I watch anime. It is my guilty pleasure. We all have one. This is mine.

I’m not really sure why it’s guilty - perhaps because we’re all supposed to be “adults” here and why are you staying up past midnight watching cartoons? Shouldn’t you be writing that paper, studying for that exam at the very least? It’s certainly no Downtown Abbey. It’s certainly not doing you any favors.

Some people who know me call my love of Japanese animation an obsession - and I must admit I’m in no place to argue. But I’m obsessed with it in the same way I’m obsessed with reading a good book or hearing the words Ten points to Gryffindor slip off a stranger’s tongue. I’m obsessed with a good fight scene or watching everything rapidly fall to pieces as my favorite characters get hurt and struggle to rally themselves. I’m obsessed with feeling their losses and victories and figuring out easy conclusions before the thought of betrayal has even crossed their honor-driven minds.

I love rewatching the pilots of shows and wondering how in Olympus I ever got into this. I love hearing the poorly dubbed American voices become ever less awful as the actors grow into their roles. I love the complicated plots and subplots and counterplots and filler plots and seeing how they all play a part in the creation of the whole. I love it when characters return from previous story arcs and a lengthy description of “Oh, don’t you remember him from the battle at - “ ensues to remind both absentminded characters and viewers what the Hades is going on.

I love story arcs and the cohesion each one provides - like a little mini series inside the series. I love the filler episodes that come after, and the light-heartedness they provide before we get back into the nitty-gritty and some new dark magic arises.

I love the two-dimensional artwork that reminds me of childhood, paired with the very serious content of destruction and “real-life”. I love it when that seriousness is laced with ridiculous comments and silliness - because even if we’re all about to die, the very least we can do is laugh about it.

I love sighting strangers from across the street wearing referential tee-shirts and knowing I’m not the only one who’s stumbled upon this monstrosity we call enjoyment.

I love when my friends no longer question my sudden exclamations about whichever show I’m on, but continue to do their own work while pretending to follow what my problem is and who has died now that has made me so distressed. I love when they do not ask for names and further explanation of concepts and worlds they do not understand, and simply recognize that I’ve reached my mental capacity for this thing and must release some of it into the world if I’m to continue to function.

I love when people ask me for information so that they might better understand this thing I’ve captured (or have been captured by), and I can feel justified in my overexcited explanation of the world that has solidified so nicely inside my brain.

I love when everything turns out nicely and the guild-hall is finally rebuilt and “order" has been reestablished.

I love when the outtro comes on and it’s just another day. I love it when no one dies and when the good guys win.

I watch anime. It is my pleasure. We all have one. This is mine.