Things you learn about your psychological makeup

[sensei]

When I did my ethnographic essay on Anime-Beta (now undergoing critical reading by other scholars in preparation for rewriting), I was struck by how often collectors found psychological comfort and even reinforcement in the images they collect. This eventually became a major point in my essay, to the extent that, in the eyes of my editor, it started to tug at the fabric of the essay and suggest that it might be better off as a second essay. (Sensei's essays tend to undergo mitosis, an idea intended as one short piece suddenly spinning off a second one.)

This idea has stuck with me, and as I started writing up the descriptions of my "May Madness" acquisitions (my usual way of staying patient while a shipment is on the way), I began to think about my collecting habits. One thing I began to notice is the way that I've tended to be drawn to images of females holding weapons or doing violent things. Some examples:

CCS: Sakura using The Sword
Condition Green: Bad Girl clobbers Eddie
Genshiken: Saki socks Sasahara
Hyper Police: Sakura with her gun
MKR: Hikaru with her Sword of Fire

Once I saw this pattern, I found it interesting and a little puzzling. I'm not aware of any compulsion that I have to view movies with tough, violent female actresses, nor do I have vivid fantasies about mean sexy women roughing me up. I don't engage in any activities that involve violence, though I like boxing (men on men kind) and football in a normal way. But it seems intriguing that I've been selectively drawn to this kind of image. I'm thinking about doing my next "Quirky Tour" on "Mean, Violent Females" in my various galleries. Obviously it must speak to something in my unconscious.

Has anyone else had a similar insight about the kinds of images they collect or the kinds of anime plots they seem intuitive drawn to?

[toonybabe]

I just took an intro to art therapy class during my final year at art school. It was amazed by what you can learn about someone by analyzing their art. I am sure the same holds true if you analyze the art people like to consume.

When I look at my all I can see is that it has an abundance of CUTENESS.

[JWR]

Well I have an odd break down in my collection.

Most of my comic art is from artists that draw Horror stories while most of my anime cel art is from romantic comedies.

[Keropi]

Has anyone else had a similar insight about the kinds of images they collect or the kinds of anime plots they seem intuitive drawn to?

Hmm...

All I can think of right now is what kind anime I tend to AVOID. I avoid anime with storylines that hit too painfully close to home. Themes that remind me too much of unhappy experiences from childhood I usually avoid since I watch anime for enjoyment and not for emotional catharsis.

I also avoid a lot of anime with main themes of performance or creativity as they are about as far away from my personality as they could be. I have difficulty empathizing with the characters and being able to endure their struggles and hardships for very long.

[Sui Kune]

This is really interesting to think about!

I think my collection is fairly obvious as to what and why I collect animation art: I collect what I have a very strong emotional attachment to, and Hotaru is right at the top of the list.

Interestingly though, while I did expect I'd have some sort of pattern as to what I choose to buy of Hotaru, I actually seem to have a really varied and wide range of emotions; joy, sorrow, pain, weakness, shock, and even seductiveness and wicked triumph. My collection already seems to reflect just about every facet of Hotaru, which almost makes it seem "alive" in a way. I think that's also why my wishlist is extensive for just one character, I want all sorts of different pieces of her personality, appearance, and the forms she takes, in addition to pieces from memorable moments she's been a part of.

I think that reinforces exactly why I collect: the connection I feel to Hotaru, and how close she and the Pokemon I want to collect are to my heart, represented in some sort of physical form.

[graymouser]

I try to collect a variety of characters so it would be hard for anyone to pick out who my favorites are without reading the descriptions.

On the other hand, there is a definite color theme in my gallery. Green is my favorite color followed by blue. Blue cels seem to be more commonly available so they tend to overtake my green cels. Of my most recent cel purchases (none are up yet), 3 of 4 are predominantly blue. On top of that, my 2 most recent offers were for cels had a lot of blue in them.

I guess I like cooler colors because I find them more relaxing. Since I collect as a way to relax and escape from the fast pace of my job, it makes sense that I would have a lot of cels in the cooler colors.

[ginga123]

looking at my books from an objective pscyhological view, i would agree with Sensei.

