American Anime

[Ryushikaze]

I wouldn't call any latin word a 'loanword' of english since modern english is the offspring of roughly four languages- of which one is latin- mutating into each other due to cultural contamination. This is a totally different process than deliberately borrowing a word wholesale from another language.

Let's use a different example. Katana. The word means sword. Any sword. Period. Though the term has been used in both history and modern media to refer- because of its popularity- to a specific type of katana- the bastard sword wielded by the samurai- the word does NOT mean solely this type of sword, and actually the particular idiom is only true when the samurai no katana is worn in a particular fashion- it otherwise becomes a tachi. However, it is still a katana- in the broad sense- when worn as a tachi, and it is still a tachi when worn as a katana. This is similar to the inane distinction made between japanese and american animation, when the two share as much style as they diverge.

That's straying slightly off topic, actually. Let me return back to the point. While one can use the term Katana to refer to a particular type of sword, the word does mean sword, and can in fact be used to apply to a british sabre, the same way that the word sabre can be used to apply to the samurai sword. The terms are inclusive, not exclusive, as anime is.

Similarly, well meaning but somewhat ignorant fans of japanese anime use the simple term anime to mean solely the anime that comes from japan. This is a similar usage to 'katana'. It works as slang, but not as a comprehensive definition.

Y'know, it strikes me, the self same people who want to change the meaning of anime to make it more special are the same sort of people who fight tooth and nail for things to remain as they were in the animation they so adore. The irony.