Defining "anime" (was Re: Yasui Yoshio's anime book E+J)

[Brian Dunn]

> In my own experiences with anime; there really seems to be
a few
> definitions of anime depending on who you ask.

Especially since in Japan, 'anime' is just the word for
'animation,' or what Japanese call 'cartoons.'  In Japan,
Disney animated features are also 'anime.'  But the question
is, what do people outside define 'anime' as.



> these fans got interested in the artform by the visuals,
most stay because
> of the typically better written stories than US cartoons
and even most
> live-action shows.
>

Granted, I haven't seen much anime, but I think the well
written stories are rare, especially considering such a
small percentage of anime is released in America.  America
usually gets the really popular along with the violence/sex
based works that are usually more popular outside Japan than
in.


> For younger or newer fans; they see anime as the most
recent or most
> popular series to come out. The majority of today's fans
were brought in
> on series like SAILOR MOON, DRAGONBALL (with or without
the Z), or films
> like AKIRA or the current preferred anime cyberpunk film
GHOST IN THE
> SHELL. In contrast to the older fans, newer fans are still
in more of the

Not to mention 'Shinseiki Evangelion,' or 'Neon Genesis
Evangelion,' as it's referred to here.  I highly recommend
this series to anyone, whether you 'like anime' or not.
It's very deep and better written than any other anime I
have seen, and better than a lot of movies.  Akira is great,
although I haven't seen it in about 4 years, and I have
matured a lot since I was 17, so I think I would get a lot
more out of it now.  And Ghost in the Shell
(Kousetsukidoushou -?- in Japan) is great but I had to watch
it like four times to understand it fully.  I also read the
manga by Shirow Masamune which was the basis for the film.
Reading this helped me understand the movie better, and it
gave a litlle different view.  And the manga version is also
a lot more lighthearted - lots of jokes and gags.


> 'gosh, wow' stage with their priorities on high quality
visuals, serious
> action/fight scenes, and, for guys at least, the fan
service.
>

Fan Service being service to the fans in the form of nudity
and bouncing-breasts shots.


Brian Dunn
bdunn at netmagic.net