Lesson 01: What is Anime?

This is the first “lesson” of a series that I will be calling “Anime 101.” Hopefully even those who have enjoyed anime for many years will be able to learn something new.

So let’s begin!

Azumanga Daioh

Part 01: Language

During the last year of middle school, I started taking French at my future high school.  In class, I found out watching cartoons in French was “regarder les dessin animé.”  Anime is a French word?!  I thought it was Japanese!

From Wikipedia’s Anime page:

Japanese write the English term “animation” in katakana as アニメーション (animēshon, pronounced [animeːɕoɴ]), and the term アニメ (anime, pronounced [anime] ( listen) in Japanese) emerged in the 1970s as an abbreviation. Others claim that the word derives from the French phrase dessin animé. Japanese-speakers use both the original and abbreviated forms interchangeably, but the shorter form occurs more commonly.

The pronunciation of anime in Japanese, [anime], differs significantly from the Standard English/ˈænɪmeɪ/, which has different vowels and stress. (In Japanese each mora carries equal stress.) As with a few other Japanese words such as saké, Pokémon, and Kobo Abé, English-language texts sometimes spell anime as animé (as in French), with an acute accentover the final e, to cue the reader to pronounce the letter, not to leave it silent as English orthography might suggest.

I do think that there is a possibility that the Japanese anime came from the French animé, since that is some coincidence.   It is possible, since the Japanese use a lot of French words.   For example, L’arc-en- Ciel, French for “rainbow,” is a Japanese band (1991-), and in Maria Watches Over Us (Maria-sama), which has an anime and manga based on the light novel series, the soeur (French “sister”) system is used in referring to the school’s tradition of an older student guiding a younger student.

Maria-Sama

So what is anime really?

Part 02: Word usage

Image via Wikipedia

In Japan, anime refers to cartoons, whether or not it was made in the country.  Outside of Japan, anime refers to all Japanese cartoons.  My dad has a hard time understanding what anime is.  He used to think it was the shortened form of “animation,” because he couldn’t distinguish between a Japanese cartoon and an American cartoon.  This is due to the fact that cartoons are sent overseas for in-betweeners to fill in the scenes, and many old American cartoons were sent to Japan (though recently there are a lot more Korean names in cartoon credits), so to him, American shows were considered animes (though they really are not).

Outside of a country, the comics and cartoons that particular country creates are referred to by the translated words “comic” and “cartoon” from the language that country uses.

Country                      Comics            Example               Cartoons

Japan                           Manga             Death Note           Anime

China                            Manhua          1/2 Prince             Manhua Anime

South Korea                 Manhwa           Goong                         ?

Part 03: Related Material

Anime refers to the cartoons, while manga refers to Japanese comic books.  The two go hand in hand; if you like one, it is most likely you like the other.  Usually that is because there is an anime show made for many manga series, or vice versa.  Sometimes they are based off of Japanese novels.  Sometimes they get  live-action films or TV dramas (not necessarily dramatic, TV dramas are just TV shows), including Ouran based on Ouran High School Host Club.  Audio shows are also released as well as concerts and live performances, such as Sailor Moon‘s live musical SeraMyu.

Part 04: Anime Influenced

Anime-influenced animation can be found in many countries, including the US and France.  La nouvelle manga are French comics influenced by manga (la bande dessinée is comic in French).  French anime-influenced animation includes Marathon Media Group‘s Totally Spies, Team Galaxy, and Martin Mystery, and MoonScope‘s Code Lyoko.

American cartoons influenced by anime are apparently known as Americanime (who exactly is using this word?  I don’t know anyone).  Comics influenced by manga are known as Originally English-language manga (OEL manga); Bizenghast was the first one I saw become successful, though I have never read it.  “Purists” (whoever they are?) don’t consider American-made anything as part of the anime genre.  Hollywood likes to attempt (usually doesn’t get out of the development stage) making live-action versions of animes, manga, or even live-action Japanese movies that are already based on animes/manga.  One that was actually made was obviously Dragonball Evolution, but I had heard a rumor about Sailor Moon being made into a movie when I was in middle school, and Cowboy Bebop and Death Note recently (American Death Note?! AH!).

Besides the US, China and Korea borrow the stories of manga and anime for their live-action TV series known as “dramas.”  Boys over Flowers (Hana Yori Dango) has been repeatedly turned into dramas in Japan,  Taiwan, and South Korea.

Recently South Korea has made a name for its self in the market probably due to the popularity of anime/manga plus the growing popularity of anything Korean, including K-Pop.  Though I don’t know of any cartoons from Korea, the comics are called manhwa.  Though once lumped into the category of manga without much distinction, it now has a large enough following to allow it to be a subcategory in “Manga” (which is used by some as a simplified way to refer to Asian comics as a whole since manga was the first to become popular.  At least that it the only way I can explain it.) along side of “Japanese Manga” and “Chinese Manhua.”  They also turn their manhwas into live-action TV series: the Korean drama Princess Hours is based on the manhwa Goong.

I hope you enjoyed my lesson.  Class dismissed!