Animation is a pretty big thing to me, I mean I like to just watch whatever I can but there’s always been a distinct difference between West (American) and Eastern (Typically Japan but other regions as well) animation
When it comes down to animation between two regions of the world the results are differed immensely by how faces are structured, what tone is generally sensed throughout the show, how many frames of animation there even are and how shows or movies are even produced.
To break it down I’ll look at a few key points and how it greatly affects animation on how we perceive it.
Frames: Typically frames are the still shots that progressively move to make an animation, think of flip notes that make a small tank move across a field like in the gif. below
Western Animation: Western anime typically when we’re talking about a high class production like ‘The Little Mermaid’ will move at 24 frames per second and retains a fluent style while not overly fluent as to cross into the uncanny valley, however much less detail is moved into the background of animation
Eastern: In contrast, anime employs shortcuts, such as long scenes in which only the mouth of a character and maybe a few strands of hair move during delivery of key information; or when depicting rapid motion with a character frozen in an action pose against a swift-moving, stylized background that does not require extensive animation.
In Common: Both Eastern and Western animation take advantage of transformation sequences which take an ample time away from precious frames and run time animators don’t have to draw. For example we have this .gif of Sailor Moon transforming and while this scene at first must have been tough as hell to animate the animators can use the animation over and over again each episode and in the case of sailor moon who’s transformation sequences can last to up to a minute that’s now a minute animators don’t have to worry about and including intros and outro sequences many animators manage to cut down the animation time to only 14 minutes to a generally 20 minute show.
Tone: Tone is just how a general attitude of a piece of certain writing or animation.
West: Generally in a lot of American media when it comes to cartoons especially there is a clear cut villain of a cartoon and a hero of the story usually with a few secondary protagonists’ as either comic relief or a link from a fantasy world to the real world by guiding how the world they inhabit works. A villain is largely defeated and our heroes rejoice.
East: In Eastern media while there are a ton of cartoons that follow a hero vs villain path the East employs the usage of grey-area characters where some are good in some ways and others are bad in some ways and humanizes characters a lot more than Western media, especially for “villains”
Censorship: Sometimes we can’t say all the things we want to say and we’re just going to focus on cartoons for this segment
West: The West is very strange in it’s ethics to censor certain things and none is a better example than 4Kids on how many things are taken out, especially references to any religions or guns and it can end up with some jarring results in their attempt to shelter American kids from different cultures
East: Eastern animation is generally free of censorship unless it’s obscene or lewd and then censorship laws are strange but that’s way too lewd to talk about. However back on topic many writers aren’t shy to present very real items from the world such as guns or saw blades in dangerous situations as some people believe it builds tension and helps a child slowly learn about real life.
Japan – on the left ; American dub on the right
However Eastern and Western animation aren’t that far apart and a lot of the times they tend to borrow key ideas from each other and make some excellent pieces of work, for example the East had made use of more frames per second in the 1988 classic (Akira) by utilizing more frames in a plethora of shots which made it the most expensive anime to produce at the time costing 9 million dollars toady or 1.1 billion JPY
My question to you is which anime / show has influenced you and why? What animation styles did it employ or what made it catch your eye?
(Sources)
https://www.lifewire.com/japanese-vs-american-animation-141033
West House 
To answer the initial question, I really don’t watch anime or any animated show in general. I prefer to watch live actions over animations. However, among the ones I did watch, I would say Forest of Piano has influenced me the most. I watched the movie version of it when it came out. I was very young at the time. It was one of the first Eastern animated movies I have ever seen. It has influenced me the most because I got familiarized with anime movies with this one. It introduced me to a new kind of movie and has allowed me to watch a few more after. I liked the tone it gave. Unlike the other anime movies of Japan I saw, the tone was less vivid and dynamic. It showed lots of details through shortcuts of the characters’ hands. I liked the details of the characters playing the piano.
Now to my question: do you think the cultural difference between Eastern and Western regions/cultures play a role in different characteristics each animation industry has? Why or why not?
When I was young I really liked to watch Ed, Edd, and Eddy and it really influenced me when I was little because every child wants to be creative. The creativity expressed in the cartoon with the various ways that the friends tried to achieve the jawbreaker really made me want to go out and make my own giant crane machine. Of course I was never able to because it was impractical but it fueled imagination and exploration when I was growing up. The animation style also seemed unique as it was a simple style that tied in with traditional cartoon animation, but took its own route by employing a plain yet detailed style of the animation. Not to mention the characters which were always a humorous experience.
