I make no secret of my love for anime, but I might not have mentioned how important it is to my worldbuilding. My favorite anime is One Piece. If you are a fan of the show that's been around since Moses was a boy (LOL), you will understand where I’m coming from. For over twenty years, the plot and storylines have kept me and many others on the edge of our seats. Not to mention the amazing action, and the characters—good or bad—hold a special place in your heart.
Besides all of that, there is the world itself. Going from one island to another feels like stepping into a different story, complete with its own history, people, problems, and way of life. But all those places still clearly belong to the same world. That is something I pay close attention to as a writer: how do you make each setting feel unique while keeping everything connected?
For me, part of the answer is considering what happens in a location before my characters arrive. People already live there. They have routines, relationships, beliefs, and problems that have nothing to do with the newcomer. My characters might walk into the middle of a conflict, misunderstand a custom, or discover that something they take for granted works very differently there.
It makes me think about my current worldbuilding in Parker’s Demon. I introduce new worlds in this plot that really surprised me. I’m a pantser, and unlike plotters, I never really know what is coming in the story before I write it. I draw a lot of inspiration not only from One Piece, but also from Black Clover, Violet Evergarden, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (if you know, you know), Appare-Ranman!, and, more recently, The Case Study of Vanitas.
Being a pantser gives me room for those surprises. It also means I have to go back and make sure the pieces fit together. Just because an idea arrives unexpectedly doesn’t mean it gets to ignore everything I’ve already established. If something changes, I need to understand why and what it means for the characters.
Anime encourages me to leave room for possibilities I might otherwise talk myself out of. I especially enjoy the contrast between what amazes an outsider and what the locals barely notice. Imagine standing there, trying to make sense of something extraordinary, while someone else is just annoyed because it’s making them late for work (LOL). That difference in perspective reveals so much about both the visitor and the place without requiring a long explanation.
Anime isn’t the only thing that has played an important role in Parker’s Demon’s worldbuilding. Since November 4th, 2024 (that date is important—if you think back, you will understand why), I’ve been watching Chinese short dramas. An interesting one on TikTok caught my attention, and I've been completely hooked on the stories and plotlines ever since. I barely watch regular TV shows anymore. I really like the reborn/reincarnated/transmigration ones, and this started after I wrote Anubis’s Star (if you read it, you know it contains rebirth).
I also find ancient historical storylines (no matter how many times they repeat) really interesting, and it's led me down a rabbit hole of separating fact from fiction. I’ve always been interested in history, and I watch documentaries whenever the mood strikes, especially ones on ancient Egypt. I use what I learn a lot in my books, adapting the facts to fit the storyline. I’m fascinated by what people ate, how they dressed, and whatever I can draw from it, I put into my books. I mean, look, the Chinese imperial court system is just as interesting as other monarchies around the same time, and I incorporated some of that into Parker’s Demon.
What also pulls me in is the scheming, the drama, the face-slapping, and the twisted plotlines that are easy to see through. It is absolutely ridiculous... and I love it all. When you think about it, anime has all of that, along with lots of action, and no one can debate its political aspects. I won't talk about whether books are political or not in this blog; I'll save that for another time. I love how dramatic and over-the-top anime and short dramas can be. They expand reality, and I try to bring that into my worldbuilding. It is also one reason I will never stop writing magical realism, omegaverse, and mpreg, but those topics are for another time and another blog post.
If I were to give a little writing advice here, I'd say pay attention to what makes you curious about the stories you enjoy. When a setting stays with you, think about why. Was it the place's appearance, the way people behaved, or how its rules shaped a character’s choices? Use that curiosity to explore your own setting. You don’t have to put every detail on the page, but knowing the answers helps you choose the specifics that make a scene feel complete.
And sometimes I’m simply watching because I want to know what happens next. The writer in me can take a break while the fan has her moment (LOL).
What about you?
Do you watch anime? If so, which anime do you like?
Let me know in the comments.
