Anime? Big Deal.

[Cruise Control]

Anime has been super popular lately, and I don't think it's justified.

Is it just me, or is anime just another cartoon. True, it has a different art-style, and occasionally a deeper plot. But thats about it. Unless your a Japanophile, I don't see the big deal.

[Zeromus_X]

Anime (at least, Japanese Anime) usually have deeper plots and premises than that of American Cartoons which are primarily aimed at young children. Indeed, there are a multitude of genres of Anime in Japan, not just for young children (sometimes quite the opposite...). So that's how Anime is different than other cartoons.

This is not to say anime is better than western cartoons, as there are a good number of really horrible ones.

Still...I'll have my Death Note and FLCL. <3

[Sylvie]

And in anime, theres way hotter sex.

[Rostum]

Now I will ask a question; what is your point? People like anime for their themes and characters, some don't, end of discussion.

[Goldenboko]

FLCL. <3

w00t FLCL!

I think Zeromus_X ended this discussion rather well.

[LunarWeaver]

I just like what I like and don't read any deeper than that.

[NorthernChaosGod]

Not all anime is the same, just as not all cartoons are the same.

Family Guy and The Simpsons are cartoons, both of which are extremely successful and not kiddy in the least.

So, not all anime is a cartoon with different art styles.

[Dreddz]

I like western and japanese animation the same. I watch japanese animation to appreciate the story and deep plots. I watch western animation whenever I want to turn my brain off for 30 minutes.

[Shoeberto]

The storytelling is definitely significantly different than what we're used to in Western animation, which is probably the biggest draw. Other than that, generally, the animation isn't all that hot (big exceptions exist, but yeah), character designs are generally cliched, and stories are often dead simple or too mixed-up and convoluted to really understand. You could say the same for all western animation, too, though, I guess.

[zimdoomyday]

Fan service and escapism. Most of the audience is lonely males, who want to escape into a world where people can do unimaginable things, and all the girls are perfect looking.

Just how I see it.

[LunarWeaver]

Fan service and escapism. Most of the audience is lonely males, who want to escape into a world where people can do unimaginable things, and all the girls are perfect looking.

Just how I see it.

This is a rather big generalization :O_O: I certainly wouldn't say lonely males watch the majority of anime, or that fan service is the reason behind it. You make it sound like anime is a bunch of bad faith goo.

[blackmage_nuke]

The bright flashing colours of anime are really attractive and different sense of humour as well as deep plot are nice. However cartoons are rather enjoyable as well

[Zeromus_X]

Fan service and escapism. Most of the audience is lonely males, who want to escape into a world where people can do unimaginable things, and all the girls are perfect looking.

Just how I see it.

Um, woah, what's this now? Where do you get this idea from? Anime is made in Japan, for all manner of Japanese people (it isn't later until it's localized that it reaches other countries). That generalization is a bit too large.

[Madame Adequate]

It's just you. But then again to think of animation, whether western or Japanese or from anywhere else, as "just a cartoon" is a fundamentally shortsighted and narrowminded view of the medium. Sure, sometimes it's exactly that. And sometimes it's Castle in the Sky.

[Nominus Experse]

It's just you. But then again to think of animation, whether western or Japanese or from anywhere else, as "just a cartoon" is a fundamentally shortsighted and narrowminded view of the medium. Sure, sometimes it's exactly that. And sometimes it's Castle in the Sky.
MILF, you have an uncanny habit of taking the words directly out of my mouth.

[Millia Billia]

I don't care what country it's from. If I like it, I like it.

That being said, the only anime movies I can remember really liking are Spirited Away and Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland. :)

[NINJA_Ryu]

I just like what I like and don't read any deeper than that.

[XxSephirothxX]

That's just like saying "What's the deal with cartoons?" It's just another form of media. And people who like Japanese RPGs also tend to be drawn to Japanese animation. I'd say it's more popular among people nowadays because it's better, in general, than a lot of the American cartoons out there today. Or at least, the stuff I watch is. There's still a ton of pretty horrible anime out there.

[edczxcvbnm]

Whats the big deal? I don't know. I have always found more interesting in all cartoons. Transformers, TMNT, Bugs Bunny, Jetsons, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Hong Kong Fooey and lots of other cartoons from when I was younger(the ones I listed all still rock). Then you have the more recent cartoons such Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Kim Possible, Invader Zim, Spongebob Squarepants, The Venture Bros, Futurama and Harvey Birdman. Then of course there is the japanese cartoons such as Gundam, Fullmetal Alchemist, Ghost in the Shell, .hack//sign, RahXephon, Bleach and Princess Mononoke.

Some people just prefer animation and the japanese cartoons should not be an exception to that.

[Markus. D]

unlike other drama/action stuffs.

being an animation it allows for filming from angles impossible for real life (at current)

thats just one of the things I could bring up in Anime's defence.

