Being overly emotional/ irrational about cartoon characters?
Is this an autism thing?
Or do I have another medical condition?
I find that I'm really attached to a specific cartoon/ anime/ game character.
There's this anime character that I've loved since my childhood, I was like, 10.
Decades later, I still love love love love this character so much, that any controversies about this character makes me really irrational.
(People accused this character for racism decades ago, but the aftermath is still affecting this character.)
I'm normally a rational person, but when it's about this character, I just lose all my rationality.
Very very few things upset me nowadays.
I don't even get upset if people use ethnic slurs on me. (I'm not white)
It definitely doesn't feel normal to me.
--------
EDIT: I read that some autistic people can be really attached to a certain cartoon character, but I have not read that negative comments about a certain character would make them really sad.
I can't tell you whether or not you have ASD (or any other condition), nor can anyone who has not been trained to diagnose said condition. Nobody can provide a diagnosis over the internet.
I could be mistaken, but you are possibly wondering if you have ASD because your attachment to this character could be akin to a special interest, one of the features of ASD. However, there are many other criteria which much be met for one to be diagnosed with ASD. Asking if you have ASD based on one trait alone is not really a viable question.
It's possible that you have ASD (if you have other traits); it is possible that you have no medical condition but have formed a deep connection to this character. If you're worried, you could see a medical professional. Otherwise, I wouldn't really worry about it.
_________________
Diagnosed: Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1 without accompanying language impairment
I find it easiest to connect with people through the medium of fandoms, and enjoy the feeling of solidarity.
Too often, people say things they don't mean, and mean things they don't say.
I could be mistaken, but you are possibly wondering if you have ASD because your attachment to this character could be akin to a special interest, one of the features of ASD. However, there are many other criteria which much be met for one to be diagnosed with ASD. Asking if you have ASD based on one trait alone is not really a viable question.
It's possible that you have ASD (if you have other traits); it is possible that you have no medical condition but have formed a deep connection to this character. If you're worried, you could see a medical professional. Otherwise, I wouldn't really worry about it.

Thanks for the reply.
I already am diagnosed with ASD, but I don't know if this specific symptom is related to ASD.
I should have clarified.
nerdynoob
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Joined: 25 Nov 2017
Age: 29
Gender: Male
Posts: 54
Location: United States
Or do I have another medical condition?
I find that I'm really attached to a specific cartoon/ anime/ game character.
There's this anime character that I've loved since my childhood, I was like, 10.
Decades later, I still love love love love this character so much, that any controversies about this character makes me really irrational.
(People accused this character for racism decades ago, but the aftermath is still affecting this character.)
I'm normally a rational person, but when it's about this character, I just lose all my rationality.
Very very few things upset me nowadays.
I don't even get upset if people use ethnic slurs on me. (I'm not white)
It definitely doesn't feel normal to me.
--------
EDIT: I read that some autistic people can be really attached to a certain cartoon character, but I have not read that negative comments about a certain character would make them really sad.
Yep. NTs pretty much forget about cartoons as adults, and certainly don't get emotionally attached to cartoon characters the way you do. Sounds like something you could chalk up to autism.
Are you talking about "the Frito Bandito" by any chance?
I could be mistaken, but you are possibly wondering if you have ASD because your attachment to this character could be akin to a special interest, one of the features of ASD. However, there are many other criteria which much be met for one to be diagnosed with ASD. Asking if you have ASD based on one trait alone is not really a viable question.
It's possible that you have ASD (if you have other traits); it is possible that you have no medical condition but have formed a deep connection to this character. If you're worried, you could see a medical professional. Otherwise, I wouldn't really worry about it.

Thanks for the reply.
I already am diagnosed with ASD, but I don't know if this specific symptom is related to ASD.
I should have clarified.
Sorry about that. If the character is a special interest of yours and you have developed a strong attachment to the character, it's normal to be emotional about them, including being upset if people criticize them. If it's a special interest in an ASD sort of way, I guess you could say that your reaction to the character is related to ASD. Still, it's hard to really separate all your behaviour into ASD-related and non-ASD-related...
_________________
Diagnosed: Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1 without accompanying language impairment
I find it easiest to connect with people through the medium of fandoms, and enjoy the feeling of solidarity.
Too often, people say things they don't mean, and mean things they don't say.
Or do I have another medical condition?
I find that I'm really attached to a specific cartoon/ anime/ game character.
There's this anime character that I've loved since my childhood, I was like, 10.
Decades later, I still love love love love this character so much, that any controversies about this character makes me really irrational.
(People accused this character for racism decades ago, but the aftermath is still affecting this character.)
I'm normally a rational person, but when it's about this character, I just lose all my rationality.
Very very few things upset me nowadays.
I don't even get upset if people use ethnic slurs on me. (I'm not white)
It definitely doesn't feel normal to me.
--------
EDIT: I read that some autistic people can be really attached to a certain cartoon character, but I have not read that negative comments about a certain character would make them really sad.
