-
Origin of anime
Japan had a rich tradition of colourfully painted figures moving across the projection screen in Utushi-e. People use handheld lightweight wooden projectors and mechanical slides to control the figures -
Where dose the word 'anime' comes from?
The ‘anime’ is not an abbreviation of the English word ‘animation’, it is how people say “animated cartoon” (written アニメ) in Japanese. Anime, to a Japanese viewer, is any cartoon, whether it’s made in Japan or not. Outside of Japan, however, the term anime had come to mean “Animation made in Japan,” or more broadly, any animated show or movie that uses signature aspects of Japanese-style animation. -
The first wave
Astro Boy (known as Mighty Atom in Japan) by Osamn Tezuka was first premiered in Japan on January 1, 1963. It was a huge success resulting in the show being adapted by Fred Ladd to the Western community. -
Separation from Western roots
Creators develop distinct genres such as mecha and robot subgenre. Star Blazers was one of the examples, it also targeted at mature audiences. -
Golden age
With an increasing number of fandoms, the creators widened their audience base through strong storylines and compelling characters. The dark, violent, and mature subject matter flourished. -
Cosplay
Fans buy merchandise and “cosplay”. The term “cosplay” is derived from “costume play”, it is when fans dress up as their favourite characters and impersonate that character. You can see people cosplaying almost anywhere in Japan. It all started with Nobuyuki Takahshi, when he attended the 1984 World Science Fiction Convention in Los Angeles in costume. -
Otaku subculture
The fandoms for the art form; anime, began to arise. In Japan, the otaku subculture started to grow. Otaku in Japan was known as an interest/hobby for anime, they stay indoors almost all the time (1990). The definition changed with time, it could also mean people with poor social skills with obsessive enthusiast for anime (1992). The word becomes an insult in Japan. However, in recent year there are pieces of evidence showing that the word is less offensive due to the normalization of otaku -
Globalization of Anime Culture
Shows like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, and Gundam Wing were a big hit in Japan, America, and China. The greatest of them all was Pokemon. Pokemon featured in both video games, anime, and merchandise. The Matrix was the highest-grossing films. -
Internet and Digital Media
With the internet and digital media, fans found even easier ways to watch original Japanese versions of their favourite anime. However, this is also the part where anime goes a little out of control. When anime goes online, it is hard for governments to censor sensitive content. Underage youths can have access to mature content easily. -
Controversy
Some anime have been banned in other countries like China due to heavy political and sensitive subject matters. One of the examples is, the producer of 'Darling in the Franxx' receives death threats from the Japanese community for one episode (episode 14). The reason being the viewer's ship between the two characters is not been fulfilled. Anime fans are going into media wars for small reasons as such. -
Youth Suicide
Mass media has suggested a link between suicide and anime. Youth psychology specialist explained that anime by itself cannot be the cause of teenage suicides. However, anime blurs the line between the real world and the virtual culture and romanticized death. Anime viewing could contribute to teenagers' decisions to end their lives. -
Anime Culture in present days
From all the controversies and negative feedbacks, creators are now more careful about the choice of themes and subject matter. Anime such as Demon Slayer has stunning art style, compelling and action packet made it so popular that the movie overtakes 'Titanic' at the Japanese box office to be the second highest-grossing film of all time in Japan. Impacted the economy estimated at 270 billion Yan. People are becoming pickier on anime, hence, only the ones that stand out get the most attention. -
To Conclude
Anime has come a long way filled with ups and downs. There are sensitive and 'adult only' contents, but there are also anime that are so beautiful that it is seen as a form of art. The anime culture is still a fast-growing culture that people of all ages and gender can find a theme they relate to.
