Planet Rinda

     In part three of my continuing series on anime, I’d like to at least touch on the subject of different styles in anime.  There is an astounding variety of anime out there. Since anime in Japan isn’t limited to children’s cartoons, the subject matter available is a true cross-section of all types of entertainment.   I think it’s really important to explore the various styles of anime so that you can both discover what you like and so that you don’t miss some of the truly top-quality anime out there. 

     Because of the sheer volume of styles to choose from, as well as the different ways to categorize it, I’m simply going to try to narrow it down by storyline or plot.  I could write several posts on the diverse themes of anime, but that’s for another day.  For right now, I’m going to make some generalized suggestions to help point you in the right direction.

• Children’s stories like Doraemon, Hamtaro and Hello Kitty.
• Classic martial arts/Samurai style Ninja Scroll, Ruronuni Kenshin or even Samurai Champloo.
• Creepy Delights like Ghost Hunt, Hellsing, Paranoia Agent and Vampire Hunter D.
• Dazzling action and fighters animes like Bleach, Cowboy Beebop and Naruto.
• Flashy newcomers like Death Note, Lucky Star, Manabi Straight, and Zombie Loan.
• Giant Robots, spaceships and aliens like Big O and Neon Genesis Evangelion.
• Marvelous movies like Akira, Grave of the Fireflies, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away.
• Old School Classics such as Astro Boy, Battle of the Planets and Star Blazers.
• Perennial favorites like Bubblegum Crisis, Chobits, Dragon Ball Z, Ghost in the Shell, InuYasha, Sailor Moon,  Slayers, Tenchi Muyo.
• Schoolgirls and heart-string tuggers such as Azumanga Daioh, Fruits Basket, Gunslinger Girl, Happy Lesson,  Love Hina.
• Wacky Comedies like Excel Saga, Lupin the 3rd and Miami Guns.

Delve into different styles of anime!

Technorati Tags: anime, what is anime, styles of anime, videos, YouTube video, Turning Japanese, I Think I’m Turning Japanese, The Vapors, Doraemon, Hamtaro, Hello Kitty, Ninja Scroll, Ruronuni Kenshin, Samurai Champloo, Ghost Hunt, Hellsing, Paranoia Agent, Vampire Hunter D, Bleach, Cowboy Beebop, Naruto, Death Note, Lucky Star, Manabi Straight, Zombie Loan, Big O, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Akira, Grave of the Fireflies, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Astro Boy, Battle of the Planets, Star Blazers, Bubblegum Crisis, Chobits, Dragon Ball Z, Ghost in the Shell, InuYasha, Sailor Moon, Slayers, Tenchi Muyo, Azumanga Daioh, Fruits Basket, Gunslinger Girl, Happy Lesson, Love Hina, Excel Saga, Lupin the 3rd, Miami Guns

     What is anime? Anime is basically the word that’s normally used to describe Japanese animation. In the first part of this continuing post, I tried to nail down that explanation a little farther as well as begin to explain it to a newcomer to anime. I think that exploring anime is a wonderful way to not only discover great entertainment but also to open yourself up to a new culture. But figuring out where to start can be a formidable obstacle. There are ways to make your initial immersion into anime a little smoother. Here is the first point of importance I think that any anime newbie must explore and decide on their own:

     Dubbed vs Subbed– Dubbed means that the anime is dubbed over with another language, in my case English speaking voice actors. While subbed refers to an anime with the original Japanese vocal track and subtitles added. Unless you’re very familiar with the Japanese language, you will be faced with this choice. I personally think starting out with dubbed is best. It makes it more palatable in the beginning. After you’ve become a fan, I suggest you explore the subtitled animes. There can be a big difference. Some animes, especially older ones, may have had their story lines altered with dubbing. Dubbing can also lead to cultural references being changed for simplicity. Subtitling generally gives you the original story simply translated to the language of your choice. Also, often with subtitling, you’ll have access to less mainstream anime that you won’t be able to find in your local video or anime store because it never gets licensed in the US. So, dubbed vs subbed? Everyone has their personal preference. Discover yours.

Technorati Tags: anime, dub, sub, dubbed, dubbing, subbed, subbing, subtitle, Tenchi Muyo, Dubbed vs Subbed, video, YouTube

    What is anime? Now, that is a complicated question that was recently asked of me by a friend who had suddenly been thrust into the big, bad world of anime thanks to an InuYasha loving, little relative and new fan. It seems like an easy enough thing to describe by those of us who love anime and anime culture but to a newcomer, it can be quite daunting.

