Funimation UK & IRE - no longer in use

ALT Hi! I’m Bethan (she/her), and I’m autistic! I’m going to talk about special interests, including one of my own - anime! But first! What is a special interest? Autistic people are known to have highly-focused interests known as ‘special interests’. These can be anything, be it trains, technology, specific music genres/artists, games, theme parks, TV shows… Whatever they are, they can be a source of joy and are really important for autisitc people. Anime has been one of my special interests for many years!

ALT I think it all started when I was about 8 or 9? I really liked the art style and one or two shows on TV. It definitely had an impact on my art style. I remember joining a manga club in the school library, too. My interest grew into a special interest when I was about 12. I slowly started watching more and fell totally in love. (My art continued to reflect that too.)

ALT Watching anime soon became my comfort. For a few years, my music taste consisted mostly of my favourite openings, endings and soundtracks. And, it also inspired me to start learning Japanese! High school was a really rough time for me, so my interest in anime became even more important to me. The thing I love most about my special interest though… is connecting with others who love them, too! I’ve made so many friends!

ALT I’ve connected with so many people over a shared love of anime, in all sorts of different ways, from sharing our favourites, to chatting on social media, to drawing together, to having fun at cons… and the happiness that it’s brought me is immeasurable. Having anime as one of my special interests has led me to meet so many people, and feel a real sense of community. Even as other special interests come up, I’ve always held on to that - and I’m finding comfort in anime gain during these difficult times. I’m so grateful for all of the joy!