I saw that i gravitate towards cels and sketches that were displaying characters that have a devious side or displayed devious behavior tendencies to their personality. (A personality trait of mine pretty much well on display, despite being a genuinely nice person. lol)

These behavioral tendencies were still socially acceptable due to their status and role within society as the character is still valued as a hero (or labeled as "good" if really want to hit another nail into the wood and define that term.. a psych/social heyday field day) in some sort based on circumstances and actions within these social situations where the character's moral/ethical values were measured/tested. Thus to the outcomes of these situations, these characters were rewarded their deviant behavior AND for being an iconic APA personality type, "The Groundbreaking Thinker."

coincidently... that is my APA personality type. so based on your new theory, I collect cels and sketches of characters who are labeled as "GBTs."

does that make sense, Sensei?

if it seems plausible, APA personality types and testing may prove or disprove these psychological tendencies per type within a collection of skeches and/or cels depending on the collector. Is this helpful or did I take your theory a step further?

[iceman57]

I do primarly focus on eyes, they have to be deep enough to vehiculate an emotion and captures the spectator (more personnaly, rough characters with a strong personal background and psychology).
Secondly on charismatic character (not in obligation the "hero" but a character, male or female, with a strong personnality) that made the TV series/film/OVA visible and popular to the audience.
Additionnnaly, artworks have to be global (art market expectation) tainted with a European popular touch (local resale high potential).

[sensei]

these characters were rewarded for their deviant behavior AND for being an iconic APA personality type, "The Groundbreaking Thinker."

coincidently... that is my APA personality type. so based on your new theory, I collect cels and sketches of characters who are labeled as "GBTs."

does that make sense, Sensei?

It does, though in a way that takes my point in a different direction. You collect images of characters that resemble your personality type (as does Sui Kune, about whom I thought as I put my post together).

But paradoxically, I seem to be drawn to characters who are not like me. I'm stubbornly straight male, non-violent, and intellectually oriented. So why would I be unusually attracted to images of characters who are female, violent, and action-oriented? I wonder if in some cases there is an "opposites" impulse behind the "Oh, that's nice!" reaction that determines what items you go back and take a second look at. Or those moments in anime plots that you remember more vividly than others.

The personality type issue might be relevant. I once took a Meyer-Briggs test which defined me as an INTP or "Architect," which makes sense in some ways. It is true that I tend to be both fascinated by theories and unimpressed by authority, so that I tend to take a standard academic idea and at once look for ways to challenge or modify it.

On the other hand (here's my INTP side peeking out) I also find the standard Meyer-Briggs descriptions as having as much specificity as horoscope descriptions of Capricorns, Leos, etc. After all, some of the letters in the acronym were based on borderline scores, so if I'd taken the test on another day, I might have been an INTJ and had a different personality description. Or if the horoscope houses needs rearranging, as one theory had it earlier this year, I might be a Sagittarius rather than a Capricorn.

In any case, I wonder if personality types are always drawn to each other or if they don't recognize that they function better being allied with a radically different type. I've often felt that my wife and I work together well, as there are tasks that I enjoy and do easily (like cook meals) and others she relishes and does well (argue with bill collectors over the phone). Maybe on some level the characters I collect in some odd way relate to my spouse's personality type rather than mine.

Anyhow, as I'm working on a paper presentation for a conference next week on how the urban legend "The Hook in the Door" is NOT self-evidently based on the female narrator's hidden desire to castrate any boyfriend who tries to compromise her, I've got pop concepts of psychology on the brain.

[iceman57]

these characters were rewarded for their deviant behavior AND for being an iconic APA personality type, "The Groundbreaking Thinker."
coincidently... that is my APA personality type. so based on your new theory, I collect cels and sketches of characters who are labeled as "GBTs."

It does, though in a way that takes my point in a different direction. You collect images of characters that resemble your personality type (as does Sui Kune, about whom I thought as I put my post together).
[...]
In any case, I wonder if personality types are always drawn to each other or if they don't recognize that they function better being allied with a radically different type.

People feel confortable affording documents that represent them (icons, representation) and in the same time tranfer their idealistic mind into fantasy (ability to fly, throwing magic, courage at its paroxism, ...).
I honestly don't find documents in your both gallery that require to call a psychiatrist

Coming back on Sensei personnal question...

i.e. this is psychologicaly violent : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnhQ4Espzu4 (0:00 to 4:25) (-17 please don't click the link).
Acting as Fist of The North Star fan community PR, I had this discussion about violence several times, most of our members are fathers socially inserted and aren't vigilante, batman nor berserker walking in the streets with axes.
I heard about (sorry but I didn't have the bibliography) that there is a concept of "violence/fear need" coming from ages when we were cavemans food hunters and that in our modern cities 30,000 years later, we do still require in our body this kind adrenalin boost (can be provided easily by switching on the TV).
Some explained me that this was the reason of fantastic & horror movie to be popular since the very beginning of cinema (King Kong, Alien,...). Sounds interesting in my opinion.

