I hope you’ve enjoyed my blog, as I have worked really hard on every single post I’ve created. Forgive me if I seem a little stiff, I just want to be clear on all the information I’ve given.
Anime has been a large part of my life, and is what I turn to when I need support, or when I need inspiration in my life. It’s not just a subject, or some show you seen when you flip through the channels on your TV. It’s a complete lifestyle. A lifestyle I live wholeheartedly by.
Watching all of the series, and watching the characters grow, develop, and learn through some of the most trying hardships, only leads me to appreciate my life in a world where I can choose who I want to be. These characters aren’t just drawings, they’re inspirations to me in my own life, with their determination, they’re sense of mercy, and their will to persevere.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Reflection: Anime Convention
Anime conventions are the one thing I absolutely have to go to. I can be driven insane at the thought of missing a convention. That’s how much fun they are. When I first arrive and begin to see everyone in costume, I say to myself and my friends, “We’ve found our people!”
A typical Anime convention includes many different events such as panels, workshops, contests, vendor rooms, art shows, and cosplay. Costumes are a major part at Anime Conventions. The bigger/more detailed the costume, the more pictures are going to get taken of you. I recently went to the Anime Kaiju Experience in Boston, and I had created my own costume (Nightcrawler from the X-Men) I was invited to participate in the Costume Contest by one of the Judges, and out of all of the other contestants there, I won the Best Novice Award, and had received the loudest applause. I was asked to pose for pictures by/with lots of people and was presented a certificate which was an awesome experience.
When I went to the Connecticon last year, I took my friend Anna, because it was her first time and because she is a really big fan of Anime. I had cosplayed as Hinata, from the Naruto series. My friend Megan dressed up as Chouji, and my other friend Amber cosplayed as Shikamaru, also from Naruto. Not wanting to leave Anna out, I let her borrow my “L” t-shirt, a character the Deathnote series.
We had so much fun that day. We wandered around the convention center, meeting people, taking pictures of people dressed as our favorite characters. I bought a few things from the Vendors, and we even got to go to a Naruto photoshoot, where all of the cosplayers dressed as Naruto characters posed for shots for fans and friends alike. I took pictures of people wearing unique costumes, and even glomped a few people. I can never stop grinning whenever I think about a convention.
When we would get tired, we would sit down and take breaks, just talking about our day, and even commenting on the people we’d met. Sometimes we’d just goof around, and start dancing to music in the background, or joke about some of the funny things people did, such as a man cosplaying as Jesus, or the guy wearing a cheap mudkip mask running around and randomly jumping into pictures. At Anime conventions people are very accepting, you can act as crazy as you want to – the crazier the better!
The thing I love most about Anime conventions is just how comfortable it feels. We could walk up to people who we might never see again in our entire lives, but for those brief minutes of conversation, it’s as if we had known each other for years. Anime acts as the common ground of conversation for Otaku’s and generally, if you hear a conversation between two fans, it’s very passionate, and excited.
The cons all over the USA grow by the thousands each year, and almost everyone there is there about one subject, Anime. The cons act as a gathering place for Otaku’s, and I see cons as my second home, being with people who think the same way I do about Anime. It can be a relief to know you’re not the only one who is a fan or Otaku of Anime, in a town of people who don’t even know what it is. Anime conventions affected my personal growth by giving me a special outlet for my interests, and has become part of my entire lifestyle, and allowing me to become part of a community that might even become my profession one day.
A typical Anime convention includes many different events such as panels, workshops, contests, vendor rooms, art shows, and cosplay. Costumes are a major part at Anime Conventions. The bigger/more detailed the costume, the more pictures are going to get taken of you. I recently went to the Anime Kaiju Experience in Boston, and I had created my own costume (Nightcrawler from the X-Men) I was invited to participate in the Costume Contest by one of the Judges, and out of all of the other contestants there, I won the Best Novice Award, and had received the loudest applause. I was asked to pose for pictures by/with lots of people and was presented a certificate which was an awesome experience.
When I went to the Connecticon last year, I took my friend Anna, because it was her first time and because she is a really big fan of Anime. I had cosplayed as Hinata, from the Naruto series. My friend Megan dressed up as Chouji, and my other friend Amber cosplayed as Shikamaru, also from Naruto. Not wanting to leave Anna out, I let her borrow my “L” t-shirt, a character the Deathnote series.
We had so much fun that day. We wandered around the convention center, meeting people, taking pictures of people dressed as our favorite characters. I bought a few things from the Vendors, and we even got to go to a Naruto photoshoot, where all of the cosplayers dressed as Naruto characters posed for shots for fans and friends alike. I took pictures of people wearing unique costumes, and even glomped a few people. I can never stop grinning whenever I think about a convention.
When we would get tired, we would sit down and take breaks, just talking about our day, and even commenting on the people we’d met. Sometimes we’d just goof around, and start dancing to music in the background, or joke about some of the funny things people did, such as a man cosplaying as Jesus, or the guy wearing a cheap mudkip mask running around and randomly jumping into pictures. At Anime conventions people are very accepting, you can act as crazy as you want to – the crazier the better!
