Anime and Fantasy Life

[lily]

I have a very different sort of problem. It has to do with anime. There is this one particular show that I enjoy watching, but I find myself being consumed by it. Maybe it's because I dislike myself and my life. I keep thinking to myself why can't I be like that, why can't my life be like that. I know it is purely fictional, but for some reason I keep comparing my life to one that has been made up, one that can never happen. Anime I know is for entertainment purposes, but why does it make a normal person feel like crap about their own life... I'm not the most attractive looking girl, I can't accomplish my life goals by the age of 15 (I'm well beyond that), the list could go on forever, but I'll stop there. Is there something wrong with me? I know this probably sounds very silly, but it truley bothers me and I feel like I have absolutely no purpose on this earth.

[Halcyon]

Which one are you referring to?

[lily]

Promise not to laugh... Naruto.

[LifeFirst]

Naruto???

Of all the good anime out there....Naruto???


j/k


Seriously, what do you mean you have no purpose? Because you spend 10 hours a day watching 20 episodes in a row?? Because you wanna walk on water and run up trees while killing two birds with one hairpin?? What if you never heard of Naruto? What if you never seen the show? Would you have purpose then??

I don't know why you ask yourself "why can't you be like that?" As far as I know, NO ONE is like that. There isn't anyone I know on this planet that can strap someone to a Jesus cross while stabbing him with a sword 700 times just by looking at him (you seen that episode yet?? ...j/k)

Or anyone that is made of sand or vomit an entire ocean.

[180]

I understand how you feel. And I think a lot of other anime watchers probably do too.

I dream and dream about the day that the world be overtaken by monsters and I'd be the dashing hero, saving children, putting my life on the line. Now this seems pretty average. What I haven't told you is that this put me into serious depression. I day dreamed about it again and again and again. Dreams at night, dreams at day... I projected that dream into high school, then college...

Well now it's past college, no monsters, demons or aliens yet. Now I was depressed, A LOT. I mean I used to think... whats the point of living? All I'm doing is living day by day with no purpose. I always felt like.. THAT is my purpose to save the world, but the opportunity hasn't happened yet.

Well here is my problem (and you may feel the same way after you read this). There is a purpose in life. Just because there aren't any physical demons or monsters we battle, there are challenges for me out there. Real life ones. And I just need to be strong, go out and find them and conquer them.

We live comfortable lives. It is VERY good and anyone in the world would agree that we have the high life... Some people have never even seen TV, have a computer. - But we've grown accustomed to monotony, humans were designed by nature to tackle challenges, strife, climaxes... which is why we have anime in the first place. To take us to a place where a challenge exists and we overcome it.

Now all you have to do, is with ultimate passion, obsession and focus. Find one thing in real life you HAVE to do. Make it your purpose. if you search yourself you will find one. Think of an anime. Maybe you like Inuyasha. or maybe you enjoy Death note, etc. These animes actually hold the key to your life purpose. One of them that you really like reveals more about yourself than you could ever imagine.

I would like to know though:

What characters do you like?
What about the story do you like?
What does anime have that makes it so compelling over real life?

[Zukin]

I watched Naruto a lot a few years ago. I even went shopping for leg weights since I thought it was so cool that Rock Lee was fighting Gara at first even when he was wearing the weights. I wanted to be a ninja and a hero.

Then I had a realization that I could be a hero in real life even though the methods are different.

If a person is born in a Western country like the USA or UK, they have such a high standard of living that just a few dollars can save the life of a person living in the third world.

Like 180 said, see what sort of themes you are attracted to in Naruto. Then see if you can apply those in the real world to achieve your destiny.

[mansell]

i have watched and red a fair amount of anime in the past 3 or 4 years. And yes obviously we would like to live in their worlds and do what they do but then again with a little thought they are just over egsagerated versions o us.

