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== [[Manga]] ==
Well, you can't really talk about Anime without talking about Manga first. (All right... actually, you can, but the two have become linked in the popular Western consciousness, which is part of why All The Tropes treats them as a single medium on trope pages.) We won't go into [[wikipedia:History of manga|all that history]], but suffice to say, that Manga originated in response to the Japanese being introduced to American [[Comics]] and Cartoons (especially Disney) after [[World War II]]. The Japanese applied their stylized artistic influence to the general medium and format and came up with the Manga, essentially a Japanese
▲Well, you can't really talk about Anime without talking about Manga first. We won't go into [[wikipedia:History of manga|all that history]], but suffice to say, that Manga originated in response to the Japanese being introduced to American [[Comics]] and Cartoons (especially Disney) after [[World War II]]. The Japanese applied their stylized artistic influence to the general medium and format and came up with the Manga, essentially a Japanese Graphic Novel. Manga are differentiated from Comics in that:
* They are generally owned by the creator (not the comic book company) and as such are pretty linear and have a clear beginning, middle and end. You don't have random other authors creating their own alternative universes alongside the original.
* They are generally serialized in weekly or monthly magazines, produced a chapter at a time and later combined into ''tankoubon'', or compilation books of a few chapters.
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* They have a distinctive 'anime style' of art, which is a mix of early western comic style and the minimalist aesthetic of Japanese traditional art.
* In their country of origin they are widely marketed across demographics, whereas Comic books are something of a niche market in America these days.
Of course, all of these comparisons have exceptions.
Creators of manga are called ''mangaka''
There are a ''lot'' of manga stories - so many that they crowd each other out in the market and even many popular manga don't get to make the jump to...
▲Creators of manga are called ''mangaka''., and usually work with a team of artists to help produce their work, and may or may not have a writer on board, though it's less common than it is for Comics. There is also a lot of amateur manga out there, some original and others fan works, which are called [[Doujinshi]]. Popular manga often end up being made into...
== [[Anime]] ==
Animation in Japan predates [[World War II]]; there are animated propaganda films that date from that war. However, what Westerners think of as "anime" is based on post-WWII works inspired by the work of [[Osamu Tezuka]], who has stated that he was influenced by [[Disney Animated Canon|Disney]], [[Max and Dave Fleischer|Fleischer]] and [[Terry Toons]] animation. Thus, the big-eyes-and-small-mouths "anime style" is western in origin!
* Anime, as opposed to many Western animated works, is generally not episode-based, but has a clear beginning, middle and end. (Minus the occasional filler.) Not to say that there aren't episodic anime out there (''[[Azumanga Daioh]]'', ''[[Ranma ½]]'', etc.), but the studios do tend to tell serialized stories.
* The
* Western animation tends to have a higher frame rate then TV anime works, as anime is so prevalent that episodes need to be made quickly and on a budget
* Anime is for everyone, not just little kids. In fact lots of anime out there would receive a PG-13 or R rating in an American market - or even [[Hentai|an NC-17 rating]].▼
* Another difference is while Western studios might animate something which would be impossible or extremely expensive to created with live-action, plenty of anime are [[Slice of Life]] and include no particular effects elements which would require animation. They're animated because
▲* Anime is for everyone, not just little kids. In fact lots of anime out there would receive a PG-13 or R rating in an American market.
▲* Another difference is while Western studios might animate something which would be impossible or extremely expensive to created with live-action, plenty of anime are [[Slice of Life]] and include no particular effects elements which would require animation. They're animated because people just love anime.
One thing that anime isn't is "made in the iconic anime style of art." There is no "iconic anime style" - ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'' doesn't look a thing like ''[[Hello Kitty]]'', but they're both anime... Conversely, ''[[Teen Titans Go! (animation)|Teen Titans Go!]]'' and ''[[The Powerpuff Girls]]'' are Western animation that are [[Animesque|mistaken for anime]]. (And just to confuse things, ''[[RWBY]]'' is made by a [[Rooster Teeth|studio in Texas]], but is explicitly intended to be an "American anime"; it succeeded to the point that when it first appeared on [[Crunchyroll]], [[Subbing Versus Dubbing|"subtitle snobs"]] complained because it wasn't presented in the "original Japanese".)
