1. The Shipper

Key Characteristics: The Shipper is all about the love between characters. While there’s some crossover with the Fujoshi, the Shipper isn’t limited to dudes loving dudes. The Shipper might like straight ships, they might like queer ships, and they might like both. Shippers watch a series, decide on an OTP (one true pairing) and then apply their talents to fanart, fanfic, fanmixes, AMVs, or just screaming happily at each other about a cute moment that their OTP shared.

It’s not all sunshine and ice cream, though. Ship wars can sink a fandom pretty darn quick.

Favorite Shows: Literally any anime with more than one character in it.

Fandom Level: 6 coffee shop AUs out of 10.

2. The Fandom Intellectual

Key Characteristics: To the Fandom Intellectual, anime is an extension of their education. They probably majored in literature, media studies, science, history, psychology, or anthropology, and they’re looking at anime through that lens. While the Fandom Intellectual might focus their attention on anime that poses interesting philosophical and moral questions, they can also be found writing about how the little clown man from YuGiOh 5D’s struggled with internalized classism. Because, you know, why not.

Favorite Shows: Death Note, Library War, Mushishi, March Comes In Like A Lion, and Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Fandom Level: 6 thesis statements on whether or not Light Yagami has Narcissistic Personality Disorder out of 10.

3. The Casual

Key Characteristics: The Casual has seen the same handful of anime literally everybody else has seen, and it’s all dubbed. If it was on Kids WB, Toonami, or Adult Swim, they’ve seen half of it and don’t remember most of the details. Maybe they’ve seen one of the more wildly popular contemporary titles like One Punch Man or Yuri!!! on Ice, but don’t count on it.

Favorite Shows: Naruto, DBZ, Sailor Moon, Yu-Gi-Oh! (only DM, the Casual has never seen GX, 5D’s or Zexal), and of course Pokémon.

Fandom Level: It’s over 9000!!!! out of 10.

4. The Fujoshi

Key Characteristics: Fujoshis are often parodied in anime — you’ll find them in everything from Barakamon to Kiss Him Not Me. Fujoshis are huge fans of yaoi, a genre that packages relationships between gay men for heterosexual female consumption. They buy seme/uke paddles and carry them around anime conventions, and they’re likely to have messenger bags covered in “I <3 Yaoi” pins. At their worst, they can be found following real life gay couples around anime conventions and badgering them to kiss.

Favorite Anime: Free, Black Butler, Yuri!!! on Ice (they like it because it’s “sinful,” not for the representation). Old school fujoshi have a huge soft spot for Gravitation.

Fandom Level: 2 Dorito-faced senpais out of 10.

5. The Cosplayer

Key Characteristics: The Cosplayer’s main goal is to physically embody the characters they love. They spend hours collecting materials, sewing, doing makeup, and otherwise perfecting the look they’re going to debut at the next anime convention. Some cosplayers pick their subjects based on how much they connect with the character, while others are all about how awesome the costume looks. Often, they go to conventions solely to show off their latest outfit.

Favorite Shows: Whatever’s popular that season. Nothing’s worse than going to a convention and nobody recognizing who you’re supposed to be.

Fandom Level: 10 sudden wig emergencies out of 10.

6. The Seiyuu Fanatic

Key Characteristics: Seiyuu Fanatics are obsessed with voice actors. They have a favorite, and they can tell you every single character their favorite played. They’re people who will wait in line for hours to get their character song CD signed, and they’ll watch a new series solely because their fave is playing one of the characters. They care a lot about casting choices, too. Only ask a Seiyuu Fanatic who likes Freewhat they think about Vic Mignogna playing Rin in the dub if you have a few hours to kill and a hankering for some serious well-informed opinions.

Favorite Shows: Shirobako, Ouran Host Club, and Seiyu’s Life!

Fandom Level: 5 characters voiced by Mamoru Miyano out of 10.

7. The Weeaboo

Key Characteristics: Weeaboos, known back in the day as Wapanese or “wannabe Japanese,” are anime fans who aren’t just in it for the anime. They’re in it for what they’ve decided is Japanese culture. Weeaboos are usually white teenagers, but they can be any age and ethnicity. Except, you know, not Japanese. They wear kimonos incorrectly, call everything “kawaii!” or “sugoi!” and seem to think that Japanese cuisine consists exclusively of Pocky and ramen. They definitely, definitely want to move to Japan, because it’s just like real life anime, right? Right?!

Favorite Shows: Inuyasha, Code Geass, and Fruits Basket.