The thing I love most about Anime conventions is just how comfortable it feels. We could walk up to people who we might never see again in our entire lives, but for those brief minutes of conversation, it’s as if we had known each other for years. Anime acts as the common ground of conversation for Otaku’s and generally, if you hear a conversation between two fans, it’s very passionate, and excited.
The cons all over the USA grow by the thousands each year, and almost everyone there is there about one subject, Anime. The cons act as a gathering place for Otaku’s, and I see cons as my second home, being with people who think the same way I do about Anime. It can be a relief to know you’re not the only one who is a fan or Otaku of Anime, in a town of people who don’t even know what it is. Anime conventions affected my personal growth by giving me a special outlet for my interests, and has become part of my entire lifestyle, and allowing me to become part of a community that might even become my profession one day.
Anime as an Artform: The Storylines
Every movie, book, and comic has a plotline, and in my personal opinion, Anime has the best.
As stated by Hal Marcovitz in the book “Anime” “Ranma ½ is Takahashi’s most popular and probably her most quirky series. In Ranma ½ which is a manga, anime series, and a film, the main character falls into a magical spring; when he emerges Ranma finds that he changes into a girl whenever he is splashed with cold water. (He changes back after he is splashed with hot water; his father fell into the same spring, changes into a panda bear.) As a girl, Ranma encounters discrimination as well as unwanted sexual advances from teenage boys. But when he fights as a girl, he employs techniques of cunning, intelligence, agility and speed he does not think of using when he fights as a boy. But even that causes trouble. When Ranma, as a girl, wins a martial arts competition, he faces bitterness from his male friends because they still do not believe his fighting abilities measure up to what he could accomplish as a male fighter.”
Ranma ½ is a perfect example of what can surprise readers, as friends would normally support each other whether they won or lost. But Ranma’s friends were looking down on Ranma’s fighting abilities because he was in a female form.
The Anime series Bleach is a treasure trove of plot twists. A teenage boy, Ichigo Kurosaki, is able to see ghosts, and was given powers by a shinigami (death god) named Rukia, in order to save his family. What none of the audience members knew was that it was forbidden to give a human Shinigami abilities. Rukia is arrested for treason, and is sentenced to death. Ichigo and his friends Orohime, Chad, and Uryuu go to save Rukia from Soul Society, the sort of “government” of the spirit world.
But upon arriving in the spirit world, a conspiracy arises within Soul Society’s government, where Rukia’s execution date (traditionally ten days waiting) keeps shortening. Captains of the military divisions become suspicious of each other, and the death of a captain point to a traitor among the shinigami ranks.
Hayao Miyazaki is the master of storylines, turning even the most common items into very powerful materials. His most recognized Anime film, “Spirited Away”, which won several international film awards, was one of his most innovative stories ever to be placed on the screen. Chihiro is trapped within the spirit world after her parents foolishly eat ceremonial foods set aside for gods, and is forced to work for Yu-Baaba, a witch who runs a bathhouse. In order to be given the job however, Chihiro had to sacrifice her name, to which Yu-Baaba replaces with the moniker “Sen”.
Miyazaki goes on to explain “A word has power. In the world into which Chihiro has wandered, to say a word out of one’s mouth has a grave importance. At Yuya[the bath house] if Chihiro says one word like “No” or “I wanna go home,” the witch would quickly throw Chihiro out. She would have no choice but to keep aimlessly wandering until she vanishes, or is changed into a chicken to keep laying eggs until she is eaten. In turn, if Chihiro says “I will work here,” even the witch cannot ignore her. Today, words are considered very lightly, as something like bubbles… It is still true that a word has power. It’s just that the world is filled with empty and powerless words. The act of depriving a person of one’s name is not just changing how one person calls the other. It is a way to rule the other (person) completely. Sen becomes horrified when she realizes that she is losing the memory of her name, Chihiro [Miyazaki 2001a]” (Cavallaro 136)
Miyazaki explores the consequences of words, in a world where every letter you utter counts. Materials also matter in the spirit world, where a spirit, named “Okusare-sama” is smothered in dirt, grime, and rotting trash comes to the bath house. Miyazaki even takes emotions to a whole new level of reality as the spirit Kaonashi, who feeds off of the emotions of others, develops an appetite for greed.
As said by Noy Thrupkaew, “When [Kaonashi] conjures up fistfuls of gold, the bath house staff launch an all out hospitality offensive, stuffing the spirit with roasts and fish and soup and noodles to sate its ever-increasing appetite. One character performs a little ditty something like “The bigger its butt gets/the more there is to kiss!” And kiss it the characters do, until the customer starts eating them. In this world just like in ours, greed begets greed.”
Anime storylines can reflect the story of ones own life, whether it was a difficult childhood, or simply expanding on ones own virtues. I have learned many life lessons through Anime which I take to heart, such as forgiveness, perseverance, and a sense of right. The stories of these characters, as I have watched them grow, has helped me mature as well. The complexity of the storylines in recent years illustrates the “Coming of Age” of Anime as an Artform, showing there are no limits to the level of art that Anime can achieve.
