To me, the thing about anime is that it's so adult-oriented. I remember going to Suncoast growing up, and you see 'Akira' there with the little 'Not for Kids' sticker on it. That always made an impact on me.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Like many other kids, I liked watching anime.
My kids love anime, but I don't show them the really graphic stuff.
I guess anime helped me understand the Japanese culture a little better and makes me want to honor certain language nuances that don't always translate to English.
I grew up with a lot of monster movies, robot movies, since I was a kid. I love anime movies, like 'Evangelion' and 'Ghost in the Shell.'
Anime has been good to me. I made and continue to make very little money at it, but the undying, feverish loyalty of the fans of the genre has been such a life-changing influence for me that I wanted to do everything I possibly could to help give something back to them.
I speak from a nerd's perspective because I've been watching anime since I was a kid. I grew up on 'Speed Racer' and 'Star Blazers' and 'Battle of the Planets,' and those were some of my first A) cartoons and B) introduction to Japanese couture before I even knew they were Japanese.
I've always loved Japanese legend, anime and manga.
People who get into animation tend to be kids. We don't have to grow up. But also, animators are great observers, and there's this childlike wonder and interest in the world, the observation of little things that happen in life.
You know, it's a wonderful thing. I have to say that some of the greatest actors I've ever worked with have been doing anime for years. It's not just because of the popularity, either.
I love nothing better than a dirty cartoon. I think that it's really, really funny to see adult themes in a genre that's usually directed towards children.