Celebrating Anime in Spanish Culture

Celebrating Anime in Spanish Culture

Anime Fever Sweeps Latin Culture

Anime has taken the Latin world by storm, and it's here to stay. Though shows like "Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia and Attack on Titan" have fueled its recent surge in popularity, the roots of this Japanese animation genre dig deep into Hispanic culture.

Growing Up with Anime

I grew up in the U.S., but I remember the summer vacations and Christmas breaks spent in Mexico, watching Canal 5. In Mexico, the airwaves weren't just filled with local content; they buzzed with anime from Japan too. My family was head over heels for DBZ, Sailor Moon, Heidi in the Alps, Captain Tsubasa (Supercampeones), and more.

While cartoons in the U.S. were marketed towards kids, Mexico embraced anime as is, for all ages. Unlike the U.S., Mexico refrained from censorship, leaving in the original violence, bloodshed, and even LGBTQ+ relationships, as seen in Sailor Moon. If you've ever watched a telenovela, it's not surprising that anime wasn't censored in Mexico.

We Mexicans were accustomed to dramatic and violent scenes in our media. It was nothing for us to put up with a little bloodshed. For instance, Meteoro, King of the Races (Speed Racer) was broadcast in the U.S. with edited fight scenes, whereas in Mexico, Naruto retained its original colors, blood and all.

Anime JAM Podcast

Colleagues Janell and Marissa host a monthly podcast called "Anime JAM," discussing all things anime. I was invited to join their September episode in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.

We didn't just talk anime popularity, but we shared our personal stories of family members and friends who adore this genre:

Marrisa: "My cousins would come to the city and teach me how to play a Dragon Ball Z card game. I remember there was a bag that had all the Dragon Ball balls, and you had to draw a specific number to activate a card. It's something I always remember fondly and it was my introduction to the pop culture I hadn't seen yet!" (Translation from English)

Janell, "My stepbrother grew up watching anime on TV Azteca. Some shows included Knight of the Zodiac (Saint Seiya) and Super Campeones (Captain Tsubasa). As my brother and his older brother grew up, so did their love for anime. I watched a few anime shows in my youth, but I've seen more in my adult life thanks to my husband. Anime isn't just for kids. We've learned to appreciate the hard work of manga artists and animators. There are incredible stories, brilliant images, intriguing plots, amazing character development, and more!"(Translation from English)

Silvia: "My fondest anime memory is my grandfather's love for DBZ and Saint Seiya. The man is like a clock. He wakes up, does his chores, eats, and then knows exactly when it's time to watch his novels or anime. His routine might have changed after retiring, but nothing and nobody disturbs his anime schedule. When it's time, he settles on the couch and no one dares to disturb him or move him. Sometimes I think even he doesn't blink to avoid missing a single moment, despite having seen the series thousands of times already. For Christmas a few years ago, I gave him a DBZ Funko Pop, and my grandfather, usually so serious, broke into a wide smile. He loves that Funko Pop. He proudly displays it in his room. Of course, he had to stack it higher on the shelf since some of my younger cousins can't seem to understand boundaries."

Listen to the final episode of Anime JAM here. Don't forget to follow Galena Park's Facebook page for future episodes!

Anime's Family Legacy

My cousin Ana Belen currently studies animation in a Mexican university. I interviewed her and her older sister about how anime has influenced their creative endeavors.

Ana Belen: "To be honest, one of the best animation industries comes from Japan because of how meticulous they are in creating their projects, putting in thousands of hours of work that lead to great results. I also credit the dubbing in Spanish for creating long-lasting gems."

When asked if anime influenced her decision to study animation, she agreed. She said, "In the beginning, it was just enjoyment of what I saw, but it helped me dive deep into the world of animation later."

Her older sister Fatima is a nurse in Mexico, but in her free time, she creates clay figurines of her favorite anime characters, Kpop groups, movies, and TV shows, and takes custom orders. She attributes her love of art to anime and hopes to expand her business in the future. She has created numerous anime characters for members of our family. Even designed an anime-themed clay figurine based on Bad Bunny's video "Yonaguni," a Japanese-inspired music video.

Sources:1. CNN en Español.2. Forbes.3. Anime Herald.4. The Mollywood.

1. The hosts of the "Anime JAM" podcast, Janell and Marissa, discussed the impact of anime on various aspects of Latin culture, including fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, and even relationships.
2. In the podcast, they shared personal stories of family members' and friends' enduring affection for anime, such as playing Dragon Ball Z card games and watching series like Captain Tsubasa and Saint Seiya.
3. The podcast also acknowledged the role anime has played in shaping creative endeavors, like Ana Belen's studies in animation and Fatima's artisanal production of anime-themed clay figurines.
4. The influence of anime extends beyond individual interests, as seen in the incorporation of anime influences in mainstream Mexican culture, such as Bad Bunny's anime-inspired music video "Yonaguni."

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