Why Isn't Western Animation Like Anime

Rachael started this web log as an anime review blog in 2010. It has since branched out into other topics.

These two media forms have more similarities than you may have thought. — These ii media forms have more similarities than you may have thought.

newsuperdannyzx at DeviantArt

Anime vs. Cartoons

Anime and manga are often compared to western comic books and cartoons. And some people wonder what the difference is. Japanese media is sometimes influenced by Western media, and the opposite is besides truthful. This tin complicate the question of whether certain specific works, reflecting cultural influence, should exist labeled as Japanese or Western.

For case, at that place is the question of whether the Night Souls games should count as "JRPGs," or Japanese role-playing games. Though they are Japanese, they exhibit substantial Western influence. The edges of boundaries between distinctions like "anime" and "western cartoon" tin can exist blurry.

But, comparing Western media with Japanese media tells us a lot about cultural differences. Primarily, they show differences in artistic and aesthetic values between dissimilar cultures. But they also reflect unlike values. For instance, when Crewman Moon originally aired, information technology was okay in Japan that it had a lesbian human relationship. But this content was famously censored when the show was get-go dubbed in English for a North American audition.

At present there are fifty-fifty animation collaborations across the Pacific, similar Batman: Gotham Knight, an animated album about Batman that has a Western concept, but was animated past 4 anime studios: Studio iv°C, Madhouse, Bee Train, and Production I.Chiliad. Perhaps that indicates that the stardom, moving forward, won't actually matter.

Early manga in Japan was heavily influenced by American comics and animation, especially by Disney. — Early manga in Japan was heavily influenced by American comics and animation, especially past Disney.

Western Comics and Cartoons: The Early Years

Disney got its start in the 1930s with the debut striking Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This enchanting take on a classic fairy tale skyrocketed Disney to the top of the U.Southward. animation industry in subsequent decades. Disney distinguishes its products as promoting family unit values and traditional American culture, but they take besides changed their content to reflect social changes over time.

In the 1930s, printing presses evolved rapidly that could print newspapers and their associated photos faster, and in improve quality. Translating a colored ink drawing into a printable format wasn't easy back then.

Traditional norms for comic books in America were developed to handle issues associated with ink and printing. Comics were first penciled by 1 artist, and then the pencil marks were inked past some other, and then when that was dry, a colorist would fill in the color. The colors available were limited, and then early on comics were oft either black and white, or colored with mostly bold primaries. Comic books shortly became a worldwide sensation. Early manga in Nihon was heavily influenced by American comics and animation, specially by Disney. This is due to the mail service-state of war occupation of Japan by the United States, which acquired American pop culture to disseminate amid the Japanese public.

Originally, the American comic volume was just simple, lite-hearted entertainment for children. Fear of corrupting children meant comic books had to be mild, inoffensive, and morally clear. The Hays Code, a gear up of moral rules for Hollywood movies, also influenced blitheness, well-nigh notably, Betty Boop. Information technology wasn't until later decades that superhero characters became more morally conflicted and psychologically complicated.

Like with Disney'south blitheness, early superheroes promoted religion, patriotism, and family values. This was because of the desire to promote American ideals during the Cold War. So a lot of comic book villains in the 40s were Nazis, and then a lot of the villains in the 50s are Soviet-inspired.

In more recent Western games and animation, since the primary enemy of the U.S. is Center-Eastern terrorism, the U.Due south. media has inverse to reflect our country's new fears.

Western Comics and Cartoons: Recent Developments

Recent decades accept seen a lot of changes in the manner blitheness and comics are made in the Westward, and in how audiences perceive them. At present that the Hays Code is a affair of the past, we've seen daring, mature comics on the rise since the 70s. Notable is the work of comic book artists like Alan Moore, whose Watchmen graphic novel and other work criticized conventional and familiar comic book tropes. Most notably, Moore was taking aim at the clear-cut, blackness and white morality of comic books from the 'Golden Age.' Real law enforcement and military operations are never that black and white.

