Why, After Only Two Episodes, You Will Love Anime.

Not a fan of anime you say?

Let me guess, you think cartoons are for kids?

Or maybe its just too ridiculous and over the top?  That perhaps it lacks a coherent plot?

Maybe it’s just too nerdy and weird?

Trust me when I say you are wrong, wrong, wrong on all counts.

Let me be the first to say that the initial “leap of faith” into the world of anime isn’t always the easiest to take; it often happens with a bit of morbid curiosity and maybe even a pinch of dumb luck. I too was skeptical of the genre in the early days of my viewing; however, after finally giving anime a much deserved chance, I realized how incredible anime really is. Which leads me to an important question, how many of you naysayers out there have ever given anime an honest to goodness chance? Chances are that if you don’t like anime, you’ve yet to do so. Like many other non-fans, I always thought anime was too ridiculous to be given a shot, and as I look back, all I can only laugh at how wrong I was.

Through my own experience and journey into anime, I was able to develop a basic theory as to how somebody so disinterested could become such a super fan. The answer is simple; two episodes. Two consecutive episodes of a series are all that is required for any person to become infatuated. Obviously the theory isn’t entirely proven, I mean if you decide that you won’t like anime no matter what, then in the end it doesn’t matter if you watch fifty episodes, you won’t like it. However, for the open minded viewer, my theory has proven quite true.

Here is my challenge for all prospective fans, pick a given show and just watch the first two sequential episodes. That’s right folks just about an hour of your time is all that it will take to form the necessary understanding and appreciation of anime to become a fan. In the first two episodes you will encounter two crucial things, the first being the main character(s) and the second being their raison d’vivre, or their reason for existing in the framework of a series.

As an example I will use one of my favorite anime series Rurouni Kenshin. In the first two episodes of the series, you discover that the protagonist Kenshin Himura is a trained assassin who became a ronin, or wanderer to repent for his sins. Checkmate. Instantly, as a watcher, you begin to think about an array of things that only suck you deeper into the show, and the only way to put solace to your now wandering mind is to watch more episodes.

Much like anything else, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. You have to think of anime as a puzzle, you start with the foundation and dance your way into the finer details. The writing and storytelling is some of the best I’ve ever seen or witnessed, the reason being that these series as wholes are made to be enticing. You learn a little more and see a bit of the story unfold in each given episode, keeping whomever may be watching enthralled from start to finish.

The bottom line is that anime gets a bad reputation over nothing, and if given the right chance it can prove why it is so enjoyable. With two episodes and an open mind, you too can see more clearly into the fantastic world of anime.