what exactly is anime

by Daniella Lindgren 4 min read
image

Anime is a word used by people living outside of Japan to describe cartoons or animation produced within Japan. Using the word in English conversation is essentially the same as describing something as a Japanese cartoon series or an animated movie or show from Japan.

Anime (pronounced AH-nee-may ) is a term for a style of Japanese comic book and video cartoon animation in which the main characters have large doe-like eyes. Many Web sites are devoted to anime. Anime is the prevalent style in Japanese comic books or manga .

Full Answer

Which anime is best to watch?

Anime Attack On Titan is one of the most popular due to its incredible first season, with many referring to it as the Game of Thrones of anime due to its intense and graphic plot. The series is set in an apocalyptic future in which humanity hides behind a walled city in order to keep out the Titans, who are these giant creatures that feed on humans.

What is considered an anime?

  • Space Battleship Yamato 2199
  • Gundam: War In The Pocket
  • Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu
  • Macross: Do You Remember Love?

What anime is painful to watch?

This is Where You Get to Have a Say

  • Jeff. Where is Your Lie In April???
  • ShadowHang. Why is plastic memories in the list.
  • nitle loll
  • Weeb. You have to add Guilty Crown. Especially because of their music. ...
  • PP
  • fellow WEEB
  • Weee
  • Bleh. Lmao ever heard about the show called devilman crybaby?
  • Aimee XG. I am so upset with all of them in a good, but sad way.
  • Lara

More items...

What exactly is an anime?

What exactly is anime? Anime is a Japanese term that refers to either hand-drawn or computer-generated animation. The word anime is pronounced "ah-knee-may." It is a Japanese word. What is it about anime that makes it so unique? Anime is not like the majority of American cartoons, such as Batman and Spider-Man, for example. It's heartwarming, some of the episodes are very emotional, and the ...

image

What makes anime an anime?

It combines graphic art, characterization, cinematography, and other forms of imaginative and individualistic techniques. Compared to Western animation, anime production generally focuses less on movement, and more on the detail of settings and use of "camera effects", such as panning, zooming, and angle shots.

What is the concept of anime?

Definition of anime : a style of animation originating in Japan that is characterized by stark colorful graphics depicting vibrant characters in action-filled plots often with fantastic or futuristic themes.

Why is anime so popular?

The Diverse Variety of Stories. The wide range of genres in anime is the first reason why it is so popular. Every person enjoys a different story, genre, and style in anime! Romance, comedy, action/adventure, mystery/suspense, and horror are just a few of the many genres explored by anime plots.

What is the point of watching anime?

Most animes will harbour serious moral philosophies from real-life situations. And things like decision-making, the ability to overcoming loss, and the importance of familial relationships form the corner-stone of almost any anime you watch.

What is the #1 anime in the world?

Anime Top 10Top 10 Best Rated (bayesian estimate) (Top 50)#titlerating1Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (TV)9.082Steins;Gate (TV)9.043Clannad After Story (TV)9.028 more rows

Is SpongeBob an anime?

The SpongeBob SquarePants Anime, simply referred to as SpongeBob SquarePants (Japanese: スポンジ・ボブ Hepburn: Suponji Bobu, pronounced Spongey Bobbu) is an ongoing Japanese anime television series produced by Neptune Studios to produce a quality fan series built around his and Narmak's ideas.

What is the most watched anime ever?

Fullmetal Alchemist (TV)Top 50 Most Viewed#titlerating1Fullmetal Alchemist (TV)8.652Death Note (TV)8.783Cowboy Bebop (TV)8.8948 more rows

Do Japanese adults watch anime?

There is something like this for all different demographics in Japan – and this gives anime a really broad and diverse audience. This, really, is the great achievement of specifically Japanese anime: even adults enjoy it.

Can adults like anime?

For many adults, anime is simply something that they grew up with, much like people who grew up reading comics or watching Star Wars. The love never goes away; fans just simply evolve as they get older.

Is watching anime healthy?

However, there is nothing to worry about if children watch anime in moderation. Not only with Anime but with any entertainment genre, spending a lot of time is detrimental for the mental health of anyone, not just children. You can set a time for your child to watch a movie like after homework or on the weekend, etc.

What age group watches anime?

A survey held in the United States in January 2020 found that opinions on anime movies varied significantly across age groups, with 27 percent of adults aged 18 to 29 years old saying that they had a very favorable impression of anime films.

Who created anime?

The history of anime can be traced back to the start of the 20th century, with the earliest verifiable films dating from 1917. The first generation of animators in the late 1910s included Ōten Shimokawa, Jun'ichi Kōuchi and Seitaro Kitayama, commonly referred to as the "fathers" of anime.

Introduction

Anime is a much-loved form of content that has swept the world by storm. This content is very popular and while many people have different opinions about what Anime is and what kind of content it includes, many of these opinions are wrong.

