Ask John: Is Hording Anime Bad?

Question:
Do you think it is okay to horde anime? I’ve been collecting anime for some time now, and I’ve come to the realization that I have a lot of series that I’ve never watched, and worse yet, DVDs that I’ve bought copies of but never opened. Is collecting just for the sake of collecting okay? I mean, I love watching anime, but could it be more of a type of psychosis to just keep buying and buying?

Answer:
I’m sure that there are people opposed to anime, and those who take pleasure from being contrary, who will say that too much of anything is a bad thing, or those who will say that an excessive obsession with anime is unhealthy or inappropriate, but I disagree. I can’t conceive of any specific reason why hording anime or being obsessive about anime should be avoided. On the other hand, I do know of several positive benefits associated with hording anime.

I suspect that some critics who argue against obsession with anime are motivated by jealousy, or irrational fear. People who aren’t passionate about anything may tend to develop jealousy and resentment toward those who do. This resentment has nothing to do with the hobby itself; it’s spiteful jealousy over seeing someone else happy. So merely arguing that too much of something is a bad thing, without providing a reason, is a hollow argument based on reactionary attitude instead of rational reason. The common viable reason to avoid excess is because excess can lead to harmful consequences. For instance, eating too much makes one fat. However, this argument doesn’t apply to anime. There are certainly people whose lives are hindered or ruined by obsessive/compulsive disease, but collecting anime is not a cause of obsessive/compulsive disorder. In extreme cases, hording anime may be a symptom of obsessive/compulsive disorder, but in that case it’s not the anime itself that is to blame. If collecting anime brings personal happiness, why not do it? If collecting anime becomes so compulsive that it compromises physical health and social behavior, the problem is not anime; the problem is the collector’s psychological balance.

Allow me to cite myself as an example. I’ll readily admit to hording anime. I own literally hundreds of anime DVDs that I’ve purchased but never even opened. I own multiple copies of many vintage Japanese anime artbooks. I’ve purchased duplicate copies of Dirty Pair, Megazone 23, Iczer-One, and Project A-ko books just to give them a good home; to put them in the hands of someone that will prevent them from getting dog-eared and torn and dirty. I may obsessively collect anime merchandise, but I don’t believe that my obsession has had any harmful impact on my life. There are three reasons why I horde anime, and I have yet to find any reason to stop.

First and foremost, collecting anime and anime merchandise makes me happy. I enjoy hunting for rare anime goods. I enjoy purchasing anime merchandise. I enjoy looking at my collection. I pleased by the knowledge that I own particular anime items. While being an obsessive collector, I still work full time, own a house and a car, pay my bills on time, and avoid inconveniencing anyone. My collecting hobby has no ill effects on anyone, including myself.

Purchasing excessive amounts of anime is one of the ways I support the anime industry. I’ve purchased dozens of complete anime series on DVD then never unwrapped any of them. I purchase legitimate copies of shows which I’ve watched fansubbed because I want to show my support for the shows I’ve enjoyed. I buy anime DVDs from particular distributors that I like and respect because I want to support them, and I know that individual sales do matter to America’s anime distributors. Watching anime is great, but merely watching anime does little to sustain or nurture the anime industry. Purchasing anime DVDs and merchandise is the most effective method of significantly supporting and encouraging the anime industry, so that’s what I do.

I also collect anime because I never know if I may want or need it in the future. I’ve purchased dozens of anime DVDs, and even complete series that I have little or no interest in. I even own DVDs from shows that I dislike because I can never be sure if I may need them for reference, or need them to loan to friends, co-workers, or family some time in the future. As long as I can afford to keep anime on hand, there’s no reason for me not to be prepared for unforeseen future needs.

I don’t believe that there’s any reason to avoid indulging in anime. I don’t believe that enjoying anime invariably leads to psychosis. There may be obsessive/compulsive anime fans, but I firmly believe that anyone suffering with obsessive/compulsive disease would suffer with the disease with or without being interested in anime. I honestly believe that the worst that anime can be blamed for is causing exuberant enthusiasm, which may be distracting and disruptive, but certainly isn’t physically harmful or debilitating. I think that there are several rational, practical reasons to indulge in hording anime, if you’re so inclined. I don’t know of any rational, practical reasons to strictly avoid hording anime. Too much of anything can lead to addiction or unhealthy obsession, but I believe that most normal, rational people are able to enjoy their hobbies without suffering psychologically debilitating illness.