As stated by Hal Marcovitz in the book “Anime” “Ranma ½ is Takahashi’s most popular and probably her most quirky series. In Ranma ½ which is a manga, anime series, and a film, the main character falls into a magical spring; when he emerges Ranma finds that he changes into a girl whenever he is splashed with cold water. (He changes back after he is splashed with hot water; his father fell into the same spring, changes into a panda bear.) As a girl, Ranma encounters discrimination as well as unwanted sexual advances from teenage boys. But when he fights as a girl, he employs techniques of cunning, intelligence, agility and speed he does not think of using when he fights as a boy. But even that causes trouble. When Ranma, as a girl, wins a martial arts competition, he faces bitterness from his male friends because they still do not believe his fighting abilities measure up to what he could accomplish as a male fighter.”
Ranma ½ is a perfect example of what can surprise readers, as friends would normally support each other whether they won or lost. But Ranma’s friends were looking down on Ranma’s fighting abilities because he was in a female form.
The Anime series Bleach is a treasure trove of plot twists. A teenage boy, Ichigo Kurosaki, is able to see ghosts, and was given powers by a shinigami (death god) named Rukia, in order to save his family. What none of the audience members knew was that it was forbidden to give a human Shinigami abilities. Rukia is arrested for treason, and is sentenced to death. Ichigo and his friends Orohime, Chad, and Uryuu go to save Rukia from Soul Society, the sort of “government” of the spirit world.
But upon arriving in the spirit world, a conspiracy arises within Soul Society’s government, where Rukia’s execution date (traditionally ten days waiting) keeps shortening. Captains of the military divisions become suspicious of each other, and the death of a captain point to a traitor among the shinigami ranks.
Hayao Miyazaki is the master of storylines, turning even the most common items into very powerful materials. His most recognized Anime film, “Spirited Away”, which won several international film awards, was one of his most innovative stories ever to be placed on the screen. Chihiro is trapped within the spirit world after her parents foolishly eat ceremonial foods set aside for gods, and is forced to work for Yu-Baaba, a witch who runs a bathhouse. In order to be given the job however, Chihiro had to sacrifice her name, to which Yu-Baaba replaces with the moniker “Sen”.
Miyazaki goes on to explain “A word has power. In the world into which Chihiro has wandered, to say a word out of one’s mouth has a grave importance. At Yuya[the bath house] if Chihiro says one word like “No” or “I wanna go home,” the witch would quickly throw Chihiro out. She would have no choice but to keep aimlessly wandering until she vanishes, or is changed into a chicken to keep laying eggs until she is eaten. In turn, if Chihiro says “I will work here,” even the witch cannot ignore her. Today, words are considered very lightly, as something like bubbles… It is still true that a word has power. It’s just that the world is filled with empty and powerless words. The act of depriving a person of one’s name is not just changing how one person calls the other. It is a way to rule the other (person) completely. Sen becomes horrified when she realizes that she is losing the memory of her name, Chihiro [Miyazaki 2001a]” (Cavallaro 136)
Miyazaki explores the consequences of words, in a world where every letter you utter counts. Materials also matter in the spirit world, where a spirit, named “Okusare-sama” is smothered in dirt, grime, and rotting trash comes to the bath house. Miyazaki even takes emotions to a whole new level of reality as the spirit Kaonashi, who feeds off of the emotions of others, develops an appetite for greed.
As said by Noy Thrupkaew, “When [Kaonashi] conjures up fistfuls of gold, the bath house staff launch an all out hospitality offensive, stuffing the spirit with roasts and fish and soup and noodles to sate its ever-increasing appetite. One character performs a little ditty something like “The bigger its butt gets/the more there is to kiss!” And kiss it the characters do, until the customer starts eating them. In this world just like in ours, greed begets greed.”
Anime storylines can reflect the story of ones own life, whether it was a difficult childhood, or simply expanding on ones own virtues. I have learned many life lessons through Anime which I take to heart, such as forgiveness, perseverance, and a sense of right. The stories of these characters, as I have watched them grow, has helped me mature as well. The complexity of the storylines in recent years illustrates the “Coming of Age” of Anime as an Artform, showing there are no limits to the level of art that Anime can achieve.
Anime Symbolism
Anime has many hidden messages within their drawings, whether it’s the birds singing or the way the character acts. For example, the traditional Japanese Zen garden is the perfect setting for a plot twist, as the Japanese regard the
In the feature “Howl’s
The symbols used in Anime are similar to everything we learn today, in history, in art, and in literature. They are important for working the mind, to discover the meaning behind the image it creates. I find symbolism a fascinating subject, and helped me broaden my perspective, to look underneath what appeared to be nothing.
Anime Fanfiction
What is Fanfiction many of you ask? The simple definition is a story written about pre-made characters from popular books or TV series. How does this relate to Anime? Fanfiction is a part of the Anime Fan subculture. Anime Fanfiction can be found on virtually all of the Fanfiction sites, including Fanfiction.net, Anime-Fanfiction.com, and Fanpop.com. I first discovered Fanfiction while looking up the TV series Yugioh when I was about 11 years old and found Fanfiction.net. Fanfiction.net is a website dedicated to stories written by fans of many different genres, including Anime. Although Fanfiction is easy to post, Fanfiction isn’t all about writing a story and slapping it up onto the internet. Everyone who writes a Fanfiction has to post up a disclaimer so they won’t be sued by the character’s creators for copyright issues. You must also set up ratings so readers underage don’t accidentally stumble onto R rated fanfics.
