Are you 'less' of an adult if you enjoy video games/anime/animation?

[Naruzeldamaster]

My parents seem to snub animation (especially like, pixar style animation) as something an adult shouldn't watch. (I largely blame disney for this impression that all animation is for kids, and cartoon network/Nickelodeon too I guess) I can agree with it not being to their personal taste, but not to the opinion that adults can't enjoy it too.

Anime they don't really know enough about to lean either way (although if they saw some of them they'd be VERY concerned, I would too for a few of em, but I don't tend to watch those) they've liked one or two anime movies I've shown them because the ones I did show them were genuinely good. (Like Spirited Away)

Video games they know even less about but they treat me like a kid cause I still play them. I don't think they realize that video games all have age ratings and Target Audiences just like Movies and Books.

Meanwhile mom's on her Ipad playing card games and stuff.

 

[Finchbearer]

Just my take on it — many adults enjoy this type of media, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with engaging with things you enjoy. Another viewpoint is that there is something childlike about animation/anime/gaming, but mainly because the medium itself is commonly also used by children, albeit at varying levels of age appropriateness. It’s bit like comparing a picture book with a book with words alone, and saying one is more inherently adult than the other, which if we view it from that standpoint, objectively, there are differences. There are other avenues to explore in terms of answering your question, such as the cultural and generational implications of consumption of media, or modern day ennui. There is also the reality that if you’re not under the kind of time constraints that work/relationships/children might bring about, then you may well simply have more time to sit and play a game for hours. There’s basically enough material to write a dissertation on.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

Just my take on it — many adults enjoy this type of media, and there’s nothing inherently wring with engaging with things you enjoy. Another viewpoint is that there is something childlike about animation/anime/gaming, but mainly because the medium itself is commonly also used by children, albeit at varying levels of age appropriateness. It’s bit like comparing a picture book with a book with words alone, and saying one is more inherently adult than the other, which if we view it from that standpoint, objectively, there are differences. There are other avenues to explore in terms of answering your question, such as the cultural and generational implications of consumption of media, or modern day ennui. There is also the reality that if you’re not under the kind of time constraints that work/relationships/children might bring about, then you may well simply have more time to sit and play a game for hours. There’s basically enough material to write a dissertation on.

My thing with it is I find some of the stuff my parents consume (Media wise) 'childish' and/or not to my taste.
But I don't really judge them or said media for enjoying it. Very much in the 'if you like it, good for you' camp.

The sticking point with video games, they have age ratings for a reason. I wouldn't let my littles (If I had them) Play say, half Life, god of war, or Resident Evil until they grew up, but smash brothers and Splatoon (Both of which I dabble on occasion) would be fine. (Though I'd monitor how much time they sink in those games because of how competitive they are as games)

I personally play everything from E 10 to M (No AO though for obvious reasons) and a lot of them have fantastic stories.

I guarantee you if they gave video games a chance they'd probably find one they like.

Anime is a bit more questionable, there's stuff intended for adults and there's also stuff uhh 'intended' for adults. There's a lot of good stuff if you're willing to sift through it though, same with any other visual media.

 

[Finchbearer]

I’m thirty six, so I grew up in probably a golden age of gaming. However, honestly, it’s something I largely left behind. I do know adults who game on a regular basis, and obviously there’s plenty of people here who do too. I don’t think I no longer game because I don’t enjoy playing a particular game (Warioland 4 for example) but, there are so many other things that im more drawn to. Maybe that is an adult/maturity thing, maybe it’s just a me thing. There’s no wrong or right answer in my opinion. The only caveat to gaming is that it may feel very productive and it’s hitting all those dopamine receptors, when you could have been doing something more productive from an objective point of view. But we all need fun and downtime.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

I’m thirty six, so I grew up in probably a golden age of gaming. However, honestly, it’s something I largely left behind. I do know adults who game on a regular basis, and obviously there’s plenty of people here who do too. I don’t think I no longer game because I don’t enjoy playing a particular game (Warioland 4 for example) but, there are so many other things that im more drawn to. Maybe that is an adult/maturity thing, maybe it’s just a me thing. There’s no wrong or right answer in my opinion. The only caveat to gaming is that it may feel very productive and it’s hitting all those dopamine receptors, when you could have been doing something more productive from an objective point of view. But we all need fun and downtime.

