Can Americans Make Anime?
- Thread starter Chris OBrien
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Interesting article. Yeah this is kind of why I think "Anime" should be rename as "Japanese anime" since anime does (to me) stand for animation which apply to any animation!
Still Legend of Korra is good in its own right without being need to be class as "anime".
Still Legend of Korra is good in its own right without being need to be class as "anime".
Not meaning to be picky but I noticed in the article the mention of bourbon. Jack Daniels is technically not Bourbon as it is not from Kentucky or Bourbon St New Orleans. The manufacturers refer to it as Tennessee Whiskey. But hey I like to know where my poison comes from before I drink it.
Anyways. I personally believe anime to be an artistic genre and style. Yes it started in Japan but that doesn't mean no one else is allowed to use and certainly doesn't mean the anime they produce is any better or worse. Even if 'they' happen to be American.
Anyways. I personally believe anime to be an artistic genre and style. Yes it started in Japan but that doesn't mean no one else is allowed to use and certainly doesn't mean the anime they produce is any better or worse. Even if 'they' happen to be American.
Well, as long as you like something, I can't see a reason why the label is that important. I used to think pokemon was western when I was a kid,and I also thought that the power rangers series were also purely made in the west.
I think the Avatar franchise is amazing. It's intelligent, meaningful and it doesn't patronise kids. It's more than worthy of sharing the spotlight with names like Ghibli.
Also If the gaming industry wants to know how to make great female video game characters they should watch the Last Airbender and Korra.
Also If the gaming industry wants to know how to make great female video game characters they should watch the Last Airbender and Korra.
Anime is only useful as a term when it describes animated works that come from Japan. Why? Because it doesn't mean something different than the word "animation." It's the same word. The only reason it is widely known outside of Japan is because Japanese animation became popular outside of Japan. If German cartoons had become wildly popular, we'd be using the German word for cartoon to describe animated works from that country.
Hell, it's only barely adequate to describe Japanese animations, because it's not like all anime are one genre. Your article doesn't even describe anime; it describes a subtype of anime known as shonen. Try to apply your description to a show like Grave of the Fireflies and you will see that you may not understand Japanese animation as much as you think you do. What about Shoujo? Where would Azamanga Daioh fit into your article? Do you think that all anime looks the same? Does Berserk look closer to Bleach than it does Batman: Year One?
Hell, it's only barely adequate to describe Japanese animations, because it's not like all anime are one genre. Your article doesn't even describe anime; it describes a subtype of anime known as shonen. Try to apply your description to a show like Grave of the Fireflies and you will see that you may not understand Japanese animation as much as you think you do. What about Shoujo? Where would Azamanga Daioh fit into your article? Do you think that all anime looks the same? Does Berserk look closer to Bleach than it does Batman: Year One?
I think that, in English usage, the word "anime" refers to any animation made in Japan. (As I am sure someone will be quick to point out, in Japanese "anime" refers to all animation, but in my experience this is not generally the case in English.) People keep referring to themes and stylistic choices (pointy hair, big eyes, nakama) that supposedly make a series into an "anime," but there are many shows made in Japan that are labeled "anime" even though they have none of these characteristics.
And really, why does it matter? Korra is the same show whether it is called an anime or not.
And really, why does it matter? Korra is the same show whether it is called an anime or not.
I think it all depends because the way I've always seen it, there are two definitions of the word "Anime" there's the literal meaning and the societal meaning.
The literal meaning is simple...it's the Japanese word for Cartoon. So not only can Americans make anime, shows like Dexter's Lab or even Pixar movies would fall under the literal definition of anime. But of course if you actually told your average anime fan that Futurama was your favorite anime, they'd probably wanna smack you with their kawaii desu stick or whatever they would do in that situation.
Societal definition is the trickier one. It's the one that sees anime more as a stylized choice rather than. It's what causes people to look at character designs for a video game and say something like "They have a very anime type design" and generally when it comes to this definition, the thing is...people just DON'T tend to count non-Japanese cartoons under it. Whether it's Teen Titans, or Avatar, some people will simply refuse to consider them to be anime because they aren't actually Japanese.
Short answer: Yeah, I think they can. I think it's important to at least acknowledge both sides of what anime is and isn't.
But like someone else said, I don't think it matters because anime isn't this higher level of animation that shows should strive to be called.
Captcha: How about that?
The literal meaning is simple...it's the Japanese word for Cartoon. So not only can Americans make anime, shows like Dexter's Lab or even Pixar movies would fall under the literal definition of anime. But of course if you actually told your average anime fan that Futurama was your favorite anime, they'd probably wanna smack you with their kawaii desu stick or whatever they would do in that situation.
Societal definition is the trickier one. It's the one that sees anime more as a stylized choice rather than. It's what causes people to look at character designs for a video game and say something like "They have a very anime type design" and generally when it comes to this definition, the thing is...people just DON'T tend to count non-Japanese cartoons under it. Whether it's Teen Titans, or Avatar, some people will simply refuse to consider them to be anime because they aren't actually Japanese.
Short answer: Yeah, I think they can. I think it's important to at least acknowledge both sides of what anime is and isn't.
But like someone else said, I don't think it matters because anime isn't this higher level of animation that shows should strive to be called.
