Anime-based therapy is being trialed in Japan

Have you ever been sitting there, watching an anime, and gone: Man, I wish I could get drawn into chaotic adventures just like Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura to help me work through my personal baggage, motivating me to become a better person? What am [[link]] I saying, of course you've done [[link]] that. We've all been there. Moving on.

Anyway, turns out there's a future in which something similar could be possible. Earlier this month, Yokohama City University's Minds1020Lab began trialling "anime therapy", as reported by (thanks, , for the translation).

Here's how it works: Participants will choose one of six anime avatars, each with their unique backstory. Then, in what looks to be a visual-novel style interface, a psychologist will take on the role of said anime character and conduct a counselling session. Some questionnaire-based psychological evaluation happens before and after these sessions, too.

Something interesting that's implied here, per Automaton, is the fact that a large chunk of these sessions will also be devoted to learning about these anime characters and their place in the fictional world that Minds1020Lab has set up, here.

And listen, it might be easy to see the words "anime-based therapy" and roll your eyes—and I definitely think we'll need to wait and see the findings of this study, which'll conclude in June 2026, before saying whether it's effective or not. But from where I'm sitting, this kinda rules.

I've been roleplaying in MMORPGs for a long time, and playing TTRPGs like D&D for 10 years, and while you shouldn't be treating your D&D table as a replacement for, like, actual therapy? I can't say I've never worked through my emotions while mucking about with fellow writers in World of Warcraft, or exploring my character's journey in a solid D&D campaign. Sometimes you figure things out in play.

In other words, I don't think the stories we tell each other are just frivolous nonsense, I think they do have a solid impact on our lives—fiction is powerful! And if anime therapy helps someone figure their stuff out, who cares whether it's delivered by a therapist in a mute-grey office or a therapist pretending to be a cool anime character in a visual novel interface: If it works, then it works.