We all remember our childhood days when we would sit in front of the TV engrossed in our favorite cartoon show.  For some of us, Saturday mornings was purely reserved for our cartoon viewing pleasure; we endured a tortuous week of school and homework just to make it to that holiest of days.  
This is what I grew up watching.  Back then cartoons were just that…cartoons.  The drawings were elementary and colorful; the movement very nuts and bolts; the plot safe and mundane.  It’s nature by design was targeted for kids.  And that was okay by my standards.  Any adult caught watching this would a strange sight…well can you imagine your parents watching this for enjoyment.

As I grew a little older, I felt a little out of place watching this.  You kind of knew where most of the story was going and all the characters wore the same outfits.  It’s like they had a lifetime supply of the same clothes.  Luckily for me cartoons started to change a bit.  They ventured into more action, sci-fi and comic book type of things.

This fantasy, sci-fi cartoon was simply out of this world. Not to mention, seeing comic book characters finally on-screen. It was pure ecstasy seeing cartoons geared for the older child. The drawings and motion were still a bit rudimentary and the plot very simple and safe.  But that was okay.  It captured my attention and held it for hours on end.

After awhile these new type of cartoons just didn’t capture my attention.  I was just growing up and these cartoons started to feel childish again.  I felt embarrassed if any adult stumbled upon me watching this; it felt as if your best friend caught you in the act of watching Sesame Street.  Not that there’s anything wrong with Sesame Street, it’s just meant for a different age bracket.

For the longest time cartoons became homogenous in drawing and plot.  As I got into college I got turned onto “anime”.  When I saw this, it completely blew my mind. This was cartoons but on steroids and meant for the older crowd.

The drawings were like works of art and the plots more complex in nature.  The movements of the characters were more fluid in motion and realistic. It was fantastical in nature, action packed and engaging.

It’s as if my whole life of watching cartoons as a kid was gearing me up for anime.  I no longer felt ashamed of watching this; I would be totally oblivious to any adult entering the room.  I was reliving my childhood again but in an adult way.  Yes it’s still cartoons…but it’s done in a sophisticated and craftful manner.

Whenever I have some spare time, I would go onto the internet and catch up on the latest anime series that captures my attention.  My kids are even entranced with it and think I’m cool for sharing an interest in anime with them.  It’s purely an escape for me when I’m tired of regular TV viewing.  All I can say is that thank God for “anime”…it “TOTALLY ROCKS!”