There are many different styles of writing of Fanfiction. There are chapter fics, similar to novels, written in installments. There are also oneshots, fanfics which act more as a short story. Some fans write songfics, Fanfiction which uses lyrics from a song to describe a scene from an anime, to an oneshot. But Otaku’s are also content to simply write a poem about their favorite character, or about their favorite scenes.
You might be asking, “How do I write a fanfic?” Well, the first thing to do is explore the ‘what ifs’. What if something happened to this character? Or, what if this character fell in love with that character? What if something terrible happened to the character’s parents? That kind of exploration can give you plenty of ideas for a story you might want to write about. You could even change the entire storyline, to “what if they met in the modern day society instead of in their world?” (That’s called an AU, Alternate Universe) Some people also create their own original characters, known as OCs, to explore what it’s like for their character to interact with the storyline, and perhaps throw it in an entirely new direction. The most fun and unique of the writing styles in my opinion, is the crossovers, where a character (or the entire cast) meets people from another series (you can have more than 1 series in a crossover), to discover what would happen if they met.
Posting the Fanfiction is also fun, as you can give/get reviews and critiques to/from other people. If you don’t like giving critiques, but want to fix a few things, you can become a Beta Reader, a person who helps writers with their grammer or characterization. While most people are very positive in their comments, there are those who may call your OC a “Mary Sue” which is the term used for characters that are considered too perfect, too beautiful or too powerful. Or you may have your story referred to as a “Mary Sue Fic” where, for example your character is repeatedly put into the same situations, multiple times. An example of this might be, if your character is kidnapped and then saved and then kidnapped again and then saved again. If you don’t want any critiques from others, you can either ask people to “go easy” on you or request to have no critiques at all for your fanfic.
Fanfiction is the perfect way to improve your literary and writing skills. It introduces you to new writing styles, and is important for all kinds of work, whether you may choose to write a book or if you want to create a TV series. According to the Wall Street Journal article entitled “Rewriting the Rules of Fiction” September 16, 2006 by John Jurgensen, authors such as Meg Cabot of “The Princess Diaries” fame admits to having written on fansites as well, writing stories about Anne McCaffrey’s fantasy novels when a teen. Cabot now admits to looking at these sites and tallying the number of stories written about her own characters. It is from sites such as these that the next big Anime writers may emerge.
Fanfiction has certainly served to expand the Anime sub-culture and has contributed to the “Coming of Age” of Anime in America.
There are many different styles of writing of Fanfiction. There are chapter fics, similar to novels, written in installments. There are also oneshots, fanfics which act more as a short story. Some fans write songfics, Fanfiction which uses lyrics from a song to describe a scene from an anime, to an oneshot. But Otaku’s are also content to simply write a poem about their favorite character, or about their favorite scenes.
You might be asking, “How do I write a fanfic?” Well, the first thing to do is explore the ‘what ifs’. What if something happened to this character? Or, what if this character fell in love with that character? What if something terrible happened to the character’s parents? That kind of exploration can give you plenty of ideas for a story you might want to write about. You could even change the entire storyline, to “what if they met in the modern day society instead of in their world?” (That’s called an AU, Alternate Universe) Some people also create their own original characters, known as OCs, to explore what it’s like for their character to interact with the storyline, and perhaps throw it in an entirely new direction. The most fun and unique of the writing styles in my opinion, is the crossovers, where a character (or the entire cast) meets people from another series (you can have more than 1 series in a crossover), to discover what would happen if they met.
Posting the Fanfiction is also fun, as you can give/get reviews and critiques to/from other people. If you don’t like giving critiques, but want to fix a few things, you can become a Beta Reader, a person who helps writers with their grammer or characterization. While most people are very positive in their comments, there are those who may call your OC a “Mary Sue” which is the term used for characters that are considered too perfect, too beautiful or too powerful. Or you may have your story referred to as a “Mary Sue Fic” where, for example your character is repeatedly put into the same situations, multiple times. An example of this might be, if your character is kidnapped and then saved and then kidnapped again and then saved again. If you don’t want any critiques from others, you can either ask people to “go easy” on you or request to have no critiques at all for your fanfic.
Fanfiction is the perfect way to improve your literary and writing skills. It introduces you to new writing styles, and is important for all kinds of work, whether you may choose to write a book or if you want to create a TV series. According to the Wall Street Journal article entitled “Rewriting the Rules of Fiction” September 16, 2006 by John Jurgensen, authors such as Meg Cabot of “The Princess Diaries” fame admits to having written on fansites as well, writing stories about Anne McCaffrey’s fantasy novels when a teen. Cabot now admits to looking at these sites and tallying the number of stories written about her own characters. It is from sites such as these that the next big Anime writers may emerge.
Fanfiction has certainly served to expand the Anime sub-culture and has contributed to the “Coming of Age” of Anime in America.