Blitheness has too get more than technically circuitous since the advent of reckoner image technology. CG-animated movies began competing with traditional 2-D animation since the success of Toy Story. Movies like Shrek, and shows like South Park and The Simpsons, showed that animation can exist used to entertain adults equally well every bit children.

Coil to Go along

Japanese Anime and Manga

Anime was in no small way influenced past what was happening with the early development of cartoons in the West, particularly America. Just, it besides has some influences from deeper in Japanese history. Namely, the woodblock prints the Edo menstruation was famous for, many of which showed similar characteristics of the manga art way.

This includes exaggerated facial expressions, the utilise of brilliant primary colors, and flatness. That means lacking shading and not attempting to show three dimensions in the 2-dimensional picture plane. Japanese artists put less value on photo-realism than Western ones. This art style of ukiyo-e, or 'floating pictures', was influential on European art during the post-Impressionist period (Van Gogh, Cezanne, etc.). Japanese cake prints were easier than the more cumbersome castor paintings to take back to Europe, so the style had a big bear upon outside of Japan. Information technology's certainly possible that Japanese art influenced the cartoonists and comic volume artists in the West who ended up, in plow, influencing early on manga's development in the 50s-70s.

The founding father of manga is Osamu Tezuka, all-time known for Astro Boy, Cyborg 009, Blackness Jack, Kimba the White Panthera leo, and an animated version of the German expressionist moving-picture show Urban center. His work has a singled-out style that influenced the work of other creators. Most manga and anime artists after him took at to the lowest degree some inspiration from Tezuka. It's like how Tolkien created the fantasy novel.

Tezuka himself was influenced nearly past the American Donald Duck comics, and then the signature large, round eyes you encounter in anime and manga today are caused past Disney.

Those anime characters with their big eyes... oh... wait...

Differences and Similarities

Anime's differences with Western comics and cartoons are often acquired past cultural differences between Japan and the Westward.

On both sides, you have the mainstream vs. the surreptitious. Mainstream comics and cartoons are about making money. And so they're safe, coloring within order's lines, never challenging the status quo. Cloak-and-dagger comics, with edginess and moral complexity, seemed to come later on in the history of comics than did edgy, subversive, underground manga. Perhaps this difference is due to the fact that losing the war lost the Japanese people confidence as a nation and trust in their government. But winning information technology for America did the reverse, it made more people believe in American exceptionalism. So it took really until we lost our own war in Vietnam, which was also a terribly unpopular war, for our confidence in the American status quo to begin to crack.

Early manga is infused with a melancholy feeling. This melancholy is the direct outcome of the despair felt by the entire state post-obit the war. Nonetheless, in showing child-like innocence, such as that of Astro Boy, Nippon also kept alive the thought of some modest hope for the future. Hope to recover from the devastation of the loss of the war and the nuclear bombings. Obviously, as atmospheric condition improved in the country, the tone and feel of anime and manga also became more than optimistic in general.

Anime is synonymous with a singled-out art fashion. This makes it famous as a medium. But, more than serious shows subvert the usual epitome of goofy hair, big eyes, and vivid colors.

I panelist that I saw at a Chicago anime convention spoke about how, if yous enquire a Japanese child to describe a comic volume, they'll usually depict a giant robot. If you ask an American kid to depict a comic volume, they'll probably draw a superhero. This could reflect different cultural attitudes. The Japanese child is placing their trust in scientific discipline and technology, while an American places their hope in some kind of outstanding individual with raw talent. It besides shows the Japanese focus on groups over individuals—the pilot in giant mech shows is important, but it requires a whole team to build, test, and maintain the robots. In contrast, superheroes unremarkably piece of work independently, clash when forced to work on a team, and take unique powers and abilities no 1 else has. Sidekicks went out the window past the 70s and 80s.

