By: Eric Parra

To a bunch of culturally naïve American college students, Japan has a lot to offer. There are lush green forests, an amazingly efficient train system, and loads of vending machines. My experience, however, has been driven through anime, which is literally anywhere and everywhere you look.

You can find small comics like this all over Japan, to both entertain and educate you. Sometimes it takes more than just words to get a point across.

A particular favorite anime of mine is a show called One Piece, which coincidentally has an entire theme park dedicated to it in Tokyo Tower. If I had to think of a comparison, I would say that an American equivalent would be like Universal Studio’s The Wizarding World of Harry Potter park, which is only slightly bigger. But this is a cartoon show based on a comic book series for young boys ages 8 through 15, and it’s been out for three months now, so I figured it would be pretty empty. What I saw instead was a large and diverse group of people that filled up multiple lines with waiting times of 40 minutes per attraction. There were young kids with their mom’s and older siblings, teen boys hanging out with their friends, 20 year old girls waiting to play themed games, and even a few couples on dates holding arms and eating in the One Piece cafes.

Lots of people were excited for One Piece, but not as much as this college local who had her favorite character tattooed to her leg.

I did not expect to see so many couples at an amusement park for a series about pirates fighting each other. This couple was taking selfies of them and their One Piece food, clearly die hard fans.

Back home, One Piece is an unknown series that I just happen to like. In Japan, everyone I’ve asked seems to be able to list off all of the characters whether they like the show or not, simply because of its large presence. Whether it’s anime, advertisements, or just word of mouth, series and cartoons like One Piece are just a simple part of daily life, whether you’re a kid or an adult.

I was able to ask a few people of what they thought about anime and manga, which feels like a weird question if I were to ask my friends back home, but the people of Tokyo all told me that anime and manga are staple entertainment. In fact, they were surprised when I mentioned that Americans think that cartoons are meant for kids. In Japan, cartoons are for everyone, and everyone recognizes the many characters that you see everywhere, whether they’re from a show or just on a bottle label.

After I randomly picked out an orange juice bottle to drink, a Meiji student, Yuri, told me that the smiling face on the cap is named Nacchan and is very beloved.

I talked to a student at an American school in Japan named James, who told me that some manga is specifically intended for adults. You can see kids reading their manga on the playground and businessmen reading their manga on the trains. James also told me that manga is a valuable learning tool that taught him how to read and write at an early age. It’s an essential and daily use for anyone.

It seems clear to me that there is a big difference in how cartoons are portrayed in the media between the United States and Japan. Americans are starting to recognize the value of mature themed graphic novels, like the Watchmen or The Dark Knight Returns, but you’ll still get a strange look if you’re flipping through a comic book in a public place. Japan however, knows that there are comics for kids, and comics for adults, and like any form of entertainment, they help pass the time and provide something to think or talk about with others. I’m interested in seeing what other influences cartoons have had in Japan and if there’s a difference in opinion on anime between Tokyo and Osaka or Kyoto.

I still can’t believe that there’s an entire theme park for a comic book series.