Yeah, that seems to be the vibe, some people 'grow out' of video games and others don't.

There's nothing wrong with either perspective and there's plenty of grown adults who make tons of $$$ on gaming. (Even something like Minecraft) Though some people do so with unsavory and immoral goals. (Getting kids into gambling is a HUGE problem on popular MC Servers)

I personally think it's not what you do or how long you do it (In terms of video games/anime) it's what you do with the information you get out of doing it.

I am often fairly inspired by the stories of games and shows I play/watch. The Fanfiction is whatever, it's just having fun practicing and I don't intend to make money off of that stuff. But the original stuff I do intend to sell at some point. I've set my sights on actually finishing two original projects by the end of the year, at least the rough draft.

While I do tend to lean toward parody of the games and other media that I enjoy, I attempt write the stories in a way that targets everyone, not just gamers.
Same with stories inspired by anime, the inspiration is obvious, if you're in the crowd. But my goal is to write something enjoyable to all, not just folks who watch anime.

 

[pmmg]

Yeah, that seems to be the vibe, some people 'grow out' of video games and others don't.

There's nothing wrong with either perspective

If you have not outgrown something, from what perspective can you assert there is nothing wrong with it?

Typically, putting an adult rating on something means just the opposite of what it means to be an adult.

You should find, as you pass through life, you do outgrow things and move on from them. After all, you are not put on this earth to see if you can complete the most video games. I cant speak to how your parents spend their time, but I can say, they are in a better position to know things than you likely are.

Video games are great entertainment, but they do take a lot of time, time you spend not doing other things. If you dont leave the chair, its gonna be hard to get on with other things that are also important in life. When you are your parents age, if you still want to play video games, maybe you can come back and answer.

I leave you with a quote.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

 

[Super Fantasy]

Well these days there are more strategy video games, such as some that I enjoy.
SIns of a solar empire 2, galactic civilizations 3 and so on, more of games for adults and what not.

 

[MSadiq]

I think what many are trying to communicate when they say these mediums are for kids is that the ratio of time to value you get out of them as an adult is too little or is better spent on things that provide you more value, and preferring to do things that have less value but are more entertaining is seen as childish, therefore these things are for kids. Of course, you can argue that entertainment is equates value, but then you can do or consume something that's both entertaining and provides some other value.

That's also my perspective on it as a I grew older and spent less and less time on entertainment. However, I'd not call it childish, as much as I'd call it time waste.

 

[MSadiq]

If you have not outgrown something, from what perspective can you assert there is nothing wrong with it?

Typically, putting an adult rating on something means just the opposite of what it means to be an adult.

You should find, as you pass through life, you do outgrow things and move on from them. After all, you are not put on this earth to see if you can complete the most video games. I cant speak to how your parents spend their time, but I can say, they are in a better position to know things than you likely are.

Video games are great entertainment, but they do take a lot of time, time you spend not doing other things. If you dont leave the chair, its gonna be hard to get on with other things that are also important in life. When you are your parents age, if you still want to play video games, maybe you can come back and answer.

I leave you with a quote.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

Plenty of people argue that all things are equally valueless and what value they have is ascribed to it be everyone of us, but that perspective is false, and I do think they concur it's false internally. Even from a biological point of view, there are things that are inherently more valuable to us, like reproducing and maintaining good social relationships, and what we usually categorize as "kids entertainment" falls pretty low on that list, at least for adults.

 

[pmmg]

Well. I am sure i would argue with some of those opinions.

I was trying to say, if one does not have maturity, they cannot talk from a place as if they do. When there is lack, there is no shortcut to suddenly have it.

I dont care if ppl play video games but, they do make your life disappear and give little of meaning.

I am of the opinion, however, that upcoming generations, when they creatively are more likely to think in video games than other mediums but there is a difference between creating and consuming.

 

[Prince of Spires]

The video game industry is the largest entertainment industry out there. It's not only kids spending money on games. Not even close.

Also, I'm 43 years old and I'm still waiting on that becoming an adult thing. I personally think it's a big conspiracy and everyone claiming to be an adult is just pretending they know how to be one. The only reason I don't play more video games is lack of time. That's it.