Anime, particularly if aimed at teenagers, emphasizes the importance of studying, difficult work, and grades. Anime also emphasizes relationships, social condition, and rank within a group. For case, in Evangelion, it's Nerv as an system that does the fighting, every bit a grouping attempt.

In a superhero comic book, the heroes unremarkably piece of work alone. In that location are teams of superheroes, such as The Avengers, the 10-Men, or The Justice League, but information technology'southward often more focused on the private personalities and problems of the characters, with fewer instances of the squad interim as one unit. Many Western comic volume heroes accept an attitude of skepticism, disdain, and/or disinterest when begrudgingly forced to join a group, such as Deadpool, Wolverine, Iron Man, and many more.

Evangelion similarly shows main characters who exercise not want to be part of Nerv. Only in Evangelion, it is seen equally more of an individual failing to not fit in with the grouping. This is shown by how the bear witness presents Rei Ayanami, a girl who goes along with orders blindly, without question, and synchronizes with her Eva Unit without a hitch, as the ideal airplane pilot. Rei is criticized, but non being similar her, in that Asuka is too prideful, and Shinji is as well cowardly, are seen as personal defects. Meaning even in a very cynical show, there is nonetheless a cultural expectation that individuals put the needs of others first. Evangelion is a bleak, avant-garde outlier, and yet, it promotes the thought that people should at least strive for group cohesion.

Anime promotes group loyalty, and loyalty by students to teachers and mentors. Examples of this include My Hero Academia, Crewman Moon, Naruto, Rurouni Kenshin, Ghost in the Shell, and and then on.

Anime that are more individualistic include Trigun and Fullmetal Alchemist. Trigun, influenced by American Western films, focuses on Vash the Stampede as an individual. The theme of humanity'south spirit surviving in a harsh desert surround is seen throughout the whole story, though, and then it'south non entirely individualistic. Vash also has to often face the consequences his fights accept on civilian bystanders, which is a recurring problem he faces. And he's motivated by pure compassion, almost like a Bodhisattva. Needless to say, a Western writer would have executed a like base concept very differently.

In Fullmetal Alchemist, the focus is generally on the two main characters and whether they will achieve their goal. But, the chief characters are part of the government. Corruption in that government, and war crimes committed by it in the by, are major factors in the plot. Then it takes a large grouping endeavour to fix everything.

These differences should be taken with a grain of common salt. They are not accented laws, only rather, general tendencies, with many exceptions to every dominion.

Is Avatar: The Last Airbender Anime? What Is and Is Not Anime?

This was a big nerd controversy when the show kickoff came out. There are many creative similarities between Avatar, Korra, and anime. Simply I'chiliad going to accept to answer "no" to this question. Anime is a production defined by the creators equally being Japanese or living in Japan. If information technology lacks that Japanese cultural experience, and doesn't come directly from the Japanese tradition, it doesn't brand sense to describe information technology as "anime."

Now, this gets hairy when you note that in Nippon, the word "anime" is used for anything animated. The word is merely a autograph for "animated" or "animation." So the word in Nippon refers to all cartoons, even not-Japanese ones. However, in the English-speaking earth, the word "anime" is exclusively practical to "cartoons from Japan." And so if Avatar or another show is not from Japan, it should not exist considered anime.

When talking about serious, adult-oriented shows in the medium of western animation, I adopt to use terms like "animated series/picture show" to "cartoon." The discussion "drawing" has a negative connotation in America of existence a dumb, shallow, 20-minute toy commercial for kids. I still relish some shows that are cartoons, and you never really grow out of enjoying the truly special ones. But when talking almost something similar Rick and Morty, information technology makes more sense to telephone call it an animated serial than a drawing. So I would also not put Avatar: The Terminal Airbender in the category of 'cartoon', only would prefer to telephone call it an animated TV series/show.

Those anime girls with unrealistically big boobs... oh wait...

