Hello there all. I am relatively new to these messageboards, and I just voted in the "How Old Are You Guys" poll. In doing so, I was quite, um, *distressed* to discover that over 95% of the members on these boards are under the age of 25 (well, at least those who actually participated in the poll were.) Now, maybe I'm just a bitter old lady, but I'm willing to bet that there are a number of aging otaku over the age of 25 out here on the FMA forums, and I'm starting a thread for US!

I happen to know quite a number of "older" FMA fans (as well as older anime fans in general) so I know you men and women exist. I was also curious as to your thoughts on how it feels to be an "aging fan." The demographic of anime fandom in particular seems to be inching towards a younger age year by year due to the media becoming more manstream, and there are days when I long for the "good old days" of 5th generation fansubs and laserdiscs. XD And, also, how do you all balance your fandom with everyday adult responsibilities (family, work, children etc.?)

I think it will be interesting to see how many members of the older demographic we have out there.

So, C'mon! Where mah geezers at?

I'm in the over 25+ age category by a hair. :S

My claim to fame from old age include:

-lower back pain
-white hair
-being an anime fan for 13+ years...my first animes were seen via laserdiscs or swapping vhs fansub tapes.
-being involved with digital 'fansub' groups since 2001, with a 2 year gap where i disappeared from the 'scene' .-. (aka life happens)


My "fanaticism" ended back in 2002, but i still enjoy anime and squeeze it in if and when I have the time.

Well, I'm 23, but I feel way older. I've got all kinds of weird foot pain, and I think I might have a brain tumor.

brai...brain tumor XC( poor u

i hope for the best

Asunder-- I can identify with ALL of that. Even the Back Pain. LOL! (That's what I get, I guess, for spending my early twenties toiling away at a blue collar job that involved much heavy lifting...)

Life DOES happen. Yeah. Especially once you hit 25 it seems.
I started feeling DAMN old after 25.



Heh. I sometimes "feel" like I'm in my 40's. LOL!

You're... um... not serious about the brain tumor thing, right?
At least I HOPE you're not.

One thing we have to remember about the age poll is the amount of people who either lie, or who vote and never come back. I bet there's a few +25's who ticked a lower age category.

This is true... Ah, yeah. I'm finally in that stage of life where I can justify lying about my age... *sob*

I'mpretty sure that a lot of the 25+ people here on the site do not frequent the "Open Chat" forum as much as they do the specific manga/anime forums (I came to this site for the manga forums long before I started actually posting here.)

Also, people of the 25+ age range seem less likely to participate in these silly little forum polls, IMO.

25 and older...I'll be there in about three months! Shocking! And it is, since I cosplay. Is there a cosplay annonymous in this forum?

So what did everyone do to celebrate their 25th b-days? or age of relative importance?

I'm 25...woot! And i'm already pulling out the grey hairs....

@ Molecular_Alchemist Don't do that! Seven more will grow in for the one removed!

Oh that's why I'm getting more grey.

Yeah I'm one of the old farts here. My first anime was Speed Racer and Space Battleship Yamamoto (aka Star Blazers). Not so much back pain thanks to my acupuncturist but I can shake my fist at the damn kids with the best of them.

To answer your question I don't think I really have to balance my geekness with anything else it just kind of fits in. However I did get several weird looks that time I had to get gas in my Haruko costume.

I've been getting really paranoid about hair loss lately...

I need a contingency plan in case the worst happens.

Damn whippersnappers, always stepping on my lawn. Tha hell with them.

Ahh, old people gathering. I wonder how I missed this thread. Anywho, my claim to oldness is that my first game console was the Atari 7800. It's funny how the teens down the street from me had to google up Atari. They had no clue what it was.

I'll be 26 in June Chasing my kid around ain't as fun as it used to be.

@Bits: Rogaine?

@My Love: bring the Haruko outfit and I'll bring the cuffs.

Oh my god! I'm 23 I'm so old!

Oh my god, I'm going to be 26, the horror!

I'm 25 it's the end of the world!

All of you need to STFU!! Seriously.

Though I have to admit, turing a quartar of a century was scary for me too.

P.S. Snacky-Cake, I'll get my Rickenbacker

I keep forgetting how old i am...is that like...normal? alzheimers??

@Mini and Starrie-Yeah, i stopped pulling them out when i saw them nultiply worse than bunnies in a pet shop Xd I just dye my hair now...

I'm 26 but I feel much younger.
The only thing where I recognize that I'm getting older: there is less time for watching anime.
For the grey hair: I like them. And keep them.

My claim to fame/oldness is having the commodore 64/128 as my first gaming system .-. damn i loved that joystick not to mention those old games. ahh so much nostalgia~
anyone else remember having regular tv channels and a special UHF? section?( some different frequency / not cable)

@ asunder I remember the cable box, you had to push the button to which channel you wanted to watch. The only channels that I watched growing up was the Disney channel and Nickalodeon. My fave show on Nick was "You Can't Do That on Television."

@ edsgirl I'm sure the kids down the street from you would have to Wiki the history of sliming.

