Anime¡¯s universal appeal is now being put to the test to see if it could be used as more than just entertainment ¡ª with researchers exploring whether it could be a method of therapy.
A research team at Yokohama City University is testing ¡°anime therapy,¡± a method pioneered by Italian-born psychiatrist Francesco Panto. He developed the concept after finding solace in anime during a rough childhood in his home country, where he felt isolated and unable to fit in.
Inspired by this personal experience, Panto, who practices in Japan, is conducting a trial run as a joint research project at the university. It is one part of a larger 10-year project being conducted by a research lab at the institution that aims to address the difficulties many young people face and develop new methods to combat them.
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