Moe-style illustration of a character combining design elements of Mahoro Andou from Mahoromatic and Haruhi Suzumiya from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Anime (アニメ, Anime^?) (pronounced [anime] listen (help·info) in Japanese, but typically pronounced /ˈænɪmeɪ/ or /ˈænɪmə/ in English) is an abbreviation of the English word "animation", originating in Japan through the roots of manga. is a Sci-fi Romantic comedy Manga and Anime series which contains elements of the literary genre of tragic dramas is the title character of the ''Haruhi Suzumiya'' series, created by Nagaru Tanigawa and developed into a media franchise is the name of the 2006 television Anime about a girl who unbeknownst to her possesses the power to change reality. ANIM is a File format, used to store images and is a variation of the ILBM format which is a subformat of Interchange File Format. is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The bouncing ball animation (below consists of these 6 frames For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly ^[1][2] Although the term is used in Japan to refer to animation in general, in English usage the term most popularly refers to material originating from Japan, a subset of animation.

Anime is traditionally hand drawn, but computer assisted techniques have become quite common in recent years. Computer-generated imagery Computer animation is the art of creating moving images with the use of Computers It is a subfield of Computer graphics It is used in television series, films, video, video games, and internet-based releases, and represents all genres of fiction. A television program (US television programme (UK or television show (U Video is the technology of electronically capturing, Recording, processing storing transmitting and reconstructing a sequence of Still images A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks A genre (ˈʒɑːnrə also /ˈdʒɑːnrə/ from French "kind" or "sort" from Latin: genus (stem gener-) is a loose set Fiction is the telling of stories which are not real More specifically fiction is an imaginative form of Narrative, one of the four basic Rhetorical modes.

History

Main article: History of anime

Screenshot from Momotaro's Divine Sea Warriors (1944), the first feature-length anime film. The history of Anime begins at the start is the first Japanese feature-length animated film. It was directed by, who was ordered to make a Propaganda film for the war by the Japanese Feature length is a film term that refers to the length of a Feature film.

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. A film director, or filmmaker, is a person who directs the making of a Film. The bouncing ball animation (below consists of these 6 frames ^[3] The oldest known anime in existence was screened in 1917; it was a two minute clip of a samurai trying to test a new sword on his target, only to suffer defeat. ^[4]

By the 1930s, 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. Animation allowed artists to create any characters and settings. ^[5]

The success of Disney's 1937 feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs influenced Japanese animators. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American film based on the eponymous German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. ^[6] Osamu Tezuka adapted and simplified many Disney animation techniques to reduce the costs and number of frames in the production. was a Japanese manga artist, Animator, producer and Medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine This was intended to be a temporary measure to allow him to produce material on a tight schedule with an inexperienced animation staff.

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"^[7] and the "god of manga". ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly was a Japanese manga artist, Animator, producer and Medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine ^[8][9] His work and that of other pioneers in the field, inspired characteristics and genres that are fundamental elements of anime today. The giant robot genre (known as "Mecha" outside Japan), for instance, took shape under Tezuka, developed into the Super Robot genre under Go Nagai and others, and was revolutionized at the end of the decade by Yoshiyuki Tomino who developed the Real Robot genre. A robot is a mechanical or Virtual Artificial agent In practice it is usually an electro-mechanical system which by its appearance or movements Word origin and usage The term "mecha" is derived from the Japanese abbreviation for the English word " mechanical " For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. is a term used in Manga and Anime to describe a giant robot or Mecha, with an arsenal of fantastic super-powered weapons sometimes transformable or combined from is a Japanese manga creator and an important innovator of several genres within Anime and Manga. is a Japanese Anime creator director screenwriter and novelist is a term first seen in the Super Robot Wars series of video games to describe robots or Mecha that are treated as realistic tools/weapons Robot anime like the Gundam and Macross series became instant classics in the 1980s, and the robot genre of anime is still one of the most common in Japan and worldwide today. is a Metaseries of English Anime, featuring tiny robots or " Kounans " created by Sunrise studios is an Anime Television series According to story creator Shoji Kawamori, it depicts "a small love triangle against the backdrop of great battles" In the 1980s, anime became more accepted in the mainstream in Japan (although less than manga), and experienced a boom in production. Mainstream is generally the common current of Thought of the Majority. ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly Following a few successful adaptations of anime in overseas markets in the 1980s, anime gained increased acceptance in those markets in the 1990s and even more in the 2000s.

Terminology

In Japanese, the English term animation is written in katakana as アニメーション (animēshon, pronounced [ɑnimeːɕoɴ]). is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities is a Japanese Syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with Hiragana, Kanji, and in some cases the Latin alphabet The shortened term, anime (アニメ), emerged in the 1970s. ^[10] Both the original and abbreviated forms are valid and interchangeable in Japanese, but the shorter form is more commonly used.