My question is why is it that older cartoons seem to have more of a story and sentimental value to people rather than new cartoons such as teen titans go?
I’m only half-Asian so I don’t really watch anime all that often. But when that side kicks in, the average binge doesn’t hurt. From what I’ve seen, Attack On Titan has one of the more unique spins on the traditional, more commonly used style of modern anime. Its use of comic book styled outlines and dark color grading give the anime a very serious look to enhance that serious tone that its established through the actual plot. I haven’t actually watched Attack On Titan at all so I don’t know what I’m saying. However, an anime I have watched is Orange. Orange has a very, very unique art style. The faces of each character have more details than the traditional “anime look”, which gives them more realistic faces, along with facial expressions following that. It made the entire show more enjoyable and interesting as the animation was able to give them more relevance to my viewing experience as their relatability carried over through just the work of better facial animation. Crazy how artists can do that and all.
To answer Andrew’s question, older cartoons like the original Teen Titans series seem to have more sentimental value than their modern counterparts (Teen Titans GO!) because they were actually created with the very intention to have more mature stories. The creators wanted people to like the show for its core values and characters. However, Teen Titans GO! Was literally made with the intention to revive some old beloved characters to sell toys to the younger relatives of those who used to watch the original series. So, we as that original generation would, of course, find more sentimental value in something that would actually have better production ideas and real plotlines because that nostalgia isn’t just nostalgia, but in fact a real love for something we used to enjoy watching as children.
MY QUESTION: How can shows with some of the goofiest animation styles still make for a deeply compelling and ultimately suspenseful story throughout its entire run? (EX: Gravity Falls, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, etc.)
While I haven’t kept up in anime in quite awhile, there are some series that kept me really intrigued. One series I found fascinating is Cowboy Bebop, a 1998 anime series featuring a space cowboy, Spike, and his companions. The show features a lot of fight scenes; I found a lot of them to be gut-wrenching yet smooth at the same time. To describe what I mean, Spike says in one episode that he fights like water, smooth and natural. I believe the animation reflects that as well. Often times these fights look more like choreography than it does a rough fight. The animation coupled with dark themes make the show really engaging. Despite being an anime, the show feels more raw than any other anime I’ve seen.
Another anime I have really fond memories of is Death Note. One scene in particular is the (in)famous potato chip scene, where the main character Light Yagami says, “I’ll take a potato chip, and eat it!” Despite being a rather stupid thing to say, the animation and quick cuts used make the scene much more dramatic, as well as even more stupid than it already was. As a final note for Death Note, the show is more of a psychological thriller than it is action. As the linked LifeWire article states, “Japanese animation often makes use of exaggerated angles, perspectives, and zooms to intensify the mood of a scene and show actions to extreme effect.” This couldn’t be more apparent than in Death Note, a battle of wits between Light and L.
As a final note, there has been American animations I’ve been a fan of. New films often display beautiful 3D models, showing high quality and fully rendered scenes. My favorite example of this was in Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse, a movie that incorporates 3D models as well as elements of comic books.
To answer Kyle’s question, I believe those shows initially attract viewers. The darker story elements keep those viewers interested. Aside from that, the combination of the story and goofy animation could be viewed as an intriguing combo that separates itself from other cartoon series.
Question: Both American cartoons as well as anime both have their fair share of tropes. Which of these tropes do you think are good or bad? Why?
Oh my goodness! There are quite a few questions that will stump me with an answer but those involving shows that I watch are especially it. So to answer Benj’s initial question, a show that has influenced me greatly is Steven Universe. I can’t even begin to describe just how much it means to me but I will at least try. One major thing that I appreciate is how much diversity and representation it has. For those of you who don’t know, Steven Universe has a large cast of LGBT+ and even refers each character to their right pronouns. Now it may not sound like much but to have a show that does this when children watch is so meaningful. Being LGBT+ myself, it means so much to see this and I just wish I was able to have something like this growing up. Another thing that I really love about this show is how it incorporates real life problems that are common upon people. One episode that great impacted me was Mindful Education. In it, it addresses how some may handle situations that we may have done wrong or about how we react to negative situations. Some choose to deny but then the show says how it’s unhealthy and that we do need to face our negative feelings in order to move on. It also acknowledges how hard and scary it is to face something we’re not proud of but that it’s okay to. Not many shows handle it so amazingly like Steven Universe. The art to it is a bit different but it has some beautiful animation and backgrounds.
