Anything that you do on a daily basis can affect your personality, mind, and health. Be it a bad habit or a good one. You may not notice the changes early but you will eventually see the changes in yourself.
As an art lover, I have a very strong habit of drawing it started with a sudden impulse to draw and now has become a full fledge hobby.
Similarly, if you love music you’ll start humming to some tunes or even start playing an instrument.
Habit makes changes in your life when you least notice it. These nonchalant actions become a part f your life and your personality too. Anime also counts in hobbies and can become a major life changer for some otakus.
The stories and messages we consume from Anime either build our character in a positive or a negative way. Just like the saying “you are what you eat”, your personality is what you inspire. Anime has always aimed to teach its viewers something.
The creators go to extreme lengths to show a meaningful story with a beautiful art style to please their audience. Anime offers a set of genres such as a slice of life, psychological, mystery, fantasy, sci-fi, etc.
Can Anime influence your personality?
Yes, Anime can influence your personality, There can be some characters that might change a person’s outlook on life or it can change them as a person too.
You can watch Anime on almost any subject be it sports, space, mental health, or the future world.
Anime is not only rich in genres and subgenres but it has also gifted us with so many memorable characters that stay with you for the longest of time they shape your persona and sometimes change your views about a certain thing.
When people discuss how a character has changed their life, the reason behind that change can be personal to them. Maybe they wish to be more like their favorite character or they found similarities between them and the negative character and now they want to change that.
It might sound odd to some people but humans can find their idol in almost anyone be it a real human or a fictional character. However, some fans just have sheer love for a certain character without wanting to become like them in the future for example Goku from the Dragon Ball universe.
Hence Anime can influence an individual’s personality on the basis of:
- The type of Anime
- Person’s mental health
- Viewer’s emotions and self-esteem
- Upbringing or ideology
- Your interpretation of the message in Anime
- The character’s development
Depending on your personality, you may be influenced by both the Anime’s protagonistic and antagonistic characteristics. Anime devotes close attention to creating both parts with great care.
Aside from that, most Anime will leave you with a fresh idea to ponder. After watching an Anime, you will constantly be looking at the actual world through that lens, worrying about the consequences of the Anime’s storyline happening in real life.
This may appear childish, and many may say that fantasizing about unrealistic things is a waste of time, but I believe it keeps the imagination alive and the perspective broad. As long as you can keep the actual world and the Anime world apart in your thoughts.
What are the side effects of watching Anime?
Horror and spiritual themes are most common in Anime but they may not have the best impact on young minds.
With all the vibrant colors, catchy storylines, and impressive characters, Anime harbors some problematic elements such as hatred, bloody violence, jealousy, resentment, and objectification which is not the best thing for a person’s character development.
Gory and bloody fight scenes and assaults hurt the character development of young audiences and they easily get influenced by such material.
One of the main negative effects is Individual Heroism in Anime. You’ve all watched almost every other Anime protagonist being the savior without anyone’s help.
This affects people and they begin to neglect teamwork in their real life, they start avoiding human interactions and involvement while dealing with problems.
This is one of the root causes of depression among the young generation since personal abilities are not always helpful to overcome a problem.
Militarism, strong nationalism, and even new nazism may be seen in some Anime works.
These topics are not ideal for the growth of patriotism, and peace, or even cause violent tendencies in young people.
Anime is rich in subject matter and narrative, which makes it interesting to people. Some youngsters have been obsessed with Anime and have spent a significant amount of time watching Anime.
People adore Anime stuff and will watch everything that is shown. This might have a negative impact on their personality.
What is a person who is obsessed with Anime?
There are two types of Fans obsessed with Anime
Otakus
When I was younger and more into Anime, I was “identified” as an otaku.
Otakus are normal people, although they are a bit too obsessed with Anime they are classic nerds or introverts.
Otakus typically utilize specific Japanese terms when speaking, have Anime posters or figurines, and constantly talk about Anime.
Weebs or Weeaboos
Weebs are far too obsessed with Anime, Japan, and so forth. Weebs will cosplay, buy multiple body pillows, buy Anime merch to the point where it’s all they wear, dye their hair random colors, act out Anime scenes/pretend anime is real, and so on.
Many people refer to themselves as weebs as if it’s a compliment, but it’s actually frowned upon, in Japan.
Weebs are extremely outgoing on social media, among friends, and in public. Weebs is arguably the most often used phrase among Anime fans, regardless of their social status.
How do Anime help mental health?
The effects of Anime on our mental health might be either negative or positive. Particularly in terms of self-esteem and interpretation.
Anime does have some elements that help your mental health.
Here’s a story of a girl and how Anime changed her:
Anime can have an impact on mental health in a number of ways.
It can show us how different characters react in high-stress and traumatic situations, how people with mental health conditions can still be successful, and the full range of extremes and unpleasantness that often accompany mental illness.
But one of the most effective ways Anime accomplishes this is by creating characters with whom we can identify who defy the stigma of mental illness, fully mainstreaming people with mental health disorders whom we can adore.
There’s also an Anime episode for any mood or feeling you’d like to feel, connect with, or modify.
Here is a list of Anime characters who represent struggles with mental health:
| Title | Character name | About the character |
| Black Clover | Grey | Grey has extreme anxiety and she uses magic to hide her true appearance from the world |
| Naruto | Naruto Uzumaki | Naruto, as an orphan rejected by the town, used to act out for attention due to his debilitating isolation, loneliness, and depression. |
| Soul Eater | Death The kid | He has a form of OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) |
| Soul Eater | Black Star | He has ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) |
| No Game No life | Sora and Shiro | Both siblings suffer from Hikikomori or Social Anxiety Disorder. |
| Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso (Your Lie in April) | Kosei Arima | After the death of His mother Kosei’s grief plunges him into depression. |
In short Anime like Black Clover, Naruto, and Your lie in April teach us to keep going even when we’re knocked down, and to never give up. When you see these animated characters giving their best, it’s easy to get caught up in the sensation of never giving up.
They may not be real, but the emotional and psychological boost they provide is.
Is watching anime harmful?
Watching anime is acceptable, but doing so in excess might be harmful, especially if it prevents you from engaging in more gratifying things.
Make time in your calendar for other vital pursuits, such as reading books or visiting friends. You may get better sleep at night if you quit watching TV and using the computer an hour or two before going to bed. This can be a nice time to do some reading.
There are some characters who can transform a person’s outlook on life or affect them as a person. Anime can be seen on practically any subject, including sports, space, mental health, and the future world.
What effect does anime have on your personality?
Anime can influence our mental health in a variety of ways, depending on the genre. Some anime genres may not have a positive impact on us, whilst others may allow us to explore new ideas and change our outlook on things.
There are numerous characters who exhibit symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental illnesses. Some anime shows and films focus on the stigmas associated with mental illness, while others portray the dark and violent aspect of dealing with mental health difficulties; some even attempt to give solutions.
Once you start watching an anime, it’s difficult to put it down to do other things. This can also have a negative impact on concentration and studies.
Conclusion
- Anime has both good and bad influences on our personality, it mostly depends on the type of content we consume.
- Anime has been a vocal medium for mental health awareness and it has portrayed mental illnesses in a good light.
- The discussion on mental health in Anime motivates a person and makes them feel good.