My girlfriend is an animator (well a failed one
) & to her anime is much more than a hobby. She loves it. She also wanted to work in Akihabara in a maid cafe but wont let me go as she thinks I'll....well you know.
I see people everyday, hundreds of them reading manga & so many of my Japanese friends watch a hell of a lot of anime.
It's on TV everyday.
I don't really agree with much of what the 1st poster said.
Probably he came to Japan thinking his love of anime would make up for his zero Japanese ability & looking like he'd been beaten with the ugly stick and when it didn't & he got laughed at & shunned he wants to feel better by thinking any foreigner would have the same problem