The History of Anime
Anime has been produced in Japan for almost a century, but has influences that go back even further. Susan J Napier states in her book “Anime: from Akira to Howl’s Moving Castle” that “Anime is a popular cultural form that clearly builds on previous high culture traditions…the medium show(s) influences from such Japanese art as Kabuki and the woodblock print…” (Napier 4). Another major step in the development of Anime came when trade opened up between Japan and America in the late 1800’s. Japanese readers became fond of the British newspaper comic “Punch and Puck”, and even created their own version of the comic series such as “Tokyo Puck” (Marcovitz 17). Ippei Okamoto helped organize Japanese comic artists into a professional association known as Nippon Mangakai.
In the years following, there were a number of breakthroughs in the development of Anime as we know it today. Oten Shimokawa, an animator in Japan around 1917 used stop motion techniques while experimenting on different animation, which is the same principle as flick books that appear to move when you thumb through the pages rapidly. Kitayama, another animator, saw the potential of the medium for commercials and short educational films. Kitayama’s film “Momotarō” also aired in France around 1917, making it the first Anime export. In 1927, “The Whale”, an Anime created by a man called Noburō Ōfuji, was the first Anime ever to feature sound. He also produced the anime film “Golden Flower” which was the first anime to be colored. Kenzo Masaoka also was considered to be a pioneer of Anime, as his film “The World of Women and Power”, which was the first synchronized talking anime, during a time when anime still reflected the comics and newspapers where it originated(Richmond 2-6).
But soon, comics would take a turn for the worse. In the 1930’s when Japan was growing into an aggressive Colonial superpower, the government began to see the potential of Anime for propaganda purposes. In 1931, Yasuji Murata, created an Anime film that a boy hero that fights off the enemy Wild Eagle. The film parallels Japan’s invasion of Manchuria in China the same year. Many Anime produced in the following years had a political tone to it as Japan’s power and influence in Asia grew. With the onset of World War II, only those films with a strong propaganda message were approved (Marcovitz 18). In 1942, Kajiro Yamamoto Made “The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya” featuring an Anime recreation of Pearl Harbor. There were films such as Kenzo Masaoka’s “The Spider and the Tulip”, which depicted Japan (represented by a Tulip as a sort of protector of Asia (represented as a ladybug). The Nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki which abruptly ended the war had a profound effect on Anime that was created in later years. This event served as an inspiration for AstroBoy, Akira, and the Anime “Barefoot Gen”, which is about a boy whose family manages to survive the Hiroshima bombing (Richmond 41). But many Anime that were created during that time were destroyed, as the images were drawn on translucent cels (cellulose), which were a key ingredient in weapons making. Therefore, many of the Anime created during World War II was destroyed to supply materials for military purposes.
In the years after WWII, Anime in Japan was a low priority until the U.S. occupying forces realized the value of such films in “shaping hearts and minds” (Richmond 8). Anime such as “The Magic Pen” by Masao Kumagawa in 1946 about an orphan boy in Tokyo who finds an English speaking doll that uses its magic pen to create food and shelter (Richmond 9). Later, Disney-esque features such as “Cherry Blossom-Spring Fantasy” in 1946 were produced. This Anime was similar to “Fantasia” with cute girls in kimonos danced in the cherry blossoms set the classical score of Karl Maria von Weber’s “Invitation to Dance” (Richmond 9). By 1956, the Japanese econmy had recovered enough that the Toei Doga Anime Studio was formed with the aim of taking on Disney. The Anime “Panda and the Magic Serpent”, the first Japanese feature made in color was produced and won the Grand Prix at the Venice Children’s Film festival in 1959 (Richmond 10) Anime was being produced by both studios and independent artists. The 1960’s saw the rise of the great Hayao Miyazaki who formed Mushi Productions in 1961. In 1963, the Anime TV series “Tetsuwan Atom” appeared and was a huge hit. It caught the attention of NBC Studios which re-titled it “Astro Boy” which became the first international icon of Anime. This opened that door for other Anime to cross the Pacific (Richmond 12). Next came Kimba the White Lion, Speed Racer and the like, beginning the “Coming of Age” process of Anime in America.
Anime continued to grow in Japan with many features in the 1970’s having space themes. The 1980’s were pivotal years for Anime production sometimes referred to as the “Golden Age” of Anime. Two major Studios were established at this time, Studio Ghibli and Gainax (Richmond 20). The mediums increasing prevalence and mass merchandising fed the Otaku sub-culture. Magazines such as Animage and Newtype were created (Richmond 21), In 1988, Otomo Katsuhiro released “Akira”. The post apocalyptic story and brilliant animation made it an international success. A critical and cult hit, “Akira” is usually sited as the beginning of the Anime explosion in the West (Napier 41). These darker story lines may be the main reason that Anime has drawn so many new fans. Writer Shinobu Price writes that this “uniquely odd” world of Japanese Anime may be the very reason that it appeals to so many “outsiders” or “foreigners”… Anime is ‘so distinctly different from the artistic tradition of Walt Disney that it creates a Freshly intriguing aroma that lures foreigners into its mist…”(Price 158)
Today, the Anime that is seen here in the U.S. is just a fraction of what is actually produced in Japan. In Japan, the fan base is far wider than that in the U.S. where Anime is mostly seen by children and teenagers (Marcovitz pg. 10). In Japan, Manga also enjoys an expansive fan base. Anime and Manga in recent years have both expanded. According to Sheri Le, a writer for the Anime resource site called www.rightstuf.com explained that “In Japan, manga is by far the most popular printed media. In 1997, it was estimated that 2.3 billion manga are sold in Japan every year. According to Jeff Yang and the authors of Eastern Standard Time, the top selling manga Shonen Jump sells more than five million copies per week - five times more than the most popular non-manga periodical.”
