Anime!
Outline 
• What is Anime? 
• Common Misconceptions 
• History of Anime 
• Character Design 
• Genres 
• Basis on Manga 
• Influences in Western Animation
What is Anime? 
• Put simply, anime is animation from Japan. 
• Anime is a medium, not a genre. Saying “I 
like anime” is akin to saying “I like movies.” It 
includes the same genres as every other 
medium: drama, romance, comedy, sports, 
action, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, erotica and so 
on. 
• So basically, Anime could be seen as 
Japan’s “Hollywood.”
Common Misconceptions 
• Anime is for kids 
• Anime = violent / pornographic / big 
eyes / big breasts / big robots
(Brief) History of Anime
Early 1900s 
• At the start of the 20th century, Japanese 
filmmakers experimented with the animation 
techniques that were being explored in other 
countries, especially in the U.S. (Disney). 
• By the 1930s, animation became an alternative 
format of storytelling compared to the 
underdeveloped live-action industry in Japan. Two 
reasons: 
– Unlike America, the live-action industry in Japan 
remained a small market and suffered from 
budgeting, location, and casting restrictions. 
– The lack of Western-looking actors, in addition, 
made it next to impossible to shoot films set in 
Europe, America, or fantasy worlds that do not 
naturally involve Japan. The varied use of 
animation allowed artists to create any 
characters and settings.
Early 1900’s 
1907
1970s 
World Masterpiece Theatre
1980s 
Rise of Sci-fi superhero & “Mecha” 
genre coincided with the commercial 
success of Star Wars
1980s 
Hayao Miyazaki & Ghibli Studio
1990s 
• Neon Genesis Evangelion- revived 
anime TV industry 
• Pokemon series 
• Dragon Ball series 
• Sailormoon 
Extremely popular and heavily 
commercialized throughout 
the world
Character Design
Character Design
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime
http://naruto224.deviantart.com/
An example of exaggeration… 
• Clip from “Get Backers”
Genre
Drama
Romance / Comedy
Sports
Action
Sci-fi
Fantasy
Basis on Manga
Basis on Manga 
Anime Manga
Basis on Manga
Influences in Western Animation
Teen Titans
Do we have time for some more 
clips?
Sources 
• http://wikipedia.org 
• http://anime-source.com 
• www.awn.com/mag/issue1.5/articles/patten1.5.

Anime 122

Editor's Notes

  • #10 Another genre known as mecha came into being at this time. Some early works include Mazinger Z (1972-74), Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (1972-74), Space Battleship Yamato (1974-75) and Mobile Suit Gundam (1979-80). These titles showed a progression in the science fiction genre in anime, as shows shifted from more superhero-oriented, fantastical plots to somewhat more realistic space operas with increasingly complex plots and fuzzier definitions of right and wrong.