Anime

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by KyuuA4 (talk | contribs) at 07:17, 20 August 2007 (→‎Japanophilia). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

File:Cowboy bebop01.jpg
The main cast of the anime Cowboy Bebop (1998)
"Animé" redirects here. For the oleo-resin, see Animé (oleo-resin).

Anime (アニメ, IPA pronunciation: /ɑnime/ listenⓘ in Japanese, but typically /ˈænɪˌme(ɪ)/ or /ˈænɪmə/ in English) (plural anime) is an abbreviation of the word "animation". Outside Japan, the term most popularly refers to animation originating in Japan. To the West, not all animation is considered anime; anime is considered a subset of animation.

While some anime is hand drawn, computer assisted animation techniques have become quite common in recent years. Like any entertainment medium, the story lines represent most major genres of fiction. Anime is broadcast on television, distributed on media such as DVD and VHS, and included in video games. Additionally, some are produced as full length motion pictures. Anime often draws influence from manga, light novels, and other cultures. Some anime storylines have been adapted into live action films and television series.

History

Main article: History of anime

The history of anime begins at the start of the 20th century, when Japanese filmmakers experimented with the animation techniques that were being explored in France, Germany, the United States, and Russia.[1] The oldest known anime is in 1907, a short 3 second clip of a sailor boy.[2]

By the 1930's, animation became an alternative format of storytelling compared to the underdeveloped live-action industry in Japan. Unlike America, the live-action industry in Japan remained a small market and suffered from budgeting, location, and casting restrictions. The lack of Western-looking actors, for example, made it next to impossible to shoot films set in Europe, America, or fantasy worlds that do not naturally involve Japan. The varied use of animation allowed artists to create any characters and settings.[3]

During the 1970s, there was a surge of growth in the popularity of manga— which were often later animated — especially those of Osamu Tezuka, who has been called a "legend"[4] and the "god of manga".[5][6] As a result of his work and that of other pioneers in the field, anime developed characteristics and genres that are fundamental elements of the art today. The giant robot genre (known as "mecha" outside Japan), for instance, took shape under Tezuka, developed under Go Nagai and others, and was revolutionized at the end of the decade by Yoshiyuki Tomino. Robot anime like Gundam and Macross became instant classics in the 80s, and the robot genre of anime is still one of the most heard of in Japan and worldwide today. In the 1980s, anime was accepted in the mainstream in Japan, and experienced a boom in production (It should be noticed that, manga has significantly more mainstream exposure than anime in Japan). The mid-to-late '90s, on into the 2000s, saw an increased acceptance of anime in overseas markets.

Terminology

Etymology and pronunciation

This article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. For the distinction between [ ], / / and ⟨ ⟩, see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters.

The Japanese term for animation is アニメーション (animēshon, pronounced /ɑnime:ɕoɴ/), written in katakana. It is borrowed from the French word for animation, "l'animé" (it's lacking the article--both are pronounced similarly).[1] Both words come from the Latin, "animare" meaning "to breathe life into" thus "animated" means to be full of activity, or moving pictures. [7][8] The Japanese term is spelled アニメ (anime, pronounced /ɑnime/). Both the original and abbreviated forms are valid and interchangeable in Japanese, but as could be expected the shorter form is more commonly used.

The pronunciation of anime in English differs significantly from Japanese. The first vowel is further forward in English than Japanese: /æ/ is more likely than /ɑ/. As English stresses words differently than Japanese, the second vowel is likely to emerge as an unstressed schwa /ə/ or /I/ in English, whereas in Japanese each mora carries equal stress. As with a few other Japanese words such as Pokémon and Kobo Abé, anime is sometimes spelled as animé in English with an acute accent over the final e to cue the reader that the letter is pronounced as a Japanese /e/. However, this accent does not appear in any commonly used system of romanized Japanese, and English native speakers may produce /eI/.

Definition

An example of an anime drawing style

Linguistically, the anime definition is subject to interpretation. In Japan, the term does not specify an animation's nation of origin or style; instead, it is used as a blanket term to refer to all forms of animation from around the world.[9] In English, main dictionary sources define anime as "a Japanese style of motion-picture animation" or "a style of animation developed in Japan".[10] Thus, non-Japanese works are sometimes called anime-influenced animation if they borrow stylistically from Japanese animation.