The pronunciation of anime in Japanese, [ɑnime], differs significantly from the Standard English IPA: /ˈænɪmeɪ/ which have different vowels and stress. Standard English (often shortened to SE within linguistic circles is a term generally applied to a form of the English language that is thought to be normative In Linguistics, stress is the relative emphasis that may be given to certain Syllables in a word (In Japanese each mora carries equal stress. Mora (plural moras or morae) is a unit of sound used in Phonology that determines Syllable weight (which in turn determines stress ) As with a few other Japanese words such as saké, Pokémon, and Kobo Abé, anime is sometimes spelled animé in English (as in French), with an acute accent over the final e, to cue the reader that the letter is pronounced, not silent as would be expected in English. If you came here to express your personal opinion about Pokémon please go somewhere else History An early precursor of the acute accent was the apex, used in Latin inscriptions to mark long vowels. However, this accent does not appear in any commonly used system of romanized Japanese and is not in frequent enough use to be recognised by the Oxford English Dictionary. The romanization of Japanese or ( is the use of the Latin alphabet to write the Japanese language.

Word usage

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. A blanket term is a word or Phrase that is used to describe multiple groups of related things ^[11][12] In English, dictionary sources define anime as "a Japanese style of motion-picture animation" or "a style of animation developed in Japan". ^[13] Non-Japanese works that borrow stylization from anime is commonly referred to as "anime-influenced animation" but it is not unusual for a viewer who doesn't know the country of origin of such material to refer to it as simply "anime". Anime-influenced animation refers to non-Japanese works of Animation that emulate the visual style of Anime. Some works are co-productions with non-Japanese companies, such as the Cartoon Network and Production I.G series IGPX or Ōban Star-Racers, which may or may not be considered anime by different viewers. ( is a Japanese Anime studio and production enterprise which was founded on December 15, 1987 by Mitsuhisa Ishikawa. Immortal Grand Prix (IGPX refers to two Anime series co-produced simultaneously by Cartoon Network and Production I is a French / Japanese Animated television series created by Savin Yeatman-Eiffel of Sav! The World Productions

In English, 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"). In Linguistics and Etymology, suppletion is traditionally understood as the use of one word as the inflected form of another word when the two words In Grammar, an adjective is a word whose main syntactic role is to modify a Noun or Pronoun, giving more information about the is a Japanese Anime series based on the long-running manga series written by Yoshiki Takaya, adapting chapters 1 - 59 (volume 10 of the manga The Guyver is a 1991 science fiction film based on the Guyver manga series It may also be used as a mass noun, as in "How much anime have you collected?" and therefore is not pluralized as animes. In Linguistics, a mass noun (also uncountable noun or non-count noun) is a common Noun that presents entities as an unbounded mass

Synonyms

Anime is occasionally referred to as Japanimation, but this term has fallen into disuse. ^[14] Japanimation saw the most usage during the 1970s and 1980s, but was supplanted by anime in the mid-1990s as the material became more widely known in English-speaking countries. ^[15] In general, the term now only appears in nostalgic contexts. ^[15] Although the term was coined outside Japan to refer to animation imported from Japan, it is now used primarily in Japan, to refer to domestic animation; since anime does not identify the country of origin in Japanese usage, Japanimation is used to distinguish Japanese work from that of the rest of the world. ^[15]

In Japan, manga can additionally refer to both animation and comics (although the use of manga to refer to animation is mostly restricted to non-fans). For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. 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. This article is about Manga Entertainment the anime distributor Because Manga Entertainment originated in the UK the use of the term is common outside of Japan. The term "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. are a variant of Japanese Manga which are available in manga style books and digitally as E-books occasionally called e-manga

Visual characteristics

The representative styles of "classic" and "modern" anime art.

Some of the more uncommon art styles of modern anime.

Anime is commonly referred as an art form. ^[16] As a visual medium, it naturally places a large emphasis towards visual styles. The styles can vary from artist to artist or by studio to studio. Some titles make extensive use of common stylization: FLCL, for example, is known for its wild, exaggerated stylization. is an Original video animation series written by Yōji Enokido, directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki and produced by the FLCL Production Committee which In contrast, titles such as Only Yesterday or Jin-Roh take much more realistic approaches, featuring few stylistic exaggerations. is the sixth film by critically acclaimed director Isao Takahata ( Grave of the Fireflies) and produced by Studio Ghibli. is a 1999 animated Feature film directed by Hiroyuki Okiura. The film is an adaptation of Mamoru Oshii 's

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. However, this does not mean that all modern anime share one strict, common art style. Many anime have a very different art style from what would commonly be called "anime style", yet fans still use the word "anime" to refer to these titles. Generally, the most common form of anime drawings are "exaggerated physical features such as large eyes, big hair and elongated limbs. . . and dramatically shaped speech bubbles, speed lines and onomatopoeic, exclamatory typography. "^[17]

