Things you shouldn't assume about anime fans
Anime is Japan's gift to the human civilisation. Ever since they gained popularity as means of entertainment, they ended up becoming an important part of the Japanese culture. With a worldwide audience of millions, the anime fan base is rapidly on the rise. As the non-anime enthusiasts watch their polar opposites from a distance, their assumptions about the latter will definitely sound outrageous to many of you.
SPEAKING JAPANESE
"Baka," all of you. Not all anime fans can speak Japanese. Of course, some of the words may stick with them thanks to their constant use in anime. Time to time, fans may use these words in small talk or in their social media posts. But that doesn't mean they are fluent or have knowledge of the Japanese language. Keep that in mind. Arigato.
NO THEY DON'T RUN LIKE NARUTO
Ah Naruto, one of the most beloved and watched anime of all time. In case you haven't watched Naruto or don't know about the "Naruto run", look it up on YouTube. Apparently, running in this bizarre posture helps you gain more speed, or that's what people think. Assuming that anime fans always run like this is also bizarre. It's just a living meme and nothing more than an act for the purpose of humour.
NOT ALL OF THEM ARE CHILDREN
Anime is not only for children. To think that all anime fans are childish or immature is a common mistake the "mature" class often makes. In fact, some anime require you to be above a certain age limit before you can go on to enjoy them (not talking about "adult" anime here). So to call anime fans immature or childish is just pathetic.
WEEABOOS
Simply speaking, the ones who are obsessed with Japan and its culture are referred to as "weeaboos". This slang is most commonly used to attack anime fans. People often presume that it's one of the pre-conditions required to be met if you're to become an anime lover. But as a country, Japan's culture and heritage are praised even by non-anime fans. There is no such obligation that one cannot appreciate Japan's culture without being a fan of the shows. Likewise, one can enjoy anime without having to like or appreciate their culture. The need for such a derogatory term to classify people is just unnecessary.
A BUNCH OF NERDS AND LONERS
The most common and illogical assumption anyone could possibly come up with. This is just stereotyping, thinking that anime fans are a bunch of nerds who wear spectacles with thick lens, wear their trousers closer up to their chest and what not. There is no standardised description of how an anime fan should look or behave. They're regular people who enjoy a certain form of entertainment. So we need to stop judging them for their choices.