Now to answer Kyle’s question, I think that those shows that have goofier animation styles but still maintain a more serious story-line is because that most of them have a lot of buildup to them. Granted shows like Gravity Falls or Rick and Morty don’t have many episodes/seasons but they both have long gaps in between each season. That allows for more thought and development. Gravity Falls aired from 2012 -2016 and only had total of 40 episodes and yet it had such a large following and great ratings. Now compared to Adventure Time, it has a total of 10 seasons and ran for 8 years. Now not all episodes focused on the plot but they had developed it slowly and hinted to something bigger than what you first think when seeing it. It had a lot of anticipation and an overall large devoted audience.
My question: what are some factors you take in when watching a new series and why?
Ben’s question is which anime / show has influenced you and why? What animation styles did it employ or what made it catch your eye? The anime that influenced me the most were black butler, death note, dragon ball and Jojo’s bizarre adventure and the first two use the an realistic art style that try not to make the characters too cartoony but not realistic to the point of uncanny like the cgi berserk series and the other two use a rough big lined art style used in fighting anime but JoJo by far has the best art style out of any anime I’ve seen due to its creator basing everything he draws a single piece of art and each piece being based in Renaissance and 70-90s fashion and modeling making for truly breath taking jarring art style once it hits its second season (part). The original two caught me due to its use of supernatural entities depecticed and a way thats not only comical at times but in a way that is a kin to normal human but with extra features personified if they were real. The last two I love due to the blocky big lines they use because I love the art due to how it reminds me of older animation techniques of the 80s and 90s were I believe was not the best era for animation but I love the art styles that came from hand drawn cells.
Kyle asks How can shows with some of the goofiest animation styles still make for a deeply compelling and ultimately suspenseful story throughout its entire run? I believe this is the case because first it is unexpected due to how the characters are designed in the way that seems s=childish which fools the audience into a false sense of security which then hits harder when the show takes a show for the serious and also more rubber-hose type of animation gives to bigger expressions due t the way characters are designed to stretch more than a more realistic show which only allows animators to express the pain or happiness a character feels in a more explosive way when the audience watches the characters face contort due to over the top and in your face facial expression.
My Question: How Could Animation be better taught and shown off to be more than just a child’s plaything?
To answer Benjamin’s question about which animations have influenced me, it is hard to choose from the multitude of western films I grew up with. I believe Cinderella was my favorite as a kid, it was so simple and elegant, it always made me feel special just watching it. I loved the flow of the dresses and the calming blue hues found throughout the movie. However as I got older I started watching dumbo more and more. One of my dreams is to animate a short segment and I know I would want it styled closely with dumbo. I’m not usually one for talking animals but dumbo has the ability to make me cry every single time I watch it. Dumbo is such a short but complex movie, you have so many elements that intertwine, you start with this adorable mom and her misfit child, then you start feeling anxious for the mom, lonely for her child, while you’re watching this child get abused for a laugh you start to empathize because at some point or another we’ve all been laughed at. It hurts to watch but you follow his journey and he finds his wings and you realize that you too can fly above your challenges. It’s a classic disney tear jerker, but disney always made you realize something about yourself and I hope I can do that someday.
To answer Andrew’s question, I believe most modern film makers do try to create the same depth as older animations, however many animators only have a short time to create their segment or episode. Many times film makers aren’t trying to make a classic, they are trying to make the cut. Newer generations want a faster pace and that is exactly what animators give them, a quick laugh. Luckily we still have movies like Coco coming out but they are rare.
My question is why don’t disney or any of the other big buisness animators make 2D films anymore, and do you think they would potentially bring it back in the future?