As for age ratings, I grew up when Doom and Unreal Tournament and Carmagedon where a thing. They were going to completely ruin everyone under 18 and turn them into homicidal maniac. Haven't seen it happen yet. Somehow, even kids are able to distinguish between real and make-belief...

 

[Queshire]

Considering where we are I rather think it's safe to say that we're all either writers here or aspiring writers. As such, I would hope that we all possess the eye necessary to realize that any medium has its inherent strengths and weaknesses. When working in prose it is a relatively simple matter to have magic users call out spell words such as wingardium leviosa or to initially establish that utilizing magic requires very specific gestures but then just gloss over what that would actually look like in action, but at the same time prose would struggle with properly conveying the sort of fluidity that can be managed with a visual medium.

Notice the simplicity in just needing to draw a circle to cast magic, but those simple shapes are utilized to create a fluid fighting scene and even incorporated into dancing.

Spoiler: Example 1

Spoiler: Example 2

Beyond simply writing and visual elements there's also music and other audio elements factoring in, and with video games the kinetic element of the gameplay itself that contributes to the experience. It is, in effect, a multipronged method of story telling.

Mind, that's not to suggest that one form of medium is better than another. I wouldn't be here if I believed that, but it should show that each medium should be weighed under its own merits in order to see where its strengths & weaknesses lie.

So then, are there stories that are uniquely suited to being told through a video game?

Well, yes. Undertale is an easy example.

As a game Undertale makes the audience an active participant in the story. In particular it takes advantage of the audience's prior experience with playing video games in order to help tell its story. Typically in an RPG you can kill monsters without any thought. In Undertale monsters are characters and their death is a tragedy. Even the random encounters stop appearing if you just kill everything that appears. So then, what do you do when faced with the consequences of your actions? Do you start over and aim the best ending? When you have that best ending do you sacrifice all the character's happiness just so you can see what the worst ending is like? Or do you go the other way and start out for the worst ending before trying to work towards redemption with the good ending? And what do you do when the characters in the story call you out for your actions?

There is, I believe, a cycle to these things. Call it a thirty year cycle. In that time those who grew up with these mediums become the people creating in them. With that familiarity they know the strengths & weakness of the medium. They're in a position to stretch the bounds of storytelling within the medium.

Naturally, not every work will be a masterpiece, but it strikes me as the height of foolishness to simply write off a work just because of the medium it's produced in.

Sincerity can be found within the absurd and we can see the absurdity in what we're told is meant to be sincere.

 

[Karlin]

Being a child sometimes is GOOD.

 

[ThrillhoBaggins]

This seems like an outdated way of thinking. I think as we go along and younger people begin to really voice their opinions, for some unique reason, we see older views begin to be less and less normalized.

 

[Romy]

Perhaps I'm lucky with a young mom... Beating her highscore while she went for tennis (and especially way past bed time) was not the wisest of my moves and she is 'officially' not that into games, but I do remember differently

Entertainment is essential and there are worse things to kill time.
To be honest, my main issue with a lot of games and gamers is how much of a business and sport it has become.

 

[casval]

One of my earliest memories is my mother playing every point-and-click adventure game she could get her hands on while I sat with her by the family computer. Definitely not a 'games are just for kids' household, even my Dad enjoyed a bit of Simpsons: Hit & Run once we owned a console.

That said, I do think there are a lot of adults whose primary forms of entertainment are all aimed at teenagers? Not necessarily just anime or video games, but also things like comic book movies and YA novels. In anime, a lot of people only watch shounen (stuff like My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen, Naruto, etc. - stuff marketed to teenage boys). I know a few people like this, and they're having a good time so I try not to yuck their yums... but they're on the other end of some of the most boring conversations about movies I've ever had. Nothing wrong with having diverse watching or reading habits, of course, and I think a bit of children's entertainment can be good for the spirit. Keeps you young. But a healthy mix of media is better than only engaging with unchallenging material.

 

[ThrillhoBaggins]

This is were framework is important. Everything changes depending on what lenses are used to view them.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

One of my earliest memories is my mother playing every point-and-click adventure game she could get her hands on while I sat with her by the family computer. Definitely not a 'games are just for kids' household, even my Dad enjoyed a bit of Simpsons: Hit & Run once we owned a console.

