A psychiatrist inspired by Japanese anime is exploring whether animated characters could become a powerful new tool for mental health therapy, especially for young people who struggle to seek emotional support in traditional ways.
Francesco Panto, who grew up in rural Sicily before moving to Japan, said anime and video game characters helped him cope with feelings of isolation during his teenage years.
Now based in Japan, he has launched an experimental counselling project using anime-style avatars to help people dealing with depression and emotional struggles.
“The use of manga and anime supported me so much,” Panto said.
“They became important emotional support tools for me growing up.”
He explained that while living in Sicily, he struggled with strict stereotypes surrounding masculinity and self-expression, but found comfort in fictional characters from games such as Final Fantasy.
“The male protagonists resonated with me. They were masculine and cool, but in their own way,” he said.
Panto recently completed a six-month pilot programme at Yokohama City University focused on what he calls “character-based counselling”.
The study involved 20 participants aged between 18 and 29 who were experiencing symptoms of depression.
Instead of speaking directly to a traditional therapist, participants received online counselling sessions from psychologists appearing as anime avatars with digitally altered voices.
Researchers believe the “fantasy filter” created through anime-style characters may help patients feel more relaxed, emotionally safe and willing to discuss difficult personal issues.
Several specially designed characters were created for the project, each inspired by familiar archetypes found in Japanese manga and anime culture.
The characters ranged from a calm “maternal energy” figure carrying an assault rifle to an emotionally perceptive “prince-like” male character wearing a cape.
Each avatar was also given its own emotional struggles and psychological background.
One character reportedly experiences bipolar traits, while others deal with anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress and alcohol-related problems.
However, Panto stressed that the characters were intentionally designed to remain entertaining and relatable rather than feeling overly clinical or focused entirely on mental illness.
One 24-year-old participant said they joined 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 said.
The first phase of the study monitored participants’ sleep patterns and heart rates to examine whether anime-based therapy could help reduce symptoms of depression.
Researchers are also exploring whether future versions of the therapy could eventually use artificial intelligence instead of real-life psychologists.
Mental health experts involved in the project believe the approach could be especially useful in Japan, where many people still hesitate to seek professional psychological help due to social stigma.
Mio Ishii, who helped lead the project, said many young people in Japan struggle with “ikizurasa” — a term describing people who feel it is difficult to survive or function within society.
“There are many young people who cannot go to school or continue working,” she explained.
“So our goal is to give them new options to recover from their difficulties.”
According to data cited by the World Economic Forum, only six per cent of people in Japan had sought psychological counselling for mental health problems as of 2022, a much lower rate compared to Europe and the United States.
Mental health specialists outside the study have also expressed interest in the idea.
Jesus Maya from the University of Seville said anime could help patients express emotions more comfortably and improve communication between therapist and patient.
For some participants, anime has already become more than entertainment.
One participant said anime characters had given them “the will to live” by showing people passionately pursuing their dreams despite hardship.
Researchers now hope the concept could eventually be expanded globally to help people overcome emotional barriers surrounding mental health support.
