This happens when reality collides with fiction
Round Robin has started and this is our first topic: Anime and Escapism. Other girls like Shizuki and tachikomaticdays have already analyzed what escapism is and what causes it. I don´t have anything to add to those great articles, so let´s get personal right away.
Hinano talked about how most hardcore otakus might have some serious real life problems. I admit that I´m one of those obsessed otakus who use anime as escape method, but not because of family issues or something like that. I have great and supporting family and friends. IRL I´m “the girl next door” in every way, meaning I have good grades, I´m polite and I´m not a member of any style e.g. emo kid or lolita because I´m too shy to dress differently. I don´t like crowds so I don´t go to parties. In other words, my real life is dead boring.
Anime, being a otaku in general and Internet are my escape methods from boredom. On the Net I don´t have to worry about giving a bad impression or watch what I´m saying. If I talked the same things as I say here in real life, people would give me a strange look. But here I can be me. I can be as hyper, rude and pervy as I want and nobody cares about it. Anime takes me to the worlds I can only dream about and that´s why I love it. I use anime to escape my boring everyday life, so I tend to favor crazy comedies and fantasy animes with impossible settings. World is grayish, so bright colours and eccentric personalities in anime attract me. I´m not too fond of slice of life series because that´s exactly what I´m escaping from. I want to see things that I don´t normally see. Maybe I prefer many genres and character types that are taboos in real life because of this reason.
I don´t think I´m a coward because I watch anime to escape reality and release stress. It´s much healthier and better way than alcohol to clear my mind and make me high. Even if a day sucks I can keep my mind positive, when I think that I have a new episode of my favourite series waiting at home. Like Blissmo, I´ve also adopted optimistic life style from anime characters. Ganbatte kudasai and so on. Living my life in pink bubble is my way to survive through hardships without hating myself. Being a otaku makes me feel good, so I don´t care even if it alienates me from harsh reality. I´m sure that there are lot of otakus who share this view with me.
Check out these R-R entries too:
animemiz: The Rabbit Hole: Anime and Escapism
choux: All girls round robin
kaeboo: AGRR rnd I: The Rabbit Hole
elezend: The Rabbit Hole – Anime and Escapism
dick: Down, down, down the Rabbit Hole
usagijen: Anime and Escapism: Living in and Out of Your Comfy Anime Burrow
A Day Without Me: Anime and Escapism: Down the Rabbit Hole
giapet: Insert Witty Escape/Rabbit Hole Joke Here
My god, I love it when people get personal. :]
Thanks for sharing myu! I think I just about have to agree with everything you’ve said in the above. My life isn’t exactly the most exciting, and anime and the internet totally help.
Incidentally, great picture. LOL. I like.
By: Hoshi on May 30, 2008
at 3:39 am
oh. I forgot to say: Love the picture of Yuno at the top. Sorry I never noticed it before, it’s actually my first time @ your site. :P
By: Hoshi on May 30, 2008
at 3:41 am
Oh yes, escape reality! FREEDOM LOLS
I agree with you too. I don’t drink, but I’d rather watch anime than do anything else that is considered stupid to relieve stress
By: blissmo on May 30, 2008
at 4:27 am
[...] myu [...]
By: The Rabbit Hole: Anime and Escapism « Fujoshi scribblings. on May 30, 2008
at 9:05 am
I agree, watching some anime, reading a manga. Its a nice healthy way to relieve stress.
Its no different from watching your favorite t.v show or reading a novel by your favorite author.
We all need a break from the real world sometimes.
Its just finding that right balance. Unfortunately some people let it take over their lives.
I guess at the end of the day as long as you are having fun and not hurting anyone there’s no harm right?
By: Sakura on May 30, 2008
at 1:02 pm
Hoshi: I was browsing my HD to find a picture for this post when I ran into that. I just had to add it because it made me lol so hard.