Yep. NTs pretty much forget about cartoons as adults, and certainly don't get emotionally attached to cartoon characters the way you do. Sounds like something you could chalk up to autism.
Are you talking about "the Frito Bandito" by any chance?
I see.
Oh no, it's a Japanese anime character.
Anime?
Japanese anime is different from Western cartoon shows in that its targeted to teens and adults, rather than to children (the intended audience of most American and European animation).
So maybe a grownup could be forgiven for getting "emotionally attached" to a anime character the way that grownups get involved with characters in novels, and in live action movies. I dunno maybe.
Japanese anime is different from Western cartoon shows in that its targeted to teens and adults, rather than to children (the intended audience of most American and European animation).
So maybe a grownup could be forgiven for getting "emotionally attached" to a anime character the way that grownups get involved with characters in novels, and in live action movies. I dunno maybe.
There are plenty of western cartoons that are geared toward the adult audience, South Park, Family Guy etc.
[Edit] Ignore the above, I was too blind to see that one part of your post.
I think regardless of what the character is and where it has come from, there should be no need to feel ashamed at all. There shouldn't be no need for "forgiveness" as there's nothing to forgive someone about. People should be respectful of someone's emotional attachment to a character despite how "childish" it may be. Like my strong attachment to Shadow the Hedgehog for instance. It's helped me out of suicide multiple times.
I meant to reply to this post sooner as I can seriously relate to the op on this subject....but I didn't know what to say.
_________________
[Inactive - I have left WP permanently]
I'm very attached to a fictional character. I always imagine them as my best friend and significant other. I even once wrote a five page paper defending them and a controversial decision that character made. I really, really love this character and refer to them as my "baby". I don't care when people insult me that much but I get mad and cry when people insult them, but I try to not show it. My family thinks it is weird, but I know it is common for people with ASD, so I try not to overthink it.
_________________
"Have you never seen something so mad, so extraordinary... That just for one second, you think that there might be more out there?" -Gwen Cooper, Torchwood
No idea if it's an autism thing or not, but I do that, too.
I get really attached to some characters from some books, comics, cartoons and TV series; it has never been limited to just one in my case. I cry when they die or get in some really bad situations, sometimes I'm really happy when they succeed at something and sometimes just seeing them again makes me really happy if there has been many episodes/chapters since the last time they were shown!
What character is it that you love so much? Maybe I'll regocnize the name.
I wouldn't say that I've ever become emotionally attached to a cartoon character.
However, I have had the desire to caress some cartoon characters----one of them being Mrs. Roger Rabbit
Most western cartoons, I find (especially in the old days) were geared to both kids and adults. They had "different layers" of meaning---similar to how Shakespeare has "different layers" of meaning.
"Bullwinkle" appealed to kids because of its silliness. But it appealed to adults because of its satirical content.
Japanese anime is different from Western cartoon shows in that its targeted to teens and adults, rather than to children (the intended audience of most American and European animation).
So maybe a grownup could be forgiven for getting "emotionally attached" to a anime character the way that grownups get involved with characters in novels, and in live action movies. I dunno maybe.
My character is from an anime aimed at children, and I was 10 years old when I first watched it.
Well, actually, I'm talking about Pokemon.
She's from Pokemon. They redesigned her after the racial claims, but some people say that the new design is still racist. So they stopped making new episodes of her.
I used to do that a lot!!
I think I don't really mind people insulting the character anymore, but it bothers me that they won't make new anime episodes of that character anymore... despite the anime still has new episodes.
I always thought I should find another fictional character to attach to, but till now, I still can't find one yet.
Well, actually, I'm talking about Pokemon.
She's from Pokemon. They redesigned her after the racial claims, but some people say that the new design is still racist. So they stopped making new episodes of her.
Jynx?
I end up really, really, REALLY loving (edit: some, not the) fictional characters I'm introduced to through anime and Japanese stuff (Japan/Japanese stuff is my biggest special interest) and even categorize "characters" themselves as an interest of mine and favorite type of being. I've called sooo many characters my babies, my perfect precious angels, my sons and daughters X3 I've cried over them and ranted about things concerning them. I guess it could technically be called irrational, but I think of it more as a result of my love for them. I'm diagnosed with Asperger's and just thought it was just part of my passion. I never thought to ask if it was anything odd ^^
Some characters I could have acted "irrationally" about were Knuckles the Echidna, Clear, Alvin/Simon/Theodore Seville, (edit: Len Kagamine), and Ryoga Hibiki as well as some animatronic characters from Showbiz Pizza. Those are the only ones I can immediately think of. But if your character is the one I'm thinking it is, I can understand why you would be upset by the argument about them concerning racial stuff.
_________________
Fishing in the clouds for alternate realities.
A 2D paradise awaits me.
Similar Topics | |
---|---|
Being Overly secretive and private |
11 Jun 2025, 2:23 pm |
Dandy's World Characters I HC As Autistic |
13 May 2025, 3:17 pm |
Issues with Autistic coded characters |
01 Apr 2025, 5:31 pm |
Issues with Autistic women characters in film |
03 Apr 2025, 10:36 am |