5 Comments

Hello Matt! I have been comparing anime as a region based product like a champagne for years on various forums and other online argument spaces and have always been swarmed by blowback! I do like to take it a step further since anime is an artistic endeavor. So anime is animation made in Japan from (a lack of a better designation at the moment) Japanese perspective. Even someone that has moved to Japan and has lived here for a while still still is missing some je ne sais quoi that makes something “Japanese.”

Expand full comment

There are a lot of people out there who are inspired by manga and anime to create their own versions, and I think that's great, but Tezuka coined "anime" to differentiate Japan-produced animation from imported animation. So it could literally be translated as "animated shows made in Japan." I think the cultural milieu is key to the process. Aesthetics can be copied, but that environment is unique to Japan (in ways good and bad.)

Expand full comment

Japanese people do actually use the word "anime" to refer to foreign animation though.

Expand full comment

I tend to agree. It’s interesting that your perspective on this comes via games whereas mine is animation. Damn! If there isn’t a shit load of animesque videogames that don’t come from Japan.

Expand full comment

What are some animation productions that you feel are imitating anime style?

Expand full comment