Anime can be shown on television, or released only on DVD. DVD released anime is called an OVA ([[Original Video Animation]]). The closest analog to Western animation is "direct-to-video" or "direct-to-DVD", but without the negative connotation. Usually, [[Original Video Animation|OVAs]] are of superior quality to anime produced for TV, as many time and budget restrictions are lifted. There are also plenty of anime movies. Anime which are completely original and not based off of some other work often gain manga or light novels based on ''them'' if they prove to be popular.▼
▲Anime can be shown on television, in theaters, on the Internet, or released only
Anime which are completely original and not based off of some other work often gain manga or light novels based on ''them'' if they prove to be popular - see [[Anime First]] for a partial list.
So now you know what anime and manga are and what makes them different from the media you might already know. Now we'll look at the ways you might go about choosing your anime/manga.
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== [[Japanese Honorifics]] and [[Names in Japanese]]. ==
Whereas Westerners use Mr., Ms., Mrs., Miss and ... well, that's about it, the Japanese have a pretty big list of honorifics which can be attached to names. More and more translators are leaving these untranslated these days, both because of the Western audiences' growing familiarity with them, and the desire for authenticity and preservation of meaning. You can read more on the actual page but here are the big five. With this list you can figure most things out.
* ''(name)-san'': Pretty much the equivalent to Mr. or Mrs., or the equivalent of the Spanish ''Usted''. It's the default if a characters wants to be polite or respectful, or isn't particularly close to the addressee.
* ''(name)-kun'': used to address
* ''(name)-chan'': used for young children, animals or very close friends and girlfriends or boyfriends. It shows affection and friendship or closeness.
* ''(name)-sensei'': used for professionals or people in authority, such as teachers, doctors and, yes, mangaka.
* ''(name)-sama'': pretty much the equivalent of 'lord', it's extremely respectful and used to address gods, nobility or just someone you revere above all others. More common in historical-based works, unless it's used jokingly.
* ''(name)'': Either you're emotionally ''very'' close to the person you're addressing (even some family members aren't addressed by just their names without a honorific), or you're being ''very'' rude.
There are also a number of other differences between the way Westerners use names and the Japanese do, for instance:
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* The Japanese don't use first names casually and almost always use honorifics unless they are close friends and/or have asked permission to do so. Many characters will be addressed by their last names or their first names with an honorific, but not their first name alone.
* In the West we are used to names ending in 'o' being male while names ending in 'a' being female. This is a holdover from English's Latin roots, via French, in case anyone cares. This isn't very common in Japanese names though, and thinking that way can even be misleading.
** Common male name endings
** Common female name endings
So remember, if you hear a character by the name of Akira being talked about, it's just as likely a male as a female. And likewise, a character named Tomoyo is going to be a girl. (This is not a hard-and-fast rule; [[Bleach|Ichigo could be a boy]].) Also, there isn't a standard for Japanese-to-English romanization, so things can get a bit wonky when it crosses the sea. You'll want to see [[Japanese Romanization]] for that. One big thing to know though it that the 'L'
== [[Japanese Language]] ==
This isn't the place for a huge lesson on Japanese language, check out [[wikipedia:Japanese language|The Other Wiki]] for that, but there are some things simple things to mention that will crop up in relation to Japanese language in Anime and Manga. For instance, Japanese has '''three''' writing systems, Kanji, Katakana and Hiragana, which have different purposes. Kanji in particular represent ideas which can be grouped together to form a word or concept. These Kanji don't always have a set pronunciation, or can pronounced pretty much however someone wants to say they are despite established norms, so you can get people in Anime and Manga having to explain to others essentially how to [[Spell My Name with an "S"|spell]] or [[It Is Pronounced "Tro-PAY"|pronounce]] their names a lot. Knowing Japanese is not at all necessary to enjoy anime, but knowing some (even just how to read hiragana and katakana) can be a benefit, since many anime works which are produced in Japan are never translated into English, and those that are often suffer from inferior quality to the original. This is the reason behind the ongoing [[Subbing Versus Dubbing]] flamewar, which never seems to end.
