Three Ways Anime Has Provided Me With Essential Life Lessons
Their lessons are profound.
I’m in the middle of Season 3 of Castlevania. It’s an anime based on a popular 90s video game. The basic premise of the story (spoiler alert) is the king of vampires, Dracula, is exacting revenge on humanity for killing his wife. Season One is bloody and brutal. Dracula, full of fury, unleashes demons upon the townspeople. Once those poor souls have been viciously slaughtered, Dracula decides to wipe out the rest of humanity.
After a climactic ending to Season 2, I’ve found Season 3 to be a bit disjointed. However, the most interesting arc in Season 3 is the story of Isaac, one of Dracula’s human forge masters. Dracula returned Isaac to his homeland, saving his life. Isaac decides that he will exact vengeance against those who betrayed Dracula. He creates a monster army and marches the creatures through towns.
As Isaac acquires a boat, sailing towards Europe, the captain imparts some knowledge to the young man. Isaac is hell-bent on fulfilling Dracula’s goal of destroying all humans. However, the captain, a much older man, suggests that with all of Isaac’s talents, he would be better suited to helping humanity become better. The captain reminds Isaac that the receipt of a gift from a stranger was an act of kindness. The captain wants Isaac to use his abilities to spread kindness.
These are three lessons that anime has provided me that we can all benefit from:
- Believe in yourself — In the anime, Naruto, the main character is an ostracized boy who despite the treatment from villagers, remains determined to be the best ninja ever and rises to the role of Hokage (leader).
- Protect your friends — In the anime, Bleach, Ichigo is a Soul Reaper who is fiercely loyal to his friends. Whenever one of them is in trouble, Ichigo will stop at nothing to rescue them.
- Overcome challenges— In the anime, Sorcery Fight, a teen boy becomes the vessel for a powerful demon. Yet despite the demon’s power, the boy maintains control over his body. The boy uses his abilities to fight other demons, help his friends, and save people’s lives.
In a nutshell, anime provides viewers with real-life advice. Anime shows are full of examples of characters making life choices, going on adventures, and facing their fears. There are elder characters in anime that offer supportive advice, training, and knowledge to younger characters. This mirrors what our elders do for us. So when you’re watching anime or any show, actively listen for those pearls of wisdom. They could help you in ways you don’t even know.
