Category:Anime
Q: Can you summarize anime in three words? |
The term anime is derived from French "dessin animé" for cartoon drawing, and "l'animation"; it was then adapted to Japanese, short for "animeshon", the Japanese pronunciation of the word "animation". This is because, before the Americans, the French were more familiar with Japanese cartoons and manga and for a time were Japan's primary consumer. Of course, once this art-form carried over the Atlantic, the rest was history.
It may come as a surprise that the classic anime "style" is in fact lifted from American animation. Anime's trademark visual style is shared with Manga (Japanese comic books and graphic novels); in both cases, it is inherited from the post-World War II work of Osamu Tezuka, who is arguably the father of modern Japanese commercial art. Tezuka was strongly influenced by the work of Walt Disney, and adapted the Disney style to Japanese sensibilities. (Other sources say the greatest influence was actually Betty Boop, who was one of Tezuka's favorite characters.) Subsequent creators of graphic works copied his style, resulting in the familiar "large eyes" look that characterized anime and manga for so many decades since the 1950s. (On this topic, fellow artist/author Shirow Masamune has said, "I've heard that some people complain about the large eyes and small noses and mouths in Japanese manga. But I don't see a whole lot of difference when I look at Disney characters.")
Tezuka's work essentially created both manga and anime as they are known today. His seminal creation -- and the one most Americans are likely to be familiar with -- was Tetsuwan Atom (Mighty Atom). It's perhaps better known in the English-speaking world as Astro Boy.
Note that the creator of Astro Boy remarked that the Japanese wanted to be blonde and blue-eyed. This is the best evidence of the reverse of what is happening today: the Japanese liked the drawings of Walt Disney (of humans) because of the American looking people, and the Japanese fascination with American culture of the time.
It's important to note that the western definition of "anime" differs from the Japanese definition. As suggested in the paragraph above, "anime" is really not a style but a medium. In Japan, it refers to all animation, whether it's eastern or western, cel or CG. Thus, you may see Disney movies filed under "Anime" on a Japanese website, such as Amazon.co.jp. It's only outside of Japan that "anime" strictly means "Japanese animation," while non-Japanese animation is called by the much more generic term "cartoons" or "animated features" or "Western animation". It's a recursive loanword, which naturally experienced this definition shift due to its redundancy with the original word.
For some people, anime can be very addictive. Try not to fall in too quickly if you have a weak constitution. Some anime depend on Japanese culture for context, so try to learn actual facts about Japan to balance things out, and maybe even set goals to learn the Japanese language (But try not to become a know-it-all, either). This will make the anime experience better in the long run. Be careful though; falling too deep could turn you into an Otaku.
Not to be confused with Aeni, which is South Korean in origin.
See also
Related Tropes and Useful Notes
- Anime Genres
- Anime Reality
- Anime Settings
- Japanese Animation Tropes
- Essential Anime
- Japan
- Japanese Language
- Names to Know in Anime
- Japanese Media Tropes
Anime by Genre
- Fantasy Anime and Manga
- Gaming and Sports Anime And Manga
- Horror Anime and Manga
- Military and Warfare Anime And Manga
- Mystery and Detective Anime And Manga
- Science Fiction Anime and Manga
Anime by Original Broadcaster
Subcategories
This category has the following 25 subcategories, out of 25 total.
A
- Anime broadcast by NHK (40 P)
- Anime First (2 P)
- Anime Reality (14 P)
- Anime Settings (18 P)
- Anime Theme Song (1 P)
E
- Eleven-Episode Anime (18 P)
F
- Fantasy Anime and Manga (324 P)
- Food-related anime (11 P)
- Fourteen-Episode Anime (4 P)
H
- Ho Yay/Anime (141 P, 2 F)
- Horror Anime and Manga (105 P)
J
- Japanese Series (179 P)
M
- Mystery and Detective Anime and Manga (56 P, 1 F)
S
- Science Fiction Anime and Manga (208 P)
- Stock Japanese Characters (57 P)
T
- Thirteen-Episode Anime (93 P)
- Twelve-Episode Anime (127 P)
Pages in category "Anime"
The following 200 pages are in this category, out of 1,905 total.
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A
- A Channel
- Accel World
- Adventures of Mini-Goddess
- Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero
- Afro Samurai
- After War Gundam X
- Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple
- Agent Aika
- Ah My Buddha
- Ah! My Goddess
- Ai no Kusabi
- Ai Shite Knight
- Ai to Yuuki no Pig Girl Tonde Buurin
- Ai Yori Aoshi
- Aikatsu!
- Aim for the Ace!
