The word Anime comes from animation, abbreviated in Japanese. The English dictionary explains it as a style introduced in Japan. However, anime as a whole represents all kinds of animation. Therefore, Japanese anime is used to distinguish it from animation in the rest of the world. Until recently, anime was called “Manga” in Western and European countries. But in Japan, Manga refers only to comics!
Anime is usually inspired by novels, manga, and local customs and traditions. Anime can be broadcast on television and is also distributed and published through other types of media such as video, the Internet, and DVD. Previously, anime also referred to exclusively Japanese animation, but now it is no longer considered that way.
Anime is watched and loved by children, adults, and women. It shows various stories and characters based on science, fiction, sports, romance and horror themes, which are most of the things created and far from reality. But there are some anime that depict a bit of realism such as suffering, emotions, and death, which adds to the value of the content but makes it unsuitable for children to watch.
Anime is becoming popular both in terms of viewership and variety. The Pokémon craze among kids is more than just the series. They want to have the video games, collectibles, DVDs, t-shirts and costumes of their favorite character from the show. Another trend that has been experienced is watching anime movies originally made in Japanese after being dubbed into English.
These days, as watching it on CDs and DVDs has gained momentum, most of them already include subtitles and dubbed tracks. Due to the increasing acceptance and allure of these animations, many colleges, clubs, libraries, and high schools have started keeping anime collections in their databases. Fans and appreciation for anime is flooding every day.
Walt Disney’s “Spirited Away”, a Japanese film, which even grossed more than “Titanic” in Japan, revolutionized the animation industry in the Western world. Hayao Miyazaki, the household name in Anime, directed the film and was praised by fans all over the world for putting an emphasis on every detail in the film. The Fox TV network and Walt Disney, the two largest distributors of anime movies and shows in the West, posted revenue of more than $2 billion in the industry. Some years before, there weren’t many anime TV shows and series, but now, almost every child knows Japanese animated movies and cartoons, and the number is increasing with every minute.
Bandai Entertainment, a Japanese anime toy company, claimed to have produced 75 anime shows and movies the previous year in the United States, which explains the rise in demand for animes.
Nowadays, animes are also growing rapidly in the DVD sector. Anime movies have the advantage of low-cost production, since all they need is a pen, a piece of paper, and a computer to work on. The internet is also responsible for bringing anime to where it is today!