Poll: Is it inaccurate or offensive to call Anime "Cartoons"

[notyouraveragejoe]

I don't mind. I mean I think cartoons and anime are very, very similar. However, I still call Japanese/Asian animation "Anime" just so I understand the difference myself. Also quite a few people seem to differentiate so I just do so that its clearer on what I'm talking about.

 

[sumanoskae]

No, I don't mind, as long as their not trying to be offensive.

I just use anime because it sounds cooler

 

[Snotnarok]

Eehhhh I never found it offensive but I'm jaded. I guess it's like calling a painting a pencil drawing or a pencil drawing ....look I just think it's misclasifying I personally think it's the own persons ignorance vs offensive.

 

[Seagoon]

Anime is a cartoon? If that annoys you then you, my friend, are a seriously bad fanboy!

 

[Mstrswrd]

No, because that's what it is; a cartoon. Anime is literally just a shortened version of Animation (with an "e" for good measure). It's only referring to a specific branch of Animation; that which comes from Japan (though it's slowly becoming a looser definition, and is instead encompassing specific styles of animation). Mind you, i still call it Anime because I'm referring to this specific style, however, it is, by it's nature, a cartoon.

 

[subfield]

Calling it a cartoon is likening it to those cartoons in the west that you mentioned. Cartoons are so different from anime, and so primitive in terms of artwork and story, that if you referred to an anime as a cartoon without context I probably would misunderstand you.

 

[Booze Zombie]

No, they are cartoons.
They're not children's cartoons, however.

That's probably the thing they're trying to clarify.

 

[Bocaj2000]

animated cartoon
n.
A motion picture or television film consisting of a photographed series of drawings, objects, or computer graphics that simulates motion by recording very slight, continuous changes in the images, frame by frame.

I've seen a lot of people think that cartoons are exclusively a Western thing, so this definition proves this weeaboo superiority wrong. Anime is translated to "animation," not Japanese animation. Shit, I had an argument with someone because he didn't believe that Shin Chan should be considered an anime.

Also, comparing Bleach to Family Guy is like comparing Watchmen to Calvin and Hobbes. It makes one's argument fallacious and annoying.

this definition is wrong and misleading and i wish every one would stop quoting it.

that is a definition for Animated Illistration.
not Animated Cartoon.

Does that make my opinion invalid?

I watch both Cartoon and anime, usually I prefer this last one because it has more types, in anime there's school, dramas, comedy, battle, detective, thriller etc. Cartoon most of them are those for kids , or the movies from Disney, wich are good, but has always the same plot: the mini-drama and the super happy ending in the end.
Of course there are my favorite ones, the society critics, Family Guy, American Dad, Simpson, South Park, Futurama. Those I love.

I find it offensive that you pidgin hole western animation as childish and only used for a limited number of genres. What about Allegro Non Troppo? Jan Svankmajer's animations? The Secret of Kells? Persepolis? Waltz With Bashir? Why do you insist that animated greatness only comes from Japan? Why do you insist that it is I, an American, who is ignorant?

also, I found a better definition for animated cartoon:

World English Dictionary
animated cartoon

- n
a film produced by photographing a series of gradually changing drawings, etc, which give the illusion of movement when the series is projected rapidly

 

[superbatranger]

Of course it's not; it's from Japan. Just like J-rock is not rock music, and J-horror movies are not horror movies.

Well, with that logic, what are they?

 

[joshthor]

no. cause cartoons are better in literally every way. the animations are better and smoother, the characters are more relatable, shockingly cartoons are even more realistic, cartoons are funnier, and they have better stories.

 

[Klumpfot]

Of course it's not; it's from Japan. Just like J-rock is not rock music, and J-horror movies are not horror movies.

Well, with that logic, what are they?

They are manifestations of sarcasm.

 

[Daniel Laeben-Rosen]

Does that make my opinion invalid?

No, but you did compare Bleach to Watchmen.
One is a deconstruction on the entire superhero-genre and one of the most complex works of fiction of the past 30 years.
The other is an overlong and slow-paced show with lazy character-design and above-average fightscenes.
Just saying.

But no. Your argument and opinion are still valid.

 

[PurplePlatypus]

It sounds like they have come to define cartoon as something different from you. If anything they might be the ones being insulting to think of the word cartoon and everything associated as something lesser, things awful enough that they take it as an insult if you dare call their beloved shows it.

A cartoon I think is usually associated with animation aimed at a young audience or maybe something aimed for family viewing. I might call some anime cartoons, Bleach and Naruto are made for younger audiences so they would fall within the range of it.

 

[Bocaj2000]

Does that make my opinion invalid?

No, but you did compare Bleach to Watchmen.
One is a deconstruction on the entire superhero-genre and one of the most complex works of fiction of the past 30 years.
The other is an overlong and slow-paced show with lazy character-design and above-average fightscenes.
Just saying.

But no. Your argument and opinion are still valid.

Actually, I compared Watchmen to Calvin and Hobbes. They are both comics. I also compared Bleach to Family guy. They are both cartoons. How they hell did you misinterpret that?

 

[RatRace123]

Nooo, anime is a type of cartoon. At least that's how I see it.

It's all animated anyway.

Actually, I'd label them all as that, rather than "cartoons" or "anime".
That way nobody would be "offended" by it.

 

[ImpofthePerverse]

"Anime" in Japan is a blanket term used for animation in general wither you include "cartoons" in that or not is up to you. Generally in the west "anime" is used to refer to animation from Japan, but it's still animation. The only difference is Japan tend to tell a wider range of stories with their animation than westerners which generally aim their animation towards younger audiences.

So no I'm not offended if someone calls anime a cartoon, though I wouldn't use the term myself, it's all just animation.

 

[Kroxile]

Cartoons from Japan are still cartoons. Anyone who gets pissy over someone calling them that is far too obsessed with them.

This. Japanophiles are one of the few things in the world that make me genuinely rage.

 

[Daniel Laeben-Rosen]

Actually, I compared Watchmen to Calvin and Hobbes. They are both comics. I also compared Bleach to Family guy. They are both cartoons. How they hell did you misinterpret that?

Actually that's how it sounded the way you worded it. But I am sorry if I misunderstood you. I've been in too many conversations like this in real life where arguments like "All of X is the same" are common. And I've actually heard "Naruto/Bleach(both have been used) are *better* than Watchmen."
...
There was almost blood that time.