To answer the initial question, the just released Marvel film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, was just an amazing movie which I found incredibly entertaining and moving. Marvel found a way to employ the classic elements which make a Spider-man movie a Spider-man movie, spider bite resulting in spider like powers, the self-purpose struggle, e.g. weather to use their powers for good or to focus on school and personal growth, and of course an epic battle with EVIL. Though, they found ways to include never-before-seen, modern twists on the classic story. Namely, they conjured up a logical plot line to introduce the first “black Spider-Man” a statement which was completely purposeful and powerful. Specifically the animation style was truly remarkable, it paid homage to the original comic books in that it was animated in a comic book style. There was such detail in each frame, not to mention there was a quirky yet realistic texture which brought the film to life, and made it high energy. In addition, their vibrant and somewhat eccentric color choice also added to the liveliness of each scene.
To answer Andrew’s question, I believe that the older cartoons withhold a sentimental aspect that the new ones just don’t have for the simple fact that the older cartoons are, well, older. Since we were viewing these older shows upwards of 10 years ago, when we rewatch them today it takes us back to the time when we were first watching them. These nonspecific memories, more so an emotional connection and feeling, is what creates that sentimental tie we have to them. The same way that music from our childhood can instantly make us nostalgic.
As I didn’t really touch on the the soundtrack of Spider-man I will ask this: How does the choice of music affect the overall tone of a fim, not from scene to scene? And do you believe that it is more or less important in animated films? Why or why not.
There are too many anime/shows that have influenced me and amazed me with their animation. Ranging from Teen Titans, Xiaolin chronicles, Recess, American Dragon: Jake Long, Disney films, Ranma 1 1/2, Card Captor Sakura, My Hero Academia, The Ancient Magus Bride, YouTubers who animate, ETC! The story, the characters, the animation, ALL of it I absolutely adore. I’m always blown away by it all. Everything I’ve watched has influenced me in some way and been able to help be get through parts of my life. Each animation style is unique, but I favor those which go in to action. Fighting scenes simply take my breath away! The character development in the show/anime as well. I love everything, appreciating the hard work that goes in to making them.
Answering Anica’s question, I believe Disney and others have moved on to 3D films do to the advancement in animation/technology. It might be an easier process to use, allowing them to save money or to add more detail (but don’t quote me on that.) Most Eastern/Japanese animation companies/businesses continue to use 2D animation, still creating films and other shows. Although I must say that the Japanese 2D animation style has evolved a lot! It’s breathtaking how far 2D and animation in general has come.
My Question: Why do we become attached to 2D/Fantasy characters? Is it because we can relate to them or something more?
To answer Benj V.’s initial question, an animated movie that has influenced me greatly would probably have to be The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (aka the one made in 1977 not 2011). I can remember watching this movie back to back and immediately restarting it as soon as the movie ended. I loved how playful the movie was and it made me come up with my own stories with adventures that my collection of stuffed animals went on themselves. I liked how this movie started in the real world, showing us the real life stuffed animals before going into the animated story of their adventures. This movie also includes a classic disney trope of “entering” the world within a book. I liked how this movie also starts out with a very flipbook style in frames. As the movie transitions into the book we see Winnie the Pooh very sketchily jumping across the letters in his name. Unlike most Western animated films, this movie doesn’t necessarily have a clear cut protagonist and villain. Yes, Winnie the Pooh is the main stuffed animal we follow, however, all of the other characters share a similar importance to the overall story as they each have their own significant attributes that set them apart from one another. I also really like how this movie explores the idea of having the one human character be the most secondhand character in the entire film. While it is Christopher Robin’s own imagination, we rarely ever see him have any screen time (the only real development of his character is seen in the newest live action adaptation). In fact, Christopher Robin is the last character to get their own spinoff film which I find to be a very interesting choice (there is: Piglet’s Big Movie 2003, The Tigger Movie 2000, Springtime With Roo 2004, and finally Christopher Robin 2018). This movie also uses the animation style choice of leaving the background simple and almost bare as if it were an unfinished page in a coloring book. I think that taking a look this far back to when Disney was making flipbook-type animations is very interesting when comparing it to the animated works that Disney is producing today.
