'Filter of fantasy': How anime is being explored as therapy for depression in Japan

Growing up in rural Sicily, psychiatrist Francesco Panto often felt out of place, finding comfort and escape in anime, where he discovered characters who reflected the kind of man he aspired to become.Now living in Japan, Panto is trying to turn that personal experience into a new form of mental health support, using anime-inspired characters and avatars to help people open up about depression, anxiety and emotional struggles."The use of manga and anime supported me so much... they were very important emotional support kind of tools," Panto told AFP."Being raised in Italy, in Sicily, there were very strong stereotypes around gender or self-expression.

But when I was 12 or 13 years old I started to play this game called ‘Final Fantasy’... and the male protagonists resonated with me," he said."They were so masculine and cool, but in their own way," he added.Panto recently completed a six-month pilot study at Yokohama City University exploring whether anime-style "character-based counselling" could make therapy more accessible, especially for young people hesitant to seek help.

Anime avatars instead of counsellingAs part of the study, 20 participants aged between 18 and 29 who showed symptoms of depression received online counselling sessions from psychologists appearing as anime avatars with digitally altered voices.Panto believes the fantasy element can make people feel safer and less judged while discussing difficult emotions. He said the "filter of fantasy" may help people recognise and express their problems more comfortably.The researchers created six different anime-style characters inspired by familiar manga archetypes. Participants could choose whichever character they felt most connected to.One avatar was designed as a calm and dependable "maternal energy" figure carrying an assault rifle, while another was a "prince-like" male character wearing a cape and known for emotional sensitivity."I tried to infuse each character with a specific mental struggle.

One character is called Kuroto Nagi. She's affected by bipolar personality traits," Panto explained.Other characters were built around themes such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol-related struggles. However, Panto said the goal was not to make the therapy feel clinical or overly heavy."The idea is for the avatars to be ‘fun’," he said, adding that psychologists were instructed not to make mental health issues too obvious during sessions. 'It might help me get closer to the answer'One participant in the trial, a 24-year-old anime fan and game developer, said they were drawn to the study after reading about a character described as "searching for true strength"."That made me feel like it might help me get closer to the answer to my own problems," the participant told AFP.Under the study’s rules, participants could not discuss details of the sessions themselves, but the young developer said anime had long been a source of emotional strength.

"It gave me the will to live, seeing characters who are full of life as they work hard toward their dreams," the participant said.Panto is now also exploring whether artificial intelligence could eventually be integrated into the process, potentially allowing anime-style therapy without a real psychologist appearing on screen.The project comes as Japan continues to search for new ways to address growing mental health concerns, especially among young people struggling with social isolation and emotional stress.Mio Ishii, who helped lead the research project, said many people in Japan still face strong stigma around seeking counselling or psychiatric help."There are many young people who cannot go to school or continue working. So, our scope is to give them... new choices to recover from their difficulties," Ishii said, AFP reported."Because usually people have stigmas and psychological barriers to ask for help about their mental health," she said.

"But anime or technology can decrease them," she added.The project also focuses on people experiencing "ikizurasa", a Japanese term describing those who find it difficult to survive or function comfortably in society.According to data cited by the World Economic Forum, only six percent of people in Japan had used psychological counselling for mental health problems as of 2022, significantly lower than rates seen in Europe and the United States. Experts outside the study also believe anime and fictional storytelling can help patients communicate emotions more freely.