tend to involve fantasy of some form, and are both "time wasters."

[seije]

if i hadn't been introduced to -good- anime, i doubt i would have cared for it much. Luckily, though, i managed to stumble across Studio Ghibli movies, as well as Cowboy Bebop and GITS as some of the first anime i experienced. Not a fan of the unending, way-too-drawn-out-plot animes like DBZ or Naruto, however.

Over all, i don't think any less of someone that doesn't enjoy anime, but i do at least dare them to check out Princess Mononoke or Cowboy Bebop before they make their final judgments.

[DEATHETERNAL]

Because it is awsome (if it can keep its pants on that is).

[Henako]

It's really not mainstream. Not even a tiny little bit. Popularity is actually declining, from what I've read.

[semaphore]

But this is the Internet, surely theres no better blend of people of completely different backgrounds/believes than here?

On the internet in general? Sure. On an internet site devoted to gaming? No.

[LiiLoSNK]

On the internet in general? Sure. On an internet site devoted to gaming? No.

The off-topic forums are another story.

[Time Sage]

It's not mainstream. As an actual self declared otaku I can probably list a half dozen anime you've never heard of.

[Noujou]

i watch and the read the manga of both naruto and bleach...and i grew up with pokemon and digimon and watched some of the english dub of yugioh (4kids....*cringe*)....i was never much into anime until my friends told me "i should watch it"...watch some and was hooked quite frankly...its not mainstream though, although you'd be surprised the types of people that like it...not all of them are your stereotypical fat nerd guy with glasses :P....but all i really say is, to each their own, everyone likes different things

[Remilia]

The off-topic forums are another story.

Commonality of this forum is still gaming.

[cz75fan]

It's really not mainstream. Not even a tiny little bit. Popularity is actually declining, from what I've read.

Anime is seemingly growing in popularity. However, dvd and bluray sales are in the tank. That's due to Fan Subs out of Japan and the access of the episodes the day after they air in Japan.

[welcome2life]

It's really not mainstream. Not even a tiny little bit. Popularity is actually declining, from what I've read.

Sales figures are down and companies specialized in bringing series to the US are having a hard time surviving. I think it's probably still experiencing small growth it's just that many more people find it for free on the internet and watch it there rather than purchasing. Personally I haven't had the funds to purchase any series lately since I've started taking classes again, but when I was just working I purchased it frequently.

Edit: cz75fan beat me to it

[cz75fan]

It's not mainstream. As an actual self declared otaku I can probably list a half dozen anime you've never heard of.

No... you're not. Even if you wanted to be... you're not.

[Al Gorefiend]

On the internet in general? Sure. On an internet site devoted to gaming? No.

But since I play WoW, or talk about it quite a bit, people assume I'm a gamer and therefore I know everything about Zelda, Final Fantasy, Mario, Dragonball Z, Pokemon, Assassin's Creed... I know NOTHING about those games as I just don't play them. Am I expected to educate myself on these things to be a "proper gamer" or will I just never fit in with the kewl kidz?

[Time Sage]

No... you're not. Even if you wanted to be... you're not.

Play obscure games that are very japanse... Check
Watch anime no one's heard of... check
read manga no one's heard of, also check
Never leave the house? Double check.

[LiiLoSNK]

Commonality of this forum is still gaming.

It was supposed to be a joke sending the message of: "you'll never know what you're gonna read here!"