By Heather Kittle
The year is 2021; Donald Trump, a millionaire reality tv star, has almost been out of presidential office for a year, we’re in our second year of a deadly pandemic that people still think is a hoax, two obscenely wealthy men raced to see who could get to space first by building their rocket ships, and anime is cool. Now, 20 years ago, if you asked me to guess what’s the lie and what’s the truth, I wouldn’t believe any were the truth. But being that it’s currently 2021, I now know that they all are true, and my 15-year-old self would be very confused to hear any of this.
You see, anime, when I was younger, was considered something only the weird kids watched. The kids whose fingerless gloves constantly brushed the black swoop of hair from their eyes, the ones who wore faux tails safety-pinned to their pants and headbands with ears proudly displayed atop their heads as they hissed and rawr’ed at anyone who looked at them. They lugged around these ‘comics’ that came in book form and had t-shirts with strange cartoon-Esq characters on them. But now, it doesn’t seem very easy to tell who belongs in this subgenre of beings. This nestles of nerds, this menagerie of misfits. Because, seemingly, anime is cool now? Or should I say, anime has found its way into the mainstream of the American media and into the hearts of many Gen Z’ers while also rekindling something in millennials many tried to contribute to a ‘phase.’ (It’s not a phase, mom!)
Why now, though? How did this happen? When did it begin to shift into some alternative reality I was never fully prepared for? That could easily be attributed to celebrities’ influence over the general population. Stars/influencers such as Kim Kardashian, Michael B. Jordan, and Billie Eilish have all made separate comments praising anime and, in some instances, contributing to anime as a creative influence on their art. Jordan himself even collaborated with COACH to create a line of apparel inspired by Naruto.
Another contributor, many could say, would be the decline of scheduled television and the rise of streaming services. This made it easier for many to be turned on to anime in a controlled setting while also realizing the vast number of anime genres. Not only did streaming services like Netflix and Hulu house such shows, but anime-specific services such as Crunchyroll and Funimation also rolled out. They brought forth the underground and niche animes to a broader audience. Paid subscribers for both services have seen a significant increase in recent years, and Funimation has recently purchased their competitor Crunchyroll for $1.175 billion.
Now, I know the initial question was, “Is anime cool now?” But honestly, no, I don’t think it is. I think anime has always been cool, and others are just more so recently coming around to that fact. And to the OG fans of anime, sorry for what you dealt with from your peers, you were right, mostly. And to the new fans, it’s going to be great, and weird, and confusing, but it’s so worth it. Shinzou Wo Sasageyo!