     According to Merrim-Webster’s, anime is a style of animation originating in Japan that is characterized by stark colorful graphics depicting vibrant characters in action-filled plots often with fantastic or futuristic themes. Wikipedia says that anime is an abbreviation of the word “animation”. Outside Japan, the term most popularly refers to animation originating in Japan. To the West, not all animation is considered anime; anime is considered a subset of animation. To me personally, anime is a so much more. It describes a style of animation, a medium in and of itself. It encompasses television shows, OVA’s (or Original Video Animation and are often direct to video releases.) and movies. To most uniformed and unenlightened Americans, what we call anime is just cartoons. Yes and no. It is a cartoon but that term alone is too limiting.

     Anime distinguishes itself from regular cartoons with generally better art style, deeper story plots, themes that run the gamut from kiddie to X-rated adults only stuff. Cartoons are usually geared towards children. Once in awhile you’ll get a good quality one like the Looney Toons or even Powerpuff Girls that have multiple layers that allow for an entertaining time to kindergarteners but also sneak in adult jokes and references that fly right over the little ones heads. Anime is not limited to children. In Japan, anime shows are prime-time viewing for all ages. It all depends on the anime.

     Although the United States is a cultural melting pot, we Americans are generally resistant to new cultures at first. It takes us a long time to accept and integrate them into our daily lives. Anime is a good example of that. Anime is deeply entrenched in Japanese culture and becoming a fan of it pulls you into that culture in so many ways. Slowly but surely anime is becoming much more accepted and mainstream in not only the US but the world. And I think networks like Cartoon Network and Anime Network are hugely to thank for this. I am not fortunate enough to have Anime Network in my viewing areas so I’ll limit my comments on this to Cartoon Network, which I know and love well. The thing is, I’m a fan of both cartoons and anime! And they do an excellent job of delivering both! Cartoon Network has been able to help bridge the cultural gap between American fans and Japanese anime with shows such as Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokemon. Cartoon Network offers anime for all ages with Adult Swim, geared to adult viewers, and with Toonami on the weekends, and formerly Miguzi through the week for the after-school crowd and, for younger audiences. Through programming on Toonami and Adult Swim, the network has exposed Americans to anime that is dubbed in English. While offensive to some purist who harken back to a time of bad dubbing and altered story lines, most of the anime on Cartoon Network is well done with good voice acting.

     If you are new to anime, the programming on Cartoon Network, particularly Adult Swim is a great way to discover some fantastic shows. Over the years Cartoon Network has brought us such treasures as InuYasha, Naruto, Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist, Lupin the 3rd, Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, FLCL, Ghost in the Shell, Ruronuni Kenshin, Trinity Blood, Samurai Champloo, Tenchi Muyo, Blood+, s-CRY-ed, Paranoia Agent, Eureka Seven, and several different Gundum shows. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! I would recommend all of these to an anime newcomers for a variety of reasons. My best advice is to explore, watch a lot to discover what you like.

The popular anime series InuYasha has attracted fans worldwide.

     This is part one of a continuing series…more to come! Please check out…What is Anime? Part Two — Dubbed vs Subbed, Part Three — Different Styles of Anime, Part Four — Where to Find Anime, Part Five — Anime Culture, Part Six — Anime Fan Community and What is Anime? Part Seven — Exploring Manga!

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     It was announced at ComicCon that the anime Honey & Clover had been licensed by Viz Media so hopefully it’ll be available at a retailer near you soon! Honey & Clover is a wonderful, little jewel of an anime. It was adapted from the manga back in 2005. It’s been really popular in Japan, spawning two seasons of the first anime, a second series called Honey & Clover 2 and a live action movie. There’s a reason for it’s popularity. It’s a really good story. It’s one of the best I’ve seen in awhile. This isn’t a loud, in your face, kinda anime. It’s quieter than most high school/college animes out there. While there are some truly funny moments, it’s not played for laughs alone. I suppose you’d call it a dramatic comedy. It’s a real slice of life sorta anime.

     Honey & Clover is the tale of three college guys who share a tiny, rundown apartment. The story begins with them and then widens to include friends of theirs as well as teachers. These are not flat, one-dimensional characters. They become very human and real. You gradually get to know them, their lives, good and bad. You watch as they journey through college and life. And life isn’t always pretty. And more often than not, it’s darn painful.

    As often happens in real life, romance blossoms among the friends. And while romance is never easy, it’s particularly hard when it’s your friend. This anime explores the grief of unrequited love through several love triangles. It reminds you how hard it can be to find someone you love, that loves you in return. And while it hurts to have your love rejected by someone you’ll never see again, it can be agony to love someone and have that person care for you, be a part of your life but never return that love. Honey & Clover is a bittersweet story of growing up. It’s at times light-hearted. And at other times, tragic. But that’s life.

     This is a great anime. It’s got strong characters and a great story. It’s also a lot of fun! I recommend it wholeheartedly. So go and check it out. I think you’ll find it’s a pleasant surprise.

Technorati Tags: anime, manga, Honey & Clover, Honey & Clover 2, ComicCon, Viz Media