The boards here are varied, no one can deny that. From writers wanting to get something noticed to voice actors looking to hit it big, this site acts as a melting pot of varied minds and talents and it's better off for it (IMHO). Even the subject matter of projects, ranging from video game re-dubs to original works of art, are varied and once again I think this site benefits from it. But sometimes I think that among the buzz of new projects and the scramble for new talent that we tend to forget how we all got interested in this line of work/hobby-ism. That said, I would like to use this thread to share with you how I myself got into this and give you guys a chance to share your origins as well.
I remember it well. It was 1999, and every day after school I would come home and turn on the new block on the Cartoon Network called “Toonami”. Back then it was just starting out, so it didn't have much in it's program block that hadn't been seen before like The Thundercats or Sailor Moon. There was one show, however, that managed in one episode to draw me into it's universe and story and make me a devoted fan even to this day. That show was a then little known show called “Robotech”.
As the show started, the premise seemed strange to me. At the time a show about a battleship filled with soldiers and civilians fighting an alien race who only knew battle and treated the opposite sex of their species as mortal enemies hadn't been seen before. Now add to that the fighters the humans used to combat this species (fighter jets that turned into humanoid mechs), and the show would seem strange to anyone older than 10 (physically & mentally). But for me, that was all it took.
That show acted as a gateway into the anime world. From there it was Sailor Moon, Ronin Warriors, Dragon Ball Z, Gundam Wing etc etc. The stories were awesome, the characters rocked, and it introduced me to and helped me understand complex/mature issues that normally would have taken years and years of pondering . Eventually it got me into the world of writing, where I took off into my own and created worlds using only a pen and a piece of paper. It helped me to relive stress and gave me a temporary “escape”, one that I still use to this day.
So in short, I want to say “Thank you Robotech. Your stories and characters led me and helped me become who I am today.” Whether that was a good thing or not has yet to be decided, but thank you anyway.
Now I wanna hear from you guys! Feel free to share your stories and remember your past, and remember that the only stupid story is one that isn't told!
