7 Common Traits Of Fans Who Wear Anime Merchandise

Anime merchandise, and those who decide to wear it are a different breed altogether.

Why? Contrary to how it may seem, not all fans wear anime merchandise because not all fans are that “obsessed” about wearing the things they love in the form of merch, t shirts, accessories, or whatever else.

That can only mean anime fans who wear anime merchandise carry certain traits that others don’t.

Let’s get into those points.

1. Shameless

Does wearing an Ahegao hoodie make a person shameless?

What if that person wears clothing with Hentai plastered all over it, the kind that is LEWD and practically naked? Or implied to be naked?

What about your average anime fan who wears something more “normal” like an anime t shirt featuring an anime girl on the front, a waifu. or just Naruto Uzumaki?

Many because of the perception of the industry, the fandom, and anime itself, will see these acts as shameless. Anime fans who wear this type of anime merch don’t give a F though which is the point.

When I say shameless I don’t mean this in a good or bad way, I simply say the word shameless as it sounds. From a natural standpoint.

Of course, sensitivities and how people view things will always lean towards the “wtf” side of the spectrum but that’s only from the perspectives of those who dislike anime, don’t understand, or are judgmental in general.

2. Unconventional

The term unconventional means you don’t follow the norm. You don’t follow what’s expected. You don’t bow down to conformity and you refuse to be a robot.

That’s how unconventional ideas are born and made. Anime fans by definition, especially those who were into anime from back in the day, were unconventional by design.

They liked, sometimes openly, a medium that others hated, judged, misrepresented, and sometimes bullied others for being interested in it. That’s an unconventional way of thinking and living.

Did platforms like Twitter come about as a result of conventional thinking?

How about forums in the early stages, or unconventional ideas that led to spices and herbs being able to be conserved for 100s of years inspired by the Moors who were Muslim?

Anime is still unconventional in 2024 even in spite of its massive growth and legitimate mainstream status as far as sales and net worth are measured.

3. Stylish

Anime fans who decided to wear anime merch or even those who aren’t into anime necessarily but still wear anime merch that catches their eye. These types of people have a sense of style, taste, and they seek it out with anime merch.

Being stylish is a result of NOT doing what is expected of you when it comes to fashion. It’s also the result of knowing how to dress, how to mix and match clothes, colours, designs, and everything else so your “swag” is in harmony.

Anime fans are stylish (not all), and it’s a trait of many who seek out unique types of anime merch to wear or collect.

4. Someone who dislikes following societal trends

Anime even in 2024 is still not accepted.

It may appear this way because everyone has got their hands in the pie attempting to profit off it, but many people still project their feelings onto anime as if anime is inherently not the way it “should” be.

I’m talking mostly about Western ideologies that paint anime with many words in the dictionary like Misogyny, sexist, and so on.

Anime fans are on the receiving end of this and have been for over a decade, and yet, they still decide to embrace anime’s differences while refusing to let negative opinions sway them into following some bullshit trends society would prefer others to follow.

Anime was treated like a FAD and the fans stuck to their guns regardless. It’s clear they aren’t the kind to follow societal trends even if pressured or insulted through reverse psychology.

5. Brave and bold

Anime fans, as pointed out in the last section, refuse to follow or bow down to societal trends. These types of fans as a result are brave and bold, and I don’t mean that in a cringey kind of way.

I simply mean it for what the words truly mean.

People who stick to what they like in spite of attempted bullying, dislike, being put down, dismissed, misrepresented, or whatever else, are a special kind of person who is clearly brave and bold even if only a little.

These people happen to wear a lot of anime merchandise as well, almost defiantly.

Related: The 7 Most Common Types Of Anime Shops You Can Buy From

6. Loud and proud

Remember when I mentioned the group of people, anime fans, who may wear Ahegao clothing? This is the definition of loud and proud.

Not that I personally would wear Aheago clothing because it doesn’t fit my attitude or behaviour. But it is an example of anime fans being loud and proud by expressing themselves through anime merchandise.

Often times it’s expressed through:

• Anime posters.
• Canvases.
• Stickers.
• Magnets.
• Notebooks.
• Accessories.
• Shoes.
• T Shirts.

And sometimes cars, hats, mats, and other forms of expression via merchandise.

Either way, it’s a trait that says “loud and proud”.

7. Someone who’s comfortable in their own skin

Finally, an anime fan who wears anime merchandise has the trait of someone who is comfortable in their own skin. In other words, it’s a person who has their self esteem in check and has enough confidence to withstand any level of mental onslaught.

Or verbal abuse.

Otherwise, why would they wear it? It’s an expression after all.

You don’t wear things if you’re not confident about the world seeing it, no different to how you don’t publish a book if you don’t want the world to read it.

Some anime fans can take this trait to levels of cringe, just like any other group of people or fandoms, but it doesn’t change the fact they feel good in their own skin and they use anime to express it on some level.

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In the end, you could argue there are many traits anime fans have who wear anime merchandise, or shamelessly display and express it.

I feel it comes down to these 7 traits which explain the way anime fans are, how they think, and behave in general if they’re the type to flex their anime merch and clothing.