Taking a look at a few international films, you’ll probably find it easy to guess where they originated. Hollywood films have a distinct look and feel, while British productions are often grittier. Similarly, it’s easy to see the difference between an Italian film and an Indian one.
These cultural distinctions aren’t just limited to theatrical releases, but are heavily present in animated series, too. It should be relatively straightforward for anybody to see the differences between Western and Eastern animations.
Originating in Japan around the end of the 20th century, anime is a distinct visual style to bring animated productions — that is, cartoons — to life. While anime is focused on electronic mediums, similarly styled manga is present only in comic books or graphic novels. Anime and manga are often confused with each other, but the terms aren’t interchangeable.
Anime is ingrained in Japanese culture, spanning generations of animators, producers and TV series. There are about 450 anime production companies in Japan, with the most well-known being Studio Ghibli. Its 2003 film “Spirited Away” won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature that year and went on to become the highest-grossing anime film. It took 17 years until it was surpassed by “Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train.”
But even if you don’t know the difference between anime and manga, you have certainly come across some anime. TV shows and video games such as “Pokemon,” “Naruto” and “Dragon Ball” all draw massive viewership numbers in the U.S. and elsewhere.
And with anything popular among teens and young adults, merchandise is sure to follow. From T-shirts and toys to action figures, mobile games and gaming chairs, there are more anime items and objects than you can shake a stick at.
Given all the sales opportunities these TV shows bring, it's no wonder that the “Pokemon” franchise is estimated to be worth $110 billion. The franchise released the “Pokemon Go” mobile game in 2016, and it had amassed more than $6 billion in revenue by 2020. It reportedly had more than 147 million monthly active users two years after release and topped the app charts at over a billion global downloads in early 2019.
It is a lucrative industry to be in, and product makers are eager to reap the rewards while it is still relevant. Anime gaming chairs aren’t such a strange concept then. But before starting your search, it is vital that the chair is comfortable.
It should go without saying that comfort is the primary factor in choosing a gaming chair. The design — in this case, anime — doesn’t give you more support than chairs with different designs. So a crucial aspect is the padding on the seating and backrest. This is where most of your body will touch the chair, and the thicker the padding, the longer you can stay seated.
Many chairs also include lumbar pillows, which go behind your back at the base of your spine. This is to straighten you out and prevent any long-term strain. Another freebie that often comes with gaming chairs is a removable head cushion. This is to give your cranium a soft landing when tilting your head back.
Padding on the armrests isn’t essential, but it can be a nice touch when it matches the chair's overall color. Another nice-to-have is a retractable footrest. This is best when you want to lie back and put up your feet.
AutoFull Pink Bunny Gaming Chair
Perfect for any anime fan, this gaming chair has thick padding on the armrests, seat and backrest. It comes with a head cushion and a lumbar pillow, as well as removable bunny ears. It can rock at 25 degrees and can recline up to 155 degrees.
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AutoFull Exquisite Sword Gaming Chair
Featuring a lumbar pillow larger than most gaming chairs, this model will ensure that you are comfortable on your journeys. It features an anime-inspired sword embroidered onto the backrest. It doesn’t have padded armrests, but there are ventilation slots in the back to cool you down.
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This gaming chair has a pair of cute bunny ears and a tail attached to the headrest that you can remove. The cool blue and white colors draw inspiration from the Japanese Kawaii culture of cuteness, often associated with anime. The seat and armrests are fully padded and the chair can recline to 135 degrees.
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Homall Hero Series Anime-Inspired Gaming Chair
This anime-inspired gaming chair features delicate pink and purple colors for an authentic look. The seat and backrest are stuffed with foam padding, and it comes with an adjustable lumbar pillow and headrest. The caster wheels' color matches the seat.
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Soontrans Pink Gaming Chair with Footrest and Bunny Ears
This cute chair has a thick foam padded seating area and armrests. The pull-out footrest neatly retracts under the chair. It comes with a color-coordinated headrest and lumbar pillow, and you also get a pair of bunny ears to wear while you game.
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Best Office PC Gaming Chair With Anime Rabbit
Tapping into some of the most-used anime colors, this soft pink, white and blue gaming chair has a bunny on the backrest and embroidery on the headrest and lumbar pillow. The armrests don’t have padding but the backrest can swivel and recline to a maximum of 135 degrees.
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Marvel Spider-Man Gaming Chair
Spider-Man has nothing to do with anime, but this gaming chair is just too cool to pass up, especially if you love any forms of animation. It has a Marvel-branded headrest, lumbar pillow and retractable footrest. While the armrests aren’t padded, the seating area has enough foam to last through long gaming sessions.
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Charlie Fripp writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
