Animation isn’t just for kids—and hasn’t been for years. Teen psychologists in Highlands Ranch know that very well, as we engage with our clients and explore the media that brings them comfort, hope, joy, and entertainment. For the past few years, anime (specifically, Japanese animation), has taken center-stage as some of the most popular genre of shows and movies—most based on manga, or graphic-novel style art. Has your teen invited you to check out Demon Slayer, Naruto, Dragon Ball, or My Hero Academia? Here’s why a child psychologist recommends you join in on the fun!
Anime Is Very Emotional—Just Like Your Teen!
One of the biggest complaints that psychologists hear from their clients’ parents is “my kid just doesn’t know how to express feelings.” On the other hand, one of the biggest complaints that psychologists hear from clients’ parents about anime is “it’s too dramatic! So emotional!” One of the best parts of animation is that hyperbole can be used to its maximum extent. Have you ever felt SO ANGRY that you felt like screaming until your head exploded? Sometimes the characters in anime actually do this! Ever feel like crying like you were a little baby again—over something admittedly pointless? It’s comical when an animated character does it! Instead of human actors, who have to worry about things like being “realistic” or “stoic,” animated characters are free to express emotions through sound, color, and movement. When your kid was in preschool, they watched preschool cartoons that helped them relate to little-kid problems and express emotions. Now your child is growing up—and may want a more intense version of that emotional expression to match their growing feelings! Anime is the “grown-up” version of this, showing the characters handling friend issues, grief and loss, challenges to self-worth, and finding their place in the world. Having a model and outlet for these feelings helps your child to engage with them in their personal life.
Overcome Obstacles with Persistence, Training, Family, and Friends
One of the key strengths of anime is the attention to character-building and relationship-building. While each individual work has its own themes, there are a lot of genres that focus on training to fight evil, mastering new skills, or working toward a long-term goal—lots of “hero” and “journey” stories. If you drew inspiration from literary classics like The Odyssey or film classics like the Rocky series, this dedicated approach might appeal to you more than you think! Characters learn ways to calm emotions, focus on goals, survive through battles—and even do deep breathing properly (Mr. Urokodaki’s explanation of breathing as a way to enhance superpowers and healing in Demon Slayer lightly inspired this post!). Throughout the way, the characters find family, friends, and tools that help them reach their goals—not without hard work. Your child’s psychologist can easily see the metaphors between an underdog hero beating the bad guy and your teen telling off the biggest “mean girl” at school. Join your child in watching and see if you both find inspiration to overcome your obstacles in life!
Cross-Cultural Values and Art Appreciation
Do you ever pester your child to “try new things” or appreciate the life and culture of others? That advice is coming right back to you! Anime is full of real-life cultural influences from Japan, and what better way to see it than through detailed animation? Japanese animation is notably influenced by cultural values—compared to many American-centric shows and movies, which are often criticized by parents as being overly snarky, silly, or consumeristic, anime is more often focused on values such as fortitude, helping others, loyalty, and family. This represents the differences between collective (mostly eastern) and individualistic (mostly western) cultures. At the same time, there is a lot less of the “black and white” thinking seen in Western entertainment—anime heroes make mistakes or act selfishly at times, anime villains often have harrowing backstories and understandable reasons for their misdeeds. Your teen can use these role models to embrace a more open mind and avoid the black and white thinking traps that therapists steer them away from as well.
Believe it or not, one of the most common things psychologist working with teens in Highlands Ranch hear is that they want more quality time and shared interests with their parents. You survived the Bluey years (and likely still think fondly of some of those moments), now grow up with your child and check out their favorite anime series. Most episodes are less than half an hour. For more help connecting with your teen or building parenting tools, contact a psychologist in Highlands Ranch for more!
