Hey all! This little tribute was written by my sister, who wishes to be known asPaperDragon, and it is with her permission that I am posting this cause she doesn't have a fanfiction name. This particular fic was written to all anime and manga in general, but there are some references to certain characters. It is not specified, we leave you to figure it out.

With that said, enjoy.

Anime. Manga. To many, they are nothing more than ink on paper. A reel of fast-moving pictures that have no depth.

So why did we fall for them?

Maybe it was the chance to visit places we would never see. We were thrown onto the Moon, into the past and future, and into universes we never knew existed. We crossed the barrier between life and death so many times we wondered if anyone really ever stayed dead. We hacked into the cyber-world and became part of a never-ending code of numbers. Sometimes we learned more history than we ever would out of a textbook.

Maybe it was the experience to meet beings we would never otherwise know: beings with fish ears, cat tails, dog teeth and everything in between; beings with god-like speed and extendable limbs; beings that appeared human, yet couldn't be farther from it. We battled against and along side demons. We rode dragons and hunted them down. We harnessed energy that could destroy and rebuild.

We learned many ways to say "What the heck?"
"Chi?"
"Kuu?"
"Hoe?"
"Oro?"
"Nani?"
"Eh?"

We watched our favorites fight battle after battle, beyond the capacity that an ordinary person could, collapsing only when the last of the enemy had. We watched the light battle the dark, and sometimes we saw the line between the two become hazy. Good didn't always triumph and evil didn't always fall. We watched rebels colored in shades of gray change sides at the final moment and quite often, disappear soon after. We cheered and booed on both sides, knowing all the while they were deaf to our yells.

We watched some break down, inside and outside. Some let their tears flow freely, others weeping only in their hearts. Sometimes the tears were comical, coming the form of rivers or fountains, adorning the faces of cute and stoic alike. Other times, the tears turned to blood and we wept for the lost, knowing inside what would happen and still we could not change it.

We watched some stumble through life, trying to find the past they lost; others trying to forget it. Allies and foes long forgotten would suddenly appear, sometimes the opposite of what they once were. Scars that would not heal and memories that refused to fade away burned as a constant reminder to our favorites. It stalked the paths of some and was a fine companion for others. For some, it left bloody footprints and whispered in a haunted voice into their ears. For others, it carried hopes and dreams that needed to be found. The past cannot be changed and yet, we knew some would try, for one reason or another.

We watched some change, change into emotionless monsters with eyes that burned and weapons that reeked of death. Their demeanors would transform and sometimes, their very bodies. They would lash out at friends and foes alike, all rational mind gone. This alter ego would be triggered by a threat or a memory, one that would send them over the edge of reason. A few were lucky enough to have a special someone who could pull them back from the gates of Hell and give them back their sanity. As much as we loved their schizophrenia, we were happy to watch them smile again.

We watched the girls, the bishoujo, who held a special place in our hearts. They were the heroines and the villains, the girlfriends and the fans. They wore their hair long and blond, short and dark, wavy and red. Girls were there to give the heroes a good smack when they acted like perverts and to remind them what they were fighting for was important. Whether they brandished a weapon or words, they stood up in the face of their opponents and said "Just try and stop me." Some were excellent marksmen- er, markswomen- and wielded guns, bows, knives, swords and magic with deadly accuracy. Others wove speeches that gave off a calming effect, capable making the most hardened warriors spill their souls.
They all had one thing in common: they were strong. Some were bold and that was okay. Some were shy and that was okay too. Some weren't that bright and others could light up the room. Some were afraid of revealing their inner selves and so shut that part of them out from the rest of the world, portraying an image of ice and thorns. But we knew they were lying and so we rejoiced when the ice melted and the thorns grew roses. We also knew that some would never heal and we cried when the darkness of their wounded hearts finally consumed them. No matter what their story, we loved our girls and applauded them when their journey was over.

We watched the boys, the bishounen, and more often then naught, we wished they were real. They were cocky and rude, clueless and cute. They were the heroes and the bad guys, the boyfriends and the sidekicks. Their hair stuck up and fell past their shoulders. Though sometimes they acted like perverts, it was all in good fun, even if they did end up with a few bumps and bruises. They talked big, but when it came right down to it, they had the heavy artillery to back it up. Their arms came in all shapes and sizes; the bigger, the better. The usual weapons were swords and guns, and use them well they did. Heaven help the poor fool who exploited the bishounen's weakness; they would not live long enough to tell about it. We all knew there would be hell to pay when the bishoujo was endangered or spirited away. It was only then that the most toughened man wore his heart on his sleeve. Though we enjoyed this sensitive side, we eagerly awaited the battle scene that was sure to follow. They were constantly pushing themselves to be stronger, because being strong was never enough. They didn't seem to realize that in pushing themselves, they pushed others away. Sometimes, we found them far from home. Go back, we said, we love you as you are. When all was said and done, we bowed to their strength and let them finally rest in peace.

We watched their eyes, for eyes are the windows to the soul and theirs were no exception. Big and open or squinty and shut, they could fill up with tears or close in laughter. Eyes made the bishonen suave and the chibi adorable. A change in eye color told of a change in personality, which some dreaded and others hoped for. Possessed eyes yielded no light and shadowed eyes concealed anger or pain, hiding the true emotions. Eyes reflected the inner being and shone brighter than any light.

We watched their expressions, what made them special. Noses could disappear entirely and we didn't care. It made even the most evil person look lovable and innocent. Mouths would fly off the face or become so small they were almost not there. A touch of lipstick could distinguish the woman from the girl. Fish bones, straws, cigarettes and everything else imaginable hung from the mouths of the guys. Why, and more importantly, how? We didn't care; it made them all the more cool.

We watched their hair and sometimes gawked at it. Hair was fire red, ice blue and snow white and stuck up at 30, 60, and 90 degrees and everywhere in between. Nicknames like Rooster-head, Needle-noggin, Broom-head and Porcupine sprouted from our lips as well as theirs. After a while, it grew on us. Their gravity-defying manes only added to their magnetic pull and suddenly, all other hair was lacking. The question changed from "How does it do that!" to "Why can't mine do that!" Though we joked how much uber-strength, super-holding gel was used, we wouldn't have it any other way.

They opened our eyes. We learned that sometimes, nothing is as it seems. Your world can turn on you as fast as lightning and everything you know can fall to pieces. We learned our lessons and experienced epiphanies through them.
"The strong live to protect the weak."
"If life has no purpose, then you're already dead."
"What seems the easy way out is usually the most dangerous."
"Human kind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return."
"Expect the unexpected."
"Nothing in a person's life happens without meaning."

They defined being human so plainly, that we could not help but admit that they too were human. They were human to us. They made us cry, they made us laugh, they made us hang on their every word. Because of their inability to be human, they were human. We learned from their mistakes, even if they did not.

We knew we could not change their stories. It made them what they are. Yes, we were sad when their journey came to an end. We were angry when we watched some become dust in the wind. But in a way, we were glad. We knew we could take out the first episode or read the first book and start their adventures all over again. We were happy because we knew that when our reality is crumbling around us, theirs remains the same. Because their journeys never really end.

So when others point and whisper and wonder why you are still watching cartoons and reading comic books when your 21 years old, just smile and shake your head. Because you know when they leave, you will enter worlds they could not possibly imagine. Hey, it's their loss.

Arigatou, Anime-gumi.

See ya… somewhere, someday.

Even if it's all just a dream…