As humans, we are all hardwired for stories. We’ve been telling them since we were living in caves, after all. The most successful ones can connect with people regardless of the medium.

And when there’s a connection, there’s a personal reason for it. It doesn’t matter if it’s superfluous or life-changing. What matters is that, for one reason or another, it MEANS something to the audience.

Thanksgiving’s coming up, which historically is a time for reflection and gratefulness. Sure, we could write on and on about how we’re grateful for anime and why it’s the greatest thing ever, but we wanted to explore the WHY of it. So, we went around the office and asked the HIDIVE staff why they’re grateful for anime.

What did they have to say? The answers may surprise you.

Space Brothers

“As someone born on the date of the Apollo 11 mission, just like one of the key characters in the show, I have always been a space buff. To be able to be part of (and inject technical terminology into) a show that treats space exploration with such accuracy has been a pleasure.”

D

“Nanba’s relationship with his brother, Hibito, hit really close to home because it’s a carbon copy of the relationship with my own brother. He encouraged me to follow my own dreams, even during the times when I didn’t believe in myself.”

K

Space Brothers is a well-researched series and an emotional journey. One filled with both comedy and drama. If you’re fascinated by the final frontier, then you'll get your fix watching the inner working of NASA and its Japanese counterpart, JAXA. Also, at its core is the tale of two brothers and how it’s never too late to follow your dreams.

Prepare yourselves. This sprawling, character-driven epic clocking in at 99 episodes. But we guarantee that you’ll laugh and cry along the way.

Haikyu!!

“I like playing volleyball in general, so seeing an Anime that is about volleyball and done in a dramatic way was a good change of pace. The show also really captures the spirit of friendship, rivalries, the love of the game, etc, very well. HINATA JUST WANTS TO PLAY VOLLEYBALL GUYS”

S

We’re all passionate about something, and anime covers a wide range of topics and themes. We can’t help but feel excited whenever something comes along that’s related to something we deeply care about. Sometimes, it’s video games, other times it’s about the unshakable comradery between friends. In the case for one of the HIDIVE staff, it happens to volleyball.

Like anime, some people are passionate about sports. It’s called “The love of the game” for a reason, after all. Shared interests have a way of breaking the ice and leading to lifelong friendships.

That is if Hinata and Kageyama would actually admit that they’re besties. Regardless, these two probably never would have met if it weren’t for their mutual love for volleyball.

Log Horizon

“[I’m a] big World of Warcraft player, and seeing character interactions in that show reminded me a lot like how my guild was, especially when we raided.”

S

Log Horizon isn’t your average isekai anime. Other titles show how the main character quickly becomes overpowered in their new environment and fulfil a power fantasy. Others follow a “trapped/resurrected in another world with a twist” format.

But Log Horizon takes the genre to its logical conclusion and explores the political, social and economic consequences if everyone were suddenly trapped inside their favorite MMORPG.

The characters aren’t the chosen ones destined to defeat the Dark One and bring eternal peace to the land. They’re real people from all walks of life who share one thing in common: They all play together. The difference now, is they all have to find a way to live together while bonding over their shared predicament.

BONUS: The Return of Godzilla

“While I was living/working in Japan, my family experienced a tragic loss when my step-brother passed away in a car accident. In our last conversation together a little before his accident, he asked me if I had come across Godzilla yet.

And something about working on that movie made it feel like everything came full circle because I felt like I could finally answer "yes". I'm so grateful for that opportunity, because it meant so much more to me and my family.”

J

No witty quips. No poignant musings. The Return of Godzilla may be a live-action title, but there’s no way we could not include this after hearing something like this. We’ve nothing to add.

“Anime? Yeah, I like watching cartoons.”

L

Dammit, Lenny! Shut up, no one asked you. We’re trying to be serious here!

Aside from Lenny, everyone has a story to tell. Everyone has a reason why things are important to them and anime is another extension of that.

Anime means different things to different people. For some, it’s an engaging hobby. For others, it’s “that thing with the tentacles.” But if you want to get technical, anime is defined as yet another medium to convey emotions and experiences, which is the essence of storytelling. It’s the nature of the human condition, after all.

We are HIDIVE, and this is our story.

What’s your story? We’d love to listen, so be sure to tag us with @HIDIVEOfficial and join the conversation of why you’re grateful for anime.

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