What Is Anime?

People outside Japan use the word Anime to describe cartoons or animated content that is produced within Japan. Anime would cover everything from Japanese animated children’s TV, all the way to violent R-rated animated content for adults.

The History of Anime: The 20th Century

So, where did it all begin? Many of us have now grown up with Anime in our lives in one way or another. If you were born in the ‘80s or ‘90s, you likely grew up with Anime in your childhood or your teen years. While you may think it started then, it actually started way before then. Anime has been around longer than you may think.

The History of Anime: The 21st Century

In the 21st century, most people have seen Anime at some point. While the older generation in the western world may not be really into it, the vast majority of people under the age of 45 have at least one favorite Anime.

The Evolution Of Anime

Anime has evolved beyond any doubt. If you watch some of the first Anime series to reach the Western world, and then watch some more recent shows, you will notice that the graphics, style of animation, and artistic style have all advanced, along with a whole lot more.

The Popularity Of Anime Events

If you have never been to a comic-con, then you should go at least once. Comic-con events allow for cosplayers and regular fans of TV shows, films, books, and more to gather, socialize, dress up, buy unique items, and have a blast.

The Future Of Anime

The growth of Anime depends primarily upon demand. Once upon a time, the average release rate of new Anime series was around one per month. Nowadays a new Anime series is released nearly every day.

Where is anime made?

For decades, anime was produced by and for Japan — a local product, with a distinct look-and-feel to not just the artwork but the storytelling, the themes, and the concepts. Over the last forty years, it has become an international phenomenon, attracting millions of fans and being translated into many languages.

What animes are aimed at teens?

There are even some animes aimed at older teens like "Death Note" and some for mature audiences only like "Monster" and "Queens Blade.". Japanese cultural attitudes about sexuality and violence require some titles to be placed a category higher than they might normally be.

Is anime a genre?

Because all things anime tend to be lumped together, it's tempting to think of anime as a genre. It isn't, at least no more than animation itself is a genre, but rather a description of how the material is produced. Anime shows, like books or movies, fall into any number of existing genres: comedy, drama, sci-fi, action-adventure, horror and so on.

Is the Last Airbender anime live action?

What's most striking is how anime's impact is coming full circle. Some recent American cartoon productions, like "Avatar: The Last Airbender, " are openly inspired by anime itself, and live-action English-language versions of anime titles are starting to come into production more frequently.

What is anime in English?

However, outside of Japan and in English, anime is colloquial for Japanese animation and refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. Animation produced outside of Japan with similar style to Japanese animation is referred to as anime-influenced animation . The earliest commercial Japanese animations date to 1917.

What is anime in Japanese?

Anime. Not to be confused with Amine. Anime ( Japanese: アニメ, IPA: [aɲime] ( listen)) is hand-drawn and computer animation originating from Japan. In Japan and in Japanese, anime (a term derived from the English word animation) describes all animated works, regardless of style or origin.

What is anime in the US?

English-language dictionaries typically define anime ( US: / ˈænəmeɪ /, UK: / ˈænɪmeɪ /) as "a style of Japanese animation" or as "a style of animation originating in Japan". Other definitions are based on origin, making production in Japan a requisite for a work to be considered "anime".

How much does an anime episode cost?

An anime episode can cost between US$100,000 and US$300,000 to produce. In 2001, animation accounted for 7% of the Japanese film market, above the 4.6% market share for live-action works. The popularity and success of anime is seen through the profitability of the DVD market, contributing nearly 70% of total sales.

How does anime differ from other forms of animation?

Anime artists employ many distinct visual styles. Anime differs greatly from other forms of animation by its diverse art styles, methods of animation, its production, and its process. Visually, anime works exhibit a wide variety of art styles, differing between creators, artists, and studios.

What was the first anime?

Three Tales (1960) was the first anime film broadcast on television; the first anime television series was Instant History (1961–64). An early and influential success was Astro Boy (1963–66), a television series directed by Tezuka based on his manga of the same name. Many animators at Tezuka's Mushi Production later established major anime studios (including Madhouse, Sunrise, and Pierrot ).

How many companies are there in the animation industry?

