I was hardcore as a teenager. I was big into subtitled anime for a while.
As I grew older, I realized I was simply fascinated by learning about a new culture and society. Learning about Japanese honorifics, differing speech patterns, and cultural norms was what I really loved, and having it soldered to cool shit I liked to watch made it much more enjoyable for me.
I was knocked out of it a bit by internet culture, as "weebs" are very easy to mock, and are often the butt of jokes. It's hard not to let it get to your head, especially with the creepy sexualized side of it that some self-proclaimed "weebs" are into. Who wants to be lumped in with those weirdos? Nobody. I just liked Naruto.
I moved to Japan eventually, solidifying my understanding of the language, and have now come full circle and realized that it is just fun to merge learning and entertainment together.
I no longer put Japanese entertainment or cultural conventions on a pedestal as I once did. But I still find the difference between western and eastern entertainment and culture just as fascinating as I ever did.