Telling someone you like Anime

[Todd]

I love anime. Hence, why I'm here. But, I've always been afraid to tell someone I like anime. I've told a few friends before once, and they made fun of me for it. I told them I liked Naruto and all they did was laugh. So since then, no one knows that I watch anime. I don't tell anyone unfortunatley. My Dad HATED when I watched Naruto and put on my officialy Naruto headband on. He said that crap is stupid. This is the only place where I can fully enjoy anime with other people who are just as enthusiastic about it as I am. I only have 1 friend that likes anime. So always talk to him about it. There is an Anime Club at school but if anyone knew I was in it they'd make fun of me (which I'm afraid of :P). I've always been scared of people knowing I watch anime. People look down on it I guess.

So my questions are:
Have you ever been afraid of anyone knowing you like and watch anime? Or have yuo told the World and not cared what people think about you?

If you're the second one, then I'm jealous of you. I wish I didn't care but I do. And if you guys could give me some tips on how to not let people get to me like this I'd appreciate it. Thanks fellow anime lovers! ^_^

[X e Y U Z i O]

I could honestly care less what people think of me, there is an anime club in my school but all they talk is about Naruto, Bleach, etc which I don't like so I stopped attending. I always tell people I like anime and I usually get two responses "You mean those chineses shows" and then I tell them it's Japanese and the other is like "You watch animated pr0n" and I say "Not all anime isn't hentai, only a few" and I leave the rest to them.

[aether]

I have a few friends that like anime so its alright but for most others I just tell em nothing just to avoid the redicule

[Rainbow Crash]

I would laugh at you too if you said you liked Naruto....................... No really.. I would.

All that aside. I don't care who knows I like anime. All the "jocks" and "popular" girls know and I still talk to them. Actually rather than people laughing at me about it it's more of just shock because I don't seem like someone who would. I've edged into a few conversations with the nerdy people at my school and they were just like "you know what that is?" I guess it's because anime doesn't strictly label me. I'm so much more than someone who likes anime that I don't really care and neither does anyone else.

[aether]

I see

[sasu_girl]

i'm in anime club and i wear the t-shirt that goes along with it. so, no xD

people even know i'm a yaoi and yuri fangirl ._.

[aether]

Never heard of yaori and yuri

[sasu_girl]

Never heard of yaori and yuri

yaoi=gay anime
yuri=lesbian anime

although technically i'm more shoujo and shounen ai but that's being nitpickie >.>

[Penshiru]

My friend: * Sees my Kenshin DVDS* You like anime?
Me: Yeah I like some anime
My friend: ugh! how can you like anime?
Me: Because last time I checked I can like whatever I want

When the topic comes up I don't mind saying I like anime. I really don't care. Other people can judge me all they want it doesn't bother me.

[aether]

yaoi=gay anime
yuri=lesbian anime

although technically i'm more shoujo and shounen ai but that's being nitpickie >.>

I never knew that, guess you do learn something new everyday

[Todd]

I could honestly care less what people think of me, there is an anime club in my school but all they talk is about Naruto, Bleach, etc which I don't like so I stopped attending. I always tell people I like anime and I usually get two responses "You mean those chineses shows" and then I tell them it's Japanese and the other is like "You watch animated pr0n" and I say "Not all anime isn't hentai, only a few" and I leave the rest to them.

Same here. Whe people learned I liked it they said, "you mean those stupid asian shows?" It just gets annoying...

[animeyay]

I've been making real life friends through anime/games/Japanese culture.
Actually, right now I can't think of one good friend of mine who's not been exposed to at least one of the three I just named. =D

[Avi-chan]

I couldn't care less what others think about me liking anime.....It's my life and I love it just the way it is!
I prefer watching anime rather than talking to those who don't want to wach it.

[TenguSan]

well yeah i am afraid to say it.. i only mention it if it comes up. and if the person has a problem with it, well then i guess they aren't a friend afterall.

[Todd]

I would laugh at you too if you said you liked Naruto....................... No really.. I would.

Ummmmmmm....... thanks?

[Ericgamer1]

Anime is (shockingly enough) actually pretty mainstream in Tucson, so not really.

[SuXrys]

Oh! Im EXACTLY like you! Even if im regular a person that stands for my opinions and always speaks what's on my mind without being afraid at all, I just can't make myself to be completly honest about this. I just .. oh I don't know. Even if I feel a little afraid of what people would think about this if I actually were honest, I can at the same time feel that's it's weird since Im so open with so many other opinons that is much more ... "hard to chew" than this one. I don't really know why I feel this "afraid" with liking anime. My closest family knows but then besides them almost no one else...

And it's nothing wrong with liking Naruto! I like that you like Naruto!

