How many years have you been an anime fan? And by fan I mean, starting when you watched your first anime that you knew was anime and became interested in the whole thing
For me, that "first anime" was Escaflowne, when it was broadcast on the Foxkids block in 2000 (I had seen other stuff before then, not knowing it was anime). But I didn't seek out the rest of the show and really get involved (i.e., writing a hilarious Mary Sue fanfic with my friend
) until the next year, so I'll count my starting point as 2001, making this my sixth year of being an anime fan ^_^
(If you've been a fan more than 10 years, please write how long in the comments!)
4 to 5 years for me.
Cardcaptor Sakura was the first anime I really, really, really got into (Pokemon doesn't count, I guess) but I didn't know it was anime so I guess Rurouni Kenshin or Inuyasha...? I don't even remember anymore
-_-.
Well, when I was very very little probably 5, Astro boy was my favorite but I guess that doesn't count because I didn't know it was anime. After that, I was exposed to early mecha anime like Voltes V, Daimos, and Voltron.. but then again, I didn't know they were anime.. although I knew they were Japanese because the TV network used the original Japanese opening and ending themes. But I haven't heard of the word "anime" so I guess that doesn't count again.. lol..
The first "anime" that I've seen while knowing the term "anime" is DBZ. I was 12 back then and I knew DBZ even before I watched it because it was becoming really popular and it was promoted as "anime". So if that counts, I've been a fan for more than 10 years already. The next series that I've been obsessed about is Time Trouble Tondekeman (as stated in my "Most Wanted..." post.).. Other early action series that I've been a huge fan of are BT'x, Thunder Jet, and Zenki. I've been a fan of non-action series too like Dog of Flanders, Heidi, and Cedie.
I can easily say I watched my first anime 8-9 years ago, but had no clue what it was. But 6-7 seems more legit as I was beginning to grow more fond of it and knew what it was after someone told me what it "should" be called which was around the time I started watching Lain and I managed to catch it on TV occasionally and bought the 3rd VHS I believe it was soon after. Which a few years later purchased that awesome box set with that blue cover and awesome ABe box art.
Slowly got into more and more action stuff after that. Like Trigun. Back in it's original VHS release in America, which was way before Adult Swim/CN. I never got around to getting the second cassette, though I did have the other cassettes. Came with those neat holographic postcards. Anyone remember that? I know it wasn't all that long ago.
Hmmmm.... well, back when I was around 5, I sort of made the distinction between Japanese anime and American cartoon due to the obvious difference in styles. That said, I guess I can't say I specifically thought of it as "anime" but as a "higher level of animation" (lol) so that doesn't quite count...I guess it has got to be errr....5 years ago, back when I still watch TV (XD), and I saw some people label Inuyasha as anime. But ehhhh... I was interested way before that.....errrr this is surprisingly complex lol. Oh well, let's just say 5
I guess I made things confusing with the anime that "you knew was anime," huh? ^^;; You don't need to have that as a hard and fast guideline. Even for Escaflowne, I didn't know it was "anime," but after I watched it (and loved it) and then later found out it was anime, I became an anime fan (even though I liked Digimon and other shows before it) ... hmm, it really is hard to say what "counts," but you guys seem to be doing fine ^_^
... It seems like the median amount is about 6-7 ... interesting ^_^
... It seems like the median amount is about 6-7 ... interesting ^_^
Well, we still have yet to hear anything from some of our elderly senior members, aka manabi and neko. And our right, honourable Darren forgot to cast his vote of power *ahem*. So it's probably a little bit more than that.
Well, we still have yet to hear anything from some of our elderly senior members ...
I guess I should've said "so far" ^^ And even with Darren's 10+ years, we still have some people at the 4/5 year mark. But I bet you're right that if we had everyone answer that it'd be higher 
Well, I think I got that 10 year mark because I was exposed to Japanese animation through mainstream media earlier and more since our country is located in Asia, we don't make our own animated shows, and we get more animated shows from Japan than in US. And you know kids. They will enjoy anything as long as it's animated and I was like that back then and what we had on TV is Japanese animation mostly.
That and maybe because I'm older than most of you.. well Manabi, Neko, and me are peers so I see why we're the ones who made the 10 years mark.
Longer dan j00 hav! Just joking
Maybe 11 years?