- AIR
- Air Gear
- Airmaster
- Aishiteruze Baby
- Akagi
- Akahori Gedou Hour Rabuge
- Akame ga Kill!
- Akane Maniax
- Akane-Iro ni Somaru Saka
- Akatsuki no Yona
- Akazukin Chacha
- AKB0048
- Akiba's Trip
- Akikan
- Akira
- Albegas
- Alien from the Darkness
- Alien Nine
- Alive: The Final Evolution
- All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku
- All-Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku (OVA)
- All-Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku (TV series)
- Allison & Lillia
- Alternative Character Interpretation/Anime
- Amagami
- Amatsuki
- The Ambition of Oda Nobuna
- Amnesia (visual novel)
- Amon Saga
- Amuri in Star Ocean
- And I Must Scream/Anime
- And You Thought There Is Never a Girl Online?
- Android Announcer Maico 2010
- Ane Haramix
- Angel Beats!
- Angel Blade
- Angel Cop
- Angel Densetsu
- Angel Heart (manga)
- Angel Links
- Angel Sanctuary
- Angel Tales
- Angel's Egg
- Angelic Layer
- Animal Crossing (anime)
- Animal Detectives Kiruminzoo
- Animation Runner Kuromi
- The Animatrix
- Anime/Awesome Music
- Anime/Laconic
- Anime/WMG
- Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
- Another
- Anpanman
- Anti-Villain/Anime
- Antique Bakery
- Ao Haru Ride
- Aoi Hana
- Apocalypse Zero
- Appleseed
- Aquarion Evol
- Arakawa Under the Bridge
- Arashi no Yoru ni
- Arata Kangatari
- Arcade Gamer Fubuki
- Area 88
- Argento Soma
- Aria (manga)
- Aria the Scarlet Ammo
- Armitage III
- Armored Trooper VOTOMS
- Arpeggio of Blue Steel -Ars Nova-
- Asagiri no Miko
- Ashita no Nadja
- Ask Dr. Rin
- Assassination Classroom (2013 anime)
- Assassination Classroom (2015 anime)
- Astro Boy (anime)
- Astro Fighter Sunred
- Asura Cryin'
- The Asylum Session
- Attack No. 1
- Attack on Titan (anime)
- Aura Battler Dunbine
- Avenger
- Axis Powers Hetalia
- Ayakashi Ayashi
- Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales
- Ayane's High Kick
- Azumanga Daioh
B
- B Gata H Kei
- B't X
- Baby Princess
- Baby Steps
- Baccano!
- Bagi, the Monster of Mighty Nature
- Baka and Test
- Baki the Grappler
- Baku Tech! Bakugan
- Bakugan
- Bakuman。
- Bakuon!!
- Bakusou Kyoudai Let's & Go!!
- Baldr Force EXE Resolution
- Ballad of a Shinigami
- Bamboo Blade
- BanG Dream!
- Barajou no Kiss
- Barefoot Gen
- Bartender
- Basara
- Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls
- Basquash
- Bastard!!
- Batman: Gotham Knight
- Battle Athletes
- Battle B-Daman
- Battle Girls: Time Paradox
- Battle of the Planets
- Battle Programmer Shirase
- Battle Spirits Heroes
- Battle Spirits: Shonen Gekiha Dan
- Battle Spirits: Shonen Toppa Bashin
- Bayonetta
- Beast Wars II
- Beast Wars Neo
- Beck (manga)
- Beelzebub
- Ben-To
- Berserk
- Best Student Council
- The Betrayal Knows My Name
- Betterman
- Beyblade
- Beyblade Zero G
- Bible Black (anime)
- Bible Black: New Testament
- The Big O
- Big Order
- Bikkuriman
- Bikyaku Seido Kaichou Ai
- Binbou Shimai Monogatari
- Binchou Tan
- Birdy the Mighty
- Black Blood Brothers
- Black Butler (anime)
- Black Butler (manga)
- Black Butler II
- Black Cat (manga)
- Black Jack
- Black Lagoon
- Black Lion
- Black Magic M-66
- Black★Rock Shooter (anime)
- Black★Rock Shooter (OVA)
- Blade (anime)
- Blade of the Immortal
- Blame!
- Blassreiter
- Blast of Tempest
- BlazBlue
- Bleach
- Bleach Movies
- Blood Lad
- Blood Shadow
- Blood+
- Blood-C
- Blood: The Last Vampire
- Bloody Monday
- Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan
- Blue Comet SPT Layzner
- Blue Drop
- Blue Exorcist
- Blue Gender
Media in category "Anime"
This category contains only the following file.
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Blessings.gif 384 × 216; 3.41 MB