The Future of the aging Anime Fan

As anime fans reach their 30's, 40's and 50's (and beyond!) they will face new facets of their life-long hobby. I've seen many a fan "outgrow" the hobby after a few years. I'm not sure why, but it is usually accompanied by some form of catastrophic life event. Here's a partial list:

	1.	Anime fan graduates from high school, decides to travel the world, sees all these weird people doing weird things, makes up his (or her) mind not to be one of those people and gives up anime. If ex-fan doesn't continue on to higher education, ex-fan turns into "Joe six-pack".
	2.	Anime fan moves to Canada where nothing exists, goes through withdrawal, eventually gets used to watching only two TV channels, one of which is in French.
	3.	Anime fan gets a job, starts earning money, realizes that anime is easy to buy, therefore not as much fun anymore as when it was unattainable, then drops out of it.
	4.	Anime fan gets a girlfriend (or boyfriend), realizes the many other benefits of girlfriend (or boyfriend) over anime and drops out of it.
	5.	Anime fan gets married, realizes spouse doesn't want house to look like "Otaku-land", and slowly departs the fold of fandom.
	6.	Anime fan has a child (with or without step #5), realizes that anime is for kids, then realizes that anime isn't for her (or his) kid, then immediately ceases the hobby.
	7.	Anime fan suddenly becomes very very wealthy (either through lottery, stock options or inheritance—it doesn't really matter how), decides that collecting money is more fun than collecting anime, realizes that being rich means being accepted in the real world, thereby making the fantasy world of anime unnecessary.
	8.	Anime fan dies. Stops acquiring anime.

Except for catastrophic event #8, the future looks very bright for anime fans wishing to extend their obsession well into their golden years.

Prediction #4: In the future, the longer you stay an anime fan, the easier it will be not to outgrow it because in the future, anime will be everywhere.

Being an anime fan is such a stubborn habit that enough of us, rather than let the world shape us, will actually be so stupid and selfish as to try and shape the world to conform to anime! Yes, those of us who will eventually "outgrow" anime are weak individuals, gullible and easily manipulated. The rest of us will find ways to bring anime into all aspects of American culture to spread our version of idiocy to the masses. For every excuse the traitors can come up with as to why they left, we remaining fans will have an answer for them!

	EXCUSE:	Anime is too weird.
	ANSWER:	We'll create "normal" anime.
	EXCUSE:	I live in Canada.
	ANSWER:	Get out before your brain turns to Jell-O!
	EXCUSE:	Anime isn't fun to collect anymore.
	ANSWER:	We'll make it more expensive so you won't be able to afford it again.
	EXCUSE:	My girlfriend/boyfriend doesn't like anime.
	ANSWER:	We'll produce "make-out" anime.
	EXCUSE:	My spouse doesn't like anime.
	ANSWER:	We'll brainwash him/her by putting anime on broadcast TV.
	EXCUSE:	Anime isn't appropriate for children.
	ANSWER:	We won't like it, but we'll make Saturday-morning-anime.
	EXCUSE:	I'm too rich for anime.
	ANSWER:	You're the perfect one to lead the crusade!
	EXCUSE:	I'm dead.
	ANSWER:	Lucky you. In Heaven, anime is already everywhere!

You see? There simply will be no escaping it.
Nor is there any escaping the Future of Anime.

David Ho runs RIAP, an American animation studio that takes anime as its primary influence. Visit http://riap.com to learn more.