Dimensions of Escapism as Mediators of the Association between Consumption of Anime-Related Content and Desire to Learn about Japan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30545/academo.2026.n2.1465Keywords:
Anime, Escapism, Fan Tourism, Soft Power, Cool JapanAbstract
In the present paper we examine the relationship between three variables: frequency of consuming anime-related content, using anime for escapism, and the desire to learn more about Japan. Self-identified anime fans completed measures of these three variables, with the results revealing that greater anime-related content consumption was associated with greater escapism and a greater desire to learn about Japan. We then tested, and found support for, a mediation model wherein two forms of escapism (self-expansion and self-suppression) mediated the association between consumption and desire to learn about Japan. These findings both highlight the utility of differentiating between self-expansion and self-suppression as distinct ways of escaping while also showing that escapism, which is often discussed in the context of its negative consequences, is also associated with learning about another culture and fan tourism. The findings support the notion that anime is a Japanese export which provides soft power to a country that is seeking to encourage cultural engagement.
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