Finding the Strength Within: An Analysis of Positive Psychology Through Anime

Positive psychology has been focused on what is right and good with people, communities, and institutions. The identification of 24 character strengths created a set of defined concepts to help individuals identify positive psychology mechanisms in action. Anime as an artform is saturated with positive psychology elements and can be used as an effective medium by which to help educate, identify, and build character strengths in viewers. In reviewing anime series an exemplar of positive anime can be found and applied to each character strength identified by positive psychology, and existing research further evidences the pervasiveness of positive impact through engagement with anime. The application of Pawelski’s elements model of positive interventions depicts the usefulness of anime in a media therapy format as a new positive intervention.