When they get pissed off or a desperate situation calls they like transform into bigger and better versions...
in my local paper about 9 months ago a woman saw her little girl get hit by a car and roll under another one that was parked.her little girl age 8 lay there crying in pain and the car owner wasnt around to move it.In the heat of the moment the mother ran over to the car and vainly began to try and lift the car, the ON lookers described their first impression as she was a desperate person using desperate solutions.until after about 20 seconds the car began to rise and the woman lifted it on to 2 wheels and pushed it clear of her daughter.

this may sound crazy but in certain circumstancs people do have what it takes....in the film they always show these powers because they are constantly in danger etc....so be glad that your not always in danger....it seems good but a lot of things are,you need to make your own cool world around yourself and then be glad where you are

[EnduranceNinja]

Wings Of the Hommandise(SP?)

Thats my anime addiction. I watch it off and on still but after a while I got bored of it. I am 35 so I find it kinda embarrassing. I think we all get into an addiction to a movie or show and not all are animes. I am a big fan of Fight Club but I have met many diehard fans who watch it everyday.

[Halcyon]

heh heh Your definately not alone lily. I remember pretending to be wolverine when I was younger. lol

Well a friend of mine (older in fact) got me to watch Naruto and I really liked it. its a bit different. However naruto REALLY annoys me and I dont really like him. However about the chakras and the way the sound village fights are all very interesting to me. The character I most identify with is Sasuke.

Anyway, 180 said it best. Kudos.


<Halcyon>

oh btw You CAN study chakra, martial arts, psychic energy, and ninjutsu if you realy desire. For your own psurpose.

[EnduranceNinja]

Another thought came to me. Watching anime or any other program and wanting to become that character is nothing different from reading a book too. I find myself into certain characters in a book also. I guess we all find ways to escape. I am sure it can be a bad habbit if used too much and you get depressed or angry because real life is nothing like the characters you watch. But, I find sometimes these movies are what I need to get motivated. When I watch fight club I know I will never become like the main character Tyler Durden. But there are valuable lessons to be learned from the main character.

[Halcyon]

How about create the ideal you. use characters from books, games, movies to inspire you and give you ideas. Create what you want to be in your mind realistically. Make an effort to become that. Its basically manifestation.

If its looks... forget about trying to look like someone else. Do your best with what you have. That means dress in a way that flatters your figure. Do your hair in a cute or kool way. However tastes change as you grow.

ANYWAY.... escaping is natural. Just be sure that you spend time in the real world as well. Its fine to emulate what you want including Tyler Durden. Basically all Tyler Durden was was a mental manifestation.


<Halcyon>

[Sam988]

Ah i also would like to be inside the world of certain animes sometimes... there's nothing wrong with that

[kfleming]

Hi, Lily
I was touched when I read your thread. It sounds like you have lots of questions troubling you. I certainly know the feeling. The very process of asking the questions is a great start to finding better balance and the well-being that comes with it. There's a site I think can help you with some of your questions. It's called inpowr http://www.inpowr.com -- it's totally free and it's a fun way to get a better understanding of how you feel about things in your life. Then it helps you pick one to work on and keep track of how your actions affect your well-being. Please give it a try, I'm sure it can help.
Good luck!

[Jennihul]

Don't feel bad. I'm addicted to Halo 3 and I don't even play it.

To me, it's the ultimate spectator sport.

Jennifer

[lily]

180 ~

As for the characters I'm mainly talking about Sakura. NOT from the first series, but from the second series Shippuden. Other characters that I like are Kakashi, Sasuke, and Gaara. I think what draws me to the show is that Sakura used to be so weak. In the new series she has trained a lot and is much stronger and talented. She not only can kick butt, but she also is a medical ninja and in my opinion very attractive. When I watch it I feel like a failure in life because there is basically a 15 year old girl smarter and more talented then me. She is needed by others and is making a difference. She is so young and she has achieved so much.

[EnduranceNinja]

One big flaw in Japanese anime is they make very young characters who do amazing things. (In my opinion) So don't stress about the age of the character and what he or she has done. One anime a 17yr old boy was a police officer. Come on! even in Japan 17yr olds cannot be a police officer. and the main character is always creditted for such amazing accomplishements before puberty. They make them all child prodiogies(sp?) I hope this helps some. I have felt that way too and realized the common thread in all japanese anime.

[180]

Well, she mentioned already that she understands that it is anime. She logically understands why. I think it's that emotionally, she feels unsatisfied by not having achieved something similar. And everytime she watches even though she enjoys it, also depressed by it.

