Two types of Anime fan/otaku

[krazzie]

Type A:
A person who simply enjoys “anime.”
Is proud of Japan’s anime.
Evaluates anime based on direction, voice acting, art, etc.
Hates shallow anime with no real content.
Story emphasis >>>>> Moe anime.
A recent example would Higashi no Eden. Fans of anime like Lain or Ghost in the Shell would probably be this kind.

Type B:
A person who simply enjoys “characters.”
Will watch an anime if it includes cute or beautiful characters.
Doesn’t care if story is awful, as long as the characters are of interest.
Evaluates anime based on which seiyuu are in it and what the characters look like.
Loves moe elements. Doesn’t like complex anime.
The otaku the media picks up on are usually this kind.
Doesn’t know that much about anime and so is often criticised as by Type A otaku.
However, they make much better customers than the more discerning Type A otaku.
Recently there has been a huge increase in anime targeted at Type B otaku.
People who like K-ON!, Queen’s Blade, Strike Witches and so on would be in this class.

Which type are you?

[Spwack]

While I would say A, this is putting too sharp of a distinction between the "cultured" and the "uncultured". On can appreciate a story line (or gore) while still enjoying (ahem) the characters of other anime.

[Ezio]

Type A, I am.

[Rei.Blackwind]

A for real right here.

[novusorsa]

I have contracted Type A Anime addiction...

[scheyst]

Type C - I have no inclination towards anime/managa even though a large number of my friends who generally have good taste disagree. I find the style boxy, the westernization cheesy, and the orientalism offensive. The circumstance/plots are either gimicky and dull or absurdly hyperbolic, the same normally goes for the scripts.

Anime occasionally does one thing right but I have yet to find a production that does everything right. Then again, I have higher criteria for television than most. I expect plot points to follow from logical evolution rather than convenient coincidence. I enjoy a good soundtrack/score that doesn't consist of a bunch of hastily thrown together stock loops plus a single theme the producers commissioned years ago. Animation should make the world, but shouldn't be center stage. Characters need to be developed - not just bipolar stocks representing good/evil or with the emotion depth of a two sided coin (either happy or sad or switching between the two).

I don't know, I've heard great things about anime and generally enjoy watching cartoons critically but I have yet to find an anime that doesn't strike me as cheap, forced and overdone. I don't seek merely to be entertained - I seek to be engaged. Anime just doesn't do that for me.

[Orman Grandclaw]

A female friend of mine was very much into anime... I was ashamed to say I did not share that sentiment.

[Brindale]

I don't hate anime, I just don't want to overdose

[Shawn Benoit]

Ghost in the Shell for the win.

[deltajesus]

Type A largely, however without interesting characters (not moe or anything like that) I tend to abandon an anime due to boredom. I only really watch anime if it's got both good story and characters and I do pay attention to voice acting, soundtrack etc.

[Dean.Fowler]

Type C. None of the above