True Fans?

sweetstarfire · Post by **sweetstarfire** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 1:09 am

I thought this deserved a new topic.

I saw mentioned in the Future of Anime thread the term "true anime fans". I was just wondering, what would you consider a true fan? Is a true fan someone who keeps track of all new series, and cosplays, and buys lots of DVD's? Can you be a true fan if you just enjoy a few series and talking about them with other people? How do you define who's a true fan and who's someone who only acts like one?

Disclaimer:
I am not in any way criticizing/flaming/etc. the person who wrote the true fan thing. I am just curious what people think.

DarkPrinceOtaku · Post by **DarkPrinceOtaku** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 1:21 am

hmm a good question......but i dont think you should judge people by being a true fan or not...there are people that are more of a fan of some people...& then other people more of fans than them....in the end we all have the same interest....but what i think is not just what anime products we own or knowledge we have over others....its all in the heart.... the joy of getting involved with dedicated artists who are passionate about their creativity....so i think being a true fan doesnt really have a specific description (there are the sterio type description of course as you mentioned yourself eg tons of dvds, manga, cosplay blah blah) but when you wake up, working or doing whatever else in your life & think about anime/manga....then you are a fan....that's just as good as the sterio type description without having the need to spend lots of money to show it.....its all in the heart....

Arigatomina · Post by **Arigatomina** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 1:26 am

Well, when it comes to specific anime, I've been told that a 'true fan' of that anime is a 'literalist fan' - someone who takes the anime on face value and nothing else is allowed. This is the sort of person who would be mortally offended by parodies of that anime, would spend hours writing a report to explain why a 'non' fan is wrong for insterting thoughts that were not clearly stated in the anime itself, and someone who worships 'original' first (aka, manga over anime, anime over movie - whatever was first is gospel and all else a cheap immitation).

That's an extremist view, though.

For anime as a genre, I guess anyone who sees it as a 'pure' form of art would be considered a 'true fan' - someone who studies it and worships it forsaking all cheap immitations whatsoever be they, movie or cartoon, or playstation game. Otaku comes to mind.

Obsessed much? A true anime fan would be.

Most anime fans like it and enjoy it - with no distinction between a 'true' fan and a 'fake' fan. There's no such thing as a 'fake' fan unless you just pretend to like it because it's popular or some such nonsense. I don't think anime is that popular, so there probably aren't many 'fake' fans running around here. Just elitists. ;p

pyro_256 · Post by **pyro_256** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 1:40 am

i think anyone who calls themself a 'true anime fan' obsessive in most cases. i look at people either as fans or not fans, not as 'true' or 'fake' fans.

bum · Post by **bum** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 8:49 am

a true anime fan is, in a way, the same thing as a hardcore gamer. its a stupid term made up by little kids with big ego's.

DrngdKreationz · Post by **DrngdKreationz** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:03 am

I guess im gonna chip in my .02 on this.

I think, the Purest form of True Fan is whoever wrote/drew/animated/..etc the Anime/manga 's mother/spouse/child...

Because it doesn't matter whether it sucked or not they'll still support it.

or at least thats the point of view I got from listening to this one country song while being drunk along time ago. and im sticking to it!

Castor Troy · Post by **Castor Troy** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 10:22 am

They have a term for these people who buy every single dvd, condoms, birth control, and pregnancy tests related to anime.

They are called Otakus.

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 10:29 am

Hmm? Does there have to be such a thing? Is enjoying anime not true enough?

I never thought of myself as 'untrue' for some reason, and I tend to describe myself as a casual anime viewer at best. It doesn't really take precedence over a whole bunch of my other hobbies, and I watch anime in pretty limited amounts. But I still know enough about it, (arguably, often more than some of the obsessed fanboys/fangirls), and have a positive enough attitude to it.

Granted, I don't have the immideate appearance that would somehow define me as an anime fan. Anime is really not a defining force in my behaviour, sense of style (or lack thereof), etc. My music choice, on the other hand, tends to be that.

So, I'm a casual anime viewer and a die-hard music listener. But I still think of myself as a 'true fan' of both, if there has to be such a thing

Rhyevaln · Post by **Rhyevaln** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 11:51 am

I am going to have to agree with bum here. Though I doubt it's not just limited to "little kids".

A term for those who look down on people who (*insert anime related activity here*) less than they do and are disgusted by it, or do not want to affiliate themselves with people who aren't as "good" as they are.

I do watch a lot of anime. I give my anime friends a bunch of crap for it only because I usually have no one to talk to about what I just watched.

But it's become an inside joke with us now.

Moonlight Soldier · Post by **Moonlight Soldier** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 12:13 pm

The whole categorization of 'true' fans....just a way for some people to try and feel they are above everybody else =/

Quite frankly if you like something, invest time(and/or money) in it, then sure you're a fan. If you happen to indulge in something a little more or someone knows a little less about the same hobby, it doesn't change the fact that you are both fans.

Take for example myself, I have a certain way that I enjoy watching Sailor Moon, I'd even consider myself rather knowledgeable on the subject. Does that mean that someone who doesn't know the mythology/allusions/read the manga/watches it subbed/the names of the Seiryu etc ...is any less more of a fan? NO.

/end two cents.