More and more of my friends and peers are having babies and I’m worried. Anime has always been difficult to introduce to children. Although most find anime on their own and have to find their tribe or keep it to themselves. (I, Star naturally turned my friends into weebs while Luna was ostracized for being a weeb.) But in this day and age anime has become mainstream. Which means there are more and more kids being exposed to the good, the bad, and the extreme. So moving along to that mental scarring I mentioned.
Raising a weeb
That can be a difficult task especially for normies. Because they much rather be thinking about hiking than the next Boruto episode. But from a child’s view that episode is what they look forward to every Saturday night. Think of it like their guilty pleasure soap opera. They need it. This is now their outlet and guess what, they’re passionate about it too.
They are going to ask about clothes and merch next. Because they want to look at pretty art too. This cheers them up and cheers them on while thinking about school work. Although clothes can be a dangerous purchase because there can be so much. Their little minds want it all and that can drain the funds.
The best thing to do, is understand what they love so much. Watch what they’re watching have them explain it or catch you up.
Adult themes in Anime
This is a big one. Of course children will be subjected to some panty shots and boob jiggling but if you monitor what they are watching you are already in a better place. There are ratings for shows and manga, guessing by the maturity of the child they can actually learn life lessons if you know where to look. Letting them discover anime on their own can be shocking to a sheltered mind but their natural curiosity will drive them deeper into the unknown. (That was not a frozen reference I promise.) So be aware!
Cosplay and boy/girl music groups
There is a nasty underbelly of people who dress up and take pictures. Everyone is a model these days and most of us know what sells. Trends start that can lead to some pretty revealing content and can cause some doubt in a child’s self image. I’m not trying to school anyone, but musical groups exude perfection and that leads to harsh comments about their bodies and looks. Any child shouldn’t starve themselves to look as good as one of these performers. Idolizing them on their skill and personality is a healthy way to introduce people in the community. Never let them compare themselves to these models and performers. It’s all about body positivity y’all.
All in all, let them find their weeby wings but be there to guide them in the right direction. Hope that was helpful to parents and mentors in this newfound anime positive world. It works for my sister, she’s 12.
AishiteLOVEru~
Star
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