To answer Madi W.’s question, I think that music plays an important role in presenting the tone of any movie. I believe that in the sense, it is especially important in animated films as sometimes the audience can feel a disconnect when what they are watching on the screen is very clearly not real. Music can help make an audience feel more connected with the emotions displayed across animated characters. Music can affect the overall tone of a film depending on the spacing and type of music we hear throughout the film. For example, most “feel good” movies will start out with happy music to present the story, then it’ll go to sad music to present the conflict, and then back to happy music for the resolution. This leaves the audience with that “feel good” feeling. Where on the other hand, if a movie starts off with cheerful/playful music but ends with slower sad songs, the audience is more likely to leave the theater feeling down and upset for the onscreen characters. The music type and placement in the film is key to manipulating how the audience feels afterwards.
My question is: With animation styles constantly progressing do you think that inevitably film makers will be able to bridge the disconnect between animated characters and their audience?
I would say the show Krypto the Superdog was one of the many shows that influenced my desire to draw and animate. As a child, I’ve always been fascinated with animation, specifically 2D animation that takes thousands of drawings to create. This interest developed into a desire to explore this art form, and I began teaching myself how to draw, specifically animals. I did this with Krypto the Superdog (among other shows) which utilizes a simplistic art style using 2D animation while incorporating animals, specifically dogs.
To answer Justin’s question, this can simply be done by incorporating basic animation in basic art classes. This can be through the more simplistic flip-note style that Benjamin had shown above. This would at least show that animation is not as easy as it seems, and reflect, on mild level, how much effort animators put into making the animated shows people watch.
My Question: How can voice actors for animated films retain more recognition from their audience? (As we typically remember the character but not the actor who voices them, unlike in live action films).
I’m all for eastern animation, growing up with cousins who binge watch anime on the television. I’ve come to really like Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. It sounds pretty stupid, but it’s great. Overly dramatic style, and characters with a mixed up color palette. I also has a pretty unique animation style: overly buff characters with a great emphasis on the shadows of it’s face/body. The thing that really interested me were the character poses and the giant Japanese characters on the screen. They do a “shot” where the “camera” (quotes because there really are not camera and therefore no shots) zooms in really quick and the manga emphasis line while putting sound effects, spelled out in Japanese, on the screen. It’s great…
Answering Chris’ question, 2 tropes that I found in anime are the no-parents-around and the redemption scenario. I wouldn’t say that any tropes are good or bad. It just affects the way the show is written, but can still lead to a major success or failure. Example? You have Charlotte where they don’t have parents and the main eventually come’s back from the dark side, including both of these tropes. Mirai Nikki is another…umm, yea. cool.
While I never was one for anime or shows from Japan / eastern culture I have found myself recently jumping into the show Initial D. While the primary reason I began to watch it was due to the fact that it revolved around cars and the automotive tuning culture in Japan I have begun to see some of the differences in animation between it and Western cartoons I used to watch as a kid. As per usual, Initial D shares typical eastern animation features such as long seens with minimal character changes and even the typical eastern theme of “grey area” characters. I found myself binge watching it not only because it involved cars but because it was so artistically different than the U.S. shows or cartoons. Since I have began watching Naruto and Dragon Ball Z however I haven’t found enough time to really dedicate myself to either show.
To answer Norma’s question I believe we get attached to 2D fantasy / characters because in a sense they themselves become like family or habit if you will. For some they might become an escape from the struggles we face on a daily basis in real life as well as allowing people to see certain characteristics within themselves on the screen. While for others it just becomes a source of entertainment and a daily ritual. Overall though I feel that 2D fantasy / characters just becomes something we are attached too as we can find things here and there that remind us of our own personal lives and struggles as well as finding a friend in something – this can be more impactful for some more so than others.
My question for the following commenter:
Where do you see the future of animation going with less and less kids watching cartoons and more becoming involved with real life entertainment like vlogs or skits from Social Media Influencers / Youtubers? Why?
Thank you Benj for the blog post this week!
I’m going to be completely honest with you, I do not watch ANY ANIME. It has never caught my interest. After some serious convincing from Sebastian, I gave anime a chance and looked to see which one seemed interesting. So I literally just said “Welp…THAT ONE” and watched “Kakegurui”. It’s an anime with a gambling plot. I finished the first season which was really surprising because I didn’t think I would continue watching after the first episode. But speaking on how everything is drawn, it was actually quite unique. A few years ago I watched a movie “Ponyo” and OMG THE FOOD LOOKED SO GOOD. I honestly think that THAT’S the only reason why I would watch any anime…for the food. They make it look so good and I don’t understand why. I recently noticed when I watched a video on youtube making it a challenge to not eat the food provided from anime shows that they watched. I don’t know if I would give anime a chance again, it honestly seemed like a one time thing. Maybe movies? I seem to always drift away from the topic, but to be honest, the way how anime is drawn is quite unique and doesn’t seem to be similar to anything else. It is also very popular and can vary from little kid shows/movies to mature content films.
