I’m pretty tired of the lame things people say in regards to people who are learning Japanese and who also happily gravitate to all things anime. Like most, I started watching anime first, and out of that sprang the urge to learn the language. But sometimes it’s a real pain in the arse to explain it to those out of the loop.

Random Inquisitive Chinese Girl Whose Spectacled Eyes are Like Lasers Boring Into Your Brain: So why are you learning Japanese anyway?

Me: Oh, you know, ‘cuz I enjoy it.  Plus I plan to visit the country someday, you know.

Girl: Is that all?

Me: Crap! She can smell the anime fandom! Oh, yeah, that’s basically it.

Girl: Ever seen anime?

Me: Nah. I’m too busy studying to be a neurosurgeon, you see, and–*phone starts ringing with the Crank Dat Pikachu theme* GASP! Where the hell did this cellphone come from?

Girl: …

Compared to my fandom now, my high school days were a lot more fun, plus the fear of being stoned at the bus stop for being an anime-watcher was not nearly as prevalent. My binders were plastered with images from anime characters, I drew in the anime style, and hung out with the azns. I had very few friends who did not watch anime; it was my crack. And you know how crack-addicts tend to seek out other crack-addicts. Especially when it’s football season.

Which leads me to things/questions I officially hate now:

People interjecting their opinions into my conversations with their stupid assessments of who I am and what I do on a daily basis.

 

Potential New Buddy (talking to ME): Hey you watch anime? Me too!

ME: Yeah, actually I–

Casual Acquaintance: OH YEAH! ME’S LIKE A TOTAL ANIME FREAK! LAST CLASS, ME WAS SKETCHING ALL THIS ANIME FREAK STUFF INSTEAD OF PAYING ATTENTION, TSK TSK! HEY, TAKE OUT THAT ANIME FREAK STUFF YOU WERE SKETCHING LAST CLASS! IT’S LIKE SO SICK! WITH THE BIG GOOGLY EYES AND STUFF!

ME: Anyway, so as I was say–

Casual Acquaintance: YOU WATCH IT TOO, RIGHT? ALL THAT WEIRD TENTACLE STUFF, WITH THE NAKED GIRLS AND STUFF? THAT’S SO SICK, MAN, I COULD NEVER DO THAT! AND THEN THE GIRLS ARE SCREAMING THEIR HEADS OFF AND STUFF, BUT YOU CAN TELL THEY ACTUALLY LIKE IT! SIIIICK!

Me: So, yeah–

Casual Acquaintance: SIIIIIIIIIIIICK! 

 You draw asian [style]. Why?

"Well, you see, my great grandfather, Toshizume Masaharumorimoto was a great artist in Japan, and he always told me this saying: "Gure gure Burakku Jakku Sonii Toyota Mitsubishi Honda." Which basically means, "even though I married and impregnated a foreigner against my parents wishes, our family will forever be blessed with the godly talent for asian drawing. Fo Shizzle. ""

Hey, how do you say "Tsunami " in Japanese?

and….the list goes on.

It makes me wish I’d picked a different language, like Chinese or Icelandic or something. But then it’d be the same thing again, wouldn’t it? ‘Cept more shunning by the natives.

Me: Hey, quick question… how do you say purple in Mandarin?

Former Chinese Buddy(suddenly defensive): WHY do YOU wanna know?

Me: Oh, just because.

FCB: WHY?

Me: I just want to compare it to something.

FCB: WHY?? You don’t need to know Chinese.

Me: What the…?!     you know what? no. Never mind. NEV.ER. MI.ND. ..            ……Ya bloody racist.

Somtimes I wonder what life would be like if I’d never gotten into aneemay. What was I doing before anime? And why anime? Why not archery? Or stamp collecting? Or shrimp boating?  Or organ trafficking? Then my brain hurts and I realize that sometimes thinking is overrated. And non-moé.