What makes it an Anime?

[Bacon Man]

Can someone explain to me what makes a show an Anime? Is it just the having the big shiney eyes? Or does it hve to take place in Asia?

I'm not trying to offened anyone who like animes I've just wondered a long time about what exacly makes it an anime.

[Demon link]

Well, because they are japenese, they are drawn in a certain type of style i.e big shiny eyes.

[Cody]

To Japanese, the word just means "cartoons", e.g. Naruto or Bugs Bunny or The Simpsons, based on the English word "animation", but to the western world, "anime" refers solely to animations made in Japan.

Big shiny eyes have no bearing on it.

[Margar]

if it's from japan, and it's animated. duh.

although a lot of anime is done in Korea....

[Demon link]

Originally Posted by Margar

if it's from japan, and it's animated. duh.

although a lot of anime is done in Korea....

Yep the hint is in the word Animation, but add the e instead of a

[Luke Groundwalker]

The term is used for cartoons made in Japan, simple as that.

[Princess Tsunata "Amnya" of Pen Island]

Anime is just Japanese cartoons. It's not like there's some master checklist of features that a show needs to have in order to be called an anime.

[zeldask8r]

Anime is just Japanese cartoons

some "anime" is not from japan though. I think anime is pretty much cartoons from asia that use the japanese style of cartooning (which beleive it or not, origanated from american cartooning, go figure).

[Prince Deity]

I always thought anime was just animation done in asia, but I do wonder what rely makes it anime...

[Luke Groundwalker]

Originally Posted by zeldask8r

some "anime" is not from japan though.

No, by definition, ALL anime is from Japan. Something can look like something but not be it. Not to sound like a prick or a weaboo, but that's a fact.

[Alucard]

Uh, Japanese. Enough said.

[Elfen Lied]

Can someone explain to me what makes a show an Anime? Is it just the having the big shiney eyes? Or does it hve to take place in Asia?

Berserk is anime, yet its pretty uncoventional, its not like other animes, you might know of. It has none of the sorts of things one associates with anime, angry big Head sweat drip X mark KOed eyes falling over in embarrassment, chicks with werido colourful hair that is geneticly impossible, huge shiny eyes, pointless fan service, uh...

Berserk is set in medieval Europe, dont even think it has a single asian character in it, or someone who is suppose to be asian.



anime is simply japanese cartoons of any form. much like how manga is japanese comics.

[Eijiro]

As far as I know anime is just a shortening of the Japanese pronunciation of animation (アニメーション - animeeshon) they do this with so many words it's not funny (Convenience Store = Conbini, for example). It applies to any cartoons. It doesn't necessarily have to be from Japan.

In America it has been adopted to mean Japanese animation specifically. Yes, the kind with big shiny eyes and bright colours.

anime is simply japanese cartoons of any form. much like how manga is japanese comics.

Japanese book stores have more than just Japanese comics in the manga section

[GDwarf]

Anime is simply the style of animation. You can have anime that's been made in North America, just as you can have Disney-esque cartoons made in Asia.

Now, when most people talk about anime they usually mean cartoons done in the anime style that were made in Asia, but I find that a rather odd distinction to make.

[Luke Groundwalker]

Originally Posted by GDwarf

Anime is simply the style of animation. You can have anime that's been made in North America, just as you can have Disney-esque cartoons made in Asia.

Now, when most people talk about anime they usually mean cartoons done in the anime style that were made in Asia, but I find that a rather odd distinction to make.

...No, you're poorly misinformed on that. Anime isn't just a style of animation but English definition, it is also, indeed, by popular belief, a word used for Japanese animation here in the States. Although it's also defined as a style nowadays, you still wouldn't call, say, Avatar: The Last Airbender an anime, even though it's anime-styled.

In Japan, the word is just used for animation in general, any cartoon. Doesn't matter if it's a Disney movie, to Tom and Jerry, to Dragon Ball Z. In Japan you call animation "anime" period.

[Hazz]

Just because something looks like a manga/anime it doesn't make it one. Megatokyo can have as many anime references as it wants but it is never going to make Fred Gallagher japanese.

If an animation comes out of Japan looking photo-realistic it will still be an anime. If an American animation has huge eyes and sweat drops it won't be an anime.

[Malachi Constant]

Big heads, gigantic boobs, enormous eyes, no noses, retarded facial expressions, unrealistic interactions, grating voice actors, and terrible plots

thats what makes an anime

[Evaline]

Any animation made in Japan is anime.

[kid999]

Well, to have an anime, there has to be a manga. There is manga for Naruto. One Piece, Inuyasha, Bobobo-bo-bo-bobo or something like that, Bleach, Yugioh etc.

[Cody]

Originally Posted by kid999

Well, to have an anime, there has to be a manga. There is manga for Naruto. One Piece, Inuyasha, Bobobo-bo-bo-bobo or something like that, Bleach, Yugioh etc.

No, a lot of anime are based on successful manga, but sometimes an anime is popular enough that it inspires a manga. This is the case in such shows as Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion, I believe.

[Lantean]

How can you tell if something is anime?

*Opens up Anime for Dummies*

Well, let's see. It's very simple. Most of the time, the artwork is a bunch of lazy shapes. Lazy framerate and animation, with a lot of things remaining still and flashing colors and lines to depict movement and action. Then, the dialog is the easiest part, for their mouths are mostly upside-down triangles that flap up and down.

Despite this, it's incredibly addicting.

[Luke Groundwalker]

Originally Posted by Blizzaga

How can you tell if something is anime?

*Opens up Anime for Dummies*

Well, let's see. It's very simple. Most of the time, the artwork is a bunch of lazy shapes. Lazy framerate and animation, with a lot of things remaining still and flashing colors and lines to depict movement and action. Then, the dialog is the easiest part, for their mouths are mostly upside-down triangles that flap up and down.

Despite this, it's incredibly addicting.

Honestly none of that is true. There's a ton of greatly drawn anime, even though an anime like Naruto has pretty bad animation (except the backgrounds, but the Japanese pretty much excel in drawing backgrounds, lol). There's more good animated anime than bad is what I'm trying to say, and to generalize all of it is just pure stupidity.

[Hazz]

Originally Posted by Luke Groundwalker

Honestly none of that is true. There's a ton of greatly drawn anime, even though an anime like Naruto has pretty bad animation (except the backgrounds, but the Japanese pretty much excel in drawing backgrounds, lol). There's more good animated anime than bad is what I'm trying to say, and to generalize all of it is just pure stupidity.

Indeed. Akira and Ghost in the Shell spring to mind.

[Lantean]

Originally Posted by Luke Groundwalker

Honestly none of that is true. There's a ton of greatly drawn anime, even though an anime like Naruto has pretty bad animation (except the backgrounds, but the Japanese pretty much excel in drawing backgrounds, lol). There's more good animated anime than bad is what I'm trying to say, and to generalize all of it is just pure stupidity.

Yes, all that I have said is true. It matters not if there is some anime that's better than I depicted. I was speaking of it in general, which is the truth. Trying to speak on the contrary is pure stupidity. I'm even comparing way back at least fifty years ago to Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Old old show, yet much better animation than most anime. Heck, even Steamboat Willy.

[Lieutenant Lollipop]

Originally Posted by Malachi Constant

Big heads, gigantic boobs, enormous eyes, no noses, retarded facial expressions, unrealistic interactions, grating voice actors, and terrible plots

thats what makes an anime

I can tell you watch Naruto and Bleach.