Anime 101
by Jeffrey G Laughlin
http://www.animeray.com
Why Do Anime Characters Look So Western Hemisphere?
Answer:
nobody knows. What we do know is that Anime is really
becoming popular in the United States. It could be those
lush, big, luminous dreamy eyes. People always notice
right away that most Anime characters have big eyes and
look very American or Western, rather than having oval,
Oriental-looking eyes. Maybe it's just that it's foreign,
and you know how Americans love food and culture from other
countries.
Anime is a cartoon that usually grows out of manga, the
Japanese comic book. It's just like Batman, Superman or
Spiderman in the US. We had comic books before they ever
hit television or movie theaters. New versions and new
formats can keep the original manga or comic book
characters alive for many years, even for generations.
Anime is dreamy. Why? Because most anime grows out of the
idea that human beings have deep feelings. Anime explores
those feelings, just like our dreams do. Things may be
larger or smaller than in real life. They may be more
surrealistic. Young love, growing up; adventure stories
capture the imagination of young and old.
Japanese symbolism in Anime is worth exploring. There are
rich subtleties that go unnoticed unless you ask. Cherry
blossoms often show how short life can be. You will see
them blowing away in the wind to illustrate the fleeting
nature of life. Subtle.
Japanese phrases remain even in the English translations of
anime. It is good to pick up a little bit of the foreign
language. Rounds out your character. Try saying "moshi
moshi" instead of "hello" to one of your friends. But be
sure you know who's calling before you get too playful.
Also, do not mutter "baka" under your breath behind the
boss lady's back, just in case she is a new Anime fan, too.
"Baka" means "stupid."
Anime originates in one of three different forms. The first
is a made for TV format with space for commercial breaks.
"Sailor Moon," "Neon Genesis Evangelion," "Maison Ikoko,"
"Marmalade Boy" and "Escaflowne" started out this way.
The second format is made for the video market. These are
called OVA or Original Video Animation. "Oh! My Goddess!,"
"Giant Robo," "Bubble Gum Crisis" are classics in this
category, as is "Read or Die!," which is newer. Episodes
vary in length.
Third, is full-length movies. "Princess Mononoke,"
"Spirited Away" and "Ghost in the Shell" are titles that
most Americans will recognize.
Anime is addictive. We're warning you: drugs would be
cheaper. We can suggest ways to support the habit, though.
For a cheap fix, you can surf Yahoo or Google at any hour
of the day or night.
Need more? Browse http://www.AnimeNation.com and
http://www.Wizzywig.com. You can talk to other addicts,
er, that is, fans at http://www.Anime100.com. They have the
largest chat rooms. If you have questions about your new
passion, there will usually be someone there who can answer
you with trivia and history.
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