Pray for Japan.

Everyone's talking about the tsunami in Japan...a vast majority is pushing the message "Pray for Japan!", but there're some saying that all of these people care just because it's Japan. Not because there was a natural disaster that could kill hundreds. Or...you know. "Don't pray for Japan, pray for the people!" or "You only care because it's Japan!". There's an outcry of "I'm sick and tired of people worrying about their favorite seiyuu or their favorite mangaka!". I felt slightly guilty, because the last few hours of yesterday I spent worrying about whether Hidekaz is alright, and looking at lists of people that have reported in, feeling relief for each name I recognized.

But...is that really such a bad thing? Caring for Japan because of all of the people that make the shows, or games, etc., that we love? It's not like people don't feel the pain of the nameless that have died. I doubt many people think, "Oh, well I don't care, at least it wasn't [insert name here]."

Honestly, this is affecting me more than the earthquake in Haiti, which was a horrible disaster. All there was were nameless victims, though; I didn't personally know anyone affected. I didn't impersonally know anyone affected. It doesn't mean that I didn't care, it just means that I didn't have much emotional attachment to any of the victims.

However, Japan is the home of many people that produce things that completely changed my life. All of the close friends I have now are my friends because we have something in common; anime. They're works of art, and if the creators of any little piece were harmed, we would be upset.

Even if it's just a little, people have an emotional attachment to actors, artists, producers, that make the works that affect them. Every time you read a manga or watch anime that makes you feel something, you become that little bit closer to the amazing person, or studio, that is able to do that.

I know I, for one, wouldn't first have the thought, "Oh no, no more Hetalia!" if I found out that Hidekaz had been harmed, or any other manga for their respective artists and studios. My thoughts would be with their family, and all of their fans across the world. Someone great that brought thousands of people together through their works of art would have been lost; is that not something to mourn?

Someone whose voice can reach our hearts, someone who moves us with images on screen.

What's the harm in worrying about the loss of people who do great things?

Pray for Japan.

Pray because it's a great nation that's hurting.

Pray for all the victims across the world that are attached to anyone there.

Pray for your favorite actors, animators, artists, producers, directors--pray for the people who do great things.

Pray for their families, and pray for the nameless victims.