what is your favourite thing about anime?

[KaiyaSaysHaiya]

i'm curious, what is your favourite thing about anime? it could be something deep and meaningful to you, or it could be something as simple as it just helps you pass time. 

i love anime for many reasons, so i don't think that i could give an exact favourite thing lol. however, i love how anime tells stories in so many different ways. i think it's super cool that it allows so many stories to be expressed in different ways with so many different artstyles put together by so many different people. you'll find something for just about everybody. i also love how it's created communities both big and small, like this forum. i've had many great interactions here and it's awesome to hear the thoughts and opinions of people with a common interest. i also love getting to see so many cool and unique art styles ^^

Edited June 7, 2025 by KaiyaSaysHaiya

[Ohayotaku]

@KaiyaSaysHaiya Definitely agree with you. It covers such a wide variety of genres & styles, I sometimes get annoyed when so many people still associate it with nothing but shonen, though I suppose it’s a matter of popularity & what makes money. Likewise, while I agree that there are too many isekai every season, people who say there’s nothing else to watch, honestly aren’t looking very hard. I will agree with @efaardvark’s assessment that serious/realistic scifi is a rarity, though.

My own anime journey began primarily with space opera, mecha & giant robot series (Star Blazers, Galaxy Express, Voltron, Tranzor (Mazinger) Z, Robotech). Yes, these were heavily edited & Americanized, but still retained enough character to stand out from other “cartoons” on tv at the time (80s). When I started watching/buying anime on VHS in the 90s, the characteristic I noticed most was humor/comedy. Titles like Ranma 1/2, Slayers, Project A-ko, Irresponsible Captain Tylor. And later more serious titles. I only started watching on streaming services around 2015 & was when I started trying to explore lots of different genres. From serious seinen titles to CGDCT & SoL and Romcom (with occasional romantic drama). Though the majority of what I watch is probably action, fantasy & supernatural. To borrow a quote, “what a long, strange trip it’s been”

Edited June 7, 2025 by Ohayotaku

[Kari]

It would be very hard for me to give an exact reason either as there are many things I love about it. Sometimes it helps me find new hobbies I didn't know I would ever try or become interested in, or to try new foods, it also encourages me to try to make long-lasting friendships with others and be a kind person. If I were to sum it up my favorite thing about anime is that it makes my life a little bit happier and pushes me to try new things. Connecting over anime has helped me form a lot of friendships that I wouldn't have had otherwise. 

Edited June 7, 2025 by Kari

[nyaa]

I watch anime for the same reason people read books-to be entertained.

[efaardvark]

4 hours ago, Ohayotaku said:

I agree that there are too many isekai every season

It's not just Isekai.  Isekai is just one of the more.. prolific of the recent examples of popular plot transplants.  I could name several instances where a certain theme or plot device gets replicated in several shows.  For example another trend I've recently noticed is one where the MC is something of a bystander or also-ran at first - almost always the victim of an isekai hero summoning gone awry - who then evolves into the main hero while the "real" heros become supporting or even background characters.  The MC being weak at first and growing strong is not new of course, but why is this specific plot device so popular that it gets replicated so often?  For example,

• Arifureta: from Commonplace to World's Strongest
• Failure Frame
• World's Greatest Alchemist
• Level 2 Cheat
• The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic

Over the last couple seasons I've noticed an even more specific plot get replicated in several shows in quick succession.  It starts with the main character being an (apparently) ultra weak member of a super powerful adventurer's party, who then gets kicked out for being useless and finds his own super powers over the course of the show.  Consider..

• Worthless Appraiser
• I Left My A-Rank Party
• Banished Healer
• The Unaware Atelier Meister
• The Beast Tamer

 

 

Well, at least it seems we're getting away from Isekai. 

 

[Girltchi]

Watching magical girl for action and whatever trope or genre will had 

[ReverzerO]

Anime is more entertaining compare to other shows. That's the simplest reason why Anime is my favorite show

[Jellal]

Entertainment as well. I don't enjoy a lot of what is on TV these days but I can always find an anime with a storyline I'll enjoy. 

[Shinzi]

Mine is primarily entertainment purposes as well and helping to pass time. Not only does it entertain me, but it's also something I can share with my family, primarily my kids, although my wife also watches anime. 

[Ohayotaku]

20 minutes ago, Shinzi said:

it's also something I can share with my family, primarily my kids, although my wife also watches anime. 

Living the dream

[Ayame]

44 minutes ago, Shinzi said:

Mine is primarily entertainment purposes as well and helping to pass time. Not only does it entertain me, but it's also something I can share with my family, primarily my kids, although my wife also watches anime. 

I wish so much my parents were like this but they don't even like the fact me and my siblings watch it and think it's strange ಥ_ಥ they refer to it as cartoon watching. 