The influences of Japanese calligraphy and Japanese painting also characterize linear qualities of the anime style. is a form of Calligraphy, or artistic Writing, used for writing the Japanese language. is one of the oldest and most highly refined of the Japanese arts encompassing a wide variety of genre and styles The round Ink brush traditionally used for writing Kanji and for painting produces a stroke of widely varying thickness. Ink brushes ( in Japanese fude) are used in Chinese calligraphy. are the Chinese characters that are used in the modern Japanese logographic writing system along with Hiragana (ひらがな 平仮名 Katakana

Anime also tends to borrow many elements from manga including text in the background, and borrowing panel layouts from the manga as well. ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly For example, an opening may employ manga panels to tell the story, or to dramatize a point for humorous effect. This is best demonstrated in the anime Kare Kano. commonly abbreviated, is a Manga series by Masami Tsuda. It was published by Hakusensha in LaLa from 1995 to 2005 and collected in 21

Character design

Body proportions emulated in anime come from proportions of the human body. 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 remains proportional. Most anime characters are about seven to eight heads tall, and extreme heights are set around nine heads tall. ^[18]

Variations to proportion can be modded. Super deformed characters feature a non-proportionally small body compared to the head. Super deformed or SD is a specific style of Japanese Caricature where characters are drawn in an exaggerated way typically small and chubby with stubby limbs and Sometimes specific body parts, like legs, are shortened or elongated for added emphasis. Mostly super deformed characters are two to four heads tall. Some anime works like Crayon Shin-chan completely disregard these proportions. is a Japanese Manga and Anime series written by Yoshito Usui. It is enough such that it resembles a Western cartoon. For exaggeration, certain body features are increased in proportion. ^[18]

A common approach is the large eyes style drawn on many anime and manga characters. Eyes are organs that detect Light, and send signals along the Optic nerve to the visual areas of the brain ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly Osamu Tezuka was inspired by the exaggerated features of American cartoon characters such as Betty Boop, Mickey Mouse, and Disney's Bambi. was a Japanese manga artist, Animator, producer and Medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine Betty Boop is an animated Cartoon character appearing in the Talkartoon and Betty Boop series of films produced by Mickey Mouse is a comic animal Cartoon character who has become an icon for The Walt Disney Company. BMP and Activin membrane bound inhibitor (BAMBI has a similar extracellular domain as type I receptors in the TGF beta signaling pathway. ^[3][19] Tezuka found that large eyes style allowed his characters to show emotions distinctly. When Tezuka began drawing Ribbon no Kishi, the first manga specifically targeted at young girls, Tezuka further exaggerated the size of the characters' eyes. is a Japanese Manga that ran through four serializations from 1954 to 1968 as well as a 1967 Japanese children's Animated series called Ribbon no Kishi Indeed, through Ribbon no Kishi, Tezuka set a stylistic template that later shōjo artists tended to follow.

Coloring is added to give eyes, particularly the cornea, and some depth. The depth is accomplished by applying variable color shading. Generally, a mixture of a light shade, the tone color, and a dark shade is used. ^[20][21] Cultural anthropologist Matt Thorn argues that Japanese animators and audiences do not perceive such stylized eyes as inherently more or less foreign. Matt Thorn is a cultural anthropologist and an Associate Professor in the School of Cartoon & Comic Art at Kyoto Seika University in Japan. ^[5]

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. is a ^[22] In addition many other productions also have been known to use smaller eyes. This design tends to have more resemblance to traditional Japanese art. Some characters have even smaller eyes, where simple black dots are used.

A wide variety of facial expressions are used by characters to denote moods and thoughts. ^[23] Anime uses a different set of facial expressions in comparison to western animation.

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. Magic satchel is a term often used in reference to Computer role-playing games It refers to the use of a character's Inventory in the game which can often contain Cartoon physics is a joking reference to the fact that Animation allows regular laws of physics to be ignored in humorous ways for dramatic effects Male characters will develop a bloody nose around their female love interests (typically to indicate arousal, based on an old wives' tale). Epistaxis (or a nosebleed in Plain English) is the relatively common occurrence of Hemorrhage from the Nose, usually noticed when the blood drains ^[24] Embarrassed characters either produce a massive sweat-drop (which has become one of the most widely recognized stereotype motifs of anime) or produce a visibly red blush beneath the eyes, especially as a manifestation of repressed romantic feelings. While common, the use of face faults is optional. Some anime, usually with political plots and other more serious subject matters, have abandoned the use of face faults such as Gundam Wing and Teknoman. Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, known in Japan as, was an anime series in the Mecha genre and is one of the alternate universe Gundam series is an Anime series released in 1992 This series was intended to be a reboot of the original Tekkaman The Space Knight anime though these shows ultimately

Animation technique

Main article: Animation

The basics of anime are based on traditional animation. The bouncing ball animation (below consists of these 6 frames Traditional animation, also referred to as classical animation, cel animation, or hand-drawn animation, is the oldest and historically the most popular Like all animation, the production processes of storyboarding, voice acting, character design, cel production, etc. See also Pre-production Storyboards are graphic organizers such as a series of Illustrations or Images displayed in sequence for the purpose of Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters (including those in feature films television series animated shorts and Video games) and still apply. With improvements in computer technology, computer animation increased the efficiency of the whole production process. Computer-generated imagery Computer animation is the art of creating moving images with the use of Computers It is a subfield of Computer graphics

Anime is often considered a form of limited animation. Limited animation is a process of making Animated cartoons that do not follow a "realistic" approach 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. ^[3] Many of the techniques used a comprised with cost-cutting measures while working under a set budget.

