When I started studying Japanese I did like anime and manga etc. but to be honest over the time I have been studying (about 4 years now) I’ve lost my interest in them. I occasionally watch things here and there. Big things like 進撃の巨人 (Attack on Titan), and I’ll always be up for some 鋼の錬金術師 (Fullmetal Alchemist) because it’s my favourite. And of course I’ve read manga for practice, ranging from よつばと to ナルト but I usually procrastinate on doing that. I dunno, I just prefer other things about Japanese culture now. Also, it kind of used to annoy me when people asked if I like anime and then assumed that my entire reason for learning Japanese is anime and that I’m an otaku/weeaboo, when anime had very little to do with my decision to study the language, so maybe I’ve distanced myself from anime because of that 
Ok, seems like we have similar tastes so here are some more recommendations I think you’ll like that might have slipped by you. Most of these should be on crunchyroll but many are not, so you might have to hunt around:
Serious thrillers / drama:
Paranoia Agent
Michiko and Hatchin (this one is much more fun than the others but still primarily a drama)
Death Parade
Monster
Gungrave
Fun and dumb comedy:
Sexy Commando Gaiden Sugoi yo!! Masaru-san
Ninin ga Shinobuden (also sometimes called 2x2 Shinobuden or Ninja Nonsense I think)
Cromartie High School
Fun action:
Space Adventure Cobra
Gunsmith Cats
Heat Guy J
Genre Transcending:
Space Dandy
Let’s players you recommend can play whatever. They need to be entertaining before all and the game interesting. I watch Super Best Friends play because they have nice fun stories to tell, know the ins-and-out of making a game and are not here to scream at the screen all day…
I understand that. Japan is not just anime as western culture is not just TV shows etc
But anime is part of the culture as are Disney’s movies here.
The problem is that mainstream media/culture is not helping. For them Japan=manga+anime+video games.
I totally understand your point.
Anime seems to be a bigger deal with people learning Japanese, than it is with actual japanese people. The majority of people I encountered in Japan had no particular interest in anime, and they would never bring it up in conversation.
I agree, and I would add “Sushi” and “technology” to the list of Japanese stereotypes. As always they are only partially true.
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