Stigmas

[macchinainterna]

"Adults" are just people who have already died inside D:

Ouch...

[Kionon]

Even in Japan there is anime for kids, and a large bulk of it always was intended for younger audiences. I too laugh at Naruto and Bleach fans older than about 15. Doraemon, Crayon Shin-chan. It's not that some of these have content that are aimed at adults, it's rather that they include content that is culturally acceptable for children in Japan, but not in the United States.

Both views of anime being for kids or for adults are incorrect. Anime encompasses a wide range of demographics. Further, many of the adults that like certain series like those series because they watched them as children. My fandom, such as it is, of Yamato, Macross, and Sailor Moon are largely from my own experiences as a child and young adult of watching them on TV.

That being said, Yamato, Macross, and Sailor Moon were originally directed at children/young adults. Yamato and Macross largely to boys (with some crossover because of strong female characters), and Sailor Moon to girls. Even my beloved Kimagure Orange Road is a shonen title, and was directed at the junior high school age group that it represents in the characters of Ayukawa Madoka, Kasuga Kyosuke, and Hiyama Hikaru.

The difference is in how the Japanese view the story comprehension abilities of children and young adults. The Japanese create stories that are sophisticated, complex, and if not realistic in actual events, are realistic in the depth of behavior exhibited by characters. The stories simply accept that certain aspects of reality exist, like alcohol, tobacco, violence, and sex, and they do not seek to hide this from the viewer. Given the low rate of crime and substance abuse in Japan, and similar numbers of sexual activity to other developed nations, I don't find this particularly problematic.

America treats its children as if they cannot be trusted and must be shielded from everything. In Japan, there is much more respect for the child to be able to grow, accept reality, and to offer a valuable voice. In Japanese schools, many activities are student directed. Sports teams and clubs often have an advisor who merely supervises, but does not coach unless absolutely required. Instead the older students take on leadership roles, and teach the younger students. It is a cycle that provides more incentive to shoulder responsibility and to be motivated to succeed.

So if someone asks you if anime is for kids, you tell them, "Yes, often it is. Japan knows kids are smart and can follow the same story lines as adults. America thinks kids are helpless or dumb. I know which country's media I'd rather my children watch."

[ZephyrStar]

story comprehension abilities of children

This. Children are way smarter than our society thinks they are.

[8bit_samurai]

Well, we do have a game show entitled "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?"

[Sukunai]

Even in Japan there is anime for kids, and a large bulk of it always was intended for younger audiences. I too laugh at Naruto and Bleach fans older than about 15. Doraemon, Crayon Shin-chan. It's not that some of these have content that are aimed at adults, it's rather that they include content that is culturally acceptable for children in Japan, but not in the United States.

Both views of anime being for kids or for adults are incorrect. Anime encompasses a wide range of demographics. Further, many of the adults that like certain series like those series because they watched them as children. My fandom, such as it is, of Yamato, Macross, and Sailor Moon are largely from my own experiences as a child and young adult of watching them on TV.

That being said, Yamato, Macross, and Sailor Moon were originally directed at children/young adults. Yamato and Macross largely to boys (with some crossover because of strong female characters), and Sailor Moon to girls. Even my beloved Kimagure Orange Road is a shonen title, and was directed at the junior high school age group that it represents in the characters of Ayukawa Madoka, Kasuga Kyosuke, and Hiyama Hikaru.

The difference is in how the Japanese view the story comprehension abilities of children and young adults. The Japanese create stories that are sophisticated, complex, and if not realistic in actual events, are realistic in the depth of behavior exhibited by characters. The stories simply accept that certain aspects of reality exist, like alcohol, tobacco, violence, and sex, and they do not seek to hide this from the viewer. Given the low rate of crime and substance abuse in Japan, and similar numbers of sexual activity to other developed nations, I don't find this particularly problematic.

America treats its children as if they cannot be trusted and must be shielded from everything. In Japan, there is much more respect for the child to be able to grow, accept reality, and to offer a valuable voice. In Japanese schools, many activities are student directed. Sports teams and clubs often have an advisor who merely supervises, but does not coach unless absolutely required. Instead the older students take on leadership roles, and teach the younger students. It is a cycle that provides more incentive to shoulder responsibility and to be motivated to succeed.

So if someone asks you if anime is for kids, you tell them, "Yes, often it is. Japan knows kids are smart and can follow the same story lines as adults. America thinks kids are helpless or dumb. I know which country's media I'd rather my children watch."

One of the most impressive comments I have read connected to anime in a long time.