Anime scenes place emphasis on achieving three-dimensional views. Backgrounds depict the scenes' atmosphere. ^[3] For example, anime often puts emphasis on changing seasons, as can be seen in numerous anime, such as Tenchi Muyo. is an Anime, Light novel, and Manga series created by Masaki Kajishima and Hiroki Hayashi about a boy named Tenchi Masaki, 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. is the name of the 2006 television Anime about a girl who unbeknownst to her possesses the power to change reality. is a city located in Hyōgo, Japan, between the cities of Ōsaka and Kōbe. ^[25]

Camera angles, camera movement, and lighting play an important role in scenes. Directors often have the discretion of determining viewing angles for scenes, particularly regarding backgrounds. In addition, camera angles show perspective. Perspective (from Latin perspicere to see through in the graphic arts such as drawing is an approximate representation on a flat surface (such as paper of an image as it is perceived ^[26] Directors can also choose camera effects within cinematography, such as panning, zooming, facial closeup, and panoramic. See also Filmmaking Cinematography (from Greek: kinesis κινησις (movement and grapho γραφω (to record is the discipline ^[27]

Genres

Dragon Ball Z (1989) is a hugely successful shōnen anime based on the original manga series which spanned 291 episodes and 13 movies. is a Japanese word literally meaning few years which can have the following meanings Shōnen a typical Boy, from elementary school through junior high

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. The action genre is a class of creative works characterised by a greater emphasis on exciting action sequences than on character development or story-telling Adventure Film is a Film genre. History The adventure film reached its peak of popularity in 1930s and Comedy film is a genre of Film in which the main emphasis is on humor. A drama film is a Film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes Erotica (from the Greek Eros —"desire" or "curiosa" works of art including literature, photography film sculpture Ecchi (or Etchi, from the Japanese エッチ etchi) is derived from a Japanese word meaning "lewd" "sexy" "lascivious" is a Japanese word that in the West is used when referring to sexually explicit or pornographic comics and animation particularly Japanese Anime, Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine hidden secret referring to "knowledge of the hidden" Horror films are Movies that strive to elicit Fear, Horror and terror responses from viewers As a Literary genre of High culture, romance or chivalric romance refers to a style of heroic Prose and verse Narrative A science fiction genre is a sub-category within the broader context of the Science fiction Genre as a whole 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, science fiction, mecha, and drama. commonly referred to as NGE, Eva, or Evangelion, is a commercially and critically successful influential and controversial Japanese Anime that

The following is a list of the major genres and designations that are specific to anime and manga. ^[28]

• Action/Adventure primarily focuses on battles, war, and physical competition. The action genre is a class of creative works characterised by a greater emphasis on exciting action sequences than on character development or story-telling Adventure Film is a Film genre. History The adventure film reached its peak of popularity in 1930s and Martial arts, weapon fighting, or other action oriented material are usually featured. Examples: Naruto or One Piece. is an ongoing Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto with an Anime adaptation is a Japanese Shōnen Manga written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda, that has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine
• Drama primarily has a high degree of character development and emotional themes. A drama film is a Film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes Many center on relationship complications. Examples: Fushigi Yūgi or Kare Kano. is a Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Yuu Watase. commonly abbreviated, is a Manga series by Masami Tsuda. It was published by Hakusensha in LaLa from 1995 to 2005 and collected in 21
• Game Based primarily revolves around some sort of card or board game. Examples: Yu-Gi-Oh! or Hikaru no Go. is a Japanese Manga created by Kazuki Takahashi, which has spawned a franchise including multiple Anime series a trading card game and numerous video is a popular Japanese Manga and Anime Coming of age story based on the Board game Go written by Yumi Hotta and illustrated
• Horror use darker and/or supernatural themes. Horror fiction is broadly Fiction in any medium intended to scare unsettle or horrify the audience Examples: Vampire Hunter D series or Chrono Crusade. is the title character of a series of novels by Japanese horror and pulp author Hideyuki Kikuchi. known as Chrno Crusade in Japan, Singapore, Germany, France, Australia and Estonia, is an eight volume
• Science fiction consists of futuristic elements, particularly featuring future science and technology. A science fiction genre is a sub-category within the broader context of the Science fiction Genre as a whole They can be drawn from current scientific studies and inventions or created to meet the needs of the world. Hard science fiction is a category of Science fiction characterized by an emphasis on scientific or technical detail or on scientific accuracy or on both Soft science fiction, or soft SF, like its complementary opposite Hard science fiction, is a descriptive term that points to the role and nature of the Examples: Ghost in the Shell or Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise
• Progressive or "Art films" are extremely stylized. is a Japanese Cyberpunk Manga created by Masamune Shirow, and first published in 1989 in Young is the first feature-length Anime movie produced by Gainax in 1987 Examples: Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei or 5 Centimeters Per Second. is a Japanese Manga by Kōji Kumeta, serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine. subtitled "a chain of short stories about their distance" is a 2007 Japanese animated Feature film by Makoto Shinkai.