[Feferi]

Honestly no one really cares if I like anime. I hardly show it and to be honest I don't like anime so much as before. I have maybe a 20% interest in anime. Whatever~ plus no one can tell that I like anime unless they ask.
Oh, I'll be honest with everyone on this: anime kind of ruined a bit of my life. No clue why. lol Maybe is the silly anime fans who irritated me on trying to be Asian. :/

[Wio]

I like Naruto. It's an enjoyable show. It delivers.

Yet, I don't really watch anime. I only read manga these days.

[Hideki Motosuwa.]

You shouldn't care what others think. If you like anime, and it makes you happy, then embrace it. If a person laughs, or makes fun of you, you know that they either don't know much about anime, or secretly like it themselves.


Anyways, I was and still am not shy about liking anime. No, I don't belong to any anime clubs. There's like only one that I know of in my college, and I personally don't think I'd get along with the people there. No offense, even though I'm a very open person, I'm still shy. Besides, since I'm Asian, people automatically assume I like anime. I help spread anime to other people by wearing a Haruhi shirt and share a few titles with a friend or two lol.

[Souhi]

I was an enormous anime fan for most of my highschool life, but I'm mostly a manga nut now. Luckily I found a lot of fanatics on AF that have become my closest friends over the years and was able to outlet my obsessions and rants with them for the longest time. In my daily life I didn't go shouting my fandom from mountaintops but I never hid it either. . I'm actually surprised I wasn't teased for it more often, not that I'd care. Anime/manga never really caught on in my area.

I have no shame though. Seriously. Have some pride in your hobbies. I find it's more of a majority thing. I remember droves of people in high school that raved on about their One Tree Hills and their O.C.s. And even now on campus, fanatical screaming about Jersey Shore and Glee is abundant. Mention a mangaka's newest work or some new event in the industry and you get blank stares. That's fine. I have people to blab about it to.

[Todd]

You shouldn't care what others think. If you like anime, and it makes you happy, then embrace it. If a person laughs, or makes fun of you, you know that they either don't know much about anime, or secretly like it themselves.


Anyways, I was and still am not shy about liking anime. No, I don't belong to any anime clubs. There's like only one that I know of in my college, and I personally don't think I'd get along with the people there. No offense, even though I'm a very open person, I'm still shy. Besides, since I'm Asian, people automatically assume I like anime. I help spread anime to other people by wearing a Haruhi shirt and share a few titles with a friend or two lol.

People don't make fun of me because they don't know I watch it. I do my best to conceal that I like it. And I've never been part of the anime club, but I've seen the people that I know that like anime and I honestly don't think I'd enjoy talking about anime with them. And I've talked with people who make fun of them and it's bad. So I've never really told anyone. And what helps us that I don't look like the type of guy that would watch it. But luckily I have a friend who likes anime that I can talk with.

I have no shame though. Seriously. Have some pride in your hobbies. I find it's more of a majority thing. I remember droves of people in high school that raved on about their One Tree Hills and their O.C.s. And even now on campus, fanatical screaming about Jersey Shore and Glee is abundant. Mention a mangaka's newest work or some new event in the industry and you get blank stares. That's fine. I have people to blab about it to.

I do have pride in it. It's just that I don't tell anyone about it. And that whole jersey shore and glee thing is hilarious and so true.

[AVAlution]

Anime is something I like to watch alone in my spare time. I'm not the kind of person that shares the things I like with most people (not only anime) so most of the people I know don't know I watch it. If someone brings it up around me, I won't deny or hide the fact that I watch it because I don't see it as something to be shy about.. it is an interest. Some people like hockey, some people like chocolate ice cream, some like anime. Your real friends shouldn't judge you or laugh because it shouldn't matter what you are in to.

[Rainbow Crash]

Ummmmmmm....... thanks?

Telling an anime fan you like Naruto = Telling a talented musician you like Justin Beiber.

So thanks not received. But that's just how I see things. No hard feelings.

[Harmonics]

I could honestly care less what people think of me, there is an anime club in my school but all they talk is about Naruto, Bleach, etc which I don't like so I stopped attending. I always tell people I like anime and I usually get two responses "You mean those chineses shows" and then I tell them it's Japanese and the other is like "You watch animated pr0n" and I say "Not all anime isn't hentai, only a few" and I leave the rest to them.

^ This.

My friend: * Sees my Kenshin DVDS* You like anime?
Me: Yeah I like some anime
My friend: ugh! how can you like anime?
Me: Because last time I checked I can like whatever I want

When the topic comes up I don't mind saying I like anime. I really don't care. Other people can judge me all they want it doesn't bother me.

^ And this.

I just tell them "yes, I love anime, now beat it. You're distrupting my anime time". =)