My fandom is changing from anime to science fiction

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I know I usually get on here to b***h about the family problems, but since I have been at a local anime convention for the last few days, I have had time to think about something different, and that is my fandom.

To start, my interest in anime has declined since I moved to Idaho about 3 years ago. Before that time (when I was living in Montana), I literally fantasized about attending anime conventions. I would watch Youtube videos of events at conventions, and dream of attending (and maybe even cosplaying) while watching my favorite anime. Shortly after moving to Idaho, I attended my first convention (Fandemonium in Nampa, ID for those curious to research). It was a multigenre convention. I met most of the people I know in Idaho currently through both this convention and the anime club which was held the one day I went. The next year (2010), I went to my first Anime Oasis in Boise, ID. That was probably the best convention I went to. At the time, I was wildly enthusiastic about the convention, and I saw a singer from Japan as well as went to my first concert of my life. I bought a lot of stuff in the dealer's room (about 1-200 dollars worth of DVD's, wallscrolls, and other memorabilia). I remember breaking down when I got home, suffering what most fandom knows as "post-convention depression."
However, there were some incidents over the summer between my little sister and I, which caused her to call me a "smelly anime nerd" and generally decry my interest in anime as potentially corrupting to the child she was expecting at the time. When she had her child in August of 2010, she initially took care of her child for the first couple of days before she attempted suicide and was committed for post-partum depression. From when she was released until now (I'm hoping she moves out with her new husband at the end of this year), she hasn't stepped up and taken full responsibility for caring for her child. As a result, I've lost most of my old interest in video games and anime due to demoralization from the comments made about me being a "smelly anime nerd" and the moral inadvisability of watching a child and playing video games at the same.

I could talk about other factor, such as college and my current online studies for a master's degree in library science. I have been attending three conventions a year (Anime Oasis, Fandemonium, and Tomodachi Fest) in my local area. However, I have also discovered that the community is extremely cliquish as well as full of younger people who are noisier and not really interested in what I am interested in. I used to be interested in any genre of anime, but that interest has narrowed to science fiction, with any other genre having lower priority.

I started reading 2001 A Space Odyssey shortly after moving to Idaho, and I read works by other authors, such as William Gibson, Isaac Asimov, etc. I like the emphasis on ideas rather than on characterization or action, which usually tends to happen more in science fiction than anime. I have also been a big reader through out my life. Through my current best friend, I met a woman with MS who has a huge library of science fiction. I was greatly impressed, and she also talked about her interest in science fiction. I was struck by how she talked about how there are discussion groups and book readings at science fiction conventions. Looking at the recent World Con program, I found at least a few topics relating to Asperger people, as well as introverts and the learning disabled. Anime conventions do not cover such topics, instead focusing on cosplay, Japanese fashion, and video games. I am more interested personally in the content rather than in fashion or dressing up.

Anyways, my ability to enjoy anime conventions has been hampered by stress at home as well as not being able to relate to the general demographics who attend anime conventions. While I have some older friends who tell me about new shows, the largest part of the group seems to be obnoxious teenagers who clog elevators and make loud noises. There also seem to be lots of crowds and not much discussion of anime in a serious light. I guess I've gone from enjoying my first Anime Oasis in 2010 to feeling pretty blah and having a general "seen it all" attitude this year. Perhaps part of the problem is that I have attended conventions in the local area only, but I'm also feeling generally tired of the culture of anime fandom, which pays attention to one part of my person, but ignores other aspects. I like that science fiction can deal with new ideas and the culture seems quieter and more sedate, content to discuss books and play filk music.

Anyways, I am planning to make this Anime Oasis my last full-time (which I mean attending the full duration) anime convention for the local area. I am interested in possibly attending out-of-state conventions, but mainly I am probably going to move out of the area once I get an internship in Seattle. I like how you can have serious talks with science fiction fans.

Tell me what your experiences have been.

The anime I enjoy the most is the sci-fi anime that does not make use of the mecha genre.

Crest of the Stars
Banner of the Stars
Battle of the Stars

Planetes
Stellvia of the Universe
Irresponsible Captain Taylor
Rocket Girls
Wings of Honneamisse
Starship Troopers (yes, there was an anime made of it back in the 80s..very well done too).

are a few you might want to look into as examples.

There's nothing wrong in switching main interest from anime to sci fi. I bounce between the two but keep them linked.

This sounds like a conflict of identity rather than a conflict of taste. There is no reason you can't be into both.

I think anime does tend to have a more child-like fanbase of all ages. I have enjoyed anime in the past but nothing exceptional has come across my radar in years. But if you enjoy the cons, or did in the past, nothing wrong with continuing to go to them. The last anime I really got into was Full Metal Alchemist from start to finish, and the first movie. It had elements that I like from Sci-FI, it questioned aspects of the human mind, morals, and our place in reality.. which is what I think good Sci-Fi does. I have a 7 year old girl and I enjoy watching kid friendly anime with her because its something we can both enjoy.

I don't know for certain as I don't like crowded places, but I assume Sci-Fi cons would be more mature.. but maybe not as fun? The lightness of anime is appealing, you don't have to take it serious to enjoy it. Sci-Fi is more inquisitive and deeper, and I think the people will be more distant and direct. Cons seem like a lot of fun though, any of them.

What I like about good Sci-Fi is that the story does not matter, it's just the vessel for ideas. Robert J Sawyer is my favorite living author and I love how he just drops an impossible story in your face, then fills in the details to make it real. He writes about aspergers and autism, and I strongly believe he may be on the spectrum.. but he does not bring it to the forefont of his books. It's just a small aspect of a character and his motivations.

And a big draw to me is something you mentioned, its about the content. A long time favorite author of mine is Phil K Dick. He may have been a little nutty, but his ideas were real and his perceptions and his way of questioning reality is very interesting to me. Every year now someone makes a big budget movie based on his work because the content is so solid. Very few do justice to his stories of course.

I bought a large box of dusty pulp sci-fi from the 70's and I have been pulling random books out and reading these all year. I've been toilet reading (I hope the imagery here suits), "The Dream Master" by Zelazny. I have not been too into the story but I enjoy the small bits and ideas present. For instance his take on electronically guided vehicles was just a couple pages. In his world he created this network of freeways controlled by a master system. But of course teens would bypass this system and take joyrides which caused catastrophic damages when the systems were unable to see their vehicles, by bypassing the system they were invisible. So the simple system needed to be adapted from simple point A to point B pathing, to a complex learning system which was more adaptable. As a side effect, people found out you could punch in random coordinates with the same destination as their starting location, which would take them on a random computer controlled drive around the city which ended at their starting location. They called it a "blindspin". I thought his was genius because I could see myself and others using this system.

Anime tends to be less engaging, where you just watch the story and take it in. Like an action movie. Good Sci-Fi will get your mind going and let you participate with the story. I think Sci-Fi has had a positive benefit to me overall, where everything else has just been a way to pass the time.