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Post by mechapunk on May 5, 2003 8:49:06 GMT -5
Actually the topic is an offshot from the "Astro boy cometh to the US thread ". I found this interesting because even when I was a boy, I wondered what made "anime" superior over other animations, even over most US generated animation.
My view is that anime goes beyond plots. it "humanizes" its characters as deep as necessary. And the way that everything was drawn, it just looks better aesthetically over "cartoons".
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Post by shaxper on May 5, 2003 8:57:56 GMT -5
I think it really depends on how you define anime. There's a lot of stuff called "anime" out there of varying quality and style.
For example, Thundercats mimicks the action styles often used in anime, but it's American made.
Voltron is taken from Japanese animation but lacks strong style and animation.
For me, "anime" can be defined as animation that is treated just as seriously as a major motion picture, and which tends to be highly stylized and expressionistic. Even major Disney films don't fall into this catagory because they still use the contrivances of animated motion pictures for children. They're not to be taken too seriously.
I think the culmination of anime; the best its had to offer so far is Serial Experiments: Lain, precisely because of how much work and style went into it, and because it doesn't seem like every other anime out there. No giant mecha, no alien invasion, no fighting sequences at all. Lain is story that could have been filmed, but which is able to achieve so much more because it is animated. So much style and artistic expression is made possible through animating, even though the story is "serious" and adult-themed enough to have been made as an actual film. Lain really shows the true strength of anime beyond elaborate sci-fi and fighting sequences. I hope more great anime like it will soon surface.
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Post by Omni Existence on May 5, 2003 11:57:37 GMT -5
hmmm... I"ve been reading about SE: Lain for a while. everyone says it's good, but haven't had a chance to get a copy. I guess it's time. To be on topic. from what I can understand, anime is a wonderful medium, in which different stories, characters, worlds can be created, but still retains a touch of the reality and seriousness that adults can enjoy. Disney flicks "had" this but has since lost it when it started catering more to selling merchandise to kids.
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Post by jwm on May 5, 2003 16:40:45 GMT -5
So I'll pick up the thread here as well. Mechapunk hit one of the nails on the head. Depth of character. Thinking of Amuro from Gundam or Shinji from NGE: Both characters experience the total range of human emotions plus levels of terror and awe that (Thankfully) most of us simply won't encounter. They are normal kids in extraordinary circumstances. Despite their fantastical nature; the worlds that Amuro and Shinji inhabit are consistent with reality. People may survive amazingly violent encounters, but they feel real pain, and they can, and do die. Machines aren't magic; they fail sometimes. They need maintenance and repair. The storys are the biggest difference. All the fanciful mecha in the world won't make up for a crummy story. Anime story lines follow the archetypal hero quests. They are built on the foundation of myth and epic, rather than sit-com, or musical comedy. Those are some thoughts. Others? JWM
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Post by Otaru Ikari on May 6, 2003 11:11:55 GMT -5
All I can say is depending on what you watch. I can't really say that anime is better than any other animated medium, mind you there are animes that sucks and there are tons of it, it just gets filtered once it is funsub or distributed , since who would want to distribute or fansub a sucky show. Thus the reason why we mostly get to see those animes that are really great.
True anime caters to different audiences, some animated flicks are on that same trend too. Take Simpsons for example, yeah characters are cartoony, but do you think the content are solely base for the young audience. Or Heavy Metal, that is another animated flick that caters to adults.
So who to say anime is great just beacuse it is aesthetically pleasing.
Story is the key, as long as the story keeps you entertained, it will keep you glued even if the details are not that spectacular.
Same goes for cartoons, I rather watch Dexter's lab than Pokemon.
I think what might be causing the rift between these mediums is just the stigma that goes with anything animated, for most they think that if it is animated, it is a cartoon that is specifically made for kids. Thus the reason why most animation still stick with the old cliche that it should be always made for kids thus it gets crappy. Unlike in Japan (or even Korea) where animation has evolved into a show like your regular TV series or movies, it gets more dedication since again it is a show made for a wider audience. Thus when we get our grubby hands on it, it's totally different since it was made to a standard that it was set for.
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Post by mechapunk on May 6, 2003 11:44:46 GMT -5
All I can say is depending on what you watch. I can't really say that anime is better than any other animated medium, mind you there are animes that sucks and there are tons of it, it just gets filtered once it is funsub or distributed , since who would want to distribute or fansub a sucky show. Thus the reason why we mostly get to see those animes that are really great. True anime caters to different audiences, some animated flicks are on that same trend too. Take Simpsons for example, yeah characters are cartoony, but do you think the content are soley base for the young audience. Or Heavy Metal, that is another animated flick that caters to adults. So who to say anime is great just beacuse it is aesthetically pleasing. Story is the key, as long as the story keeps you entertained, it will keep you glued even if the details are not that spectacular. Same goes for cartoons, I rather watch Dexter's lab than Pokemon. I think what might be causing the rift between these mediums is just the stigma that goes with anything animated, for most they think that if it is animated, it is a cartoon that is specifically made for kids. Thus the reason why most animation still stick with the old cliche that it should be always made fo kids thus it gets crappy. Unlike in Japan (or even Korea) where animation has evolved into a show like your regular TV series or movies, it gets more dedication since again it is a show made for a wider audience. Thus when we get are grubby hands on it, it's totally different since it was made to a standard that it was set for. Very good points Otaru. Since you mentioned Dexter's lab, it reminded me of how I think Samurai Jack rocks! I wish I could watch every episode of it.
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Post by jwm on May 6, 2003 15:12:22 GMT -5
Ditto's on Samurai Jack! The opening sequence of SJ ran almost twenty minutes without dialogue, and was one of the finest examples of storytelling I've seen. And true as well- not all anime is great. I can't stand G-Gundam; the story is just silly and the mecha aren't much better. One quality that I think contributes to much of the Japanese fare is that the stories tend to be the vision of one creator. American features seem like they are written by commitee and directed by focus groups to apeal to a small demographic: say boys between 5 and 10 years of age. The best of anime doesn't take the age of the viewer into account. It simply tells a story. And it takes its story seriously. The characters don't make clever asides about real-world celebrities, or events. Another thought: (quality) anime deals in themes- deep observation on the human condition. Dreamworks, and Disney preach messages: "Land Before Time #57" where the dinosaurs learn that if they all cooperate they can make a better world. Iron Giant where we learn that guns and the army are bad; junkyard art, and beatniks are good. But I don't mean to totally rag on American stuff, either. Spirit (the horse story) was excellent. McCracken and Tartovsky (sp?) do great stuff with Powerpuff Girls and Samurai Jack. And Courage the Cowardly dog regularly puts me on the floor laughing. JWM
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Post by admin1 aka Ed on May 13, 2003 9:29:03 GMT -5
i LOVE Samauri Jack! I simply have problems finding it on when I have time to watch TV Hmm.....I wonder if the DVDs have made it out yet....
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