It isn’t unusual for me to see anime characters in my neighborhood. I live near a DC metro stop that’s crammed with hotels, so Anime USA and Blerdcon take place here. To be honest, that’s probably why I shouldn’t have been surprised to see Nagito Komaeda at Whole Foods.
I was out of Dino Nuggets and as a parent, I can tell you this is a big deal. My mind was elsewhere when I noticed another shopper wearing a familiar t-shirt: white, with a cryptic red motif. He’d almost passed me when it clicked that I was looking at Danganronpa’s chaotic twink antihero. “Great Nagito shirt, I’m a Danganronpa fan, too!” I almost said… but didn’t. I mean, there I was, with my preschooler in a stroller and my baby in a carrier strapped to my chest. Yoga pants and hair up in a messy bun: the official uniform of tired moms everywhere. And, really, who wants somebody’s mom clocking your subtle fandom merch?
I started watching anime when I was twelve because it was completely different from anything else on offer. Though my parents would have preferred that I picked a more “normal” interest, I saw myself more in Shinji’s flustered angst in Evangelion than I did in any adult playing a teen on The OC. After blowing my allowance for a year on about four episodes of Evangelion on VHS, I spent hours on LimeWire pirating more. I only had a few friends in the fandom at the time, and it felt like a secret club. I didn’t meet adults who watched anime until I attended my first convention at age 19. In high school and college, my backpack was adorned with Gundam Wing pins; I would have been completely shocked if anyone, of any age, had recognized them.
At least, that’s how I grew up. But what about Whole Foods Nagito? He looked to be in his early twenties. Maybe he wouldn’t be surprised by a parent complimenting his look; maybe it was a parent who got him interested in anime, even. The ubiquity of streaming changed everything: now everyone and their mom watches anime!
This is true, I am the mom.
(Editor’s Note: Header photo credit to Whole Foods)
