Myles Miller | Reporter

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Naruto! Pokémon! Hunter x Hunter! Welcome to the world of anime, a broad term for Japanese cartoons that could range anywhere in topic from people born with superpowers to high schoolers playing volleyball. People all over the world enjoy this interesting animation form, but what do the students at Avon think of anime?

Junior Andrew Harris has been exposed to shows similar to anime before, such as Avatar the Last Airbender (which is technically a cartoon due to its origin in English), but has not sat down and watched an actual anime since the first grade.

“I choose not to watch it because it’s not really my cup of tea. If I found one that I liked, I don’t see [a reason not to watch it,]” Harris said.

Junior Sam Oliveira differs from Harris in that sense. They enjoy anime and choose to watch it recreationally as their friends are what got them hooked onto anime, a common theme amongst a lot of  students.

 “The first anime I ever watched was probably Soul Eater. My favorite anime is Erased. I usually watch it in Japanese, but if I watch it while doing homework, I’ll watch it in English,” said Oliveira.

Due to the negative stigma surrounding anime, another student asked to stay anonymous as they recounted of their favorite anime, Devilman Crybaby.

“What got me into it was the art style in Devilman Crybaby. It was so surreal, and it gave me a vibe that made me want to keep watching it,” said the anonymous student.

The anonymous student added on that they’d like to read Manga, the book form that usually comes before the full-fledged animation and will probably start someday. This student was also sure to note that they prefer the Japanese viewing of anime to the English one.

Senior Emily Gerety believes that there has been a large stigma surrounding anime, but it has been changing for the better.

“When I was in middle school, a lot of people didn’t know much about it so they would think you were ‘weird,’ but now I think more people have gotten into it and enjoy it,” said Gerety. “Sure, there still is a stigma, which made me self-conscious about watching it at first, but all of the shows, books, and culture are really awesome, and you should do what you like to enjoy.”