== Japanese Culture ==
Well, anime and manga are made in Japan, so naturally they are jam-packed with Japanese culture. If you want to really delve into that then check out the page on [[Japan]]. A few random useful things to know though, right off the bat:
* '''Religion''': The
* '''Holidays''': Most Japanese celebrate Christmas but as a secular holiday (and they don't get off work or school!). There are also two
* '''Schools''': In Japan, many schools hold classes 6 days a week (Monday through Saturday), and [[Cram School]], or extra study sessions after school and weekends, are widespread. (This is why it seems like [[School Uniforms Are the New Black]] in so many works.) The school year also ends and begins in the spring, in April, meaning the one-month summer vacation in August (for the 'Bon' religious holidays) splits up the school year, and kids usually have summer homework.
* '''More School''': Another big thing is that where in America at least, middle school is two years (or three, counting sixth grade) and high school is four years, in Japan, Middle school and High school are both three years, Middle school including grades 7, 8 and 9, and high school being 10, 11 and 12. Kids also have to take an exam to graduate from Middle School and attend a High School, if they want to attend one; education past middle school is optional in Japan (although skipping it without going into an apprenticeship instead is rare). Better high schools have more difficult entry exams and charge higher tuition, just like the better universities do.
* '''Festivals''': Japanese hold a lot of local temple festivals, where people often dress up in traditional garb (“kimono” in cooler months or the simpler “yukata” in warmer months). Activities there include trying to catch a goldfish with a paper scoop. While there are a number of nationally respected festival days, many festivals are often based on local customs or history, so you can expect an anime or manga to invent some kind of festival for whenever they want one.
* '''Entertainment''': You can expect to see a lot of people going to [[Karaoke Box|karaoke places]] and singing badly for fun in rooms one can rent with friends. Video games parlors are also popular in
* '''Folklore''': The Japanese have an extensive folklore tradition and many are what one might call superstitious. Even in completely mundane works, expect characters to believe in ghosts, kappa (river spirits), shrine gods or spirits, and fortune-telling. In fact, in shojo manga, love horoscopes, charms or potions are pretty much omnipresent.
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== Translation, Changes and Censoring outside of Japan ==
So, translation issues, the bane of anime and manga fans' existence. These days it's not nearly as much of an issue as it once was and anime is quite widely translated with considerable accuracy, but back in the day people seemed to think that Westerners wouldn't like the shows unless [[Macekre|all of the culture was cut out as thoroughly as possible and replaced with an American equivalent]]. Names were changed, sometimes to something similar sounding but Western, other time to something that seemed more or less random. Dialogue was changed completely, or censored within an inch of the show's life, sometimes because of the mistaken thought that shows in higher demographics were only appealing to lower demographics in the West so you got shows for teenagers and adults being touted as kids shows, requiring significant rewriting. And then there's the issue that the Japanese are less likely to censor television in general, such as shows for kids having mild cursing or innuendo, or showing or hinting at homosexual relationships. (It's accepted in Japan that it's the parents' job to decide what's appropriate for their children, not the broadcasters'.) Homosexual characters in general were often either [[Hide Your Gays|given different dialogue]], cutting out the most offensive episodes if necessary
▲So, translation issues, the bane of anime and manga fans' existence. These days it's not nearly as much of an issue as it once was and anime is quite widely translated with considerable accuracy, but back in the day people seemed to think that Westerners wouldn't like the shows unless all of the culture was cut out as thoroughly as possible and replaced with an American equivalent. Names were changed, sometimes to something similar sounding but Western, other time to something that seemed more or less random. Dialogue was changed completely, or censored within an inch of the show's life, sometimes because of the mistaken thought that shows in higher demographics were only appealing to lower demographics in the West so you got shows for teenagers and adults being touted as kids shows, requiring significant rewriting. And then there's the issue that the Japanese are less likely to censor television in general, such as shows for kids having mild cursing or innuendo, or showing or hinting at homosexual relationships. (It's accepted in Japan that it's the parents' job to decide what's appropriate for their children, not the broadcasters'.) Homosexual characters in general were often either [[Hide Your Gays|given different dialogue]], cutting out the most offensive episodes if necessary, in an attempt to write it out of the show, or if possible, they outright [[She's a Man In Japan|changed the character's gender in the translation.]]
