The narrator recounts their embarrassing freshman year of college, where they attempted to emulate the "mysterious guy" trope from anime. They thought being aloof and unresponsive would make them seem cool and attractive to others. However, their efforts only led to social isolation, confusion, and fear from their peers.
The narrator shares several cringe-worthy anecdotes, including wearing light-up New Year's glasses as a "necklace," doing magic tricks at parties, and creating a bizarre art project consisting of 12 black boxes to represent their friends. They eventually realized that their attempts at being mysterious were not working and were instead making them seem weird and unapproachable.
It wasn't until they moved in with a new group of guys who taught them how to be social that they abandoned their anime-inspired persona. The narrator concludes by advising others not to try to emulate anime characters, especially those with superpowers or extraordinary abilities, as it's unlikely to work in real life.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. The author was a reclusive high school student who watched a lot of anime.
2. The author learned two lessons from anime: the power of friendship is the strongest force in the universe, and the mysterious guy is always the coolest.
3. The author decided to reinvent himself in college and become the "anime mysterious guy."
4. On move-in day, the author's dad tried to get him to talk to a girl and her dad in the elevator, but the author remained silent.
5. The author did not attend house parties because no one invited him.
6. The author went to clubs by himself and wore light-up New Year's glasses around his neck.
7. A girl approached the author and tried to talk to him, but he remained silent and stared at her blankly.
8. The author took an art therapy course in his second semester and presented a project with 12 black boxes to represent his friends.
9. The author received a D on the project because the instructor thought he had blown it off.
10. The author's behavior and actions in college were influenced by his desire to emulate the "anime mysterious guy."
11. The author eventually moved out of his dorm and in with a new group of guys who helped him become more social.
12. The author learned that emulating what he saw in anime did not work for him and advises others not to try it.