Nice to hear you love my Yuno. ^^
blissmo: Let´s all escape! :D But seriously, thanks for sharing my view.
Sakura: Yes, exactly. I think I´ve found a right balance: I´m “hardcore” otaku but I don´t let it bother others or my life.
By: myu on May 30, 2008
at 2:58 pm
[...] myu – Round Robin : The Rabbit Hole – Anime & Escapism [...]
By: elezend on May 31, 2008
at 2:05 am
should i say your means of escape is not anime itself, but rather, the internet? :D each individual would usually adapt his or her own means of escape, be it something big or small. I have several (anime, internet, plamo) and these means do not define escapism itself, but the reason behind.
It is always but a matter of keeping yourself in touch with the real world and knowing your own limits. Anything that is taken in excess is always returning a not so good impact on the individual. :)
A positive attitude… good to hear that. because as they say, no matter how in deep s#1t you are, the only line that could beat that is “This, too, shall pass”. nice entry. looking forward to read the next. :)
By: kaeboo on May 31, 2008
at 7:49 am
[...] myu – The Rabbit Hole: Anime & Escapism [...]
By: AGRR rnd I: The Rabbit Hole « Babble Bam on May 31, 2008
at 6:04 pm
[...] The Rabbit Hole – Anime and Escapism [...]
By: Anime and Escapism: Down the Rabbit Hole « GAR GAR Stegosaurus on May 31, 2008
at 9:53 pm
[...] Hinano, elezend, animemiz, tachikomatic day, myu, blissmo, shizukie, choux, a day without me, usagijen, gia, [...]
By: itsubun» Blog Archive » First Round: The Rabbit Hole [Anime & Escapism] on June 1, 2008
at 1:32 pm
[...] And another post [...]
By: All girls round robin « Calamitous Intent on June 2, 2008
at 1:39 am
You’re not a coward and you’re perfectly fine the way you are, but just as a personal note, never let fear stop you from trying something new. It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks as long as you’re doing what you love and as long as you’re okay with yourself. *hug* :3
By: Marmot on June 3, 2008
at 6:09 am
kaeboo: Not so sure about the Internet. Reason why I spend so much time there is anime. After I watch some episode, I usually want to know what others think about it and I start to browse the Net. You could say that in my life anime and Internet live in harmony.
Marmot: Aww~~ Thank you *hugs back* ^^
By: myu on June 3, 2008
at 12:27 pm
I think there’s a lot of optimistic similarities.. so yay for the messages from anime.
By: animemiz49 on June 4, 2008
at 3:57 pm
[...] Blissmo, elezend, animemiz, usagijen, Gar Gar Stegosaurus, hinano, Tachikomatic Days, Shizukie, myucon and KaeBoo. [...]
By: Loli Salad » Round Robin: Escapism and Anime on June 9, 2008
at 7:01 am
[...] Others on this topic: Hinano, elezend, animemiz, soshi, myu, blissmo, shizukie, choux, a day without me, usagijen, gia, kaeboo and BUNS. [...]
By: [Round Robin] Down, down, down the Rabbit Hole « Stuff Happens on June 16, 2008
at 4:59 am
Such a hard topic to reply to. So many thoughts but hard to word them out.
For me I would count it being as escapism when it has helped me to cope through some hard times, watching some happy anime at those times always helped me to get some mental strength to go on with things without getting depressed.
By: Usoda on June 24, 2008
at 4:22 pm
Usoda: I understand why it´s hard to reply, it was quite a ride to write this.
Your definition of escapism is good and also very familiar to me. It´s strange how happiness of anime characters always have an effect on your mood.
By: myu on June 24, 2008
at 7:40 pm
[...] Hinano, elezend, animemiz, soshi, myu, blissmo, shizukie, choux, a day without me, usagijen, gia, kaeboo, and [...]
By: Coffee Spoons» Blog Archive » First Round: The Rabbit Hole [Anime & Escapism] on December 21, 2008
at 5:21 am