What Defines Anime?

[Mr_Anderson]

I just started wondering, what makes anime, anime?

[Bobtheduck]

To me, anime is animation from Japan. Other than that, there are no specifications.

[Ingemar]

What Bob said.

Assertions such as "Pokemon is NOT anime!" are absolutely ridiculous.

[TrigunX89]

I agree with what Bob said. It's also commonly thought of as the style of animation they use in Japan. Ya know, the stuff Totally Spies tries to do. (I can't stand that show. Hope I didn't offend anyone! )

As much as we all hate to say it, I think Pokemon is anime. It's an animated series from Japan. Kids in Japan need things to watch too. Is Pokemon a GOOD anime? Whether it is or not, I still say it's anime. A few years ago I loved it. I hope I've grown up a little since then...

[SManBeyond]

To use a quote from Potter Stewart, "I know it when I see it." I haven't determined exactly what it is yet, but I can tell between true anime and stuff that tries to look like anime just by looking at it.

[glitch1501]

what about animation from korea? it looks very similar...is it anime?...imo yes..

[Kireihana]

As much as we all hate to say it, I think Pokemon is anime.

Hey, Pokemon isn't a bad show. Even if I don't like it anymore, it's the show that got me into anime when I was a kidlet.

Anyhoo, the reason you can tell American anime-spinoffs from real anime is because the American cartoons have smoother animation. I think the Japanese use less frames-per-second than we do, which gives it that trademark anime feel. Plus, the American spinoffs tend to overuse the anime characteristics, like the popping veins, fight lines, sweat drops, etc. The characters always seem to be spazzing. At least that's what I noticed...

[Xavier249]

For Anime music videos and such, they define anime as Cartoons from Japan and Movie footage from anime-like video games such as Final Fantasy.

I define anime as from Japan. Not limited to in their language though.
The main reason I watch the shows are because I have been enchanted with the language ever since my family had a japanese exchange student for a week. So, I avoid watching dubs.

Oh yeah, Pokemon is anime. Supposedly the Japanese version was better but I can't vouch for that.

[AngelSakura]

I think there's a Pokemon Uncensored site somewhere.... But Pokemon is the least censored daytime, kids channel anime I have ever seen. Apparently, the worst word that has ever come out of Ash's mouth (BTW, not his orginal name) is d**m, and only like 5 times in the entire series. But all that "let's be friends" and "we can do it!" stuff is actually there. TrigunX89 is right, Japanese kids need something to watch too. Where do you think Hamtaro and Hello Kitty came from?
My definition of anime is "animated material originaly from Japan."

[Mr_Anderson]

So even video games from japan are considered anime?

[uc pseudonym]

The original question has been overanswered past the first reply, so I will deal with the second: No.

Anime is a genre that basically just means cartoons (minus the connotations we have with the word in America). They could reasonably call American cartoons anime, but the term is often used to distinguish between the countries that did the creation.

Plus, the American spinoffs tend to overuse the anime characteristics, like the popping veins, fight lines, sweat drops, etc. The characters always seem to be spazzing.

Though I must say this: there is a great deal of anime that overuses the anime characteristics, in which the characters always seem to be spazzing.

[uc pseudonym]

I believe that the term anime has nothing whatsoever to do with styles or origins of ideas, only creation. Therefore, I would say that your idea, if created by a Japanese company, would be considered anime.

[starstoryteller]

I would define it as a style. Say if you where to say to krate masters "your not the real thing because your not Asian" that would be just silly. just because your not an asian artist does take away the fact that that anime is well...anime wether in it's made in Japan or the U.S.

[TrigunX89]

Hey, Pokemon isn't a bad show. Even if I don't like it anymore, it's the show that got me into anime when I was a kidlet.

Sorry. I used to be a huge pokemon fan. I would go to CCG tournaments nearly every saturday for three years. And I was an even bigger DBZ fan. It seems like I wore a different DBZ shirt every day of the week. I'm not saying they're bad animes, but my tastes have changed as I've gotten older.

Heh, even if you look in different dictionaries you will find different definitions for anime. I don't really agree with many of them.

[Inferno]

The original question has been overanswered past the first reply, so I will deal with the second: No.

Anime is a genre that basically just means cartoons (minus the connotations we have with the word in America). They could reasonably call American cartoons anime, but the term is often used to distinguish between the countries that did the creation.



Though I must say this: there is a great deal of anime that overuses the anime characteristics, in which the characters always seem to be spazzing.

What excactly do you mean by spazzing? And my defination of anime is about the same as everyone elses, Animation inwhich comes from Japan.

[uc pseudonym]

The term is somewhat difficult to define. I would use one of two definitions, primarily depending upon the context:

1) A character becomes severely super deformed.
2) A character acts extremely stupid and random, generally abruptly.

[Inferno]

Oh ok, now i get it. Ya I agree the characters in american spinoffs of anime do seem to spaz alot.

[Mr_Anderson]

yeah they do. i thikn i'm confused now. anime is anything animated from japan and anything like that? but the american rip offs aren't. gaaah!!! i am sooo confused, even more than when i started this thread

[Banana-chan]

1 word for anime: ADDICTING!
so true yesh?
-Meeh