Ever wondered about the strong correlation between anime and Black fans? What is it about Japanese animation that has its Black community in a chokehold? Let's get into it.
The most popular type of anime is what's called shonen, meaning "young boy." With the action-oriented genre being the most popular type of anime across the world today, it holds a special place in the heart of its Black demographic. In shonen, the main characters of these shows and mangas are the underdog; growing up with society assuming something is wrong with them.
For the entirety of the series, the protagonist goes through several character arcs as they find out their hidden strength, proving to be the greatest asset in their shifting society. As the main character recognizes their struggling upbringings, they use their isolated beginnings as fuel to become the best in their field. It's no wonder Black fans are over the moon when it comes to shonen anime! It's extremely relatable, as many of us have to fight societal stereotypes to succeed.
Even in shojo anime, meaning "young girl" anime, this genre talks about the challenges of love and romance. With the national context of Japan being an academic-heavy culture, you follow along as the main characters find their ways of understanding their intimate feelings and developing their relationship with the characters they love, both friends and soon-to-be lovers. For me, this genre was a large part of my childhood. With many of the main characters in shojo anime coming from tough homes, all they wanted was to find love amongst the adversity.
A big art channel that also came out of anime was anime merchandise. This meant stickers, keychains, book bags, and shirts that included people's favorite anime characters. Anime merch of recognizable shows can also be found through merchandise of mystery boxes, pillow cases, plushies, and more.