[Sky Rat]

My favorite pieces and most sought after items are scenes from flashbacks, followed by scenes where there's some sort of turning point in character development. I like feeling like I have a glimpse into what makes the characters tick, that's more appealing to me than cels that I just primarily find attractive.

I have been told that I dwell unhealthily on the past, so I guess that would be consistent with my personality, heh.

On another note, I find that I'm often drawn to characters who's personalities are quite different than my own (case in point, my whole collection not to mention avatar here is focused on Yohji from Weiss Kreuz...not even remotely like my real personality at all). I think the case of that is escapism. It's fun to project yoruself as someone different.

On the other hand...in real life I am an INFJ by Mysers-Briggs results and so is my fiancée, I definitely think we were drawn to each other because we have similar personalities. I think in real life I am drawn to similar personality types, but in entertainment I like opposites. If that makes sense.

[star-phoenix]

Honestly, when I look at my ANime collection, I have no clue what theme(s) I seem to lean most to except I know I tend to go for more males and significant pieces like Hankens or OP sketches. But, my tastes significantly changed after 13 years of collecting.

American cels, I tend to go for the "milestone" cels. They are not necessarily "beautiful" to most people, but they are more of historically significant toward animation and film production. Pretty much, I have noticed that I tend to go more for cels that make me stop and go "hmmmm, what a fascinating piece!" and then send me off on a two day research project.

[sensei]

Pretty much, I have noticed that I tend to go more for cels that make me stop and go "hmmmm, what a fascinating piece!" and then send me off on a two day research project.

Certainly true for me: I enjoy picking up a pretty piece and at the same time learning something new about the history of anime. That's why I found myself looking at cels from the 1973 Toei series Microid S recently, and even more recently getting interested in the 1980 Office Academy series Maeterlinck's Blue Bird. Both led me in interesting, unexpected research directions.

But I'm also intrigued by the "Sensei-sense" that tingles all over when I see something nice. Fortunately, the art is nice, and usually significant, or I'd otherwise simply be throwing cash around in random purchases for images that make me jolly inside. Part of it is taste: "That's been drawn really really well!" But part of it is something more basic, a "Yowzers!" reaction.

[ginga123]

Well, I agree with Iceman that there's no need to call a psychiatrist lol; but, I was not sure if you [Sensei] wanted to go more Freudian or generalistic with your theory. I obviously went with the latter... maybe I can be contributing theorist for a 3rd paper.

If I look at my collection again from the Fruedian standpoint, I clearly and unconsciously collect characters both male and female who have authority issues. I am fixated on closeups and owning pieces that display either happiness or emotional strife on the character's faces--especially around the eyes.

(i took a few soc/psych classes back in my college days.)

[cutiebunny]

Hmm...well, according to the Meyers Briggs test, I am an Inspector (ISTJ). Yup, makes sense. Also makes sense that I'm in a line of work that allows me to be like that, too.

But I don't collect authoritarian images and with exception of a few angry looks from villain characters, I don't have any in my collection. With exception to the shikishi I own, if I had to describe my collection according to the MB test, then I'd say Healer would describe it best. I like characters that are able to push past their limits, often by achieving various spiritual and emotional states. A lot of the shikishi I own comes from various conventions and commissions at conventions, so, you don't always get a choice of what you end up with. Though, I would say that, if giving a choice between several different characters of varying characteristics, I generally go with 1) Redheads and 2) Emotionally strong characters.

As I mentioned before, I express a different side of myself when collecting. In a perfect world, I would probably be a healer. In utopia, I could see someone else already filling up the role of the inspector and doing such a good job at it that I would not need to take on that role. But, as those at my workplace have expressed, if you choose not become the leader, those that are less qualified for leadership will take on the role instead.

Assuming that what I collect is my ideal, then, it also makes perfect sense that I tend to gravitate towards viewing my online collection at work, than I do elsewhere.