That said, I do think there are a lot of adults whose primary forms of entertainment are all aimed at teenagers? Not necessarily just anime or video games, but also things like comic book movies and YA novels. In anime, a lot of people only watch shounen (stuff like My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen, Naruto, etc. - stuff marketed to teenage boys). I know a few people like this, and they're having a good time so I try not to yuck their yums... but they're on the other end of some of the most boring conversations about movies I've ever had. Nothing wrong with having diverse watching or reading habits, of course, and I think a bit of children's entertainment can be good for the spirit. Keeps you young. But a healthy mix of media is better than only engaging with unchallenging material.

I think content 'aimed at kids' can be good for adults to watch too. Some of them even include jokes for the 'adults' and kids don't get them. Spongebob includes that kind of stuff especially golden era.

I'm very picky when I watch content aimed at the youngerset but when I do I'm often surprised.

I was well past the 'appropriate' age for Beyblade and Yugi Oh but I got quite invested in them anyway, because the writing is actually you know, good.
I treat video games in the same way. 'E for Everyone' is just a ESRB rating and I will have no slander on a good game in spite of it's age rating lol

Early pokemon had some unhinged things that the NPC's said despite the rating. There's a trainer (who's implied to be possessed, probably by a Ghastly) and she says 'give me your blood' like bro what? lol That's not the only NPC in that dungeon who says stuff like that.

Anime I watch a tiny bit of everything but I don't watch that much anymore.

 

[casval]

I was well past the 'appropriate' age for Beyblade and Yugi Oh but I got quite invested in them anyway, because the writing is actually you know, good.

You won't find me arguing with that - I have a tattoo of Ruby Carbuncle and Winged Kuriboh from Yu-Gi-Oh! so I'm quite fond of it myself.

Though I don't think good character writing, or 'adult' jokes, or darker themes make up for the fact that it is still media for children. I do love some junk food entertainment when I'm hanging out with friends or my niblings, but I'd starve without something meatier to chew on.

Anime I watch a tiny bit of everything but I don't watch that much anymore.

It's a bit funny you said this after citing three anime series, haha, but I get you! I tend to drift between mediums for my dinner entertainment, the past couple of years I have been more into watching movies than anime. I'm sure I'll switch back to anime in another year or two... or maybe I'll just rewatch Twin Peaks again.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

You won't find me arguing with that - I have a tattoo of Ruby Carbuncle and Winged Kuriboh from Yu-Gi-Oh! so I'm quite fond of it myself.

Though I don't think good character writing, or 'adult' jokes, or darker themes make up for the fact that it is still media for children. I do love some junk food entertainment when I'm hanging out with friends or my niblings, but I'd starve without something meatier to chew on.

YGO is kind of like ATLA, it's REALLY good, in spite of being 'made for kids' much less exclusively existing to promote a product. (Like the Pokemon anime, which I also like quite a bit) There are moments in ATLA that I wouldn't see in a more modern 'kids' show and to a point YGO too. ATLA just has really good characters that bounce off of eachother well. Which is all I ask for really. The Dragon Prince was King for that. Storm Hawks too if you haven't seen that one.

It's a bit funny you said this after citing three anime series, haha, but I get you! I tend to drift between mediums for my dinner entertainment, the past couple of years I have been more into watching movies than anime. I'm sure I'll switch back to anime in another year or two... or maybe I'll just rewatch Twin Peaks again.

I mean I say that, but I haven't watched an anime (That I have not seen) in a few years. Recently re watched One Piece (which, that took a while) and enjoyed it. Lot of good bits I clearly forgot about and some of them that I wish I had forgotten lol I can of course go back and watch DB/DBZ Yu Yu Hakusho etc, but I've seen those a few times lol

I'm not sure I'd count 're' watching a show as watching new content. Last new thing I checked out (While not anime) was Miraculous Ladybug, which is pretty solid but the MC becomes a bit of a creep/stalker later. (I mean she IS a hyper fixated tweenager, but that doesn't excuse some of what she gets away with lol Even the fanbase says 'yeah maybe she's a liiiiitle bit obsessed' lol)

K Pop Demon Hunters is next on my list, everyone who likes that show says it's amazing heh.