Slice Of An Otaku Life

Sometimes, I look around and carefully scrutinize each and everyone of my age mates and I can't help but think: 'I could have been like them.'

I mean, nothing stopped me from choosing novellas or sport over anime. Sometimes I look back and I ask myself, 'What if I did like them?' and I see myself plunged in all those social anxieties and other things that normal people live. And I realize the boring life which awaited me if I did so.

To say the truth, I wasn't so fond of manga\anime in the beginning. I could watch but well, it didn't get my blood pump as it does now. And then one night, I was busy scrolling through channels, trying to find something to watch and then it came on screen.

It was freaking love at first sight, the one which welcomed me into this universe, my initiative phase. I started keeping up my schedule to watch every single episode and when the show touched to an end, I craved for more, much more ...and then started my research phase.

I started with the most popular, the basics: Dragon Ball, Naruto, Death Note, One Piece... heck, even Sailor Moon. To make it short, it took me quite some time, much time but I finally could get to this level.

The problem is not my passion, the problem is my passion in the society. When I discovered my interest, it was not that easy to proudly live it. My centers of interest were different from others and it was evidently taboo to keep watching cartoon at a certain age. (though I keep repeating it to them time and again that it's not some freaking cartoon)

Sometimes I wanted to ask 'Who saw what happened to Naruto yesterday?' but I knew what awaited me so I shut up. 

And then one day, I had this sudden illumination. I knew I was brave, I'd always been but I couldn't be when it came to it. But that was about to change. I wouldn't quit something as wonderful as that because some tweedwats would look at me in a strange way.

Little by little, I opened up and to my utmost surprise, I discovered I wasn't alone. We were present and in numbers, some still amateurs, learning to walk just like babies, others accomplished otakus. So yeah, it took me some time but the wait was worth it.

NB : To all those who think that anime lovers are asocial nerds who are afraid of the sunlight... well you are wrong. I know a handful of them who are good at athletics or academics (myself included). Pretty popular and cool. The thing is that otakus vary as place and time changes. There is no universal personality for an otaku. The thing that brings us all together is our love for manga\anime.

If  the choice was to be done again, I would do the same thing all over.

Comment your personal experience as an otaku. Do you live it secretly? or Do you enjoy it under the daylight? Whatever the case, no one is judged. It is courageous enough to start loving it while knowing the complications. 

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