Comments on: Otaku Diaries Part 8: Friends don’t let friends watch Akikan!

By: Narutaki's Secret Admirer

Narutaki's Secret Admirer — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:55:16 +0000

One problem with people deeply entrenched within their hobbies is a lack of exposure to stuff beyond it. Like, my problem is that I have trouble at times making conversation with people if it itsn’t relevant to video games, anime, entomology, technology, etc. As a guy who has very limited social interaction, I don’t really know what I would make conversation with people about. That said, I do have a close companion who has minimal interest in this kind of stuff. She is a good listener though, and seems interested no matter what I am talking to her about. Friendship is a lot more than just chatting, but communication can certainly be an important aspect.

btw elementary/middle school girls tend to find me cool and sophisticated. I do not know how it happens, but I have a history of little girls falling for me. Mt RL friends can confirm this. This doesn’t really have anything to do with the topic, I’m just bragging.

By: reversethieves

reversethieves — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:58:08 +0000

@Yuji
There are some series I like watching on my own but in general I like watching things with other people. One problem is finding other people to watch shows with. I am currently watching Double Zeta on my own because no one would watch it with me. The other problem is often there are just some shows you cannot watch with certain people. I know several people that you just can’t watch emotional stuff around. But if you are comfortable with certain people it can really enhance the experience. The fun of watching things together is part of the reason Narutaki and I do the blog as a team.

But as always the best way to watch something is in the manner that you get the most out of it. If watching things alone does that for you then that is the way you should do it.

- Hisui

By: Yuji

Yuji — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:19:21 +0000

If I’m with others I will not want to show emotion (whether that be a mainstream movie or anime) and I want to be free to, therefore I WANT to watch things that move me alone.

If i’m alone, i’m 100% in the story, and that’s where all the fun is.

By: Matt Brown

Matt Brown — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:08:04 +0000

This is one instance where sharing the words behind the numbers is a double-edged sword. You see 14 people deciding that being around people doesn’t need to happen every week, and it’s tempting to marry it with the guy who finds the physical presence of other people boring. Further connecting of the dots leads to bitterness of recruiting gone wrong and a sprinkling of superiority complex. Then anime becomes as alcohol to a drunk: something to be enjoyed alone, and in great quantities. Not that the social drinkers are much better off. They’ll claim to have a hundred friends and not share anything deep with any of them.

We all know that I just made all that up. Data doesn’t tell a story; we craft stories to fit the data.

Who really knows how the story should go? Is Evan’s story wrong for reading the data as a case of entrenchment, since one of the respondents seems to project same on his friends? Notwithstanding interpretation, is it wrong to feel depressed by some of the responses themselves? Is it really right to assume that 75% of respondents actively trying to draw in new anime viewers is a good thing?

I think, in the end, how we read the numbers says more about us than the people who make up the numbers.

By: reversethieves

reversethieves — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:53:01 +0000

@Evan

I don’t know if it is really evident from this that people don’t socialize outside of their hobby. Most people’s close friends probably share their interests which isn’t a bad thing. People like to surround themselves with like-minded individuals. The key here is close friends, most people everyday interact with a variety of people, and may have acquaintances that don’t share their hobbies.

-Narutaki

By: Evan Minto (Vampt Vo)

Evan Minto (Vampt Vo) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:27:34 +0000

This post is depressing. Too many people seem to define themselves exclusively by their interest in anime, a decision that shoehorns them into a marginalized social group and limits their ability to interact.

If you see yourself as nothing but the sum of your hobbies, you will find it hard to befriend people who don’t share those pastimes. Looking outside of the strict delineations of hobbies allows for a much broader (and more fulfilling) range of social interaction.