When Anime Inspired A Generation

And I'm not the only one who feels this way. I came across a YouTube channel about the 80s and 90s anime openings in French, and you should've seen the comments people left. I always go back to that channel when I feel nostalgic and want to remember the happy and carefree days. Back then, anime was so deep and moving that it inspired us to do better and become better people.

I don't watch anime as much as I used to, and when I do, I prefer seinen and shonen even though I mostly watched shoujo growing up. Modern shoujo heroines aren't as driven as they were in the 70s, 80s and 90s. The first shoujo anime I watched was Lady Oscar or The Rose of Versailles (Berusaiyu no Bara). 

It's a well-written story with complex character growth, intrigue, and romance, making it a classic. The only shoujo that comes close to me is Revolutionary Girl Utena. It might be controversial to some, but I think it's a well-written story with a female lead who finds a purpose, which is exactly what's missing from most modern-day shoujo.

I'm not trying to trash modern-day shoujo or anime in general; there are some good shoujo out there, but it just doesn't feel the same anymore. I already mentioned it in a previous post, but I mean it when I say that shoujo anime inspired me to get into volleyball. And it wasn't the only sport I practised because of anime; I joined a gymnastics club after watching Hikari no Densetsu, known as Legend of Light, or Cynthia ou Le Rythme De La Vie for French speakers like myself.

I was born into a family that loves sports. Although all my siblings practice a sport, I struggled to find which one I wanted to get into. So I did a bit of everything, even though I mostly played football with my brothers until I started watching an anime where the heroine wanted to become a national champion in rhythmic gymnastics.

It isn't the best sports anime out there, not even the best sports shoujo, but there was just something about Hikari that moved me. She was willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her dream, and I admired her for it. This anime made me fall in love with gymnastics, and I loved it so much that I asked my parents if I could join a gymnastics club.

My dream of being a gymnast was shattered when one of the coaches told my parents that I was too tall for gymnastics. I won't make it as a gymnast, and it would be best for me to find another sport. He suggested basketball since I was tall, but I wasn't interested, so I quit and lost interest in sports until I watched Attack No.1 or Atakku Nanbā Wan, also known as Les Attaquantes for French speakers.

A coach shattered my dream of becoming a gymnast because of my height, and I cried my eyes out even though I already knew that I was tall for a girl. I was always the tallest girl in my class, even though it made me feel self-conscious; I never thought that my height could become a problem. After leaving the gymnastics club, I gave up on sports and only played football with my brothers because it was fun.

I was still a child, and it was a hard pill to swallow. I just couldn't move on to another sport, and nothing mattered to me until I watched an anime about a middle schooler who turned her school's female delinquents into volleyball players. Kozue Ayuhara didn't just introduce me to volleyball; she made me fall in love with the sport to the point that I was fully committed for years.

I still remember the smile on my father's face when I told him I wanted to join a volleyball club, 2 of my sisters played handball, one played basketball, and the other was a runner. Asking my parents to join a gymnastics club probably felt out of place, but they were supportive nonetheless and couldn't hide their joy when I got into volleyball.

It may seem ridiculous to practice a sport just because of anime, but I truly enjoy playing volleyball and considered going pro, but my body had other plans. I gave up on it when jumping became painful and uncomfortable. If you read my post about The Struggles Of Having Big Boobs, you'll understand what I mean. The time I played volleyball was some of the happiest years of my life, and I've encouraged my daughters to get into sports. My youngest is a runner, and my oldest is playing basketball.

Baseball isn't big in Europe, and I don't know anything about it, but I loved watching Ace of Diamond or Daiya no Ēsu. I can't tell how excited I was when I heard about the new anime; it's my favourite sports anime of the 2010s after Kuroko's Basket, or Kuroko no Basuke. I still watch Kuroko's Basket just to hear Aomine Daiki’s voice; that's what I call a sexy voice.

Now I'm going to share some of my favourite sports anime, if you are an anime fan but don't care for sports anime. I hope you'll check them out, and if you aren't into anime, I do hope you'll give them a try and who knows, you might actually love it. This might be controversial, but I prefer Ao Ashi to Blue Lock!