Demographic

Demographic describes the intended target audience.

• Shōjo is Japanese for "young lady" or "little girl". is a Japanese word originally derived from a Chinese expression written with the same characters These are generally targeted at girls. Examples: Fruits Basket or Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch. sometimes abbreviated, is a Japanese Manga series by Natsuki Takaya. is a Shōjo manga and Anime series created by
• Shōnen is Japanese for "young boy". is a Japanese word literally meaning few years which can have the following meanings Shōnen a typical Boy, from elementary school through junior high Examples: Dragon Ball Z or Digimon . is a popular Japanese series of media and merchandise including Anime, Manga, Toys Video games trading card games and other
• Seinen is Japanese for "young man" and normally includes teenage or young male adults. Examples: Oh My Goddess! or Cowboy Bebop
• Josei is Japanese for "young woman". also known as Ah! My Goddess!, is a Seinen Manga series by Kosuke Fujishima currently serialized in Kodansha 's monthly is a Japanese animated television series. Directed by Shinichirō Watanabe and written by Keiko Nobumoto, Cowboy Bebop was produced by Examples: Gokusen or Honey and Clover. is a Manga series by Kozueko Morimoto. The story follows Kumiko Yamaguchi the granddaughter of a Yakuza boss and teacher at an all-male private high school is a Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Chika Umino.
• Kodomo is Japanese for "child". All children's series fall into this category. Examples: Hello Kitty or Hamtaro. full name, is the best-known of many simply drawn Fictional characters produced by the Japanese company Sanrio. is a children and family Anime Television program that is fit for All Ages