Anime is a great escape for me. I like to get lost in the characters world and stories (▰˘◡˘▰) it encourages my writing too since I often write my own stories involving my favorite character. 

[Shinzi]

1 hour ago, Ohayotaku said:

Living the dream

I got lucky with this lot

[DJJAW04]

entertainment for me also.

[Animedragon]

6 hours ago, Ayame said:

I wish so much my parents were like this but they don't even like the fact me and my siblings watch it and think it's strange ಥ_ಥ they refer to it as cartoon watching. 

Anime is a great escape for me. I like to get lost in the characters world and stories (▰˘◡˘▰) it encourages my writing too since I often write my own stories involving my favorite character. 

My parents didn't like anime either. My dad would occasionally watch and I think he quite liked some of the films but he'd never watch a whole series. My mum definitely didn't like it she said it wasn't real, I suggested that some films like Grave of the Fireflies and Rail of the Star were actually more 'real' than the Agatha Christie films she liked because they were based on real events even though they were animation not live action, she didn't appreciate the comparison .

For myself I watch anime because I find the stories interesting and great entertainment and like you I also like to get lost in the characters and their world.  I find that there's often so much detail in the series that even after watching a series several times there's usually see something I hadn't noticed before.

[Sakura]

I like the fact I can get lost in stories too like @Ayame mentioned ~ and it's also been kinda a family thing for me too like @Shinzi mentioned since my dad and my sister both watch it and we all kinda connect over that and something we've shared as a family. It's more interesting to me than normal TV usually because I don't watch a lot of non-anime shows though it's hard to pinpoint exactly why that is. It's been something that I've watched practically my whole life so I guess it's just something that's a part of who I am at this point now lol 

[Whensmanly0o5]

if you have one set as pfp then kill alot of people in a game, you get called slurs and thats why i like it so much lol

[Moxie]

My favorite thing about anime is no matter what age you are, no matter how old you become there's always going to be some sort of anime available to entertain you

[Wickett]

Most of the reasons I watch anime have already been laid out pretty well, but there also has always been this subtle touch of wholesomeness with most anime. When a good manga is animated well you can feel the passion of the mangaka and it gives it a far more genuine feel than the average TV show in my opinion. As mentioned previously by @Kari is that I've discovered new hobbies and interests by watching anime over the many years that I have. It's entertaining, obviously, I don't think anyone would watch it if it wasn't, but there are definitely other reasons I've stuck with it so long, despite only having one other person in my close inner circle who also watches it. 

[Sakura Dragon]

Anime serves as a fun escape. You get totally immersed into a different universe. The story lines are great, the characters can be relatable, the music is great, and the characters can be attractive which is always a plus.

[Keyaru]

My favorite thing has to be the connection it brings me with others. I've met several great friends at anime conventions and it gives me something fun to talk about with other fans. Of course it also provides entertainment on boring nights or when I just want to chill and watch something too. 

[Ryan-trovert]

What really drew me into anime when I first discovered it in the late 90s - 2000s was the storytelling.

Back then, all we really had were Western cartoons aimed at kids and the usual live-action TV shows. Anime felt like this incredible middle ground, it had the animation style I enjoyed from cartoons, but the stories were so much deeper, more emotional, and often aimed at a more mature audience. 

That’s what hooked me.

[Jellal]

23 hours ago, Keyaru said:

My favorite thing has to be the connection it brings me with others. I've met several great friends at anime conventions and it gives me something fun to talk about with other fans. Of course it also provides entertainment on boring nights or when I just want to chill and watch something too. 

I feel the same way. It gives me something to discuss with friends and if anything its brought more friends into my life. It's more than just entertainment to me and has been a foundation on which several of my long-lasting friendships were formed on.

[Sasuke]

On 6/7/2025 at 12:45 PM, Kari said:

It would be very hard for me to give an exact reason either as there are many things I love about it. Sometimes it helps me find new hobbies I didn't know I would ever try or become interested in, or to try new foods, it also encourages me to try to make long-lasting friendships with others and be a kind person. If I were to sum it up my favorite thing about anime is that it makes my life a little bit happier and pushes me to try new things. Connecting over anime has helped me form a lot of friendships that I wouldn't have had otherwise. 

I've had the same experience. Anime has always made me think about trying new things especially food wise. It's entertaining to watch too but anime becomes more of a lifestyle than just some TV you watch

[Shinzi]

On 6/23/2025 at 3:49 PM, Sasuke said:

I've had the same experience. Anime has always made me think about trying new things especially food wise. It's entertaining to watch too but anime becomes more of a lifestyle than just some TV you watch

There are probably a lot of foods I wouldn't have tried if not for anime

[PikaPuff]

It gives me something to do and I find it very entertaining. I learn about things I didn't know from anime in some instances and anime can be really good comfort shows.