So given all of this, one can see how long time fans might have issues with dubs, if for no other reason than in the past, many were so far from what they were supposed to be. This is completely disregarding the fact that some early dubbing wasn't as well matched to the mouth-flaps as they are now. So while there are many dubbed anime which are excellent, especially recently as more dubbing companies are getting good at it and are listening to the fans cries for staying original to the source material, and some few jewels are even considered on par or ''better'' than the original, many fans swear by watching anime with subtitles. It's really up to you to decide which you like better, just keep your mind open.
== Fan-Lingo ==
If you're new to the anime and manga scene then you can be sure that speaking to an anime [[Otaku]] (otaku meaning 'nerd' - but only in North America!) will both help you in your quest to delve more into this fandom and confuse the heck out of you. So many words, many taken directly from Japanese, are commonly used by hardcore fans in the west, and the only way to know them is to ask...or come here! All The Tropes happens to have a decent starter dictionary right here for you, titled [[Anime Fan Speak]] with links to more info. It is highly suggested that you check it out.▼
▲If you're new to the anime and manga scene then you can be sure that speaking to an anime [[Otaku]] (otaku meaning 'nerd') will both help you in your quest to delve more into this fandom and confuse the heck out of you. So many words, many taken directly from Japanese, are commonly used by hardcore fans in the west, and the only way to know them is to ask...or come here! All The Tropes happens to have a decent starter dictionary right here for you, titled [[Anime Fan Speak]] with links to more info. It is highly suggested that you check it out.
== Non-Japanese Anime and Manga ==
There are two schools of thought here. Many long-time fans of anime and manga will insist that "comes from Japan" is part of the definition. Many folks who look at the stock tropes and art styles (yes, plural) will say the Japanese do not have a monopoly on the media. For some people on both sides, this can be [[Serious Business]] (or occasionally a [[Berserk Button]]), so be careful who you ask. (Of course, [[Bilingual Bonus|if you speak French]], ''all'' animation is « animé », no matter where it comes from.)▼
▲There are two schools of thought here. Many long-time fans of anime and manga will insist that "comes from Japan" is part of the definition. Many folks who look at the stock tropes and art styles (yes, plural) will say the Japanese do not have a monopoly on the media. For some people on both sides, this can be [[Serious Business]] (or occasionally a [[Berserk Button]]), so be careful who you ask.
Manga-style comic books have been coming out of Korea, China and Taiwan for years now, though it's only recently that Westerners have become more aware of them. They are practically no different from Japanese manga, other than slight differences in culture and characters names. Manga in Korea is called [[Manhwa]], and Chinese and Taiwanese manga is called [[Manhua]]. It's no coincidence that the names are more or less identical. Korean and Chinese manga is just as excellent as the Japanese, so it's highly suggested that one check them out. There are also various original western manga coming out, especially in America and France, not to mention the huge amount of amateur manga worldwide which is easily accessible through the internet.
Anime is somewhat of a different story. While there are Korean and Chinese anime, it's pretty much non-existent in the West, or even on the internet, so good luck with that. Anime's influence however has definitely been felt worldwide, and many animated works tend to be [[Animesque]], or created with a similar style or in the spirit of Japanese animation ''([[Avatar: The Last Airbender]], [[Samurai Jack]], [[Megas XLR]]'', etc.). While there isn't exactly anything Western that one could pin down and say ''is'' Western anime, it's possible that
Okay, now you know most everything you need to know to get a good start on reading manga and watching anime! It's guaranteed that you'll learn more as you continue your journey through the world of anime and manga, but for now, you should be able to navigate through this vast body of media!
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