To answer Anica’s question, “My question is why don’t disney or any of the other big business animators make 2D films anymore, and do you think they would potentially bring it back in the future?” I believe it is because with the new technology we have, 2D shows/films seem old fashioned and “not in anymore”. It would only grasp a selected audience. Going back to 2D films is simply a risk no one wants to take.
Question: Is there an anime you guys would recommend that deals with food? XD
I was raised to avoid anime for religious reason. Of course other cultures find there was into our youth one way or another. The first eastern like animation I watched was actually Avatar The Last Airbender. Although it is not exactly an anime it was very anime like in the style and eyes and even comedic effects. My sisters and I loved Avatar. The story, the action, the humor, all of it. Looking back on it now it actually is very eastern according to what was presented with in this very blog post. It must be the best blend of both( can’t really recognize the western part but whatever). After watching more animes I actually am now realizing that its comedic effects are eastern. The chibi simplification when characters are angry or making ridiculous actions, the blushing, the basic face structure, the actually good action not only enjoyable for children but adults alike.
This is what blew us away. As the years past, I ended up watching more anime like and animes and soon had a clear opinion in thinking( more realizing) that eastern was better which is something many can admit.
To answer Benji’s question the childhood animation I am most familiar with and the one that has influenced me the most. I remember the main protagonist, Popeye, would gain his strength from eating a can of spinach. I remember since then I have begun to eat spinach as a little kid just as Popeye did. Popeye was very appealing to me as a kid because of the different colors and sounds. Furthermore, my grandpa loved to watch the show so I enjoyed watching it with him. The show used 2D animation and used vector-based drawings and animations.
To answer Kyle’s question, I believe screenwriters and story developers do an excellent job in compelling on in goofy animation shows, such as Rick and Morty. I am a huge fan of the show and the developers have done a splendid job. I believe the simplistic animation makes it easy to follow and the plot changes every episode so it keeps viewers entertained. Furthermore, the screenwriting is excellent and the humor is subjective but is found funny by most. The show goes much beyond the goofy animation it holds and instead builds a web of deep developed plot lines that make the show intriguing.
Question: What do you think are key factors that keep a show running for multiple seasons?
To answer the initial question, an anime that I continuously watch till this very day is Spirited Away as this anime influenced my views of the world and the anime itself just is extremely unique, meaningful and nostalgic as it creates a sense of nostalgia that reminds me of childhood memories I never had but always wanted to, but in a positive way of course. What caught my eye about this anime is the fact that it is considered a child’s film yet had such detailed creepy creatures that you wouldn’t expect from a regular child’s film.
To answer Josue’s question, I think the key factor to keep a show running for multiple seasons is to create a main plot/goal to solve something in the first season and continue to add random entertaining obstacles and side plots before solving the major question that was created within the first season, if a show is more mystery/suspense base. If it’s a comedic type of show it should contain innovative jokes and/or jokes that relate to what is currently going on in today’s society.
My question is: Why is there such a negative stigma that surrounds anime?
To answer Benji’s question, I believe that the main animation that has inspired me or to be more clear interested me, since I don’t really draw nor sketch, is How the Ouran Host Club author draws its character. To me, it all seemed eye-catching and well thought out. Every stroke was neatly done every column was there for a purpose. It employed a stereotypical optionally sketching type that many can see on other anime that evenly space out its eyes, nose, and mouth.
To answer Josue’s question I believe that a key reason for why shows have occurred for many seasons would be the individuality and creativeness put into it. There have been many shows that well had been interested in the beginning by the third season it had become repetitive and borning. So while some would still last even with few viewers it would keep airing while others wouldn’t simply because of how important and common the show’s plot was and if you could find it on some other channel. It also speaks to the funding behind the production because of how connected the producers and directors could be.