In recent years, Anime has truly “Come of Age” as an Artform. Contemporary Japanese Anime explores the same issues as contemporary “high culture” literature and contemporary art cinema (Napier 4). Because of it’s international popularity, Anime has even been sited as Japan’s “chief cultural export”. Anime such as Otomo Katsuhiro’s Akira are considered “a masterpiece of technical animation (Napier 5). With an unheard of budget in excess of ten million dollars, it took eight different companies to bring it to the screen (Richmond 36). Complex story telling like that of Hayao Miyazaki’s “Howl’s Moving Castle” elevates Anime from being simple cartoon. The story, which relvolves in part around the theme of a “ ‘senseless war’ has parallels drawn with the 2003 Gulf War” (Richmond 61). Anime’s “crowning achievement may have been when Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away” was the first Anime to receive the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
The History of Anime provides a background from which I can learn to appreciate Anime even more than I do now. I see history as a way to learn about ourselves, and learning the history of Anime only increases my respect for the artists who work hard to keep this drawing style alive. Anime has truly Come of Age over the past century and the culture has expanded to take on many new forms such as the fan-based writings known as Fanfiction.
In the years following, there were a number of breakthroughs in the development of Anime as we know it today. Oten Shimokawa, an animator in Japan around 1917 used stop motion techniques while experimenting on different animation, which is the same principle as flick books that appear to move when you thumb through the pages rapidly. Kitayama, another animator, saw the potential of the medium for commercials and short educational films. Kitayama’s film “Momotarō” also aired in France around 1917, making it the first Anime export. In 1927, “The Whale”, an Anime created by a man called Noburō Ōfuji, was the first Anime ever to feature sound. He also produced the anime film “Golden Flower” which was the first anime to be colored. Kenzo Masaoka also was considered to be a pioneer of Anime, as his film “The World of Women and Power”, which was the first synchronized talking anime, during a time when anime still reflected the comics and newspapers where it originated(Richmond 2-6).
But soon, comics would take a turn for the worse. In the 1930’s when Japan was growing into an aggressive Colonial superpower, the government began to see the potential of Anime for propaganda purposes. In 1931, Yasuji Murata, created an Anime film that a boy hero that fights off the enemy Wild Eagle. The film parallels Japan’s invasion of Manchuria in China the same year. Many Anime produced in the following years had a political tone to it as Japan’s power and influence in Asia grew. With the onset of World War II, only those films with a strong propaganda message were approved (Marcovitz 18). In 1942, Kajiro Yamamoto Made “The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya” featuring an Anime recreation of Pearl Harbor. There were films such as Kenzo Masaoka’s “The Spider and the Tulip”, which depicted Japan (represented by a Tulip as a sort of protector of Asia (represented as a ladybug). The Nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki which abruptly ended the war had a profound effect on Anime that was created in later years. This event served as an inspiration for AstroBoy, Akira, and the Anime “Barefoot Gen”, which is about a boy whose family manages to survive the Hiroshima bombing (Richmond 41). But many Anime that were created during that time were destroyed, as the images were drawn on translucent cels (cellulose), which were a key ingredient in weapons making. Therefore, many of the Anime created during World War II was destroyed to supply materials for military purposes.
In the years after WWII, Anime in Japan was a low priority until the U.S. occupying forces realized the value of such films in “shaping hearts and minds” (Richmond 8). Anime such as “The Magic Pen” by Masao Kumagawa in 1946 about an orphan boy in Tokyo who finds an English speaking doll that uses its magic pen to create food and shelter (Richmond 9). Later, Disney-esque features such as “Cherry Blossom-Spring Fantasy” in 1946 were produced. This Anime was similar to “Fantasia” with cute girls in kimonos danced in the cherry blossoms set the classical score of Karl Maria von Weber’s “Invitation to Dance” (Richmond 9). By 1956, the Japanese econmy had recovered enough that the Toei Doga Anime Studio was formed with the aim of taking on Disney. The Anime “Panda and the Magic Serpent”, the first Japanese feature made in color was produced and won the Grand Prix at the Venice Children’s Film festival in 1959 (Richmond 10) Anime was being produced by both studios and independent artists. The 1960’s saw the rise of the great Hayao Miyazaki who formed Mushi Productions in 1961. In 1963, the Anime TV series “Tetsuwan Atom” appeared and was a huge hit. It caught the attention of NBC Studios which re-titled it “Astro Boy” which became the first international icon of Anime. This opened that door for other Anime to cross the Pacific (Richmond 12). Next came Kimba the White Lion, Speed Racer and the like, beginning the “Coming of Age” process of Anime in America.