The animation industry consists of more than 430 production companies with some of the major studios including Toei Animation, Gainax, Madhouse, Gonzo, Sunrise, Bones, TMS Entertainment, Nippon Animation, P.A.Works, Studio Pierrot and Studio Ghibli. Many of the studios are organized into a trade association, The Association of Japanese Animations. There is also a labor union for workers in the industry, the Japanese Animation Creators Association. Studios will often work together to produce more complex and costly projects, as done with Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away. An anime episode can cost between US$100,000 and US$300,000 to produce. In 2001, animation accounted for 7% of the Japanese film market, above the 4.6% market share for live-action works. The popularity and success of anime is seen through the profitability of the DVD market, contributing nearly 70% of total sales. According to a 2016 article on Nikkei Asian Review, Japanese television stations have bought over ¥60 billion worth of anime from production companies "over the past few years", compared with under ¥20 billion from overseas. There has been a rise in sales of shows to television stations in Japan, caused by late night anime with adults as the target demographic. This type of anime is less popular outside Japan, being considered "more of a niche product ". Spirited Away (2001) is the all-time highest-grossing film in Japan. It was also the highest-grossing anime film worldwide until it was overtaken by Makoto Shinkai 's 2016 film Your Name. Anime films represent a large part of the highest-grossing Japanese films yearly in Japan, with 6 out of the top 10 in 2014, in 2015 and also in 2016 .

what is anime?

The term anime can be new to many Western audiences. However, in the last few decades, it has made a breakthrough infiltrating areas of mainstream entertainment. Where did it come from and how is it made? Before we dive into that, let’s define anime.

ANIME DEFINITION

The term anime [a·nuh·mei] is a Japanese colloquialism used as an abbreviation for the term “animation.” Generally in Japan, the word anime (written アニメ) is synonymous with animation of any kind from anywhere. Internationally, however, anime is typically referred to as animation that is produced from Japan.

where It All Began

Anime itself dates back over a hundred years. The first confirmed example was produced in 1917 titled Namakura Gatana with a run time of only four minutes. Over time, it has had its highs and lows facing various obstacles both within Japan and internationally.

animation workflow

Anime is no different technically to the animation productions of Western culture. Which, if you know anything about, takes an incredible amount of time and work. Stories must be written, storyboarded, workshopped, taken into an animatic, voiced, and animated.

Is anime popular in West?

Overtime, anime has made its way into Western culture. Despite not being at the heart of mainstream entertainment, it has found such a large Western audience that Western animation productions have created shows in the same style. Shows like The Boondocks and Avatar: The Last Airbender are American made shows with Japanese anime influence.

UP NEXT

Some of the best anime films fall under the top ten best animated movies of all time. Which movies are they? Check out our complete list of the best animated movies of all time from Aardman Animation to Zootopia.

Showcase your vision with elegant shot lists and storyboards

Create robust and customizable shot lists. Upload images to make storyboards and slideshows.

What happened to the idea of it all?

It’s true that Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex was an extremely popular show. But there has to be someone who started it, or at least a place where it started.

Garima Singh

Moshi Moshi everyone! I'm Garima. I'm always in the world of fiction! Be it books, movies, comics, games and anime generates all sorts of weird, interesting things that I could never find in any other media. I've been watching anime since my school days and honestly it is one of the best things that has happened to me.

image

Overview

Anime is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, anime refers to Japanese animation, and refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, anime (a term derived from a shortening of the English word animation) describes all animated works, regardless of style or origin. Animation produced outside of Japan with similar style to Japanese animation is commonly referred to as anime …

Etymology

As a type of animation, anime is an art form that comprises many genres found in other mediums; it is sometimes mistakenly classified as a genre itself. In Japanese, the term anime is used to refer to all animated works, regardless of style or origin. English-language dictionaries typically define anime (/ˈænɪmeɪ/) as "a style of Japanese animation" or as "a style of animation originating in Japan". Other definitions are based on origin, making production in Japan a requisite for a wor…

History

Emakimono and kagee are considered precursors of Japanese animation. Emakimono was common in the eleventh century. Traveling storytellers narrated legends and anecdotes while the emakimono was unrolled from the right to left with chronological order, as a moving panorama. Kagee was popular during the Edo period and originated from the shadows play of China. Magic la…

Attributes

Anime differs greatly from other forms of animation by its diverse art styles, methods of animation, its production, and its process. Visually, anime works exhibit a wide variety of art styles, differing between creators, artists, and studios. While no single art style predominates anime as a whole, they do share some similar attributes in terms of animation technique and character design.

Industry

The animation industry consists of more than 430 production companies with some of the major studios including Toei Animation, Gainax, Madhouse, Gonzo, Sunrise, Bones, TMS Entertainment, Nippon Animation, P.A.Works, Studio Pierrot and Studio Ghibli. Many of the studios are organized into a trade association, The Association of Japanese Animations. There is also a labor union for workers i…

Globalization and cultural impact

Anime has become commercially profitable in Western countries, as demonstrated by early commercially successful Western adaptations of anime, such as Astro Boy and Speed Racer. Early American adaptions in the 1960s made Japan expand into the continental European market, first with productions aimed at European and Japanese children, such as Heidi, Vicky the Viking and B…

See also

• Animation director
• Chinese animation
• Cinema of Japan
• Cool Japan
• Culture of Japan

External links

• Anime at Curlie
• Anime and manga in Japan travel guide from Wikivoyage