In western countries the word is used usually only to refer to animated programming of Japanese origin, with the term "cartoon" or "animated series" used for most other visual styles. The online anime database AniDB generally defines anime (in the singular form) as "an animated, professionally produced, feature film created by a Japanese company for the Japanese market".[9] However, some anime are co-productions with non-Japanese companies like the Cartoon Network. Thus, anime is no longer specific to the Japanese market.

Syntax and morphology

Anime can be used as a common noun, "Do you watch anime?" or as a suppletive adjective, "The anime Guyver is different from the movie Guyver." It may also be used as a mass noun, as in "How much anime have you collected?" and therefore is never pluralized "animes" (nouns are never pluralized in Japanese). However, in other languages where anime has been adopted as a loan word, it is sometimes used as a count noun in singular and in plural as in Danish "Jeg tror, jeg vil se en anime" ("I think I'll watch an anime") and "Hvor mange anime'er har du nu?" ("How many animes do you have now?").

Synonyms

Anime is sometimes referred to as Japanimation, but this term has fallen into disuse. Japanimation saw the most usage during the 1970s and 1980s, which broadly comprise the first and second waves of anime fandom, and had continued use up until before the mid-1990s anime resurgence. In general, the term now only appears in nostalgic contexts. The term is much more commonly used within Japan to refer to domestic animation. Since anime or animēshon is used to describe all forms of animation, Japanimation is used to distinguish Japanese work from that of the rest of the world.

In more recent years, anime has also frequently been referred to as manga in European countries, a practice that may stem from the Japanese usage: In Japan, manga can refer to both animation and comics (although the use of manga to refer to animation is mostly restricted to non-fans). Among English speakers, manga usually has the stricter meaning of "Japanese comics". An alternate explanation is that it is due to the prominence of Manga Entertainment, a distributor of anime to the US and UK markets. Because Manga Entertainment originated in the UK the use of the term is common outside of Japan. The portmanteau "animanga" has been used to collectively refer to anime and manga, though it is also a term used to describe comics produced from animation cels.

Visual Characteristics

File:Dragonballz.jpg
Dragon Ball Z (1989) is a popular shōnen anime based on the original manga series which spanned 291 episodes and 13 movies.

As an art form, anime places a large emphasis towards visual styles. They can vary from artist to artist or by studio to studio.

Animation Style

The basics of anime is based on traditional animation. While anime is considered separate from cartoons, anime still uses multiple still images in rapid succession to produce the animated visual effect. Like all animation, the production processes of storyboarding, voice acting, character design, cel production, etc. still apply. With improvements in computer technology, computer animation increased the efficiency of the whole production process.

Anime is often considered a form of limited animation. That means that stylistically, even in bigger productions the conventions of limited animation are used to fool the eye into thinking there is more movement than there is. [1] What sets it apart from limited animation made outside of Japan, such as UPA cartoons is to what effect and ability it uses the limited animation and for what reason.

While different titles and different artists have their own artistic styles, many stylistic elements have become so common such that they are described as being definitive of anime in general. These elements have been given names of their own. The anime drawing style can be learned, particularly with the aid of books such as How to Draw Manga. Such books come complete with information and instructions on the styles used in anime.

Character Designs

Unlike Western animation, a large majority of characters are designed with a more precise set of guidelines. The height of the head is considered as the base unit of proportion. Head heights can vary as long as the remainder of the body remain proportional. The average human character is roughly seven "heads" tall.[11] Variations to proportion are modded to allow chibi or super deformed characters, which features a non-proportionally small body compared to the head. Some anime works like Crayon Shin-chan completely disregard these proportions. It is enough such that it resembles a Western cartoon.

A common approach is the large eyes style drawn on many anime and manga characters, credited to the influence of Osamu Tezuka, who was inspired by the exaggerated features of American cartoon characters such as Betty Boop, Mickey Mouse, and Disney's Bambi.[1] [12] Tezuka found that large eyes style allowed his characters to show emotions distinctly. Cultural anthropologist Matt Thorn argues that Japanese animators and audiences do not perceive such stylized eyes as inherently more or less foreign.[3] When Tezuka began drawing Ribbon no Kishi, the first manga specifically targeted at young girls, Tezuka further exaggerated the size of the characters' eyes. Indeed, through Ribbon no Kishi, Tezuka set a stylistic template that later shōjo artists tended to follow.

However, not all anime have large eyes. For example Hayao Miyazaki is known for not having large eyes and having realistic hair colors on his characters.[13] In addition other productions also have been known to use smaller eyes. This design tends to have more resemblance to traditional Japanese art.

