This is something I’ve wanted to talk about for a long time. In the anime community, both online and in real life, some people are referred to as an anime casualist, and some as an anime elitist. So, where does this difference come from? However, in the online community and in real life, there is a lot of conflict between these two groups. The elitists are notorious for attacking casualists for what they like, because they think their anime is too “overrated” and “mainstream.” An example would be an elitist calling out someone who likes Sword Art Online a fanboy that overrates SAO, and telling the person to watch “real anime.”
However, the casualists also have a part to play in this conflict as well. When some casualists claim that popular anime such as Attack on Titan to be the “best anime ever,” the elitists take note of these comments, and start arguing against these casualists, which have seen like what, five anime? The war continues between the elitists, who claim superiority over casualists simply because they have seen more anime, and the casualists, whose fanboys think that AoT is the “savior of anime” and fangirls who defend it to death all for the sake of their husbando Levi. So, in the battle between whether Attack on Titan is good or not, who here is wrong and who here is right? Let me explain what I think.
For me, the answer is quite simple. I think neither side is right or wrong. First off all, let’s start with the anime elitists. Anime elitists are people who choose to go deep into anime and have watched many anime and have a good understanding of the medium. However, the thing that makes them well-known is that some of them (not all) will hate on mainstream anime, because hating on popular shows such as One Piece and Naruto is considered to be cool and makes them feel superior and better than people who watch and enjoy more well-known anime. Well, truth is no one thinks elitists are cool, because when you ignorantly hate on mainstream anime, you seem like a baka for arguing with the other also thickheaded baka.
Speaking of the casualists, a common definition for them is someone who watches anime for fun. They don’t go too deep into anime, but still enjoys it nonetheless. Some (not all) casualists love to publicly claim that their favorite anime (which just so happened to be mainstream) is the best. Some of them are very stubborn, and won’t listen to other people’s opinions, even though they are still new to anime. Some of them defend their favorite anime even though they haven’t seen much of other anime other than that. Then again, if the person that you are chatting with online is some elitist who claim that he is better and superior because he watched “real anime” and you didn’t, then you do have a right to be angry, actually.
So, is there any solution to this meaningless conflict? I believe the conflict will only be resolved if both sides, and not only one, choose to cooperate. The elitist vs casualist attitude can also apply to many other hobbies such as manga and even movies as well, such as Frozen, because you will get hated on if you enjoyed that movie, even though you enjoyed it. In my opinion, there shouldn’t even be a difference between an anime casualist and an anime elitist. There should only be anime fans. Elitists, or people who have more experience with anime, should be more considerate for newcomers and teach people about anime and why they like it instead of arguing with newcomers to the hobby. At the same time, newcomers or people who are less familiar with anime should be more reserved with their opinions, and be open and considerate towards more experienced anime fans and learn from them.
While I understand that conflict is part of human nature, and that the elitist and casualist attitude will probably never fade away, I believe you should play your part in the anime community as neither an elitist nor a casualist. Even if no one else does the same, I think that if you do it, then the anime community will be much better place. Of course, I personally still do encourage disagreements and discussions, because I think that it will help improve your knowledge and intelligence, and help refine and revise your thoughts on any topic in anime. But when you are discussing something, please be respectful towards the other person. If the other person is disrespectful, just stop and leave. There is no point in discussing something when the other person doesn’t respect you. It will be one-sided and will end up as a heated argument. I used to be an anime elitist as well, but after watching BobSamuraiReviews’ video on the same topic, it changed my view on anime.
So, the next time someone tells you they like One Piece, please be more considerate towards that person and ask why they like One Piece. Use that to start a conversation and learn more about the other person, and also tell the other person about what anime you like. This would allow for the other person to be more open, and allow both of you to learn about which anime each of you like. In this way, it would create a more meaningful conversation, rather than a meaningless argument about whose anime is better. If the person still chooses to be ignorant and stubborn, and not only refuses to listen to what you say, but keeps saying that you should watch One Piece, then the solution is simple. Just end the conversation and leave, and find someone else to talk to. I feel that anime is a lifelong hobby, as there is always something to watch. It’s a hobby that should be shared and enjoyed with others.
Li Zhang's Anime Blog 