Who else remembers shows that are now in the annuals of Wiki?

I just finished doing one of those age polls here and I added a post saying how funny I found it to be putting my little "dot" in the 25+ category when I am (brace yourselves, you youngsters!) fifty years old!!! And the other post I added tonight was a favorite movie quote which was from "The Big Chill", and I noted then that that post and everything I DO on this forum ends up making me feel so damn OLD! Thing is, I can't decide if I feel like all good and noble about it, or just plain depressed.... everybody has been really very nice to me... I get the feeling the really young ones think I am sort of "cute"... does this mean I REALLY am sliding headlong into geezerdom? oh no, mr. bill..................

I probably came later to anime than any of you -- I discovered FMA last year at the hands of my 27-year-old daughter, and got hooked - but now I am making up for lost time (my husband thinks I have lost my mind.) I have time to pursue this interest because I am unfortunately on disability, having lost my beloved library job to health problems ten years ago this fall. I have to find ways to keep my mind occupied or I go crazy, and anime is my newest interest. It's fascinating stuff, especially if you know anything about Japanese culture.

Anyway, I got all excited when I saw this thread tonight -- I thought "FINALLY -- I'll find the others on this board who are in my age range! But alas, it looks like I still get the geezer prize, by a long shot!! Oh well -- getting old may suck, but it does beat the one alternative...

For the record, Molecular Alchemist, it's not a problem when you forget how old you are, only when you forget WHO you are!

And, Asunder, I can top you, when I think really hard back to my earliest memories, I can remember a small roundish B/W TV that only got three VHF stations and no UHF.

peace, y'all

fmf

p.s. did anyone else see all those new pilots on Adult Swim last Sunday? Is it just me, or were most of them well and truly dreadful? Oy!


A GIGANTIC THANK YOU TO NIL-CHAN FOR BEAUTIFUL NEW SIGGIE,
PRESENTED TO ME ON MOTHERS DAY!!! WHAT A WONDERFUL GIFT!!!

Permission to break wind in this forum madam or sir. Just joking.

I'm 25 going on 26 this august 17, 2007, so I guess I'm an old fart. LOL. Well maybe not THAT old. I don't have gray hair yet.

Bwahahaaa!!! I'm 29 TODAY, b*tches!!

(I'm Not 30 YET...)

happy 29th!

as a lady, you're allowed to have several more birthdays as a "29 year old"

don't get too smashed :X

Liz turning 30 is ok. I'm not looking forward to my next birthday. I cant just say I'm 30 .
31 on january 23rd. I am not looking forward to it.

*bows down to Liz for making this thread*

I am so glad I found this thread!! I was feeling a bit tlike that frizzled old man in the park that just sits on the bench and stares.....We have discussions at work about our favorite shows....it passes the time. My younger work mates were quite suprised that I even knew what anime was, much less that I was a fan. I was enjoying anime when anime wasnt cool, I tell them. (Gigantor, Speed Racer, etc.)
Gi-GAN-tor, Gi-GAN-tor, Gi-GANNNN-tor.
Gigantor the space aged robot,He is at your command.
Gigantor the space aged robot,His power is in your hand.
Bigger than big, taller than tall,Quicker than quick, stronger than strong.
Ready to fight for right, against wrong.
Gigantor, Gigantor, Gigantor

Darn kids!

Ozmo

I'm freakingly old of 26 turning 27. Though if you were to look at me, you wouldn't guess it and put me around 18 or so. Sometime I feel old and wonder if I actually grow up. Or am I still just a kid with responsibilities? Probably the second one most of the time. But hey, I guess if you're still a kid at heart but can do lots of grown up things, that's all good.

Hello my fellow oldies....

By the looks of things I'm up there with the oldest. 29 in a week and a bit, luckily I've converted my 34 year old other half into Anime, so I now know one person older than me. I thought I would find solace in finding other older cartoon watches (Esp FMA). Appears we are a far and few between rare breed....

I'm in Australia, Melb and a big FMA fan. Australia's Anime is very limited and there isn't much around by way of merchandise, comics etc.

Was directed to the oldies section after posting in the meet the noobies bit. I'm getting a FMA half sleeve done the day after I turn 29, so keep an eye on the "I'm getting/have a FMA tattoo" section.

Any aussies reading this, watch Wipeout tomorrow night and keep a look out for me.

I remember, Gigantor, the Atari, the Commodore 64 & the Table Top arcade machines with frogger, space invaders & Pacman. Heck I remember when Pacman was the best game going around.

Kursed.

@Kursed - I think our resident librarian (retired ^^) fullmetalfemme is the oldest "young at heart" member I know of on our board. She has a daughter who is about your age.
FMA is one of the anime/manga I know that are enjoyed by fans with a wide range of age and nationality, and it's nice to see posters from around the world and of many ages on our board. And BTW, arche-san (ἀρχή) has a beautiful 8 years old daughter, so I think he might be around your age also.

I'm currently 26.

I think there are a lot of anime fans over the age of 25. I just think you'll probably not find as many on forums because people who are in that stage of life generally have less time to be on them.