Thematic

• Bishōjo is Japanese for "beautiful girl", and a blanket term that features pretty girl characters. is a Japanese term used to refer to young and pretty girls usually below university age Sometimes conflated with Moè. is a Japanese Slang word originally referring to fetish for or Love for characters in Video games or Anime and Manga. Examples: Magic Knight Rayearth or Negima. Negima! Magister Negi Magi
• Bishōnen is Japanese for "beautiful boy", and a blanket term that can be used to describe any anime that features "pretty" and elegant boys and men. is a Japanese term literally meaning "beautiful boy or beautiful youth Examples: Fushigi Yūgi or The Wallflower. is a Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Yuu Watase. is a Manga series written by Tomoko Hayakawa. The individual chapters have been serialized in Bessatsu Friend since its premiere in 2000 and in 21
• Sentai is literally a "fighting team" in Japanese. is a Japanese language word for a Military unit and may be literally translated as "task force" " group " or " wing " It refers to any show that involves a superhero team. Examples: Cyborg 009 or Voltron. Voltron is a series of animated television programs, the first of which was titled Voltron Defender of the Universe.
• Robot/Mecha features real robots or super robots. A robot is a mechanical or Virtual Artificial agent In practice it is usually an electro-mechanical system which by its appearance or movements Word origin and usage The term "mecha" is derived from the Japanese abbreviation for the English word " mechanical " is a term first seen in the Super Robot Wars series of video games to describe robots or Mecha that are treated as realistic tools/weapons is a term used in Manga and Anime to describe a giant robot or Mecha, with an arsenal of fantastic super-powered weapons sometimes transformable or combined from Examples: Mobile Suit Gundam or Mazinger Z respectively. is a televised Anime series created by Sunrise. Written and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, it premiered in Japan on Nagoya Broadcasting Network known as Tranzor Z in North America is a Manga series by Go Nagai, serialized in Shueisha Shōnen Jump from October
• Post-Apocalyptic simply deals with a post-apocalyptic world. Examples: Fist of the North Star or Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. also known as Ken the Great Bear Fist, is a Japanese Manga series that was originally serialized from 1983 to 1988 in the Japanese magazine Weekly is a 1984 film by Japanese Writer, Illustrator, and filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, based on his Manga of the same
• Mahō shōjo is a subgenre of shōjo known for "Magical Girl" stories. belong to a sub-genre of Japanese fantasy Anime and Manga. Magical girl stories feature young girls with superhuman abilities who are forced to fight evil and protect Examples: Sailor Moon or Cardcaptor Sakura. is the title of a Japanese Media franchise created by Naoko Takeuchi. also known as Card Captor Sakura (with the space and often abbreviated as CCS, is a Magical girl Manga series from the well-known
• Mahō shōnen is a male equivalent of Mahō Shōjo. A is a type of Fictional character in Anime and Manga. They are the male counterpart of mahō shōjo or Magical girl anime Examples: D.N.Angel or Fullmetal Alchemist
• Moé features characters with perky, cute, weak, or naïve behaviors. DNAngel is a Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Yukiru Sugisaki. commonly abbreviated as FMA or Hagaren, is an ongoing Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. is a Japanese Slang word originally referring to fetish for or Love for characters in Video games or Anime and Manga. Since the 1970s has become a prominent aspect of Japanese popular culture, entertainment clothing, food, toys, personal appearance behavior and In some way, they are not overly independent. ^[29] Examples: A Little Snow Fairy Sugar. is a Manga and an Anime series with character designs by Koge-Donbo.
• Expertise specializes with a specific topic in depth. Topics range from sports, the arts, and cooking. Examples: Eyeshield 21 with football, or Yakitate!! Japan with bread-making. is a Manga about American football written by Riichiro Inagaki and illustrated by Yusuke Murata. is a Manga, authored by Takashi Hashiguchi, serialised in Shogakukan 's Shōnen Sunday, which has been adapted into a television Anime
• Lolicon ("Lolita Complex") is the sexualization of under-aged female characters, the name coming from the titular character of Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita. also romanized as rorikon, is a Slang Portmanteau of the phrase "Lolita complex" This page is about the novelist For his father the politician see Vladimir Dmitrievich Nabokov. Lolita (1955 is a Novel by Vladimir Nabokov, first written in English and published in 1955 in Paris, later translated by the author Example: Kodomo no Jikan
• Shotacon ("Shōtarō Complex") is the sexualization of under-aged male characters, the name coming from the lead child actor from Tetsujin-nijūhachi-gō. is a Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by manga author Kaworu Watashiya. sometimes shortened to, is a Japanese term for a Sexual complex where a person is sexually attracted towards a young and/or underage boy Gigantor is the American adaptation of the Anime version of Tetsujin 28-go, a Manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama released in 1956. Example: Papa to Kiss in the Dark
• Harem is a genre which focuses on a male character surrounded by the romance of multiple female characters. is a Light novel series by Nambara Ken with Yaoi themes It has been adapted into an Anime OVA series with the same name Harem is an informal fan term used to describe a trend in Japanese anime or comics wherein a single average male character is surrounded by three or more attractive females Typically, the male cohabits with at least one female. ^[30] It is usually marketed as a Shōnen or Seinen. ^[31] Examples: Ranma ½ or Love Hina. is a Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi with an Anime adaptation is a Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Ken Akamatsu.
• Reverse Harem reverses the gender balance in harem, where a female character is romantically involved with many male characters. It is more often than not a Shōjo or Josei Anime. Examples: Ouran High School Host Club or Fruits Basket. is a Manga series by Bisco Hatori, serialized in Hakusensha 's LaLa magazine since August 5 2003 sometimes abbreviated, is a Japanese Manga series by Natsuki Takaya.
• Magical girlfriend is more accurately termed Exotic Girlfriend. A magical girlfriend (魔法彼女 mahō kanojo) is a Bishōjo character often associated with Romantic comedy Anime series This genre focuses on the romantic relationship (and cohabitation) between a man and at least one woman of extraordinary origins such as alien (Tenchi Muyo!, Urusei Yatsura), supernatural (Oh My Goddess!), or technological (Chobits). is an Anime, Light novel, and Manga series created by Masaki Kajishima and Hiroki Hayashi about a boy named Tenchi Masaki, is a well-known late 1970s to 1990s Manga ( 1978 - 1987) and Anime ( 1981 - 1993) series created by Rumiko also known as Ah! My Goddess!, is a Seinen Manga series by Kosuke Fujishima currently serialized in Kodansha 's monthly is a Japanese Manga created by Clamp. It was published by Kodansha in Young Magazine from February 2001 and November 2002 and collected Often considered a subgenre of Harem. ^[32][33]
• Ecchi is Japanese for "indecent sexuality", derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the letter "H", (the origin of the term is not well known, even in Japan. Ecchi (or Etchi, from the Japanese エッチ etchi) is derived from a Japanese word meaning "lewd" "sexy" "lascivious" See main article for more information. ) Sexual humor and fan service are prevalent. fanservice,, or simply, is a vaguely defined term primarily used for Japanese anime and manga to refer to elements in a story that are unnecessary to a storyline and are designed Examples: Oruchuban Ebichu or He Is My Master. Oruchuban Ebichu (or is an Anime produced by Gainax director anime Makoto Moriwaki and is based on the Manga by Risa Ito is a gag comedy Manga which ran in Monthly Shōnen Gangan, later spun off into a Television Anime series
• Hentai is Japanese for "abnormal" or "perverted". is a Japanese word that in the West is used when referring to sexually explicit or pornographic comics and animation particularly Japanese Anime, This term is synonymous to pornography or erotica, as hentai content specifically consists of such. Erotica (from the Greek Eros —"desire" or "curiosa" works of art including literature, photography film sculpture Examples: La Blue Girl or Bible Black. is a Hentai Anime and Manga series Based on the Manga by Toshio Maeda, the La Blue Girl anime like his other hentai series is an Eroge created by ActiveSoft in 2000 and was adapted into a Hentai by Milky Studio.
• Shōjo-ai or Yuri is Japanese for "girl-love". also known by the Wasei-eigo construction, It is unclear whether this was the first instance of this usage of the term These 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. is a Manga by Chiho Saito and Anime directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara. is a series created by Kaishaku centering around two girls and the yuri relationship they share
• Shōnen-ai is Japanese for 'boy-love'. These 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). Pederasty or paederasty refers to an erotic relationship sexually expressed or not between an adolescent boy and an adult male outside his immediate family Examples: Loveless or Gravitation
• Yaoi is like "Shōnen-ai" but often involving older characters and explicit sexual activity. Loveless is a Shōnen-ai fantasy Manga by Yun Kouga. It is currently serialized in the monthly magazine Monthly Comic Zero is a Shōnen-ai Manga series written by Maki Murakami. It has been adapted into an Anime series directed by Bob Shirohata Examples: Sensitive Pornograph

