Ask John: What Defines a Hardcore Anime Fan?

Question:
What truly defines a hardcore fan of anime? Recently I have been thinking about what kind of an anime fan I am. I have been a fan for about 8 years now, yet I find myself not watching it as much. I have wall scrolls pined along my walls, a shelf full of manga and Japanese language and culture books, and a diplay with various anime figures. When I wear an anime t-shirt, I wear it with pride and respect for the art rather than just as a form of entertainment. Despite all that, I question myself as a hardcore anime fan simply because I don’t watch it enough or read manga as often. I truly belive that I love it as much as any fan who spends every waking hour glued to the computer moniter or television watching it. Am I hardcore for having a strong respect and understanding of the art, or am I a casual fan for not watching it as much?

Answer:
I’ve always believed that anime fans should be concerned with actually watching and enjoying anime foremost, and be concerned with determining the degree of their devotion a distant second, if at all. Watching, collecting and enjoying anime is educational and fulfilling. Trying to prove that you’re a hardcore anime fan only satisfies your own ego, which may be gratifying, but doesn’t enlighten you or improve your life in any significant way. If my belief is correct, then it’s impossible for me, or anyone, to conclusively say what makes someone a hardcore anime fan and someone else not. The characteristics that define a hardcore anime fan vary with each person making the judgment. But to attempt to bring some objectivity to an inherently subjective debate, I think that hardcore fandom is determined by a combination of devotion and respect. Both characteristics are necessary because one without the other isn’t adequate to establish undeniable status.

A fan or collector can be highly devoted, yet still not “hardcore.” By “hardcore,” I mean intensely obsessive and devoted. (Considering that obsession can be a psychological compulsion, obsession and devotion are not identical.) For example, someone that habitually buys anime DVDs or obsessively collects anime merchandise but doesn’t actually watch a lot of anime, I think, is not a hardcore fan; a hardcore collector, certainly, but not a hardcore anime fan. Being enamored with hoarding, or being fascinated with the visual look of anime but not its stories or music or themes or culture do not represent hardcore anime fandom in my eyes. That’s obsession, but not devotion. Likewise, having only respect for anime, but not actually watching anime, is not hardcore fandom. I may respect French cinema, but I don’t watch very many French films. The fact that I respect French cinema alone does not make me a “hardcore” fan of French films.

So a hardcore anime fan, in my opinion, has to both respect and love Japanese animation, and actually watch Japanese animation. I don’t think there’s a particular threshold of exactly how much anime a person must watch in order to qualify as a hardcore fan. I believe that amount is determined by the individual’s own threshold and the perception of that person’s peers. If a person loves and respects Japanese animation as a literary and cinematic form of contemporary art, prioritizes love of anime above most or all other hobbies or interests, and watches enough anime to be personally satisfied, I think that person should be considered “hardcore.” The classification of “hardcore fan” should probably be applied to people who not only fit these criteria, but take these criteria to extreme lengths. But anime appreciation is a personal hobby, so one’s fandom should only extend to the degree that it’s personally satisfying. If you believe that you’re a hardcore anime fan, you probably are. Whether or not anyone else agrees with you should be irrelevant to your own ability to watch and appreciate anime.