Settings

Anime tends to emphasize backgrounds for atmosphere.[1] For example, anime often puts emphasis on changing seasons, as can be seen in numerous anime, such as Tenchi Muyo. Sometimes actual settings have been duplicated into an anime. The backgrounds for the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya are based on various locations within the suburb of Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan.[14]

Other

Other stylistic elements are common as well; often in comedic anime, characters that are shocked or surprised will perform a "face fault", in which they display an extremely exaggerated expression. Angry characters may exhibit a "vein" or "stressmark" effect, where lines representing bulging veins will appear on their forehead. Angry women will sometimes summon a mallet from nowhere and strike someone with it, leading to the concept of Hammerspace and cartoon physics. Male characters will develop a bloody nose around their female love interests (typically to indicate arousal, based on an old wives' tale).[15] Embarrassed characters will invariably produce a massive sweat-drop, which has become one of the most widely recognized stereotype motifs of anime.

Another stylistic element is that use of lines. In anime the lines are often influenced more from a stylistic look from brush work, rather than that of the calligrapher's pen.[1] This may be due to the fact that Japanese was traditionally written with a brush and has had a large influence on Japanese art, thus how the lines are treated tend to be different from the Western art. Western lettering was done with a calligrapher's pen. the influences of these things can most influentially be seen in the amount of tapering and thickness of the lines involved.

Anime also tends to borrow many elements from manga including text in the background, and borrowing panel layouts from the manga as well. For example, a opening may employ manga panels to tell the story, or to dramatize a point for humorous effect. This is best demonstrated in the anime Karekano.

The degree of stylization varies from title to title. Some titles make extensive use of common stylization: FLCL, for example, is known for its wild, exaggerated stylization. In contrast, titles such as Only Yesterday, a film by Isao Takahata, take a much more realistic approach, and feature few stylistic exaggerations.

Genres

Anime has many genres typically found in any mass media form. Such genres include action, adventure, children's stories, comedy, drama, erotica (more specifically ecchi or hentai), medieval fantasy, occult/horror, romance, and science fiction.

Most anime includes content from several different genres, as well as a variety of thematic elements. Thus, some series may be categorized under multiple genres. For example, Neon Genesis Evangelion might be considered to fall into the genres of post-apocalyptic, mecha, drama, and shonen-ai. A show may have a seemingly simple surface plot, but at the same time may feature a far more complex, deeper storyline and character development. It is not uncommon for an action themed anime to also involve humor, romance, and even social commentary. The same can be applied to a romance themed anime in that it may involve an action element, or in some cases brutal violence.

The following is a list of the major genres and designations that are specific to anime and manga.[16]

For other possible genres, see film genre.

Genres with Western Counterparts:

Demographic Genres:

Thematic Genres

Romantic Genres

  • Harem: A genre where several girl characters are attracted to a single boy character (or sometimes to multiple boy characters). It is more often than not a Shonen Anime and may be considered a sub-genre. Examples: Ranma ½ or Love Hina.
    • Reverse Harem: As a Harem anime, but where several boy characters are attracted to a single girl character (or sometimes to multiple girl characters). It is more often than not a Shojo Anime and may be considered a sub-genre. Examples: Ouran Host Club or Fruits Basket.
  • Ecchi: Japanese for 'indecent sexuality', derived from the pronunciation of the letter 'H', (the origin of the term is not well known, even in Japan. See main article for more information.) Contains sexual humor, and some fan service. Examples: Oruchuban Ebichu or He Is My Master.
  • Hentai: Japanese for 'abnormal' or 'perverted'. While Western audiences may use the term to refer to pornographic anime or erotica, in Japan the term used to refer to the same material is typically Poruno or Ero. Examples: La Blue Girl or Bible Black.
  • Shōjo-ai/Yuri: Japanese for 'girl-love'. Refers to anime or manga that focus on love and romance between female characters. It is often being replaced by the term "Girls Love" (GL). Yuri is like Shōjo-ai, but sometimes involves older characters or explicit sexual activity. Examples: Revolutionary Girl Utena or Kannazuki no Miko.
  • Shōnen-ai: Japanese for 'boy-love'. Refers to anime or manga that focus on love and romance between male characters. The term "Shōnen-ai" is being phased out in Japan due to its other meaning of pederasty, and is being replaced by the term "Boys Love" (BL). Examples: Loveless or Gravitation
  • Yaoi: Like "Shōnen-ai" but often involving older characters and explicit sexual activity. Examples: Sensitive Pornograph

Some anime titles are written for a very specific audience, even narrower than those described above. For example, Initial D and éX-Driver concern street racing and car tuning. Ashita No Joe and Hajime no Ippo were about boxing. Hanaukyo Maid Team is based on the French maid fantasy.