Distribution

See also: Anime licensing

While anime had entered markets beyond Japan in the 1960s, it grew as a major cultural export during its market expansion during the 1980s and 1990s. is a Yaoi Anime. There is little plot and the piece revolves around graphic homosexual sex The anime market for the United States alone is "worth approximately $4. 35 billion, according to the Japan External Trade Organization". (ジェトロ　JETRO is an independent government agency established by Japan Export Trade Research Organization as a nonprofit corporation in Osaka on Feb ^[34] 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. also known as Knights of the Zodiac, is a Manga series authored by Masami Kurumada, and later adapted to Anime.

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. In filmmaking, dubbing or looping is the process of recording or replacing voices for a Motion picture. Using a similar global distribution pattern as Hollywood, the world is divided into five regions. Regional lockout is the programming practice code chip or physical barrier used to prevent the playing of media designed for a device from the country where it is marketed on the The Anime industry has grown significantly in the last few years especially outside of Japan.

Some editing of cultural references may occur to better follow the references of the non-Japanese culture. A re-edited film is a Film that has been edited from the original theatrical release ^[35] 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. Robotech is a Science fiction franchise that was launched by an 85-episode adaptation of three different Anime Television series. 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. is an ongoing Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto with an Anime adaptation Adult Swim, (usually stylized swim with its signature square Brackets, is an adult-oriented Television network sharing channel space with Cartoon

With the advent of DVD, it was possible to include multiple language tracks into a simple product. DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is 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, typically unedited. Subtitles are textual versions of the dialog in films and television programs usually displayed at the bottom of the screen Anime edited for television is usually released on DVD "uncut," with all scenes intact. DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is

TV networks regularly broadcast anime programming. In Japan, major national TV networks, such as TV Tokyo broadcast anime regularly. is a TV station based in Tokyo, Japan. It is also known as, a Portmanteau of "terebi" and "Tokyo Smaller regional stations broadcast anime under the UHF. refers to the Anime (produced in prospect of being broadcast by independent stations generally located in the Kanto, Chukyo and Kansai regions of 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. The Anime Network, a subsidiary of AD Vision, Inc (parent company of ADV Films and Newtype USA) is a cable channel in North America Sony based Animax and Disney's Jetix channel broadcast anime within many countries in the world. is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest Media conglomerates with See also Animax Mobile TV is a Japanese Anime Satellite television network dedicated to broadcasting anime programming Jetix is a Children's television programming brand owned by The Walt Disney Company. AnimeCentral solely broadcast's Anime in the UK. Anime Central is a programming block on Showcase TV airing Anime

Although it is a violation of copyright laws in many countries, some fans add subtitles to anime on their own. Copyright is a legal concept enacted by Governments, giving the creator of an original work of authorship Exclusive rights to control its distribution usually for These are distributed as fansubs. A fansub (short for fan-subtitled) is a version of a Foreign film or Foreign Television program which has been translated by fans The ethical implications of producing, distributing, or watching fansubs are topics of much controversy even when fansub groups do not profit from their activities. Once the series has been licensed outside of Japan, fansub groups often cease distribution of their work. In one case, Media Factory Incorporated requested that no fansubs of their material be made, which was respected by the fansub community. is a Japanese Publisher. It was founded on December 1, 1986, and its headquarters are situated in Chūō Tokyo. ^[36] 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. is the name of the 2006 television Anime about a girl who unbeknownst to her possesses the power to change reality. ^[37]

The Internet had played a significant role in the exposure of anime beyond Japan. The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks Prior to the 1990s, anime has had limited exposure beyond Japan's borders. Coincidentally, as the popularity of the Internet grew, so did for anime. Much of the fandom of anime grew through the Internet. The combination of internet communities and increasing amounts of anime material, from video to images, helped spur the growth of fandom. ^[38] As the Internet gained more widespread use, Internet advertising revenues grew from 1. 6 billion yen to over 180 billion yen between 1995 and 2005. ^[39]

