In a popular comment forum in Japan were shared some testimonials where it is stated that anime fans (otakus) apparently “lose interest” upon reaching thirty years of age. According to the comments, it seems that they are victims of a “reality check”, which makes them realize that perhaps they have not made the most of their lives.
Let’s review the aforementioned testimonials:
First testimony:
- «I have been living a lonely life for more than ten years, but anime, internet and video games, these three sacred treasures have kept my spirit alive for a while. But around the age of 28 they started to bore me, and by the age of 30 I was completely fed up. I have nothing to do, I really feel nothing but despair. I thought I would never get bored of anime, the internet, and video games for the rest of my life, but I was wrong. I used to run home from work and log on right away, but now I can’t even watch as much anime as I’d like. Before I thought about quitting my job to dedicate myself solely to videogames, today I’m not interested at all».
Second testimony:
- «Even if you nurture an empty life, it will still be empty. Everything is useless. This is the problem that people who have only consumed anime their entire lives run into. In order not to be swallowed by this reality check, everyone should start a family and take productive action. If you don’t produce something somehow, you will end up being swallowed up by emptiness and oblivion.».
Third testimony:
- «Before I stumbled upon this conversation, I not only watched anime non-stop, but bought merchandise, frequented places where they did live performances, and felt alive when I gained interactions from strangers on Twitter. After I felt that reality check, I lost interest in all those things and gave it up completely.».
And now let’s check the responses from Japanese fans:
- «I must admit it’s true, as you get older you lose interest in anime and video games».
- «Maybe 90 percent of otaku retire at 40, it’s normal».
- «My libido has been fading and my interest in erotic things has been waning. I think this has caused me to no longer be interested in anime and video games either.».
- «After all, anime is a culture for young people, so I understand why it fades over time. However, isn’t it too early for it to be 30 years old? They could have said that at age 50, when your physical appearance begins to change».
- «Is that when you realize that being single is entirely your fault? You spent all your resources on meaningless things like anime, manga books you only read once, video games you don’t even finish anymore, and now VTubers who only want you with your money. You avoided real women for these things».
- «First of all, the anime is the first thing that starts to bore you, and it’s worse when you read the manga and an anime adaptation of it is released, like it doesn’t interest you to see it again».
- «If it’s just anime and video games, I guess it’s understandable that you get bored. Can’t you dedicate yourself to other things?».
- «Well, it’s also because I work more and more time. I have no place to do the things I like».
- «Otakus only look for reasons and tools to escape from reality, but they can’t run away forever».
- «Well yeah, I guess it’s about time you got married and got your own vanilla story, or netorare?».
- «There are many other hobbies in the world, some even more products than anime and video games.».
- «Either you quit or you get bitter enough to hate any popular anime and try to gain attention on social media.».
- «When I was young I did not understand what it was like to be a person without hobbies, today I understand it».
- «No one knows what or when they will get completely bored with something».
- «Maybe there are tens of thousands of otaku over the age of 30 out there, but why have I never seen any? Maybe at that age you are already ashamed to say it?».
- «There is a difference between being an otaku and just enjoying anime».
- «In the end, those people only watch anime to escape from reality, they don’t really enjoy it.».
