How do you get your friends interested/excited for cel?

[Keropi]

Do your Real-Life friends/BF/GF/Parents/Children enjoy your hobby with you?

I had a cel friend for several years that lived about two miles away from me, but I haven't heard from him for a long time. Had a couple of anime friends at work that were semi-intertested in what I was getting. I pass by my workplace on my way home from the post office so sometimes I would show them what I had gotten when I went inside. That was fun while they were working there. There's no one in my immediate area now.

I used to show my dad what I was getting and he was a little interested, but after he started saying stuff like "Okay, how much did THAT one cost?" and "Oh, you don't want to tell me eh?" I didn't bring up the subject anymore. It's too much of a pain in the @##.

If so...did you meet through cels? Did you get them interested or vice-versa?

The nearby cel friend that I had was a friend of my friend at work. I bought a cel from him and later found out that he lived nearby and that he was a friend of my friend at work. I wonder what he's doing these days. He may not even be watching anime anymore.

If no, do you keep them hidden or do you take an online interest only?

Yeah, they are hidden away. No one sees them physically these days.

Do you have other hobbies? Are they more social?

I only have the anime and manga hobbies. The ren'ai gaming hobby is hard to do because I have less free time than I used to. The manga takes up much of what I used to have.

[AerynAerie]

First, I want to thank eveyone who responded so far. It really gave me some insight (and it's a fun way to get to know people too) ^_^
I want to respond to everyone but that would be a long post so I'll pick out certain parts...

@sensei:

It is a pretty solitary hobby. My wife thinks it's a peculiarity, an obsession, or an addiction depending on the mood.

I had a feeling it was. My mother thinks much the same of my hobbies.
My mailman at my old house used to discuss my hobbies with me since I'd known him for years (and had tracked him down literally before) he wasn't sure about my dollies and gundams but he was happy I was so enthusiastic. My new mail lady is a jerk :/

@animeobsessed:
WOW!!! I wish I could decorate my work place like that. It's beautiful and tastefully decorated.
One of my co-workers collects Transformers and has them at his desk which is across from me so I brought in one of my Gundams to stare at his Optimus Prime...but that's as far as I go. As far as our other co-workers are concerned...they are all from the same show ^_^;;

@cutiebunny & @Drac of the Sharp Smiles

My mother has always viewed anime as a hobby that I will one day outgrow and then, the next day, magically become a mature woman who takes interest in 'adult hobbies' like knitting and buying jewelry.

Don't worry, my mom's still waiting for that day too. haha!

@Yupa

In the end he is interested, but he doesn't think it's worth paying for.

-sigh- I thought I had him hooked the other day when my Heero cel came in...but then he wanted to know the price ^_^;;

@sugarcels
I collect ABJDs. What kind do you collect??



To all those that take their hobbies to work (whether talk or decorating) does your interest tie into your work? (For instance I know a doll-maker who works as a designer for a toy company)

(^__^)v

[animeobsessed]

To all those that take their hobbies to work (whether talk or decorating) does your interest tie into your work? (For instance I know a doll-maker who works as a designer for a toy company)

(^__^)v

No, my job is completely unrelated...I'm a budget analyst. We have periods of time, especially a 5-month stretch every other year, where I'm at work 12-14 hrs a day, so I brought some of my anime hobby to work to brighten my office. It's also a great way to keep track my key chains and fasteners. I love some of the looks and comments I get when someone new comes into my office!

[sensei]

Animation art collecting fits perfectly into retirement!

But actually I have managed to bootleg some of my interest into some of the academic research that I continue to do as an ex-folklorist. You came along a little too late, but last spring I did an bunch of polls and surveys among old and new members of Anime-Beta. The results became the basis of an essay, "Love and War and Love and War and Anime Art: An Ethnographic Look at a Virtual Community of Collectors." That's under review from Utah State University Press, but advance word is that it looks to be a go. I have gotten one external review that calls it "interesting" with "rich and resonant conclusions," and mostly wants me to cite a dozen more authorities in my review of scholarship on what constititutes a "community." (That's something we Betarians make up as we go by guess and by golly, but in academic writing you need to have a theory and at least two jargon terms for it before it can be said to really exist. At this point I used to get out my two sock puppets, Etic and Emic, for my students.)

[kizu]

I have a close friend who shares my anime interest. It's fun to share cels with her.

I got my parents involved in one of my transactions because it was local in another country. Umm they did the transaction for me but now assumes that all my cels are *cough* EXPENSIVE and I should sell them all RIGHT AWAY. *sigh* Word of advice - don't ever tell your parents! LOL!!!!

I don't think there's anyway to make someone else excited unless they already have a leaning to it or grew up with some of it. A lot of people don't understand I think because to them it's cartoons and they've moved on from that (sometimes they look at you funny too). Some people spend lots of money on clothes, dinners, booze, etc... I think there's no difference at all if you spend your money on artwork, anime, manga etc. I think it's people who has those hang ups that has a problem but it's not my job to turn them around and not my place to make them like what I like. But in the off chance that somebody would take the time and try to get interested on their own accord - it would be my duty to lead them to the dark side! Happy New year!