Influence on Western culture

Anime has become commercially profitable in western countries as early commercially successful western adaptations of anime, such as Astro Boy, have revealed. ^[40] The phenomenal success of Nintendo's multi-billion dollar Pokémon franchise^[41] was helped greatly by the spin-off anime series that, first broadcast in the late 1990s, is still running worldwide to this day. is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto Japan founded on The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been If you came here to express your personal opinion about Pokémon please go somewhere else Pokémon (abbreviated from in Japan) is an ongoing Japanese animated series which has since been adapted for the North American and European In doing so, anime has made significant impacts upon Western culture. Since the 19th century, many Westerners have expressed a particular interest towards Japan. Japanophilia (in Japanese: 親日派 shinnichiha) is an interest in or love of Japan and all things Japanese Anime dramatically exposed more Westerners to the culture of Japan. Aside from anime, other facets of Japanese culture increased in popularity. ^[42] Worldwide, the number of people studying Japanese increased. In 1984, the Japanese Language Profiency test was devised to meet increasing demand. The, or JLPT, is a standardized test to evaluate and certify the language proficiency of non-native Japanese speakers ^[43] Anime-influenced animation refers to non-Japanese works of animation that emulate the visual style of anime. Anime-influenced animation refers to non-Japanese works of Animation that emulate the visual style of Anime. ^[44] Most of these works are created by studios in the United States, Europe, and non-Japanese Asia; and they generally incorporate stylizations, methods, and gags described in anime physics, as in the case of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Cartoon physics is a joking reference to the fact that Animation allows regular laws of physics to be ignored in humorous ways for dramatic effects Avatar The Last Airbender (also known in some countries as Avatar The Legend of Aang) is an Emmy award -winning American Often, production crews either are fans of anime or are required to view anime. ^[45] Some creators cite anime as a source of inspiration with their own series. ^[46][47] Furthermore, a French production team for Ōban Star-Racers moved to Tokyo to collaborate with a Japanese production team from Hal Film Maker. is a French / Japanese Animated television series created by Savin Yeatman-Eiffel of Sav! The World Productions officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. is a Japanese animation studio founded in August 1993 Anime produced (Please note that this list only includes original productions or co-productions ^[48] Critics and the general anime fanbase do not consider them as anime. ^[49]

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 is an animated American television comedy series created and written by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for Comedy Central " Chinpokomon " is episode 42 of Comedy Central 's animated series South Park. "Good Times with Weapons" is episode 801 of South Park. 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. This is a list of episodes of the Original video animation series is an Original video animation series written by Yōji Enokido, directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki and produced by the FLCL Production Committee which ^[50] This intent on satirizing anime is the springboard for the basic premise of Kappa Mikey, a Nicktoons Network original cartoon. Kappa Mikey is an American animated television series geared toward families and is created by Larry Schwarz. Even cliches normally found in anime are parodied in Perfect Hair Forever. Perfect Hair Forever is an American comedy Animated television series which is and is a parody of Anime. Also, in the episode "The Son Also Draws" of Family Guy parodies anime with an appearance by Speed Racer and his trainer. "The Son Also Draws" is an episode of Family Guy from season one Family Guy is an animated American television sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane that airs on Fox and regularly on other Speed Racer is an English adaptation of the Japanese Manga and Anime, which centered on automobile racing. The two speak in poorly-dubbed English, with every phrase punctuated by a "Ha-HA!". Anime conventions began to appear in the early 1990s, during the Anime boom, starting with Anime Expo, Animethon, Otakon, and JACON. An anime convention is an event or gathering with a primary focus on Anime, Manga and Japanese culture. Anime Expo, abbreviated AX, is an Anime convention that usually takes place on the July 4 weekend for four days each year in Southern California Animethon is a three-day Anime convention held Annually at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton Alberta. JACON is an annual three-day Anime convention held in Orlando Florida sometime between the months of April and June Currently anime conventions are held annually in various cities across the Americas, Asia, and Europe. The following is a list of articles of Anime conventions from around the world ^[51] Many attendees participate in cosplay, where they dress up as anime characters. short for "costume play" is a type of performance art whose participants outfit themselves with often-elaborate Costumes and Accessories, as a specific Also, guests from Japan ranging from artists, directors, and music groups are invited. In addition to anime conventions, anime clubs have become prevalent in colleges, high schools, and community centers as a was to publicly exhibit anime as well as broadening Japanese cultural understanding. An anime club is an organization that meets to discuss show and promote Anime in a local community setting and can also focus on broadening Japanese cultural understanding The culture of Japan has evolved greatly over millenia from the country's prehistoric Jomon culture to its contemporary hybrid culture which combines influences from Asia

See also

• Animated cartoon
• Wikt:Glossary:Japanese film credit terms
• Original Video Animation
• Q-version
• Seiyū

Other

• List of anime companies
• List of anime conventions
• List of anime theatrically released in America

References

External links

• Anime at the Open Directory Project