Fandom Level: 8 bottles of melon-flavored Ramune out of 10.

8. The Anime Hipster

Key Characteristics: The Anime Hipster hates everything that’s popular. Why? Because according to the Anime Hipster, everybody is stupid (except for them), so everything that’s popular must be stupid too. The Anime Hipster adamantly hates Tokyo Ghoul, Haikyuu, My Hero Academia, and anything else that other people recognize and enjoy. If, heaven forbid, their fave gets popular, then it’s either “I discovered it first,” or “I don’t even like it anymore, it’s totally lame and mainstream now.”

Favorite Shows: They liked Princess Tutu, Hell Girl, and Tatami Galaxy, but after reading this description, they’re worried those series might be too popular, so they don’t like them anymore.

Fandom Level: 1 pouting Tsukkis out of 10.

9. The Monogamist

Key Characteristics: The Monogamist is interested in one anime, and one anime only. They know everything there is to know about this anime, and every conversation they have somehow finds its way back to their favorite topic. They might be apologetic about it – “sorry to bring up Yowamushi Pedal again, but this reminds me…” – or they might be happy to monologue at you without a care in the world.

The Monogamist is an awesome person to have around if you share their interests, but can be slightly insufferable if you don’t. Obsessions can last anywhere from a few weeks to an entire lifetime.

Favorite Shows: Monogamists pop up in every fandom, from Gundam Wing to Sekko Boys. You know you’re dealing with one when they’re still going strong long after the rest of the fandom disbands.

Fandom Level: 4 symbolic water bottles out of 10.

10. The Activist

Key Characteristics: Known to detractors as an SJW, the Activist is focused on rooting out oppression in fandom. Whether this means pointing out fat shaming in Yuri!!! on Ice, transmisogyny in Gintama, or imperialism in Attack on Titan, the Activist is always ready to stand up for what they believe in. Sometimes they go a little too far – moral absolutism isn’t a cute look – but they’re a pretty earnest and passionate bunch of fans.

Favorite Shows: Mob Psycho 100, Interviews With Monster Girls, Gangsta, and Michiko to Hatchin.

Fandom Level: 7 Tumblr fights out of 10.

11. The Entrepreneur

Key Characteristics: The entrepreneur is here to turn a profit. These fans can be seen selling zip pouches and prints at Artist Alley, writing about anime on websites, offering commissions online, doing anime-themed standup comedy, and just generally trying to make a living through the world of fandom. While they might occasionally sell something popular that they’re not personally interested in, these fans are serious about not letting their day job get in the way of their love for anime.

Favorite Shows: Whatever the hottest, most profit-netting series is at any given moment, plus a deep and abiding love for Digimon Adventure.

Fandom Level: 7 $40 drawings of Mako and Ryuko kissing out of 10.

12. The Former Fan

Key Characteristics: This person is totally over anime. They only liked it when they were a stupid teenager, and now they’re a mature adult who likes mature adult media. Like, you know, Breaking Bad and American Horror Story. The one time they did try to get back into anime, they watched a single episode of Sword Art Online and gave up forever. They think everyone who likes anime is a loser and they aren’t afraid to say so.

Favorite Shows: They don’t have one because anime sucks, but you might be able to entice them back with something that satirizes the genre like One Punch Man, Gintama, or Osomatsu-san.

Fandom Level: 3 unbeatable punches out 10.

13. The Fetishizing Creep

Key Characteristics: This is the white guy in a Love Live t-shirt and a fedora who spends the whole convention trying to find Asian teenagers to hit on. This is the guy carrying around a full-sized body pillow featuring a half-naked anime 12-year-old with D cup breasts and eyes that take up her whole face. He only (theoretically) dates Asian women, because he thinks they’ll act just like his anime waifu. He’s basically a fujoshi, but his target is Asian women, not gay men.

Favorite Shows: Love Live, K-On!, Kill la Kill, and My Little Pony.

Fandom Level: 0 fake katanas out of 10.

14. The Furry

Key Characteristics: The furry has a sketchbook full of anthro art. They can and will show up to an anime convention in a full fursuit. They are either kind, supportive, sweet people who are just trying to have a good time dressing up like a cartoon wolf, or they’re Neo-Nazis. The furry community is kind of a mixed bag that way.

Favorite Shows: Samurai Pizza Cats, Wolf’s Rain, Outlaw Star, Wolf Children, and Sonic.

Fandom Level: 5 yiffing hedgehogs out of 10.