For my second guest post here at Austin Otaku I wanted to reflect on anime fandom and how it has changed over the years. My interest in anime and manga began in 1985, when I was in grade school in the San Francisco Bay Area. The past 25 years have brought many changes in the hobby and its interesting to compare the highlights of the hobby’s beginning in the U.S. with its current state. I’ve settled on three highlights from each era to share. If you can think of any to add please let us know in the comments below.
1985
Easy to Make New Friends
In 1985 anime fans were few in number, and we knew it. At gatherings and specialty stores it was easy to strike up a conversation with a fellow anime fan and make new friends. Gatherings were small and you saw the same faces every time, so it wasn’t hard to get to know people. It was difficult to obtain anime and manga so we did what we could to help each other copy laser discs and find merchandise. Oftentimes it felt more like a club than a hobby.
{ 5 comments }