Question: How do financial means play into the artistic world?
One of the only animes I have watched was Deadman Wonderland. My sister was very much into mangas and anime, so she was trying to introduce it to me too for a fangirl partner. I was already interested in the manga Alice in Murderland so an anime with bloody violence was a good transition to get me into the game. It really was good for bonding with my sister. We would wait till our school schedules matched up so we can whip up some popcorn and watch it together. We typically watched two per show in order to preserve a longer bonding experience (tbh her and I could have binged watched it all in one day). I never got to see the last episode because that was the time she moved out and we never got around to seeing the ending of what had already been released to Netflix. Now, whenever she visits we just watch a new show (it isn’t anime she passed that phase) I have been getting into. To answer Bella’s question, if a show is recommended to me by family or friends I am more likely to watch it. Also having a long series on Netflix is a really big plus because I tend to binge watch almost everything I get into (ex. The Office (American version) or That’s 70s Show) I prefer not to be done in a day because it causes me to rethink my poor life choices.
Question: How can you change one’s mind about liking or disliking a certain animation?
Psycho Pass was far from being my first ever anime, but I’d have to say it’s had the most influence on me when in comparison with other shows. I don’t particularly have an interest in animation myself, but story-wise, I’ve found the series to be an incredible inspiration overall. From well-developed characters all around (minus the season two of filler content) to fascinating world-building, I have nothing but respect for the show as a writer. Particularly in the case of the antagonist, my favorite of all time, I hope to manage to produce characters of that caliber on my own one day. Psycho Pass is my inspiration.
For Stephanie, I’ll be blunt and say it really all comes down to racism. The west, but America especially, has a history of anti-Asia sentiment going back centuries. Everything Asian has been seen as less than, and as we’ve seen with countless movie remakes in the last few years that didn’t need to happen, we apparently think everything is better if we do it. Even in cases where it makes no sense.
How have western animation and eastern animation learned from each other, and how does it show?
My question to you is which anime / show has influenced you and why? What animation styles did it employ or what made it catch your eye?
I was around 7 or 8 years old when I started to watch anime. As a child I was constantly bullied and I didn’t have a way to relieve the stress that it brought on seeing as how i was eight and didn’t know what the word stress meant. When my mom got an I Phone I would often take it away and sneak off to surf through the Youtube app. Back in the day Youtube was infested with Naruto AMVs and I was fascinated with how aggressive and fast paced the fights were. Every time I would watch one my body would fill with adrenaline and I’d get a sort of high just from watching videos on my moms phone. I eventually started watching the actual shows. I started off with Bleach, Naruto, and Code Geass. Best Years of my life.
To answer Erin’s question: Actually from my experience the voiuce ators do get a good amount of recognition. If you go to the Anime Expo in downtown LA you will find many voice actors from the eng dub, composers of the openings/credits, etc. In the group that i was apart of before we would usually know who voiced our favorite characters.
To answer the original prompt, shows with simple animations styles are usually my favorites. This is because, to me, story telling is more important than flashy animation, unless said animation is used to tell a story. An example of a show with moderately simple animations, but a full fledged story is Adventure Time, which is a show I used to love. This show, while the animation is impressive and beautiful, isn’t anything super complicated. 3D rendering isn’t used, and the characters are just basic shapes, but the story is used to make the show good. Eastern shows like Dragon Ball are similar in that dialogue and story telling are valued above flashy animations, which you mentioned in your original post. If you want a beautiful example of simple animation and how simple shapes can be used to tell a story, look up Jonathan Djob Nkondo.
I will acknowledge, however, that flashy animations can be important parts of stories. Shows that use beautiful animation, which sometimes includes certain sequences from Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, and The Misadventures of Flapjack all use more complex illustrations or animations to help either tell jokes or tell stories. Certain shows overlap real pictures with simple “CalArts” style animations like The Amazing World of Gumball, and these more complex animation styles are often used to advance the story.
To answer Ashleigh’s question, Ronan says Food Wars is a good food related anime, so take a look at that.
My question to others is do you believe Cartoon Network should have more diversified artists instead of commonly hiring CalArts graduates, leading to the “CalArts Look?” Do you think this hiring of diversified artists should extend to other networks like Channel Frederator, Nickelodeon, Adult Swim, & others?