My mother never could’ve fathomed the can of worms she opened by gifting me Pokémon: FireRed Version for Christmas in 2004. If she had any idea about the horrors she was about to unleash, she probably would have given me a soccer ball or an avocado.
There’s probably an alternate universe where I’m currently contributing to cancer research. There may be yet another where I’m a famous actor on Broadway. But instead, I use my big brain to debate the impacts of every Fire Emblem game.
I love arguing about the ending of “Attack on Titan.” I enjoy sorting “Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure” Stands by their power levels. I get a little too passionate during games of Dungeons and Dragons.
I have a bad case of what society calls “being cringe.”
And I love it.
I spent a lot of time getting bullied for my interests as a kid. Despite the treatment from my peers, I never gave up these hobbies. In fact, I retreated further into them. They gave me solace during tough times in my life.
On days when it was particularly bad, I would boot up violent video games like Skyrim to let out my frustrations. I remember unwinding by watching shows like “Death Note” and “Madoka Magica.”
Nowadays, as the self-described “Lord of Cringe,” I couldn’t be happier. Doubting and disliking myself was, frankly, getting old. Loving and accepting myself has made my life,including these hobbies, much more enjoyable.
Admittedly, society isn’t as hard on anime, video games and similar art forms as it once was. The gaming industry is bigger than music and movies. Anime such as “Dragon Ball” and “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” are inescapable in the mainstream.
There is still a certain stigma around these hobbies, though, and I’m happy to report that I just don’t care.
My interests are a big part of who I am. Spending time shaming myself for them isn’t productive. And honestly, who’s being hurt by this? Whose life is genuinely worse because of my debates on the morality of Lelouch vi Britannia?
In fact, I would argue that my life is better thanks to my hobbies. I have met and bonded with friends, family and significant others over games of Super Smash Bros. I enjoy game nights and viewing parties with my loved ones.
Yeah, nobody was surprised when they diagnosed me with autism.
Maybe it’s not a surprise that I retreat into hobbies that are considered antisocial. I was an awkward kid who struggled to make friends. As an adult, I’m 24 and still going for my bachelor’s degree.
And I still actively participate in these activities as an adult. I binged “Sailor Moon” last year and I started “Yu-Gi-Oh!” for the first time two weeks ago.
But that’s all okay. Shinji Ikari taught me to know when to ask for help. Kanji Tatsumi showed me and the world to accept ourselves, both internally and externally. And Joseph Joestar reminded us all that there’s no rule against having fun while vanquishing evil.
In conclusion, the ending of “Attack on Titan” was good, actually. It reinforces the core themes of the series in a grotesque and unpleasant way, as is characteristic of the series.
Tolbert can be reached at [email protected]. Send him anime recommendations.
