KA-ME HA-ME HA! As you sit in front of the TV on a Thursday afternoon, your mother is confused to see a show in a different language with animation like nothing she has seen before. You begin to explain to her that it is simply a cartoon from Japan. She understands what anime is after a lengthy explanation but is reasonably upset that you have been watching television for the past two hours instead of studying for your AP World History test.

Anime is a style of Japanese film and television animation or, the Japanese version of cartoons. The style is something many students enjoy, especially the members of the anime club.

There are animes available in about as many genres as there is American television. Ranging from action like Dragon Ball Z to romance like Kaguya-Sama: Love is War, it is not hard to find one to watch. The rom-com genre is one of the best out there. Any teenager that enjoys shows like Jane the Virgin or Once Upon a Time will appreciate the drama and intense love triangles anime provides.

Some of the most well-known animes involve action, and for a reason. The battle scenes and intensity anime have become well-known due to animes like Naruto, One Punch Man, Attack on Titan, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.

But like anything that is different from the norm, some students do not feel comfortable talking about or watching anime. When asked, students often declined interviews with fear of their friends discovering their interest in Japanese cartoons. 

To be fair, some Japan and anime fanatics take it to the extreme. This specific type of person has been dubbed a weeaboo.

Weeaboos ruin anime for others. Claiming to be Japanese when they do not actually have any Japanese ancestry is a serious issue that gives regular anime lovers a bad name as they often tend to stereotype Japanese culture. Weeaboos do not make up the entire anime fan base. If you ask all your friends at least one of them will have seen or currently watch anime.

There are two ways to watch anime if you do not speak Japanese: English dubs or subs. An English dub is when English voice actors speak the translated script over the original animation. An English sub is when the translated script is placed at either the top or bottom of the screen. English subs, or subtitles, are generally preferred among anime watchers as sometimes dubs do not line up with the graphics, but are still a nice try to making anime American friendly.

People often judge anime and fans before watching it for themselves and it is unfair. If everyone disregarded new things simply because they looked or sounded different from what they are used to, we would never have progressed. We would all still be living in England. 

Anime can often be more dramatic than other types of television, but fans are drawn to that and with all the different genres you can easily find an anime series you will enjoy. For those new to the anime world, start with a well-known anime such as My Hero Academia, Soul Eater or Nisekoi.