Date of Award

Spring 2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Communication Studies

Committee Chairperson

Ola Kopacz, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Roger Gatchet, Ph.D.

Committee Member

L. Meghan Mahoney, Ph.D.

Abstract

This study examines the perceptions, experiences, and motivations of TikTok content creators who actively create videos related to the topics and genre of anime. Specifically, this study aimed to examine the gratifications sought by TikTok’s anime creators, the platform-specific affordances offered to the anime creator, and the interplay between gratifications and affordances in affecting the themes of content produced by creators. A sample of 15 US participants who regularly create content in the anime fandom on TikTok were interviewed to better understand the central questions proposed. Inductive qualitative thematic analysis of data was performed, which implemented a multi-step coding process to outline connected themes for contribution. The analysis also employed concepts from uses and gratifications and technological affordances theories to integrate the results with prior literature. The analysis isolated gratifications of finding your crowd, character empathy and identification, creative expression, emotional wellbeing, and representation of identity. Additionally, affordances of TikTok were isolated to curating diverse content through an algorithm, connecting to others, and enhancing editing with content tools. Gratifications and affordances influence themes of content expressed such as character-related filters, skits, content criticism, and cosplay. The present findings expand literature on the impact of gratifications and affordances on content creation, and how they seek to create themes of content throughout anime fandom.

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