Am i a weeaboo?: the difference between anime fans and weeaboos
Yesterday, I read these stories about obsessive weeaboos, and rather enjoyed them, so I read some more today. Rather than enjoying them this time, it got me thinking. "I want to start an anime club. What if the people in my club turn out like that? What if I AM ONE?"
That last sentence made me close the tab I was watching A Certain Magical Index on, I was so ashamed. I wish I could've finished the episode, but I was too scared to keep watching, scared I am one of them. The Weeaboos.
I actually went through a weeaboo phase last summer. I went to a summer camp and met these girls that really liked anime (back in the days when all I'd watch was Bleach). We learned some basic Japanese from a counselor that spoke it (I actually learned Japanese before watching subbed anime lol) and that's what got me interested in Japan. The only way I could keep in touch with these girls was through Instagram (this was before I had an email), so I made one.
Rule #1: If you go on instagram to talk about anime, you will most likely be talking to weeaboos.
After following these girls, I followed other people who were anime fans. They would always put these hashtags in their posts: #anime #kawaii
I began doing the same. Eventually, instagram wasn't for my friends, but rather A CESSPOOL OF WEEABOOS .
They called themselves "Otakus". I did the same. They posted all sorts of pictures of the big three, random anime characters that looked cool, but the weebs had no idea what anime they were from. I did this as well. I actually posted a picture of Tomoyo from Clannad, crying, and I tagged it with #anime #animeboy #sad #sadanime #crying. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO HE WAS. That was probably the most embarrassing thing I did as a weeaboo. (BTW, my username was @ilovejapan9590. How weeby!XD)
Fortunately, that phase ended when I watched this YouTube video called: Sh*t Otakus say. The video actually described weeaboos, but whatever. That made me consider a few things. I changed my instagram account to a Pokemon and Yugioh fanpage (@Animonsterfanpage, to be deleted later.) and I stopped watching anime (Maybe that's because I was so weeby I thought dubs sucked, but yet I was too lazy to watch with subtitles). I gave up on anime until a friend of mine wanted to get into anime. I told him FMA would be good for him.
Because of him, I decided I should watch anime again.
I got back into anime with Hellsing Ultimate. Boy was that an AMAZING choice. I watched 2 episodes in a row (keep in mind that Ultimate has 45 minute episodes) even though I have no attention span. It was official. I still loved anime. I realized something. Anime is a medium, not a genre. It is just like normal movies and TV, just animated. It's not a gift from God. Just another way to watch TV and movies.
Here is where I will explain:
A weeaboo is like what I used to be, except WAY crazier. At least I had enough decency to act normal in public. Anyways, Weeaboos usually:
⦁ Are obsessed with Japan. EX: My old Instagram username
⦁ Say random Japanese phrases in English sentences (Usually wrongly) Ex: That dog is so kawaii desu! (Desu is basically the Japanese equivalent of is, so they just used a double negative.), Laura-chan, hurry up!
⦁ Want to be called by a Japanese name (I used to want to be called Mariko by my friends during my weeb phase. Ugghh. I can't believe I was able to keep them)
⦁ Don't give a shit about their education (When I was in my weeaboo phase, I got way lower grades than I usually do. Thankfully, I'm good at school, or my mom would've shot me.)
⦁ Cosplay in public places. (Cons or Halloween don't count as public)
⦁ Freak out when you have any anime related object. EX: OMGZ YOU WATCH ANIME TOO?!!! Normal anime fan: Oh cool. You watch anime too?
⦁ All they want to talk about is anime or Japan.
⦁ Only watch popular anime/shonen. I love shonen. Who doesn't? After all some of the anime greats like Code Geass, Death Note, Gurren Lagann, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Yu Yu Hakusho are shonens. But these people only watch the popular shonen. Sure they may have watched a couple of the greats like FMA, but their favorites are the big 3. Or Kuroshitsuji. Talk about a *shit* taste.
