CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

It's easy to say that anime and manga has changed your life because you watch/read it alot and it you maybe draw it.

However you can honestly say that anime/manga has changed your entire life, viewpoint, career choices, personal choices, etc?

I just realized this that because of that first episode of DBZ that I saw with my friend, that was the turning point of my entire life. This 5-6 year long hobby has given rise to me learning the Japanese Language and then applying it to my career choices and viewpoints. At first I wanted to learn Japanese just because I like anime and manga but as I go further into the language, hirigana, katakna, and kanji I am disovering that what I am studying is not to further a hobby but to prepare myself for my future involving the Japanese language.

All thanks to that first DBZ episode aired on Toonami.

Anyone else feel the same way?

I think they will if you continue to pursue the dream. I am a sophmore in college and 20, I just realized that this may be the calling God has for me. And because of this my parents are supporting me 101%. I am sure they will support you but in order to do so, you need to show them you are dedicated to learning instead of just it being another hobby.

Well, I also got into learning Japanese due to my interest in manga. However, I am not sure whether I wish to pursue a career with it yet. If I were to do that, it would probably be as a teacher or translator. I can say that it has changed my way of thinking about things.

For example, a kappa is a type of strange monster in Japanese folklore, so I can't help smiling when I hear a sorority girl say, "I'm a kappa." On a more serious note, the Japanese word kokoro means both heart and mind. Thus, one cannot be good only by knowing what is good: one needs to cultivate one's emotions in order to act according to one's beliefs. If this seems similar to chinese concepts, that's because they believe the same thing.

Anime has changed my life, but not for the better, that's all I'll say about it.

However, it is an enjoyable hobby for me, and if I wasn't into it, I wouldn't be here, so, there ya go. ^^

Anime has changed my life in a lot of ways, not all of which I'll disclose here, but on the whole has done so for the better.

I'd watched anime on and off between 2000 and 2003; by late 2003, I'd almost completely stopped watching. I was (wrongly) convinced at the time that anime was pretty much derivative, mostly unimaginative, and simply hard to get access to.

In March, 2004, I watched Haibane Renmei, and that set a lot of things in motion.

I joined probably the most comprehensive Haibane Renmei discussion board on the net, [url=cff.ssw.net]Sekai no Hajimari[/url], and made many friends and acquaintances. I met people skilled in Japanese, in art, in writing, in music.

Now, I have always been interested in all of the above, but anime was the catalyst that made me decide I finally had to act on it (even at my 'advanced' age). I started studying Japanese language and writing, and reading Japanese literature. I started drawing again, this time taking it in disciplined steps. I began writing again after a long time, this time fanfiction, and putting it in front of others for comment and criticism. I began listening to other kinds of music, and started taking piano lessons. I also started watching other anime that came highly recommended from other members of the board.

Most importantly, though, I started taking trips to Japan. Living in Korea at the time, it was much easier to do than it would be from the States, so I tried to fit in as many trips as I could in my time remaining. I knew there were hard-to-find HR-related publications in the States that could be easily located at Mandarake, Animate, or even Kinokuniya. Armed with nothing more than a couple websites and a couple recommended map books, I traversed Tokyo, learned the subway system (not as easy as it sounds!), used survival phrases... and found everything I was looking for. By the time of my fourth and final trip to Japan, I was traveling on the Shinkansen, planning every detail of my own trips through websites and guidebooks, seeing sights like Hiroshima and Kyoto that I'd never thought I'd see.

I have to say that, without anime, I strongly doubt I would have done much of this -- I might have taken a side trip to Tokyo without full knowledge of all the things to see, the history and the culture... I might have done some drawing... maybe some writing...

Today, I find myself extremely busy with my job, unable to get free time to do much outside of work or family obligations. However, when I do, I am either playing board games (my first hobby), watching anime, writing... and thinking about drawing and playing piano (next on my list).

And, of course, if it were not for anime, I would not be here at CAA.

Anime got me started on fanfiction, and writing as a whole. Without it, I doubt I would have the same passion for my craft that I do today.

My focus on anime has grown over the five years I've been a fan and I can easily say it's had an impact on my life (as well as my budget ). Most of my entertainment now is centered on anime and manga, though I still retain my love for my other hobbies.

One definite thing I can say is that watching anime and reading manga has changed my political outlook.I'm more of a Pacifist now and also more liberal than I was pre-anime.Wheter or not this would have happened if I had never watched
anime though I cannot say.

Life changing? Hmm. I have a lot less spare cash now that I've discovered you can order anime online! Does that count as life changing?

On a more serious note, like Kokoro Daisuke, it's encouraged me to start writing again.

I think it's also made me more sensitive to the nonconformists and oddballs of society, since a lot of anime characters don't exactly conform to societal norms!

I dress totally in black now due to Anime. Anime has drawn me to knew Ideals and ideas as an Author, Producer,whatever,lol. Plus, I eat tons of Ramen now, since then, and I didn't like it to begin with!

Are you serious Starwarsboy90! I like Ramen too now because of anime before i used to hate it but now i love it. umm . . is that life changing?

Well, seeing Dragon Man Z made me want to yell a lot and Card Captor Sakura made me want to light all my Yu-Gi-Oh cards on fire.

Well, eating Ramen is life changing for me,lol. Actually, becuase of Anime, I really got into fanfiction and became a Producer of an Anime Short Story Series on Angels, Demons and so forth,lol. Now, I'm even cosplaying becuase of it!