[baronchar]

I think that even though anime is a work of fiction (not counting the ones that are based on true stories) I think that they can still affect you and even change your outlook. I've heard people tell me many times that such and such a book or some movie had a really big impact on them. I don't see why this would be any different. There are many animes that deal with real, important topics and themes.

Personally, a novel had a really strong impact on my view of the world (Atlas Shrugged in case you're curious) so I definitely think someone could be affected by anime.