Perhaps one of the greatest impacts that my crazy fangirling has had on my life is the expansion of my music taste, which also lead to appreciation of different cultures.
I am part of multiple fandoms in many different genres.
Supernatural is an American television show that features many rock songs throughout the show. Some of the songs are well-known and were probably known about before the show started. However, many other songs that I listen to on YouTube have a comment section filled with mentions of Supernatural. In particular, the song “Carry On, My Wayward Son” by Kansas is considered the show’s unofficial theme song and is hysterically popular in the fandom. There is a running joke that I found on Facebook that the easiest way to figure out who likes Supernatural in a crowded room is to start playing “Carry On, My Wayward Son.” People will either start cheering, singing along, or start ranting about one of the show’s characters.
However, it is my love of anime that has really impacted my music taste and generated an interest in another culture.
I now listen to Japanese music and hope to one day learn Japanese. This is pretty monumental for me, because I am horrible when it comes to languages. Yet, I already know certain phrases, cultural references, and Japanese traditions because of how much anime and manga that I have enjoyed. I tried watching television and movies in Spanish, but it is just not the same.
I am already invested in these shows that just happen to be in Japanese. Certain songs featured in animes from my younger days make me feel nostalgic and happy in a bittersweet way. They remind me of Saturdays nights spent glued to the T.V. as anime after anime was shown into the early morning hours. It reminds me of sneaking out of bed on school nights to catch new episodes of my favorite shows. I cannot replicate that feeling of intense fascination and love while watching a telenovela, because a part of me knows that I am just trying to watch this show for educational purposes.