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

When I was younger, I used to watch a lot of Western animation. TMNT, Spiderman, various things from Disney. I liked the shows they are good. I also watched a bit of anime then too (mainly Sailor Moon). I think Sailor Moon is what really got me hooked. I also watched Dragonball too, then DBZ came on, I liked it (not so much anymore), then it just kinda grew from there. I rarely watch TV. When I do, I usually watch NA animation, for the most part it is light-hearted and not addictive enough, so I can sit there and watch it for a half-hour and not worry about next week's episode. I find with a lot of NA animation that the plot lines are non-linear and hardly ever sequencial. There is no over-arching goal or anything. Sometimes you can tell if they are newer, because something will change and be carried on from that episode on, but for the most part they are not sequential. Examples: Martin Mystery (I really like it, though I do not go out my way to watch it), Fairly Odd Parents, Dexter's Labratory, etc...

[Roto13]

The anime style was originally based off Betty Boop, believe it or not.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

That's kind of an overstatement. Cartoons <i>including</i> Betty Boop and Mickey Mouse inspired certain aspects of Tezuka's character designs (particularly their large eyes), but that's about it.

[rubah]

People do like anime because it's foreign and different, but it sometimes there's a good reason for the watching.

[escobert]

I like western and japanese animation the same. I watch japanese animation to appreciate the story and deep plots. I watch western animation whenever I watch to turn my brain off for 30 minutes.

Same here for the most part.

[*ETERNAL FANTASY*]

And in anime, theres way hotter sex.

wouldnt that be hentai...yes?

[Madame Adequate]

And in anime, theres way hotter sex.

wouldnt that be hentai...yes?

A sex scene in a normal movie isn't porn.

[Avarice-ness]

Anime has been super popular lately, and I don't think it's justified.

Is it just me, or is anime just another cartoon. True, it has a different art-style, and occasionally a deeper plot. But thats about it. Unless your a Japanophile, I don't see the big deal.

Lately? Jeez, I hope by lately you mean like the past 7 years or so.

Anime is just another cartoon with a different art style, one of the good things about Anime vs. Western cartoons, is that anime has an OBSCENELY broad range of exxpressions, but saddly unlike most western cartoons, can all be stereotypically the same.

I don't watch much anime, only 'cause the one's I like are the one's that either have 21 episodes and are gone fast, the one's not many people like, or are satires on things which are hard to find sometimes, But when I do, I tend to doodle, so normally when I watch anime it helps me get inspiration of sorts.

But Disney, That's where it's all at. :love:

[VengefulRonin]

I like some anime, but i starting to get tired of hearing just the word "anime." Anime geeks are growing exponentially, and i hate it. Its worse than those pokemon fanatics years ago (of which i was a part of...) or all those harry potter freaks...i wouldnt mind the anime geeks so much except they become obsessive with all things japan and say they love it and know so damn much of it. Well good for you, you eat sushi and can read one hiragana symbol. Bleh >_<

Most of the anime i get into ends up finding its way to cartoon network and being ruined...like Naruto (actually, just the length of that series killed it), and Bleach (is that on CN yet? i havent kept up). I love Outlaw Star (yes, it was on CN years ago, but they didnt ruin it), and i like Ninja Scroll. I like the manga of Ranma 1/2, Gantz, and Hellsing too.

[Tasura]

I like what I like, gotta probalem with that?

Saying "Whats the big deal about it?" why not say "Whats the big deal about *insert video game here*" Or "Whats the big deal about *enter something else here*" Some people like it becuase it's got better plot/art style (I use better loosely, as to the reason why they watch it) Some becuase it comes from Japan, some becuase it gives us a view into another county's culture, and some becuase it's something to do. Back years ago when there were good western cartoons on, it'd be a different story, but now it seems that the quality of western cartoons ahs gone down, to the point that more and more anime is becomming avaliable on TV, being dubbed and brought over, mainly big ones like Bleach, Naruto, FMA and what not, you aren't going to see shows like Higurashi no Naku Koro ni on Western TV anytime soon. Which brings me to another point, western channels and editors edit out bad language and some content to make it more 'family friendly' where as, in anime, at least when you watch it subbed, thre is no editing, you get what it started as, not a watered down version that is 'family friendly'. If a character says "You bastard!" I wanna hear "You bastard!" and not "You jerk!"

[Fire_Emblem776]

One reason I love anime is the Manga. Its one thing to read a book, but to see the charachters come to life on the TV, is wonderful. However, when they dont stick to the manga and do thier own plot. The show suffers, which is why Sailor Moon SuperS did so horrible here and Japan. Another thing i enjoy about anime is the music OST^_^.
Also the "anime" that is aired is not the real thing. So much censorship....
Sailor Moon was edited so much, to remove the gay, lesbian couples, death, and so on.
A lot of the good anime cant be aired at all because of the material. Chobits comes to mind... It cant be edited or will really screw the plot.