by Frank Sanchez
Frank is co-webmaster of AnimeInfo.org and its main designer. He also works for an annual Anime Convention in the Midwest, Anime Central. An anime/manga fan for the past 10-12 years with varying tastes (including Ranma 1/2, Evangelion, Kenshin, and Nadesico, among others), Frank insists that he is absolutely normal, eliciting laughter from pretty much anyone who meets him.

The mind of an anime fan is quite interesting. While one could argue that the mindset of an anime fan is no different than one of anyone who partakes in a pasttime or a hobby, there are nevertheless differences that set apart an anime fan from a fan of another medium.

One of the best and most effective ways to study what anime fans are like is to analyze the developmental process of one in terms of their experience with anime and manga. While all anime fans may not follow this development or these archetypes in becoming part of the fandom, it is helpful to note some of the more common consistencies in mindset and behavior, to be better prepared when dealing with the multitude of different personalities within the anime fandom.

Join Frank for a not-so-serious, yet insightful journey into the mind of the anime fan, and how the archetypes presented may (or may not) apply to the development and understanding of a typical fan. It's not quite the Discovery Channel, but we hope that you'll learn something along the way!

>>Go to Lesson 1 - Why the Archetypes?