Anime or not?
Is it technically anime if, for example, Gonzo or Production I.G and a Canadian animation studio did the main animation production on a movie and worked with investors in Japan?
|
Well... the old "what is anime" question. I've been an advocate on disregarding the "geographical consideration" towards determine if a product is an "anime or not". It is better to focus on the end products themselves to determine that. Even then, there exists a general bottom line that states "who cares". That's on the sheer premise that "animation is animation" regardless and outright.
Finally, this is not a very popular viewpoint, especially among those who retain "anime as something strictly from Japan". |
Yeah... the viewpoint has stuck to me somehow (3 categories for me: anime, animation and cartoons, though they are the same).
|
This is a hard one, but it almost comes down to how they want to market it.
Don't the Japanese refer to it all as "animation" anyways? |
What's the interest in having a solid definition? After all, it's clear you know what it is for yourself. You can identify it and chose to enjoy it if you want, that's what counts. Maybe it's something that can't be put into words? If best understood through words, maybe they'd be books instead :heh:
|
Quote:
But yes, it depends on getting the members of any conversation you hold to agree on a definition. There's certainly no law about it, and personal meanings mean the most, but it's nice to clarify things that can come under dispute. |
Ah I see. If I was ever in that situation I suppose I'd just suggest an anime for someone to watch. I kinda think too that some definitions are too technical for their own good. What if there is a detailed official definition for anime but one outside the art can understand it?
I took a class once where we had to define the term "music therapy" and we came up with this ballin' 1 paragraph long definition; it covered everything about it, but totally meaningless to the average person haha. But I think that's what you're saying when you say personal meanings mean the most. |
Quote:
But I guess we should go back to thinking of some generalizations and examples. |
Oh yea, sorry about that. I'll contribute a little to make up for my derailing the topic ^_^.
What you were saying earlier about how Japanese people refer to it, I found a wikipedia entry that confirms it (hopefully wikipedia is credible): "Anime is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of 'animation'". Wikipedia also says that its hand drawn or computer generated images, which makes me think of something. I wonder what would differentiate anime from say wood block prints or other ancient eastern art? Perhaps an answer lies in that. |
If it feels like anime, exudes japanese cultural values, and is directed/produced by japanese, sure I'll call it anime. Where the frames are actually made is secondary.
|
Yeah, I pretty much agree with Vexx here.
I recently watched an episode of the new Thundercats show. It was a good watch, and I enjoyed it as much as I would a lot of anime shows out there. However, it was clearly culturally North American, and that does make a couple significant differences between it and anime, that I think seasoned anime fans will notice. I don't think that these cultural differences are necessarily insignificant. Something like Clannad would likely never arise out of North America, in my view, and cultural differences is a big part of the reason why. That's why I once called Clannad "an anime's anime". There's certain anime shows that are quintessentially anime, as it's very hard to imagine them arising out of any other medium and/or in a non-Asian cultural context. |
Quote:
|
Well if the characters have big beady eyes, awesome hair colors, and a great plot then yeah I'll consider it an anime.
|
Quote:
:3 After some thought, I've found myself focusing more on the animation styles themselves. With regards to story, that's irrelevant, because you can take any story and plug it into "anime". For example, the Marvel series - despite them not turning out all that great. When it comes to anime, it is this section that I'd actually want to improve: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime#V...haracteristics I started it. Many others have come along with their contributions. But it's still lacking something. In addition, I had once advocated "Avatar: the Last Airbender" as anime. I did that based on watching just a few minutes of it. I had convinced myself of Avatar being anime -- UNTIL -- I actually watched it. This series had scenery that could rival many anime. Some of the action scenes are also just as comparable. But, when it came time for the characters exchanging dialogue... this is where I changed my mind. Quote:
Oddly enough. This "feeling idea". When I watched the X-Men anime -- I didn't like the idea of that one "feeling Japanese", because the X-Men themselves are Americans. Yet, they behaved like the Japanese, when handling a crisis situation. It was fine adding in a Japanese mutant though. As for Iron Man, Mr Stark remained a brash, perverted white-boy. :heh::D |
Cartoons made in Japan.
|
I was thinking about this a little bit the other night and I had a question.
If you think of anime from a cultural perspective, then does a video game made in Japan become an Anime-Game? :heh: I thought it was a cool perspective, thinking of say Final Fantasy as an Anime-Game or something. I think it would have helped tie some connections together for me. I always loved video games but never came to anime until the Summer time. I prob would have been more inclined to check it out if the connections between the two were more obvious. |
A lot of asian sourced MMOs have anime art stylings and storylines. They are aometimes fun to explore simply for that reason.
|
Quote:
|
Quote:
|
Quote:
Regardless of cultural views, Westerns CAN and should take on careers developing anime on their own. It's all a matter of learning the exact same techniques, when it comes to developing them. Hell, Japanese animators could possibly make some extra money in the states teaching these kinds of courses. Seeing an add like this today via Facebook is pleasing: http://i.imgur.com/7zCslvi.png I'd go into that field myself, except I am too old, not creative enough, and not talented enough to do so. The best I can do is maintain a perspective outside that which is commonly viewed, in the hopes that someone else would take this opportunity. |
Except that overall.... Making one is suffering.
|
I'd be supportive of western-made animation emulating the general style and aesthetics of anime.