Distribution

While anime had entered markets beyond Japan in the 1960's, it grew as a major cultural export during its market expansion during the 1980's and 1990's.

Commercial appeal

Anime has become commercially profitable in western countries as early commercially successful western adaptations of anime, such as Astro Boy, have revealed.[17] The phenomenal success of Nintendo's multi-billion dollar Pokémon franchise[18] was helped greatly by the spin-off anime series that, first broadcast in the late 1990s, is still running worldwide to this day.

Licensing

Further information: Anime licensing

Anime distribution companies handled the licensing and distribution of anime beyond Japan. Licensed anime is modified by distributors through dubbing into the language of the country and adding language subtitles to the Japanese language track.

Anime has also been a commercial success in Asia, Europe and Latin America, where anime has become even more mainstream than in the United States. For example, the Saint Seiya video game was released in Europe due to the popularity of the show even years after the series has been off-air. Using a similar global distribution pattern as Hollywood, the world is divided into 5 regions.

Some editing of cultural references may occur to better follow the references of the non-Japanese culture. Certain companies may remove any objectionable content, complying with domestic law. This editing process was far more prevalent in the past (e.g. Robotech), but its use has declined because of the demand for anime in its original form. This "light touch" approach to localization has favored viewers formerly unfamiliar with anime. The use of such methods is evident by the success of Naruto, and Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block, both of which employ minor edits.[citation needed]

With the advent of DVD, it was possible to include multiple language tracks into a simple product. This was not the case with VHS cassette, in which separate VHS media were used and with each VHS cassette priced the same as a single DVD. The "light touch" approach also applies to DVD releases as they often include both the dubbed audio and the original Japanese audio with subtitles, are typically unedited. Anime edited for television is usually released on DVD "uncut," with all scenes intact.

Television

TV networks regularly broadcast anime programming. In Japan, major national TV networks broadcast anime regularly. In the United States, Cable TV channels such as Cartoon Network, Disney, Sci-Fi, and others dedicate some of their time slots for anime. Then the Anime Network specifically shows anime. Disney's Jetix channel broadcasts anime within many countries in the world.

Fansubs

Main article: Fansub

Although it is a violation of copyright laws in many countries, some fans add subtitles to anime on their own. These are distributed as fansubs. The ethical implications of producing, distributing, or watching fansubs are topics of much controversy even when fansub groups do not profit from their activities and cease distribution of their work once the series has been licensed outside of Japan. In one case, Media Factory Incorporated requested that no fansubs of their material be made, which was respected by the fansub community. In another instance, Bandai specifically thanked fansubbers for their role in helping to make The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya popular in the English speaking world.[19]

Anime and the Internet

The Internet had played a significant role in the exposure of anime beyond Japan. Prior to the 1990's, anime has had limited exposure beyond Japan's borders. Coincidentally, as the popularity of the Internet grew, so did for anime.

Influence on Western culture

Western Animation

Main article: Anime-influenced animation

Anime-influenced animation refers to non-Japanese works of animation that emulate the visual style of anime.[20] Though most of these works are created by studios in the United States, Europe, and non-Japanese Asia. They generally incorporated stylizations, methods, and gags described in anime physics. They may also incorporate Asian themes, like Avatar: The Last Airbender. Critics and the general anime fanbase do not consider them as anime.[21] Instead, they remain as animated television series.

Some American animated television series have singled out anime styling with satirical intent, for example South Park (with "Chinpokomon" and "Good Times With Weapons"). South Park has a notable drawing style, which was itself parodied in "Brittle Bullet", the fifth episode of the anime FLCL, released several months after "Chinpokomon" aired.[22]

Conventions

Main article: Anime convention

Fan-based conventions have long existed. Conventions for anime began to appear in the early 1990s, starting with Anime Expo, Animethon, Otakon, and JACON. Eventually, anime conventions are held annually in various cities across the United States, Canada, Asia, and Europe. Many attendees participate in cosplay, where they dress up as anime characters.