I think if you could find a way lily, to be inspired by it rather than let it bring you down. That would be ideal. For example, you mentioned 2 times that you don't feel you have achieved much or that you are good looking. And if you look at yourself and feel that you aren't good looking, you will start projecting that thought unto other people...

I used to thinkof myself as grendel from Beowulf... lol but then one day I get dolled up. a few compliments and you realize, hey im not bad looking. I just don't present myself that way. A friend of a friend of mine has seen Zhang Ziyi from crouching tiger hidden dragon. She looked like a farm girl without makeup. Presentation can do a lot. Ok a bit of tangent but my 2 cents.

I think maybe your situation could be a lot like sakuras. Right now you feel inept. That you haven't achieved much and you have wasted your time. Well so did Sakura. She was inept, she couldn't do anything right. and was frustrated that the only skill she had was subsitution jitsu (yes I've watched it :> ).

Whats to say you can't take that same road? Rock Lee is also like that. He sucks balls at EVERYTHING. he wasn't even good at taijustu to begin with. He just after hard work and training got good at it.

I'm sure yo can do the same.You said yourself one of the reasons you liked her was because she was so bad in the beginning and then she got good. You're already in a pretty similar situation

Sure, maybe you've lost some time but u can still overcome barriers and obstacles.

It's easy to say I know, and probablly will be the bigest obstacle in your personal life to put it into action. But if you work hard at it. I'm sure even you could surpass sakura.

[Halcyon]

He sucks balls at EVERYTHING.

lol Well put.

[yamayama]

I love this thread.

I've been totally addicted to Final Fantasy 7. To the point where I've started mimicking the confidence and attitude of my favorite characters. I've even started straightening my hair because I love the way it looks on them.

I was just sitting here wondering what my life purpose was, since I don't have killer martial arts skills or a sword to swing, or a planet to save or destroy. I think what I love about Final Fantasy is that they all have a do or die purpose.

I love 180's advice. I'm going to save it in notebook and think about why I love that anime so much.

Oh and your not alone. My daughter and her friends love Naruto. One of her friends has a huge crush on Gaara.

[Marvinq]

Trust me you're are very normal. It's not silly. I, myself have a blog that is similar to what you think is a problem! My blog is about things I learned from Movies, Books and TV. Since I really didn't have a role model or a mentor I really relied on characters in books, movies and tv.

I've seen actors and actresses in person. Believe me they look just like any other person walking around. If I wasn't paying attention I wouldn't have noticed.

Don't make all these comparisons otherwise no matter what you will lack at something. There will always be someone better at something.

It is not so important that you are good at something. What is more important is that you always do your best.

[Jennihul]

I used to be in love with Jason from Battle of the Planets.

Jennifer

[ArtlessMonster]

You should watch Welcome to the NHK, it's an anime about someone similar to you learning to live life outside of the fantasy world through emotional intervention.

Base your sense of worth on something more important, like friends/relationships, and accomplishments will naturally follow.

[Ilya]

Lily, being attracted to imaginary worlds is ok. You have vivid imagination, probably. Don't forget that all arts, even anime, encode the knowledge about our world, even if in metaphoric form. You need to see beyond the form. The 15 year old imaginary girl is smarter and more talented then you.

Well, many fictional characters are like that. They are achieving a lot and with great ease to highlight, to make them remarkable, to make them attractive and to make them larger than life. And to help us reveal our own interests through watching them.

You did. You've discovered that being needed by others and being successful is important to you. Then do something about it. Become like her. Use this character as an inspiration. But you don't have to compare your results with the results of 15 year old fictional character. In fact you don't have to compare yourself with anyone else other than better you.

We all have our own lives and it doesn't matter where we start. What matters is what we can achieve in the end.

So use anime to know yourself better and then use this knowledge in the real life. You are on the right track.

[Terumoto]

Watch some "slice-of-life" style anime instead.

...

[Vipa]

I've only just discovered anime and am 34. I can't speak for the non film everyday type anime, but the two films I saw were very beautiful - Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke.

