Yes, it's another anime topic. Can you have too many of them? Well, I hope this one will be a little bit different. Let's deal with something essential here: What exactlyis anime?
I began to watch anime relatively recently. Of course I also watched a few episodes of Pokemon and so on, but I never really followed it and, much less, cared for it. Then, about last year, I was made aware of some of the good stuff that comes out of Japan. Now today I asked myself what distinguishes anime from other works of animation. Sure, I found a few stylistic choices, but I'm not sure if one would be able to name one that is common to every anime. In the end I resorted to the simplest possible definition: Anime is Japanese animation.
There it hit me: If every work of animation that comes out of Japan is anime, then I may have watched anime since my earliest childhood. You see, back in the 70s, some German children shows were actually co-productions of German and Austrian broadcasters with Japanese animation studios. Three examples came to my mind:
The fourth example is purely Japanese in its origins, but still has been wildly popular here:
All of these were produced in Japan. Now, does this mean that generations of German children since 1974 have in fact watched anime without even knowing what it is? Are these example anime? If not, what is it that characterises anime other than coming from Japan?
I began to watch anime relatively recently. Of course I also watched a few episodes of Pokemon and so on, but I never really followed it and, much less, cared for it. Then, about last year, I was made aware of some of the good stuff that comes out of Japan. Now today I asked myself what distinguishes anime from other works of animation. Sure, I found a few stylistic choices, but I'm not sure if one would be able to name one that is common to every anime. In the end I resorted to the simplest possible definition: Anime is Japanese animation.
There it hit me: If every work of animation that comes out of Japan is anime, then I may have watched anime since my earliest childhood. You see, back in the 70s, some German children shows were actually co-productions of German and Austrian broadcasters with Japanese animation studios. Three examples came to my mind:
"Vicky the Viking" in English. The show tells the story of the young viking boy Wickie who has more wits than brawns and still manages to help his father and his crew whenever they are in a dangerous situation
Pinochio, the story of a living puppet, who wants nothing more than to become a real boy.
In English "Maya the Bee", the adventures of Maja and her other insect friends
The fourth example is purely Japanese in its origins, but still has been wildly popular here:
The story of Heidi living with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps
All of these were produced in Japan. Now, does this mean that generations of German children since 1974 have in fact watched anime without even knowing what it is? Are these example anime? If not, what is it that characterises anime other than coming from Japan?
