I Only Started Watching Anime to "Fit In"...Now I'm Obsessed

Uni
Jul 20
3 min read

Let me tell y'all a little secret....

I didn't grow up watching anime.

I didn't even know who All Might was. I thought it was all just cartoons with loud yelling and over-the-top drama (Spoiler: I was so wrong.)

But then came Phenox.

And my friends.

And this group chat felt like a constant stream of "Did you watch the new episode?" and "Bro, that fight scene was INSANE." and me? Sitting there like:

"What is Dragon Ball Z, and what even is a Saiyan?'

I swear I used to tease Phenox for how into anime he was. I'd roll my eyes when he rewatched the same scenes, laugh when he got emotional over a character arc, and lowkey joke, "You're such a weeb."

Welp. Guess who became the weeb in the friend group now?

It Started as a "Let me Watch Just One So I Don't Feel Left Out" Thing.....

I didn't want to feel like the odd one out anymore. Every time our group hung out, anime came up. One Piece was a hot topic and a few other ones as well. So, I finally gave in and I was l like.

"Fine. I'll watch something. One thing. Just so I don't sit in silence while y'all talk about plot twist."

I asked what I should start with and of course a big list of anime came pouring in on me. And I mean a BIG LIST! Since I like Marvel A LOT! My Hero Academia was brought up. The friend group didn't like it much but figured it was more my kind of anime to watch. A school full of wannabe superheroes. Sounds cute, I guess?

And then...

I met All Might.

And that's the moment everything changed.

All Might Was My First Anime Love

The moment I saw him. The way he smiled even when he was in pain. The symbol of peace energy? I wasn't just watching anymore I was fully invested.

Rooting for him. Crying for him. Screaming "SMASH!" at my screen like a manica.

I fell hard. Not just for All Might but for the entire story, the emotion, the animation, the tension, the everything. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen.

And just like that, I was hooked.

Then Came the Spiral...and I Regret NOTHING

After My Hero Academia, it was game over.

I needed more. I wanted action, pain, redemption, heartache, and found family tropes. I wanted animation that made me pause and say, "wait WHAT just happened??" I wanted messy villains and hero's that break. I wanted everything.

So, I binged Attack on Titan next. Then Demon Slayer. Then Berserk (yes, I was not ready lol) I met Gojo, Guts, Rengoku, Levi, Shoto Vegeta. I sobbed; I screamed. I feel in love with way too many fictional characters to list. (No, I will not be taking questions on how many anime husbando folders I now have on my phone, thanks.)

I even dipped into different genres. Slice-of-life, dark fantasy, psychological thrillers, cozy magical girls, rom-coms, and those "what the heck did I just watch: kinds of anime that make you sit in silence for 45 minutes after the credit roll.

Anime Became My Self-Care, My Escape, and My Comfort

It's wild to think I started watching just to "fit in." Because now?

Anime is a core part of who I am.

I watch it when I'm stressed.

I rewatch favorite arcs when I need comfort.

I decorate my room with anime wall panels and merch.

I send Phenox text at work "YOU DIDN"T TELL ME THIS ARC WAS GONG TO DESTROY ME."

It gives me something to look forward to.

Characters to connect with.

Stories that speak pieces of my heart I didn't even know were there.

And it's also given me community.

Friends who fangirl with me.