The Teen Titans cartoon of several years back was akin to this. So was Avatar the Last Airbender. It would be nice to see more shows in this vein. |
Quote:
|
I've often wondered how anime the many shows animated in Japan (with a fairly convincing Anime "feel") but written in Europe (mostly Spain & France) should be regarded.
|
Anime is animation is cartoons is アニメーション is アニメ.
If you really must make distinctions and are throwing a fit then call it "Japanese animation". And be done. In my opinion the word "anime" should not exist in the English language. It'd be like calling Japanese video games "geemu". Screw that. That said, I consider animation commissioned and started in Japan as Japanese. Don't consider who does the grunt work, like Japanese doing inbetweening animation for American studios or Koreans doing Japanese animation work. If it is not initially made in Japan but has a healthy serving of Japanese animation flavor, then it is done in a Japanese style, but still that country's animation. And same goes for Japanese animation that imitates other country's animations, they have a different style but are still Japanese by definition of who created it.' Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt is a Japanese animation done in an American style. Avatar the Last Airbender is an American animation done in a Japanese style. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animation, period. We ignore the fact that Toei (Japan) did much of its animation. Ghost in the Shell is a Japanese animation, period. We ignore the fact that Dr Movie (South Korea) did much of its animation. And also, styles are not exclusive to countries. Japanese style came from Japan, but anyone in the world can do it, even Japanese. |
|
IMO it's anime if the main demographic is Japanese.
|
Does this count?
|
Quote:
That Danny Choo is not Japanese has absolutely nothing to do with it. |
Quote:
"Anime" is much easier to write and say than "Japanese animation" is. So what's wrong with using "anime" as a convenient shorthand for "Japanese animation"? The word "anime" is a very useful word, and it kind of sounds cool, imo. But I agree that Mirai Millennium is anime. Danny Choo being its Director doesn't detract from that at all - Actually, it arguably adds to it, as Choo is obviously a hardcore anime fan. |
Quote:
Look at other countries, do we see their animation as so "different", so "unique"? Why don't we have special words for Canadian animation, for French animation, for Korean animation? Why is "anime" so different from everyone else's animation?? It's not, and people should stop pretending it is. Yes I agree that "anime" is easier to write, and without prior knowledge of the situation of the fan community I would say that characterizing different country's animation with words from their languages is absolutely fine and really cool. But unfortunately I know about the monkey poo throwing that using the term "anime" so much and no words for other countries inevitably causes. |
Quote:
|
Quote:
Anime is cartoons, they are not different! :eyebrow: |
lol our answers would end up being the same anyway.
Me: Anime =/= cartoons (how to explain to Japan [which doesn't segregate their anime], that both are different? *shows up a blank paper*). You: Not different. And you could come look at it. |
Quote:
IMO there is more to it than just differences in animation styles between animes and american cartoons, but it would rather pointless to explain that to you seeing your last few posts. |
Quote:
In here, fans (not all) separate them (and no, fans [again, not all] don't want to lump ponies, coyotes, annoying sisters who blow up labs and superheroes with Nanoha, Haruhi, Robotech, etc. :p ). |
Quote:
Quote:
Please understand my posts before trying to debate about something I never said. |
Yes in Japan anime is used for all animation
But outside Japan, anime is a fan term for Japanese animation. No one is saying because you are a fan of Japanese animation you can't also be a fan of animation from other countries but I am specifically a fan of animation from Japan so when I say I am an anime fan I do mean something very specific. and why doesn't other countries get a specific name for their animation well for one thing no one said a special fan name can't be created for French animation, the fact that there isn't is more a reflection of the fans. There is a huge community among fans of Japanese animation. Heck just the sheer volume of Japanese animation compared to other countries is also a factor. Is it any surprise that a special name developed for this. |
Kudryavka, here's the thing - Most adult anime fans don't want to say to their non-anime fan friends that "I'm a hardcore cartoon fan". :heh: Like it or not, "cartoon" carries a certain connotation in the west. We don't have to like it, but we do have to live with it.
And saying "I'm a hardcore animation fan" is liable to get responses like "Oh? So you're into the Pixar movies then?" or people thinking you're a poser for using 'animation' instead of 'cartoon'. But if you say "I'm an anime fan", your non-anime fan friends may well read that as being akin to you saying "I'm a fan of foreign films". They'll probably think that makes you eccentric, but hopefully in a neat sort of way. They might even think you're more "cultured" for it, lol. |
Actually I find one calling themselves an anime fan in the West amongst non-anime people tends to evoke one of two reactions more often than not (and these attitudes have barely changed over the last decade):
1. Oh, so you like Pokemon/Naurto/One Piece/DBZ? 2. Oh, so you like hentai... Those are the two commonly held views, from my experience. There aren't that many willing to understand and far less that care. Crispin Freeman once notably mentioned that a decade ago, you could mention recent titles and a good number of people in the West would know what they are, but today, mention recent titles and people are much less likely to know them. I generally find that to be true in the West. But on the flipside, back then was a weaker time for anime sales in Japan and now is their strongest, so no surprise. |
| All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:06. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.