How Anime Changed My Life.....ForEVER!

*Queue Marvel Comic Style Anime Intro*

It all started in 5th grade. I was your average "African American suburban" kid. A Military dad, Former Marine turned police officer, a stay-at-home mom, selling Mary-Kay and running an in-home daycare center that mostly me and my little sister attended. Obviously.

All while attending Freedom Fellowship Church (Non-Denominational).

Now of course this last part is a key figure in how this whole story unfolds. Mainly being how some of the anime that were out at the time gaining traction, had some more than interesting characters and storylines to sum it up nice.

Of all these new shows being introduced in animated cartoons. One stood out in particular.

As you can see, this specific Japanese animation had some especially counterintuitive cultures being practiced. namely by the main character Yugi Mutou. Now Yugi wasn't an especially heinous character. If anything, I felt a certain akin to him, given our similarly small stature and what might some say is an "optimistic" outlook on the world. However quite rapidly this young boy became enraptured into a world much deeper and much darker than what a simple card game should ever incur. 

*R.I.P TakeOff* 

*Ehhehmm*

Now with all the Egyptian mythology and enchanted artifacts it quite easy to see how this could create a problem or two within a Christian house. 

✋*smack*

 😂😂😂😂Naw y'all, not really. But my mother was firm on keeping me, and my sister for that fact, straight and well-seasoned on the path of correct spiritual enlightenment, in order to protect her children, and their souls whose hands did play a role in their creation. And these things however trivial in nature or entertainment, played a much deeper role in the subliminal and subconscious psyche of her impressionable son. To the point it obviously wasn't allowed to be watched when in the house, which indubitably means there'd be no harboring or holding the quote unquote evil souls, aka the trading cards, in said house as well.

So, as I'm sure many of you know, your typical Yu-Gi-Oh afficionado and trading card player wasn't one you'd off top deem, religious. be it something I was inherently unaware of, or something I didn't see as effectively necessary in determining the quality of relationship we could develop. And with this need to be unconditionally open to other people's ways of living as well as a certain hunger to understand what hadn't been placed in front of me blatantly to comprehend. which led me to things like the giver, or Eragon and even maybe around that time as well, Artemis Fowl. Gaining many of these insights into new worlds, new creatures and new ways of perceiving, mostly through conversations or observations of yes, those very same, Yu-Gi-Oh fans. 

Alas, what could I have done but let the great beauty of childhood, curiosity but take over me. 

Digesting whatever particles of information, I could get on the subject. from sneaking peeks at the tv shows, ready to turn the channel at a moment's notice, to taking cards and hiding them in dressers or under pillows to using computer time to come up on any information, pictures, or videos I could find.

As I am now older, I see how this small feat of involving myself inside a community that until then had been one of the furthest from my mind's eye. Led to the birth of a journey into the beautiful world that is Japanese culture, mythology and ideals on life. that would shape me, from the friends I chose, to the dreams I sought in life. as an ode to the many teachings and disciplines I absorbed and still continue to till this day.

Anime has moved me deeply and I will use this platform as well as many others, to shed light on the works of art that shaped me. As well as the views I've been given and how they all could help make this living just a tad bit more bearable. Heck, who knows? We may even end up having some fun! 

Coming Up Next: 5 Manhwa I'm Reading Or Read That Level'd Me Up (& Yes, That Pun Was Intended)