I think like anything that touches the psche the key is not to take them literally, but to instead think about the messages in the metaphor they present. It's kind of like Harry Potter. I may be 34, but I would love a world where we battle with wands and fly on broomsticks and so on, yet the real wandwork is that which we do inside our heads.... and understanding this is what makes the magic real.

It's a subjective world inside our own heads so the key is to make the world the way you want it to be. You see what you expect to see, so change your expectations.

[pyrogen]

There are some people who would say you can mold any self you want on the "astral plane" (model it after an anime character if you want) and use that in a productive manner. anyone want to speak up on this? I'm not very educated about it.

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by lily

I have a very different sort of problem. It has to do with anime. There is this one particular show that I enjoy watching, but I find myself being consumed by it. Maybe it's because I dislike myself and my life. I keep thinking to myself why can't I be like that, why can't my life be like that. I know it is purely fictional, but for some reason I keep comparing my life to one that has been made up, one that can never happen. Anime I know is for entertainment purposes, but why does it make a normal person feel like crap about their own life... I'm not the most attractive looking girl, I can't accomplish my life goals by the age of 15 (I'm well beyond that), the list could go on forever, but I'll stop there. Is there something wrong with me? I know this probably sounds very silly, but it truley bothers me and I feel like I have absolutely no purpose on this earth.

I have been wanting to be a fictional character for years
either a romantic heroine like lizzy in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

or lara croft from the TOMD RAIDER


what appeals to me is the strong truthful character of these women

and lara can beat some serious a-s too


if I has my way I would combine to 2 characters and then watch out world


so no I don't think I can help you
but I do commiserate with you

peace

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by lily

180 ~

As for the characters I'm mainly talking about Sakura. NOT from the first series, but from the second series Shippuden. Other characters that I like are Kakashi, Sasuke, and Gaara. I think what draws me to the show is that Sakura used to be so weak. In the new series she has trained a lot and is much stronger and talented. She not only can kick butt, but she also is a medical ninja and in my opinion very attractive. When I watch it I feel like a failure in life because there is basically a 15 year old girl smarter and more talented then me. She is needed by others and is making a difference. She is so young and she has achieved so much.

yes comparing ourselves is a bit--h
and depressing too

[LordSappington]

I used to be really into sci-fi. I watched the TV series, read the books, bought the movies, went to the clubs, the conventions, the whole deal. It was exciting to fantasize that I was in that part of the universe and could do great things. Then I went to college, and I suddenly found myself with way too much work to do and limited access to that stuff in my free time. So I essentially just gave it up cold turkey, and I can say that it was one of the greatest things I've ever done for myself.

Instead of focusing on the whole fantasy aspect, I was living my own life and struggling with the real-life problems that we all encounter. Now, nearly a decade later, I do enjoy the occasional sci-fi indulgence, but it's simply that. It's an indulgence, something I can watch once in a while to escape from reality for an hour or two every few months. So I would challenge you to give up anime completely for a month. Refuse to do anything involving it. Then see how your internal thoughts guide you. I suspect you will begin to understand that it's not that you can't fly and save the world that's bugging you, but something far more grounded in reality.

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by LordSappington

I used to be really into sci-fi. I watched the TV series, read the books, bought the movies, went to the clubs, the conventions, the whole deal. It was exciting to fantasize that I was in that part of the universe and could do great things. Then I went to college, and I suddenly found myself with way too much work to do and limited access to that stuff in my free time. So I essentially just gave it up cold turkey, and I can say that it was one of the greatest things I've ever done for myself.

Instead of focusing on the whole fantasy aspect, I was living my own life and struggling with the real-life problems that we all encounter. Now, nearly a decade later, I do enjoy the occasional sci-fi indulgence, but it's simply that. It's an indulgence, something I can watch once in a while to escape from reality for an hour or two every few months. So I would challenge you to give up anime completely for a month. Refuse to do anything involving it. Then see how your internal thoughts guide you. I suspect you will begin to understand that it's not that you can't fly and save the world that's bugging you, but something far more grounded in reality.

no it's the reality of the world that scares me into staying in my fantasy world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


why did you pick the name LordSappington?