Hello there. How are you doin? Mimi's here.
Back in 2013, I made this little heartfelt post about how half of my heart had been returned to me. Well back then - I was talking about manga and anime. Skip ahead a couple of years later, I still give an update about it from time to time on 'My Anime Crossed-List' or what not. It was fun. I get to reminisce every time I read those post. I still haven't made My Annual Anime Crossed-List for 2020 yet, but that's a post for another day. Today, I'm going to tell you a little story...
This is a story on 'Why I Don't Considered Myself as A Weebo / Otaku'.
Before I let you read my story, I'm going to start off by give you a simple definition on those two terms I just used:
Weebo: Weebo's - or commonly misspelled, Weaboo - is an over obsessive fan of Japanese culture. They revolve their whole lives around anime and manga, usually with the main stream material.
Otaku: A young person who is obsessed with computers or particular aspects of popular culture (i.e: Anime and Manga) to the detriment of their social skills.
Let me be honest. It's 2021, and at 28 years old - I still watch anime and read manga in my spare time. But that's as far as my obsession goes; reading and binge watching. I didn't go online and shop for the merchandise, buying figurines, etc. For me, it's more about gathering the information and obtained new knowledge about a certain anime/manga series that I enjoyed, rather than owning some physical materials. Some people might have different opinion about this. They probably be thinking that I should be buying those merchandise to support the manga and anime industry, but I prefer to do it my own way. I'm happy every time I seen someone showing off their vast anime collection because I certainly won't be doing that since it requires time, money and dedication. But nobody should be left feeling embarrassed just because they don't have a huge collection. Everyone is allowed to enjoy their entertainment and support it in any way that they can.
For years, I been reading my manga and watching anime online. It's fast, cleaner, and totally a money saver. I can do it at the convenience of my bed, dining table, sofa or even toilet. With the advance of technology, nothing is off limits anymore and that's what I like about it. I don't think I will ever go back of watching anime on DVD's or Bluray ever again, but I won't deny how fun it was back then. I shall kept the memories I had made watching those anime with me for as long as I lived. However, this is not the reason why I made today's post. This is not going to be another heartfelt post from me. Today I want to tell you why in 5 different ways - I don't considered myself as a weebo/otaku.
1.) I Don't Owned That Many Anime/Manga Merchandise
Despite having watched over 200 anime's in my lifetime, I still don't own that many anime/manga merchandise. I guess the price of those merchandises and availability plays a huge part in this, though in all honestly - I never even bothered to look. It's doesn't help the fact that I decided to become a minimalist a few years ago, making any sort of collectables (albeit big or small) even harder. I have to consider and nitpick everything to be put into my collection. I guess that's why I don't have a single anime/manga merchandise in my room right now, and that's the way it shall remain.
2.) I Don't Go To Anime Conventions
I don't go to anime conventions because conventions are only good for three things; cosplaying, merchandises (that includes manga and DVD's), and finding like-minded-peeps who also like anime/manga. Guess what? I'm not looking for any of those things. If I want to see some cosplayer, I'll just go search for their pictures on the internet. But, what if I need an anime friend? Well, I had them a couple of years ago, but we're never discussing or even watching the same anime, so what's the point? These days if I needed an anime recommendation, I simply head over to anime forum on MAL or better yet; Youtube or Tik Tok. If those video aren't enough, I can always read the comment left by the viewers. Sometimes, their recommendation is even better than the video I watched. It's where you get the real shizz, anyways, in my opinion.
3.) I Don't Have a so-called 'Husbando's or 'Waifus'
Now that some hot topic among weebo/ otaku, I bet. Who's your husbando's or waifus in anime/manga? If this is K-pop land, an equivalent to this would be who's you bias? Do you like Jennie or Lisa in Blackpink? Is it Jimin or RM in BTS? The same goes with anime and manga. Only this time, your husbando's and waifu is actually about the anime/manga character that you like. I won't get on my high horse now by saying I never had one, but lately - I don't find it to be so important anymore. I see most of character in an anime/manga piece as an equal now that serves their own purpose (one way or another) and keep the story moving to the direction that mangaka (creator) needed it to be. I know some people might like one character better than the other and they can also get ridiculously protective about it. To me, I only wanted to enjoyed some good anime/manga, learn some lesson along the way, and move on to the next one without any previous attachment. That way I can enjoy more content without feeling so guilty about it.
4.) I Don't Spend My Entire Time Watching Anime or Manga
It might be hard to believe (*sarcastically*), but there's bigger world out there aside from anime/manga world. Hobbies comes in many shapes and sizes and I found it pitiful to spend all of my free time just by doing one thing. So, these days, I limit my anime binge only one week per month (sometimes every three months) and rotate it by doing other things. That way I could enjoy even more stuff and doesn't let any anime/manga to hold me down.
5.) I Have No Desire to Go To Japan (Solely For Anime/Manga)
I'm well-aware that Japan is the mecca for anime and manga. Everywhere you go, there's a chance you might stumble into anime/manga that you know or loved. There's this Detective Conan town that I'm sort of interested in and maybe several other anime attractions. Sure and yeah, they do sound like fun. Still, it not a strong enough reason to make me buy the ticket, packed my bags and go, you know? So what is the language barrier stopping me? Not really. I can read some hiragana and katakana, and although I don't speak fluent Japanese - I bet I can still muster a simple conversation. So what really is the problem here? Honestly, the only reason I don't really care to go to Japan is because I am not a fan of their food. Omurice? That's basically a fried rice wrapped with eggs to me so it's not that special. Sushi? Hell no cause I don't eat raw fish. What about curry rice then? Taste it before and its just meh to me. I can go for the dessert though, but how long will that sh*t last? Lol. So yeah, going to Japan solely for anime/manga reasons are unfathomable for me, but I'll certainly come for visit to see a different scene and learn some local history.
So there you have it. Those are the reason why I don't consider myself as a weebo/otaku. I'm not trying to tell people how to enjoy anime/manga, let alone shame anyone and say that I'm better than them - but as of late, this how I been enjoying it. I don't see if my ways to view it will change anytime soon.
Yours truly,
Mimi