Anime continued to grow in Japan with many features in the 1970’s having space themes. The 1980’s were pivotal years for Anime production sometimes referred to as the “Golden Age” of Anime. Two major Studios were established at this time, Studio Ghibli and Gainax (Richmond 20). The mediums increasing prevalence and mass merchandising fed the Otaku sub-culture. Magazines such as Animage and Newtype were created (Richmond 21), In 1988, Otomo Katsuhiro released “Akira”. The post apocalyptic story and brilliant animation made it an international success. A critical and cult hit, “Akira” is usually sited as the beginning of the Anime explosion in the West (Napier 41). These darker story lines may be the main reason that Anime has drawn so many new fans. Writer Shinobu Price writes that this “uniquely odd” world of Japanese Anime may be the very reason that it appeals to so many “outsiders” or “foreigners”… Anime is ‘so distinctly different from the artistic tradition of Walt Disney that it creates a Freshly intriguing aroma that lures foreigners into its mist…”(Price 158)
Today, the Anime that is seen here in the U.S. is just a fraction of what is actually produced in Japan. In Japan, the fan base is far wider than that in the U.S. where Anime is mostly seen by children and teenagers (Marcovitz pg. 10). In Japan, Manga also enjoys an expansive fan base. Anime and Manga in recent years have both expanded. According to Sheri Le, a writer for the Anime resource site called www.rightstuf.com explained that “In Japan, manga is by far the most popular printed media. In 1997, it was estimated that 2.3 billion manga are sold in Japan every year. According to Jeff Yang and the authors of Eastern Standard Time, the top selling manga Shonen Jump sells more than five million copies per week - five times more than the most popular non-manga periodical.”
In recent years, Anime has truly “Come of Age” as an Artform. Contemporary Japanese Anime explores the same issues as contemporary “high culture” literature and contemporary art cinema (Napier 4). Because of it’s international popularity, Anime has even been sited as Japan’s “chief cultural export”. Anime such as Otomo Katsuhiro’s Akira are considered “a masterpiece of technical animation (Napier 5). With an unheard of budget in excess of ten million dollars, it took eight different companies to bring it to the screen (Richmond 36). Complex story telling like that of Hayao Miyazaki’s “Howl’s Moving Castle” elevates Anime from being simple cartoon. The story, which relvolves in part around the theme of a “ ‘senseless war’ has parallels drawn with the 2003 Gulf War” (Richmond 61). Anime’s “crowning achievement may have been when Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away” was the first Anime to receive the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
The History of Anime provides a background from which I can learn to appreciate Anime even more than I do now. I see history as a way to learn about ourselves, and learning the history of Anime only increases my respect for the artists who work hard to keep this drawing style alive. Anime has truly Come of Age over the past century and the culture has expanded to take on many new forms such as the fan-based writings known as Fanfiction.
Beginner’s Guide to the Terminology
I know many of you readers out there are wondering “What the heck is Anime? First of all, you’re most likely not pronouncing the word correctly. Anime is pronounced “Annie-may”. Here in America, the terms Manga and Anime are sometimes used interchangeably. Manga is actually a Japanese word that translates into “random pictures”. In his book “Anime: Eye on Art” Hal Marcovitz explains that “Manga is the genre of graphic novels and comic books that essentially tell the same stories on the printed page that Anime tells on the screen.” Marcovitz also notes that “There is no Japanese word for animation, so the early Japanese animators borrowed the French term animẻ and incorporated it into their language.”
As I stated in my introduction, the word Otaku by the American definition is a person who is a fan of Anime. In Japan, the definition of Otaku means someone who is passionate in their field of expertise. Otaku’s use slang a lot for fun, or to identify with each other. Learning some basic terminology of Anime can help you understand what the heck we’re talking about when you meet some Anime fans.
Many Anime fans use slang from the Japanese culture itself.
Some Anime fans learn Japanese language by watching Anime that hasn’t been translated into English. On the the California State University website, Jean Leek Ping provides a list of Anime terms that are frequently used, such as Senshi which means warrior or soldier and Mecha which is a generic term for anything mechanized or technological, especially Anime series with giant robots.
In his book “The Rough Guide to Anime: Japan’s finest from Ghibli to Gankutsuō”, Simon Richmond offers a glossary of terms to help Anime fans understand the true meaning of the slang terms. He explains the terms fans commonly use, such as chara, short for character, and con, short for convention. AMV is the term used for fans who create Anime Music Videos using clips from the anime played to music. Cosplay is a contraction for Costume playing, in which a fan dresses up as their favorite character.
Richmond also explains terms that animators use like fan service, in which animators insert a particular scene or image to please certain fans. Richmond clarifies the meaning of fillers, in which anime series create episodes not based on the original manga to allow time for the manga to catch up with the on screen action, or to fully develop a new story arc. Dōjinshi are self published manga created by fans, which can be originals or works using fan’s favorite characters.
As part of my research for this blog, I had taken the time to look up words I heard frequently in Anime on Japanese language sites. Baka (bah-ka), for example, means stupid or idiot. It’s a term that is common in Anime, and is one of the basics which one should know. Some others are Kawaii (kuh-why-ee) which means cute or adorable in Japanese and Sumimasen (sue-me-ma-sen) which means excuse me, or pardon.
There are also animals which are commonly referenced in anime as some of the character’s personality traits or abilities originated from animals. Inu, (ee-new) means dog, and neko (knee-ko) means cat. Shika (She-ka) means Deer and Chou (Cho) means butterfly. Kitsune (Kit-sue-nay) means fox and Hebi (Heb-ee) means snake.
