Japanimation: the next step for cartoons to take
Mar 07 '01
The Bottom Line Anime is a superb source for entertainment. Just be ready to have your concept of animation challenged.
Okay kids, settle down and let's begin the lecture.
Japanimation (Japanese animation) is currently my only real hobby, although lately it has become more of an obsession, since I own over 150 video tapes and over 10 DVDs. Why? Very good question.
Anime (another word for Japanimation) is animation that goes beyond the normal "cartoon" stereotype. Think of all the movies that come out of Hollywood every year. You have dramas, comedies, action, adventure, sci-fi and horror, just to name a few. Now, imagine all of those movies (and I mean *all* of them) animated. That's the general description of Anime. The great part about Anime (in my oh-so-humble opinion) is the plot lines. Each series has its own plot, which generally changes from episode to episode, so that it turns into a story. Unlike its American counterparts, which more or less have the same kind of episode over and over, Anime develops each character in the series, making them both more interesting and more believable. Sailor Moon is an excellent example. Every now and then we focus on one main character, and how they react to something that happens. These plot lines drew me in faster than quicksand.
Anime is not a genre, but a group of genres in and of itself. You have light-hearted anime such as Cardcaptor Sakura, action such as DragonBall Z and Tenchi Muyo, drama such as Sailor Moon or Kimagure Orange Road, adventure such as Princess Mononoke, and many others. Believe me when I say that anything can happen in Anime. Just as there are "R" rated features in Hollywood, so can the Anime become more graphic or detailed in its visuals. The well-known movie "Akira" definitely falls into a sci-fi/horror genre (at least in my opinion), yet I still liked it, even though I tend to like the lighter side of Anime.
One thing that annoys me (and annoys any Anime lover) is when people refer to anime as "cartoons". In the United States, people usually refer to animation as "cartoons". When you hear the word "cartoon", what do you think of? Perhaps a cat and mouse chasing each other around, setting up traps? Or a rabbit who has fun with his hunter? Basic goofball stuff right? Although some Anime is like that (it's animated, of *course* there will be goofball stuff), it's only a fraction of the market.
One other thing annoys me, and it has to do with the US distributors of anime: subtitled Anime. Any true Anime lover tends to prefer the original Japanese episode with English subtitles (or without, if they're "hardcore" fans), but one thing bothers me. Subtitled Anime is either hard to find, or costs around five dollars more to purchase. Don't you think it would be more expensive to hire actors to do the dialogue in English? With the advent of the DVD, Anime fans have something to cheer about, because these lovely things come with BOTH English and Japanese tracks.
Two more points and I'll let you guys go your merry way. First: Anime on television. I'm thrilled to see Anime on American television, especially on Cartoon Network. A thousand blessings to them for their efforts to show Anime. However, fans of series like Sailor Moon and Outlaw star (just to name a couple) should be wary of something: what you see on television is not the entire or true episode. Especially in Sailor Moon, editing goes on to ensure it will meet with the standards of the (outdated and paranoid) FCC. In fact, I devoted an entire website to the differences in the Japanese and English versions of the Sailor Moon S Series, and believe me, there were PLENTY to point out. I can understand cutting small parts of the episode for time, but let's not rewrite the dialogue, okay? If it's too strong for children, let the parents ensure their kids watch what they believe is best (another subject of discussion I will avoid).
Finally, there are those who discourage the watching of anime, saying it's "pornographic". I say to these people "If Hollywood comes out with movies that have violence and sexual situations, Anime is fair game for it as well." I'm telling you, if Hollywood can do it, Anime can do it, and usually better in the bargain. You can do a lot more with animated characters and locations than with real characters and locations. All right, so this female's body proportions are augmented. So they used a lot of blood in that last scene. So these high school teens are being a bit too risquee. Anyone remember "American Pie"? So let's not pretend that an episode or movie is offensive just because it happens to be animated. It is our OPTION to watch these things, and as such, I think it should be left alone, like the other hundreds of TV channels and thousands of Hollywood movies.
As a final word, I just have to say that Anime is the best form of entertainment I've come across. It combines great plot, enchanting music and wonderful characters, along with some interesting animation effects and situations, making it a great way to laugh, cry and otherwise be entertained.
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HarryJr
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