They're Not As Different As You Call up

Japanese and Western versions of comic books and cartoons/animation share a lot in terms of history and mutual influence. However, they are likewise products unique to the cultures that produced them. Their similarities and differences can be analyzed to gain insight into the major cultural differences between Japanese and American/Western cultures. Mainly, Japanese society places bully influence on groups, such as the Sailor Scouts in Sailor Moon, while American comics have always focused more on the workings of individual heroes and "solitary wolf" villains. A lot of times in Western storytelling, defeating an individual bad guy/gal is a stand up-in for defeating issues that are actually societal or systematic in nature in the real world. For case, Fern Gully'south take on environmentalism is that yous have to become the fairies together to end a tree-eating demon. Compare that to the anime movie, Princess Mononoke, where it's clear that environmental problems are caused past the competing material needs of humans, trees, and animals.

What practice y'all think well-nigh the differences between Japanese anime and manga vs. American/Western comics and cartoons?

Allow me know in the comments!

Naomi Starlight (writer) from Illinois on September 12, 2022:

Your comment drew attending to the commodity non beingness up to my standards, and I made improvements, especially in elaborating on the more than recent developments in Western animation and comics. I gauge you lot could say my writing has improved a lot in 4 years since this was written. I am always looking to improve and so I appreciate feedback!

Naomi Starlight (author) from Illinois on June 14, 2017:

While that is true in most western media, in anime in that location are some genres that have more than articulate division between good and evil. If a picture is for picayune kids, more often than not it won't have every bit much moral complication. The primary target demographic for anime is teenagers, so they can do more of that.

A lot of times a departure is, villains in a lot of anime don't want to be evil, they are forced into it by college-level villains (like Team Rocket) or they're being controlled by a supernatural evil strength (like the possessed boar in Princess Mononoke, or the Digimon controlled by blackness gears). Evil people in western cartoons are ordinarily driven on a personal level past something they want, similar Jafar wanting power, the evil footstep-mother in Cinderella wanting her daughters to be queen instead of Cinderella, etc.

nipster on June xiv, 2017:

Another important difference to note is that in american cartoons there is a greater tendency to have a stark dissimilarity between practiced and evil. Yous know the main grapheme is expert and the enemy is bad.

In anime on the other hand, there isn't necessarily a "Good" and "Evil" side. In that location are simply opposing forces both of which have skilful and evil sprinkled throughout like peanuts on an water ice cream cone.

David Trujillo Uribe from Medellin, Republic of colombia on September 15, 2015:

Howls Moving Castle.

But I was asking if at that place are whatsoever new ones?

Naomi Starlight (author) from Illinois on September fifteen, 2015:

I was simply going to do Spirited Away this month, which is my favorite one. But I tin can add together some to the schedules of future months. What are some of your favorites?

David Trujillo Uribe from Medellin, Republic of colombia on September 15, 2015:

Yep, I hate featherbrained cartoons from whever they are.

In terms of anime my respects go to Gihbli. Got any reviews on those type of films?

Naomi Starlight (author) from Illinois on September 15, 2015:

I was talking about the history of the medium so I was looking at "first", only not necessarily "best".

I agree, I similar 'Heavy Metal'. I call up I'll have to review it before long.

Haven't seen much of 'Afro Samurai'. Information technology just looked like a goofy blaxploitation-style show given a Japanese feel, which is ok, but I was just similar "meh".

Information technology depends on the genre, evidence, and characters' personalities, merely I more often than not prefer over-the-top acting to wooden acting, like y'all see in a lot of Hollywood movies. The aforementioned "airheaded reactions" are found in western cartoons equally well, that'southward probably where they get them also, just look at like, "Ren and Stimpy".

David Trujillo Uribe from Medellin, Colombia on September 15, 2015:

Hmm I think you are missing western best, in the form of the animated DC Comic Films which are top of the line. Watch the latest Batman film.

An honorable mention to Heavy Metal. That cartoon film was amazing!

And Afro Samurai

What I exercise not like nigh anime is how silly the characters react most of the time.