Living in 2022 means that you have heard about Anime. If you have not heard, then you have seen Anime if you are ever watched Sailor Moon and played Pokemon Go. One of the most well-kind forms of entertainment in the world is Anime, who has gained popularity in the past 20 years despite not being a recent phenomenon. A sizable portion of the fanbase is made up of children. As a result, anime culture has now spread to various mediums, including television, social media, movies, memes, fan fiction, and much more.
So, what exactly Anime is, and does it have so much hype? Let’s find out about its background, where you can find it, why kids adore it, and some of its potential risks.
What Does Anime Mean?
A specific type of cartoon influenced or created by Japanese animation is referred to as Anime. Anime has a highly distinctive and recognized art form for every age, no matter whether you are young or old. You’re undoubtedly already aware of their big eyes, lengthy arms and limbs, untamed hair, and other characteristics. With their exaggerated appearances, anime characters can naturally convey their feelings.
Technical animation techniques like dramatic zooms and closeups, vibrant colors, and vivid lighting all contribute to the emotional impact of Anime. Beyond its distinctive aesthetic, Anime has won over fans’ affections with its richly compelling storylines and developed characters. For example, in Anime, the sword used to kill a demon is called Nichirin sword, also known as demon slayer katana.
What Anime Is Not?
Anime is an animated cartoon-like show, but since it’s animated, it does not imply that it is made for a kid. American animated television is typically geared toward producing content specifically for children. Of course, there are exceptions, but adults generally prefer live-action entertainment. However, Anime is popular among viewers of all ages in Japan, where it’s usual for adults in their 40s, 50s, and beyond to have favorite characters and programs. However, Anime can feature very mature content, ranging from serious drama to adult scenes, even though the content is animated.
This brings up some of the risks children encounter as they discover the anime world. As many anime TV series and movies are geared at adults, there is a considerable likelihood that a child will be exposed to entirely inappropriate material. This includes everything they could watch in a live-action R-rated movie, such as violence, coarse language, nudity, and drug use.
Reasons Why Anime is Not a Cartoon
Here are some reasons why Anime is not a cartoon and why you should check and balance what your kids are watching.
1.Series VS Repeated episodes
Cartoon episodes are typically repeated on television; no serial number is associated with a cartoon episode. In contrast, anime episodes are typically broadcast in a series format, much like regular TV shows. This means that each episode of an anime series is unique, creating a continuous narrative. An anime has a very distinctive quality that sets it apart from traditional cartoons.
2.Anime has a Specific Genre
Cartoons lack a clear genre, but Anime frequently targets a particular age group. There are many other types of Anime, such as kodomo made for kids, shounen made for boys, and shoujo made for girls, as well as a wide range of genres geared toward adult viewers, including a slice of life, mecha, ecchi, seinen, and harem. With the use of genres like shoujo anime, yaoi, shounen anime, and yuri, Anime is also regarded as stepping outside of its comfort zone by presenting serious stories about homosexuality.
3.Characters
An anime character’s physical structure differs significantly from a cartoon character’s. A cartoon character usually has an exaggerated or deformed appearance to give it a comedic feel. Still, an anime character has a proportionate body type that looks like a natural human body. The eyes of an anime character are another prominent characteristic that sets them apart from cartoon characters.
Difference Between Anime and Cartoons
As we discussed earlier, Anime is not a cartoon; here are some differences that set them apart.
Origin
Anime from Japan is distinct from cartoons. Both are cartoons that might be animated, although Anime typically has a more restricted animation style and visually distinct traits for characters. However, Anime originated from Japan, whereas cartoons originated from America.
History
According to legend, the first cartoon was created in 1499. It featured a card game played by the pope, the holy roman emperor, and the kings of England and France. Since then, it has become common for humorists and satirists to create cartoon strips for a general audience. Until today, one can browse online archives of classic comic strips and recently released cartoons.
Anime has a much more recent history than a cartoon. The Seven Dwarfs and the Snow White was first shown in the United States in 1937, while Momotaro’s Divine Sea Warriors was the first Anime to be shown in Japan in 1945. Since that time, there has been no turning back, and with every year that goes by, Anime has grown to become a successful business for many TV and film companies.
Terminology
English dictionaries describe “anime” as the Japanese style of cinematic animation, although in Japan, the term applies to all animated works. Some suggest that the word anime was first used as an acronym in the late 1970s, while others claim it derives from the French term dessin animé.
On the other hand, a cartoon was first created as a model or study for a painting. These, derived from the word “Karton,” which means sturdy or hefty paper, were portrayed by famous artists like Leonardo da Vinci. The term “cartoon” has lost much of its original definition over the years and is now frequently used to describe a humorous image with a caption or dialogue.
Themes / Topics
Anime includes more violent and sexual themes and focuses more on life issues or topics related to human emotion. In addition, cartoons tend to be funnier since they are designed to make people laugh.
Features of The Visual
Anime characters’ physical characteristics are far more disproportionate and fanciful than in cartoons. A cuter style has smaller jaws and giant eyes. Even if they are far from realistic, characters typically have characteristics closer to reality. They also exhibit facial expressions that are considerably more human. On the contrary, cartoons don’t showcase the bodies and have a much cuter version for kids.