Some of the more fun slang I learned by attending Anime conventions. For example, Glomping is, simply put, an enormous tackle hug. Always expect to be glomped at an Anime convention, especially if you dress up as a popular male character.
Also, Anime fans that Cosplay at conventions, tend to refer to each other in character, addressing each other as the characters would. But in order to know ranks of status, or how familiar a character is with one another, you will know by the suffix they add at the end of the name. If someone calls each other without the use of a suffix, they may see each other as equals, or perhaps they think little of the other person. If a person were to call me “Cassie-chan”, the use of the suffix “-chan” means that the speaker is referring to someone younger than themselves, or is referring to someone affectionately. Girls use the suffix “-kun” to speak about boys they think of affectionately, or someone they care for. Suffixes are also used in terms of position or respect. “-san” refers to someone with honor or respect, while “-sama” means someone of high authority. A teacher is always addressed as “-sensei”.
In order to understand how anime has come of age in recent years, it is important to understand the basic concepts and vocabulary. The growth of the Anime sub-culture in America can be better understood when one understands all of the complex terminology that has evolved among the fans and writers. And it can be even better understood by learning about the history of the subject, which will be the topic of my next post.
As I stated in my introduction, the word Otaku by the American definition is a person who is a fan of Anime. In Japan, the definition of Otaku means someone who is passionate in their field of expertise. Otaku’s use slang a lot for fun, or to identify with each other. Learning some basic terminology of Anime can help you understand what the heck we’re talking about when you meet some Anime fans.
Many Anime fans use slang from the Japanese culture itself.
Some Anime fans learn Japanese language by watching Anime that hasn’t been translated into English. On the the California State University website, Jean Leek Ping provides a list of Anime terms that are frequently used, such as Senshi which means warrior or soldier and Mecha which is a generic term for anything mechanized or technological, especially Anime series with giant robots.
In his book “The Rough Guide to Anime: Japan’s finest from Ghibli to Gankutsuō”, Simon Richmond offers a glossary of terms to help Anime fans understand the true meaning of the slang terms. He explains the terms fans commonly use, such as chara, short for character, and con, short for convention. AMV is the term used for fans who create Anime Music Videos using clips from the anime played to music. Cosplay is a contraction for Costume playing, in which a fan dresses up as their favorite character.
Richmond also explains terms that animators use like fan service, in which animators insert a particular scene or image to please certain fans. Richmond clarifies the meaning of fillers, in which anime series create episodes not based on the original manga to allow time for the manga to catch up with the on screen action, or to fully develop a new story arc. Dōjinshi are self published manga created by fans, which can be originals or works using fan’s favorite characters.
As part of my research for this blog, I had taken the time to look up words I heard frequently in Anime on Japanese language sites. Baka (bah-ka), for example, means stupid or idiot. It’s a term that is common in Anime, and is one of the basics which one should know. Some others are Kawaii (kuh-why-ee) which means cute or adorable in Japanese and Sumimasen (sue-me-ma-sen) which means excuse me, or pardon.
There are also animals which are commonly referenced in anime as some of the character’s personality traits or abilities originated from animals. Inu, (ee-new) means dog, and neko (knee-ko) means cat. Shika (She-ka) means Deer and Chou (Cho) means butterfly. Kitsune (Kit-sue-nay) means fox and Hebi (Heb-ee) means snake.
Some of the more fun slang I learned by attending Anime conventions. For example, Glomping is, simply put, an enormous tackle hug. Always expect to be glomped at an Anime convention, especially if you dress up as a popular male character.
Also, Anime fans that Cosplay at conventions, tend to refer to each other in character, addressing each other as the characters would. But in order to know ranks of status, or how familiar a character is with one another, you will know by the suffix they add at the end of the name. If someone calls each other without the use of a suffix, they may see each other as equals, or perhaps they think little of the other person. If a person were to call me “Cassie-chan”, the use of the suffix “-chan” means that the speaker is referring to someone younger than themselves, or is referring to someone affectionately. Girls use the suffix “-kun” to speak about boys they think of affectionately, or someone they care for. Suffixes are also used in terms of position or respect. “-san” refers to someone with honor or respect, while “-sama” means someone of high authority. A teacher is always addressed as “-sensei”.
In order to understand how anime has come of age in recent years, it is important to understand the basic concepts and vocabulary. The growth of the Anime sub-culture in America can be better understood when one understands all of the complex terminology that has evolved among the fans and writers. And it can be even better understood by learning about the history of the subject, which will be the topic of my next post.
My Anime Blog
My name is Cassie Trogani and I am an Otaku (a passionate Anime fan!) In this blog I intend to show that that anime isn’t just about awesome action and superb storytelling…it’s a way of life! I will give you an inside look at what Japanese Anime is really all about. You’ll read information about Anime’s history, terminology, Anime’s role as “literature”, its symbolism, the marketing of Anime in America, Anime conventions: the cosplay, fan art, panel discussions and more. I have been given the assignment to show how Anime has come of age as an Art form and also how Anime has affected my own “coming of age”. I will be posting my blog about Anime and the Anime culture in the Northeast of the USA. I hope you enjoy reading my posts.
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