I have had numerous mentors and resources in my life so far. These include coaches, teachers, books and religion, and I am eternally grateful for the lessons I have learned from every one of them. But out of all of these seemingly all knowing resources, anime has taught me me the most valuable life lessons. Here are four of the top lessons I have learned from anime.

1. The viciousness of human greed and pride, and it’s skewed sense of what is right and wrong.

Shows such as "Code Geass" or "Death Note" provides a fictional perspective that is so unrealistic and far-fetched that some might deem it childish. Yet, if you do end up watching it, then you realize how much you can relate to such a perspective.

To elaborate, in "Death Note," an academically successful teenager randomly gets a hold of the Grim Reaper’s notebook, providing him the power to end a life just by writing the victim’s name in the book. This concept is dissected throughout the show as the teenager is consumed by the notebooks capabilities, and irresponsibly takes on the role of a higher being by killing off people who he, as a human, thinks deserves the ultimate punishment of death. It is a dark, conceptually deep thriller that forces you to think about the actuality of the show, “What if I had such an ability? Would I use it for good? Who am I to say what is good and what is bad?”

This show progresses as it generates a battle between two forms of justice: the condemnation of criminals versus the condemnation of a killer of criminals. An unrealistic show like "Death Note" has made me understand the reality that all humans are killers, you just have to either push them to their limits or provide them with power, and their instincts or greed will kick in.

2. The technological possibilities of our future.

In anime, there are highly fictionalized realms that can sometimes be a little closer to reality than you think. Many shows are based around worlds that are science fiction. Space odysseys, robots, alchemy and alternate dimensions are a few of the concepts that anime displays. Although they are science fiction, shows such as "Cowboy Bebop" and "Psycho Pass" creates world that seems so plausible, especially during our current period of time where all kinds of technology is advancing faster than ever. You never know, maybe our research scientists of our generation will look at anime as a model for our future (I am kidding of course…).

3. The appreciation and gratitude towards surrounding nature.

Some shows and films are set in atmospheres that exemplify the beauty of nature. Out of all of them, Miyazaki Hayao’s Ghibili Studio films are probably the most recognized. "Sen To Chihiro" ("Spirited Away") and "Momonokehime" ("Princess Momonoke") both display spirits and the souls of nature that lives quietly among humans. It personifies nature, creating empathy for it as well.

4. The worth of habitual training and hard work.

I have probably have gotten the most criticism for this lesson. How shows like "Dragon Ball Z," "Naruto" or "One Punch Man" actually inspired me to work and train harder for the goals I want to reach. It wasn’t an Olympian athlete, an inspirational coach or any real life role models that got me to change my lazy mindset to a motivated one. It was Saitama from "One Punch Man" who did 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats and a 10K run everyday for three years to become the strongest hero alive. It was Naruto, a young shinobi who had the courage to battle his inner demon in order to gain the respect of his country. It was Goku training on a planet that had 10 times stronger gravity than Earth in order beat an alien invader. The fact that all this motivates me in real life may sound like the geekiest nerdiest thing anyone has ever heard. It probably is, but I have no shame because anime has taught me better.

For all the anime lovers out there, I hope you agree and keep on loving anime as much as I do. For all the geek bashers, we thrive off of haters, it motivates us to keep on trucking (just like Rock Lee from "Naruto").