That's what a weeaboo basically is. Sure they will be different, after all, humans are all different.
I hope you enjoyed this blog/rant/whatever.
That last sentence made me close the tab I was watching A Certain Magical Index on, I was so ashamed. I wish I could've finished the episode, but I was too scared to keep watching, scared I am one of them. The Weeaboos.
I actually went through a weeaboo phase last summer. I went to a summer camp and met these girls that really liked anime (back in the days when all I'd watch was Bleach). We learned some basic Japanese from a counselor that spoke it (I actually learned Japanese before watching subbed anime lol) and that's what got me interested in Japan. The only way I could keep in touch with these girls was through Instagram (this was before I had an email), so I made one.
Rule #1: If you go on instagram to talk about anime, you will most likely be talking to weeaboos.
After following these girls, I followed other people who were anime fans. They would always put these hashtags in their posts: #anime #kawaii
I began doing the same. Eventually, instagram wasn't for my friends, but rather A CESSPOOL OF WEEABOOS .
They called themselves "Otakus". I did the same. They posted all sorts of pictures of the big three, random anime characters that looked cool, but the weebs had no idea what anime they were from. I did this as well. I actually posted a picture of Tomoyo from Clannad, crying, and I tagged it with #anime #animeboy #sad #sadanime #crying. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO HE WAS. That was probably the most embarrassing thing I did as a weeaboo. (BTW, my username was @ilovejapan9590. How weeby!XD)
Fortunately, that phase ended when I watched this YouTube video called: Sh*t Otakus say. The video actually described weeaboos, but whatever. That made me consider a few things. I changed my instagram account to a Pokemon and Yugioh fanpage (@Animonsterfanpage, to be deleted later.) and I stopped watching anime (Maybe that's because I was so weeby I thought dubs sucked, but yet I was too lazy to watch with subtitles). I gave up on anime until a friend of mine wanted to get into anime. I told him FMA would be good for him.
Because of him, I decided I should watch anime again.
I got back into anime with Hellsing Ultimate. Boy was that an AMAZING choice. I watched 2 episodes in a row (keep in mind that Ultimate has 45 minute episodes) even though I have no attention span. It was official. I still loved anime. I realized something. Anime is a medium, not a genre. It is just like normal movies and TV, just animated. It's not a gift from God. Just another way to watch TV and movies.
Here is where I will explain:
A weeaboo is like what I used to be, except WAY crazier. At least I had enough decency to act normal in public. Anyways, Weeaboos usually:
⦁ Are obsessed with Japan. EX: My old Instagram username
⦁ Say random Japanese phrases in English sentences (Usually wrongly) Ex: That dog is so kawaii desu! (Desu is basically the Japanese equivalent of is, so they just used a double negative.), Laura-chan, hurry up!
⦁ Want to be called by a Japanese name (I used to want to be called Mariko by my friends during my weeb phase. Ugghh. I can't believe I was able to keep them)
⦁ Don't give a shit about their education (When I was in my weeaboo phase, I got way lower grades than I usually do. Thankfully, I'm good at school, or my mom would've shot me.)
⦁ Cosplay in public places. (Cons or Halloween don't count as public)
⦁ Freak out when you have any anime related object. EX: OMGZ YOU WATCH ANIME TOO?!!! Normal anime fan: Oh cool. You watch anime too?
⦁ All they want to talk about is anime or Japan.
⦁ Only watch popular anime/shonen. I love shonen. Who doesn't? After all some of the anime greats like Code Geass, Death Note, Gurren Lagann, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Yu Yu Hakusho are shonens. But these people only watch the popular shonen. Sure they may have watched a couple of the greats like FMA, but their favorites are the big 3. Or Kuroshitsuji. Talk about a *shit* taste.
That's what a weeaboo basically is. Sure they will be different, after all, humans are all different.
I hope you enjoyed this blog/rant/whatever.