[Nene]

I think all my hobbies/interests over the years have fallen into the geeky category and I get used to hiding that kinda stuff away from others. I no longer see it as anything to be embarrassed of though and if I'm asked about it, I'll gladly talk about it. I remember back at school I was the only one of my friends to get into anime/manga. I mentioned Sailor Moon to a few people and they thought it was all a bit immature for them (since they were almost grown-ups being 13 and all! ). I think one of the great things about the internet is that you can find other people who are into the same things you are so I was glad to have met so many people whilst anime-roleplaying during my teen years. Strangely enough the internet made my life less isolating as I could have regular social interaction with people who I shared a common interest with.

Some people spend lots of money on clothes, dinners, booze, etc... I think there's no difference at all if you spend your money on artwork, anime, manga etc.

If someone thought I spent too much on anime, I'd often bring this point up. I'd rather my money be spent on something tangible that I can enjoy for a long period (a DVD, video game, cel, book, clothes, etc) than going down the pub getting drunk every friday. [NB: a friend of a friend used to spend £80+ in one night just on alcohol. That's £320+ a month gone just on going out! ]. For me, socialising comes in all shapes and forms and actually when I meet up with my old school friends, we're content to go to the park on a nice day or stay at home with tea and Krispy Kremes.

[sensei]

I'd rather my money be spent on something tangible that I can enjoy for a long period (a DVD, video game, cel, book, clothes, etc) than going down the pub getting drunk every friday.

My wife and find articles on 550 original ways to save money very humorous. Most of these are already part of our daily routine. For example: "Brown bag a lunch instead of eating out every weekday at a restaurant or fast-food outlet." Did that for 30 years. Or "Limit your visits to Starbucks to once a week." Simple tips like this can save thousands of dollars a year. Cigarettes, liquor and (these days) marijuana can also be a serious drain on the budget, but it's often the mundane things that actually turn out to be the bigger budget parasites.

Heh. My daughter gave me a $10 gift card for Starbucks. When she visited, it still had $5 on it, and so we used it at the local outlet. On checking the receipt tucked into the card envelope, I found that she'd given it to me on Christmas 2009 and it was last used in November 2010. (She put another $10 on it for Christmas, which will last me to 2013 if I'm careful.)

On the other hand, a YHJ gift card for 1000 yen might not last until Boxing Day.

[Melle]

Well, lets seee....I've been cel collecting for YEARS! My. Other and father believe it or not got me started with Disney Lithographs. HOWEVER, They only looked at it for the worth of it for my future.

Cut to later on in life when I started watching anime. I had no clue that there were anime cels! You mean I could own a piece of a characters LIFE? I was all over it.

It was with my first Tsunan and Samurai Troopers cels that my obsession started. My parent s knew they were worth a lot and they were directly used in some of my favorite shows. that's about as far as it ever went. They helped me to buy some of them back in my hay day when I ws only 15-18 and could NOT buy them by myself. Yes, they gave me money and I never had to pay them back. I just never got an allowence for awhile....XD

Now a days my mother doesn't seem too imressed by it and my father ultimately thinks they are a waste of my hard earned money. Well, funnily enough that's what I think about him blowing his on beer. So I guess were even.

My friends on the other hand are a little different. I have one friend who collects cels from TMNT. However, she collects EVERYTHING TMNT anyways. Though I can say she knows the value of a good and hard to find character and cel. When i show her some of my Chichiri pieces she drools and says she's so jealous.

My other friend gave up on collecting most anime cels and has switched to Trigun only and only when she can afford it which isn't often. Souts either way for her...

My one friend is impressed by MANY of the pieces from Fushigi Yuugi and Sailor Moon and other shows she's seen. Being an artist herself she can find many qualities and reasons in collecting these. The one i talk to the most about it.

Thenthere's my girlfriend who knows what cels are and can appreciate certain ones. She flips out over Tasuki and her favorite characters. The only thing she needs to really learn is cel care now. Her idea would be to take my cels and hang them on the walls. She doesn't quite yet get the damage that would do to them. Hence why she hangs Tasuki in a frame by her comp... I warn her on this all the time...She won't touch -my- cels.

But yeah, I've got both sides of the fence I guess.

[Nene]

My wife and find articles on 550 original ways to save money very humorous. Most of these are already part of our daily routine. For example: "Brown bag a lunch instead of eating out every weekday at a restaurant or fast-food outlet." Did that for 30 years. Or "Limit your visits to Starbucks to once a week." Simple tips like this can save thousands of dollars a year. Cigarettes, liquor and (these days) marijuana can also be a serious drain on the budget, but it's often the mundane things that actually turn out to be the bigger budget parasites.

I completely agree about the small things mounting up. Most of the time I like to know what's been put in my food anyhow so I'd rather make something myself if I can which often turns out to be cheaper. I remember watching a debate on another forum about people spending real money in exchange for "virtual money" on gaming sites. The consensus was that some people like to spend a few pounds/dollars on a Starbucks coffee and others would rather spend it on their online game. Either way you technically don't get much for your money save for contentment (and in the case of a store bought coffee, a few extra calories lol!). I'll hopefully be starting college next year so let's see how long I can keep up my "coffee only when necessary" routine.