<p>I'm a girl going into my senior year and I'm preparing to write my college essay. I've been most drawn towards the fictional character choice in the common application. My mind automatically went straight to the many fictional characters I'd connected with and (nerded out with) over the years until I realized that one stood out as extremely influential to me. Unfortunately, it was a character from an anime/manga, specifically the character Naruto Uzumaki. I honestly can't think of any other character I could connect with and was shaped by more but I'm afraid that if I wrote about a "cartoon" character, and a foreign one at that (although they have an American version but it's still originally from Japan) I wouldn't be taken seriously. If I wrote a strong enough essay with a deep enough connection and played on the more serious themes of the show, would I be able to use it?</p>
<p>I’d say that it really depends on the kind of school you’re applying to. Make sure that it shows YOU in it :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply! I’m looking to apply to Fordham and Providence as my top two right now if that helps.</p>
<p>…I hate that guy. He’s the most annoying character I’ve ever seen in anime. I think it would be silly IF your thoughts are silly. But if you wrote seriously with depth and profound insight, it might be a unique essay. And I don’t think you want to give off the vibe that you spend all your time watching anime when you could have been doing other things.</p>
<p>Yes he can be extremely annoying but when the show gets serious he’s the perfect fit. But I do get what you’re saying about watching anime all the time even though I really don’t I just went through a naruto obsession phase a few years back. I wish I could find a character exactly like him but from a book 
And I don’t want to use Harry potter because it can be so clich</p>
<p>I mean that when you are writing your essay, you don’t want the adcoms to think that you are “obsessed” with a cartoon show. You may highlight some of naruto’s traits/ what you can relate to but shift the focus to yourself. But again, I think writing about Naruto may be a very dangerous venture. If you write the essay and aftewards you read it and believe that it is profoundly insightful as to who you are as a person, then it won’t be bad.</p>
<p>Honestly, I think this can be a fantastic essay. And I’m sure many adcoms are fans of Naruto.</p>