Meaning
What does Anime Was a Mistake mean?
Anime was a mistake refers to a made-up quote, misattributed to Hayao Miyazaki, one of the most recognized artists and directors of anime.
The several troll-quotes, are usually seen online on image macros and GIFs, paired with a photo of Miyazaki, expressing contempt toward everyone who calls themselves a Weeb or an Otaku.
Origin
What's the origin of Anime Was a Mistake?
The concept of the misquotation “Anime was a mistake” can be linked to Golden Time’s interview with Hayao Miyazaki, which was published on January 27th, 2014, and which was translated and shared on RocketNews24 on the 30th.
During the interview, the artist expressed his concerns about the prevailing narrative in the anime industry, with too few artists putting emphasis on observing human behavior in real life, saying in the end “And that’s why the industry is full of otaku!”.
Spread & Usage
How did Anime Was a Mistake spread?
A year later, on January 25th, 2015, a Tumblr blog, titled old-japanese-men shared various GIFs, depicting Miyazaki from a 2013 documentary, with made up quotes, saying “Anime was a mistake” and “Those who identify as otaku, they sicken me deeply”.
The GIFs gained many reactions and spread rapidly online, appearing on sites like Imgur, 9GAG and Reddit, as well as YouTube videos, expressing disdain toward Weebs and Otakus as well as precedents in hentai like Boku No Pico De Gallo.
External resources
- Polygon.com – Does Hayao Miyazaki hate … anime fandom?
- Quora.com – Did Hayao Miyazaki really say that anime was a mistake?
- Gamerant.com – “Anime Was A Mistake”: Explaining The Truth Behind The Hayao Miyazaki Meme