Japanophilia

Further information: Japanophile

Since the 19th century, a Westerners expressed particular interest towards Japan. Anime dramatically exposed more Westerners to the culture of Japan. Aside from anime, other facets of Japanese culture increased in popularity.[23] Worldwide, the number of people studying Japanese increased. In 1984, the Japanese Language Profiency test was devised to meet increasing demand.[24] Among fans, the food product Pocky became a frequent choice.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Schodt, Frederik L. (Reprint edition (August 18, 1997)). Manga! Manga!: The World of Japanese Comics. ToKyo, Japan: Kodansha International. ISBN ISBN 0-87011-752-1. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ "A Brief History of Anime". Allen Butler. 2007-07-28. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
  3. ^ a b "Do Manga Characters Look "White"?". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help) Cite error: The named reference "manga characters look white" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  4. ^ Ohara, Atsushi (May 11, 2006). "5 missing manga pieces by Osamu Tezuka found in U.S." Asahi.com. Retrieved 2006-08-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Dr. Osamu Tezuka". The Anime Encyclopedia. The Anime Café. 2000-03-14. Retrieved 2006-08-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Gravett, Paul (2003). "Osamu Tezuka: The God of Manga". Retrieved 2006-08-29.
  7. ^ http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definition/animation "Animation \An`i*ma"tion\, noun. [Latin expression animatio, from animare.]."
  8. ^ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=animation&searchmode=none "animate (v.) 1538, 'to fill with boldness or courage,'from L. animatus pp. of animare 'give breath to,' from anima 'life, breath' (see animus). The adj. meaning 'alive' is from 1605. Animated 'full of activity' is from 1585. In ref. to 'moving pictures' it dates from 1895; animation in the cinematographic sense is from 1912."
  9. ^ a b "AniDB Definition:Anime". AniDB. Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  10. ^ "Anime Dictionary Definition". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  11. ^ "Body Proportion". Akemi's Anime World. Retrieved 2007-08-16.
  12. ^ Schodt, Frederik L. (1996). Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga. Berkeley, California: Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 1-8806562-3-X.
  13. ^ Poitras, Gilles (1998). Anime Companion. Berkeley, California: Stone Bridge Press. ISBN ISBN 1-880656-32-9. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)
  14. ^ "Reference pictures to actual places". Retrieved 2007-01-25.
  15. ^ The concept of a bloody nose is supposedly due to blood rushing to the face in an exaggerated blush. Sometimes the character will even be propelled up into the air by a fountain of blood. (See Nosebleeds in fiction.)
  16. ^ "Anime News Network – Lexicon". Retrieved 2006-11-17.
  17. ^ "Progress Against the Law: Fan Distribution, Copyright, and the Explosive Growth of Japanese Animation". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ "Pokemon (sic) Franchise Approaches 150 Million Games Sold". PR Newswire. 2005-10-04. Retrieved 2006-09-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ "Adventures of the ASOS Brigade Episode 00: Made by Fans for Fans". Retrieved 2006-12-23.
  20. ^ "What is anime?". ANN. 2002-07-26. Retrieved 2007-08-18.
  21. ^ "What is anime?". AnimeNation. 2006-05-15. Retrieved 2007-08-18.
  22. ^ [1]
  23. ^ Faiola, Anthony (2003-12-27). "Japan's Empire of Cool". The Washington Post. Washington Post Company. pp. A1. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  24. ^ "JLPT Communication Square". Japan Foundation. Retrieved 2007-08-17.

Book Sources

  • Clements, Jonathan (2001). The Anime Encyclopedia. Berkeley, California: Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 1-880656-64-7. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  • Napier, Susan J. (2001). Anime: From Akira to Princess Mononoke. New York: Palgrave. ISBN 0-312-23862-2.
  • Poitras, Gilles (2000). Anime Essentials. Berkeley, California: Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 1-880656-53-1.
  • Baricordi, Andrea (2000). Anime: A Guide to Japanese Animation (1958–1988). Montreal, Canada: Protoculture. ISBN 2-9805759-0-9. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

See also

Online encyclopedias

Lists

  • List of anime by Decade
1910s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s
2000s
  • List of anime by Type
Series, Films, OVAs
  • Other
Anime Companies
Conventions
List of anime theatrically released in America
Notable names in anime (directors, creators, and so forth)

External links

Template:Link FA Template:Link FA

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anime&oldid=152415766"