Captcha: How about that?
I was going to come in here and say it should defined by the style, but then you ninja'd me at the end of the article. In all honesty though, does it really matter? Labels like these are primarily used to validate people's hobbies and make them feel superior.
IMO this article is kind of all over the place in terms of where it's going in relation to the primary thesis. It's sort of confusing, because at the end it mentions that anime is not a genre (and it's not) but in itself contains sub-genres. Yet at the start we see the typical formula for a shonen action anime aimed at 14 year old boys:
Anime, to me, just means animation from Japan. It's all animation. Animation is a medium to me, Anime is animation from Japan. I consider, for example, Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt to be an Anime despite the fact it looks like a Nickelodeon cartoon. Animation from America is "American Animation", from france is "French Animation"; it just so happens that Japanese Animation is the only one with a nerdcool, chic nickname.
The reason the term gained popularity is due to the proliferation of the medium in Japan. I would wager they have the largest animation industry in the world. We had the Simpsons, Family guy and Futurama all air on prime time. Those are, more or less, the three big cartoons in the west. In Japan you have a ton of new cartoons airing each year in prime time from a ton of talented studios. In the west we just don't have that.
Basically, what I'm getting at is it's just a cultural loanword that caught on and has taken on a meaning in western culture as "animation from Japan." This is not the first word to be borrowed in English and have it's meaning altered, and it won't be the last. Is this not okay? Why must Americans strive to fit in their animation to fit in common Japanese stylings? Even if it does, why does it need to be called "Anime"?
It's akin to asking "Can Americans make a Bollywood movie?" Well, was the movie made in Bollywood? If not, then no, you can't do it because that's what being a Bollywood movie is. Sure, you can have 3 acts and 6 songs in your movie. You can follow the Bollywood formula, hire Indian actors and even have the actors speak Hindu; but it still won't be a Bollywood movie even if it's indistinguishable from the real thing.
And really, isn't this okay?
These kind of shows are no doubt popular, but it's a great misconception I feel in the west that this encapsulates all of anime. What about K-ON!, Air, Kanon, Clannad? What about Monster? What about Haruhi which has no villain at all? Hyōka? Nichijou? There's too many, of course, to list.
Anime, to me, just means animation from Japan. It's all animation. Animation is a medium to me, Anime is animation from Japan. I consider, for example, Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt to be an Anime despite the fact it looks like a Nickelodeon cartoon. Animation from America is "American Animation", from france is "French Animation"; it just so happens that Japanese Animation is the only one with a nerdcool, chic nickname.
The reason the term gained popularity is due to the proliferation of the medium in Japan. I would wager they have the largest animation industry in the world. We had the Simpsons, Family guy and Futurama all air on prime time. Those are, more or less, the three big cartoons in the west. In Japan you have a ton of new cartoons airing each year in prime time from a ton of talented studios. In the west we just don't have that.
Basically, what I'm getting at is it's just a cultural loanword that caught on and has taken on a meaning in western culture as "animation from Japan." This is not the first word to be borrowed in English and have it's meaning altered, and it won't be the last. Is this not okay? Why must Americans strive to fit in their animation to fit in common Japanese stylings? Even if it does, why does it need to be called "Anime"?
It's akin to asking "Can Americans make a Bollywood movie?" Well, was the movie made in Bollywood? If not, then no, you can't do it because that's what being a Bollywood movie is. Sure, you can have 3 acts and 6 songs in your movie. You can follow the Bollywood formula, hire Indian actors and even have the actors speak Hindu; but it still won't be a Bollywood movie even if it's indistinguishable from the real thing.
And really, isn't this okay?
i think there's a stigma around western animation that comes largely from trying to capitalize on the success of Japanese animation. For every successful show you named there are 2 crap fests that we'd all rather forget. Looking back to the late 90's after the booming success of Poke'mon that brought anime mainstream, there were several shows that tried the formula and few made cut. That was when people actually began to check where it was made. America's knockoffs were instantly dismissed and the anime purists became a thing. The term Western anime still carries a stigma from that time despite the successes since then. It's basically a waiting game.
Eventually (hopefully), we'll get past this and just look for good shows.
Eventually (hopefully), we'll get past this and just look for good shows.
I think their are two very distinct aspects of Anime that I define separately when trying to describe what a show is and isn't. One being the visual and the other being the structural. I would say most American shows that visually look like anime aren't structured or written like anime so I wouldn't call them Anime as most of the time they are just simple kids shows selling on a popular artistic styling.
But then you get things like Avatar or Korra which definitely look like anime and are written like anime but I'd still specifically label them "american anime".
Ah its all a big memss these days anyway, everyone copies everyone lol.
But then you get things like Avatar or Korra which definitely look like anime and are written like anime but I'd still specifically label them "american anime".
Ah its all a big memss these days anyway, everyone copies everyone lol.
For as long as I been watching anime I always knew it as being short for "Japanese Animation" or anime for short. So in those terms no Americans cannot make anime.
There are many types and styles, stories and characters in anime. So to say something is anime-ish style doesnt make it one.
There are many types and styles, stories and characters in anime. So to say something is anime-ish style doesnt make it one.