Charles

But I think that one of the bigger themes to all of this is that Black people are seeing parts of themselves reflected in anime.

Brittany, I feel like you had a similar experience when you watched Kiki's Delivery Service for the first time. Oh, my gosh.

Brittany, I feel like you had a similar experience when you watched Kiki's Delivery Service for the first time. Oh, my gosh.

Brittany, I feel like you had a similar experience when you watched Kiki's Delivery Service for the first time. Oh, my gosh.

Now, I don't think Miyazaki had that in mind when he made Kiki's Delivery Service. But what you are speaking to is an experience that a lot of Black anime fans have described. Of course, we heard that a lot at Anime NYC. But after we left, I still had some questions about the way Black anime fans find ways to identify with characters that are just so different from us.

Now, I don't think Miyazaki had that in mind when he made Kiki's Delivery Service. But what you are speaking to is an experience that a lot of Black anime fans have described. Of course, we heard that a lot at Anime NYC. But after we left, I still had some questions about the way Black anime fans find ways to identify with characters that are just so different from us.

Now, I don't think Miyazaki had that in mind when he made Kiki's Delivery Service. But what you are speaking to is an experience that a lot of Black anime fans have described. Of course, we heard that a lot at Anime NYC. But after we left, I still had some questions about the way Black anime fans find ways to identify with characters that are just so different from us.

That's a word. And so I reached out to Professor Alfred Martin. He's an associate professor of media studies at the University of Miami. He's also the author of an upcoming book, Fandom, For Us, By Us, The Pleasures and Practices of Black Audiences. And one of the things Alfred's work really touches on is the nuanced way Black people communicate.

That's a word. And so I reached out to Professor Alfred Martin. He's an associate professor of media studies at the University of Miami. He's also the author of an upcoming book, Fandom, For Us, By Us, The Pleasures and Practices of Black Audiences. And one of the things Alfred's work really touches on is the nuanced way Black people communicate.

That's a word. And so I reached out to Professor Alfred Martin. He's an associate professor of media studies at the University of Miami. He's also the author of an upcoming book, Fandom, For Us, By Us, The Pleasures and Practices of Black Audiences. And one of the things Alfred's work really touches on is the nuanced way Black people communicate.

kind of interpret and interact with media representation. And while he doesn't deal with anime in particular, his theory around Black audiences and comfort really stood out to me.

kind of interpret and interact with media representation. And while he doesn't deal with anime in particular, his theory around Black audiences and comfort really stood out to me.

kind of interpret and interact with media representation. And while he doesn't deal with anime in particular, his theory around Black audiences and comfort really stood out to me.

Right. And this is something we see across a lot of things Black audiences enjoy. It's not just anime, but you can even think of the way Black people sort of corralled around Game of Thrones. And according to Alfred's work, Black audiences are sort of primed to making sense of and asserting themselves in a world that doesn't always include them.

Right. And this is something we see across a lot of things Black audiences enjoy. It's not just anime, but you can even think of the way Black people sort of corralled around Game of Thrones. And according to Alfred's work, Black audiences are sort of primed to making sense of and asserting themselves in a world that doesn't always include them.

Right. And this is something we see across a lot of things Black audiences enjoy. It's not just anime, but you can even think of the way Black people sort of corralled around Game of Thrones. And according to Alfred's work, Black audiences are sort of primed to making sense of and asserting themselves in a world that doesn't always include them.

So to sort of drive this point home, Alfred told me about his research in talking to Black fans of Golden Girls. Oh, now I'm included in that number. Yeah.

So to sort of drive this point home, Alfred told me about his research in talking to Black fans of Golden Girls. Oh, now I'm included in that number. Yeah.

So to sort of drive this point home, Alfred told me about his research in talking to Black fans of Golden Girls. Oh, now I'm included in that number. Yeah.

And this, I think, can be applied to a lot of marginalized identities. It's kind of like what Alfred said. If we're used to scavenging through media for something that resonates, it's not surprising that we find ourselves really attached to stories that don't exactly make your racial perception the forefront. I sort of see that myself in one of the biggest anime shows I grew up with, Naruto.