Anime

What Is Anime?

Anime is a style of animation that origined from Japan, with a distinctive character and background artwork that visually set it apart from all forms of cartooning animation. While some anime is entirely hand-drawn, sometimes computer assistance in generating the animation is used. Most storylines are fictional. Anime is broadcast on television, released on DVDs, or sometimes included in consoles and computer games. Anime is mostly influenced by manga, Japanese comics.

Anime History

Anime was created around the beginning of the 20th century, when Japanese animateurs were trying out animation techniques that were being used in the West. During the 1970s, anime's creation became deeper, and some new genres formed (such as mecha). In the 1990s, anime was accepted in oversea markets.

Anime Characteristics

Genres: Anime features a wide variety of artisticstyles which vary from artist to artist and is characterized by different graphics and beautiful images showing lively characters in a many different storylines and situations, aimed at a wide range of audiences. In anime, many different genres exist apart from the widely known genres such as action, adventure, humor, fantasy, horror, romance, and science fiction:

• Bishojo: A term that can be used to describe any anime that features pretty girl characters.
• Bishonen: A term that can be used to describe any anime that features "pretty" and elegant boys and men.
• Josei: This is anime or manga that is aimed at young women, and is one of the rarest forms.
• Kodomo: This is anime or manga that is aimed at young children.
• Mecha: An Anime featuring giant robots.
• Moe: Anime or manga featuring characters that are extremely cute.
• Seinen: Anime targeted at teenage or young male adults.
• Sentai: Refers to any show that involves a superhero team.
• Shojo: Refers to anime or manga targeted at girls.
• Shonen: Refers to anime or manga targeted at boys.
• Shojo-ai/Shonen-ai: Refers as ?Magical Girls? stories. Shonen-ai is the male equivalent.
• Hentai: Refers to pornographic material. 18+ audiences.
• Ecchi: Refers to light sexual content that can be viewed by a 13+ age group.
• Yaoi/yuri: Refers to homosexual content. Yaoi is boyxboy and yuri is girlxgirl.

Music: Anime soundtracks are huge in Japan, and are often charted on the top pop albums. It is why anime music is often composed and performed by A-list stars.

Animation Style

The most common is the large eyes style drawn on many anime characters, but different artists have their own artistic styles. Stylistic elements are common as well; characters that are shocked or surprised perform a "face fault"; an extremely exaggerated expression. Angry characters mostly show a "vein" or "stressmark", where lines representing bulging veins will appear on their forehead. Angry women are known sometimes to grab a mallet from nowhere and smash someone with it. Male characters will often get a bloody nose when they see their crushes; this is to show an exagerrated blush. When a character is embarrased, a sweatdrop is most likely to appear on the side of the head (mostly shown on the right side of the head).