The Future of Animation

The Future of Animation

When one thinks about the cartoons of the past, like TigerSharks, ThunderCats, and G.I. Joe, one will remember the rich story lines, the wild character profiles, and the inspiring battle cries of "Yo Joe" and "Thunder, Thunder, ThunderCats, Ho!!" With technology changing every day, a new form of animation has arisen. This new form is called "Japanimation" or "Anime." It is slowly becoming a part of this culture just as much as hamburgers and pizza. It still has a long way to go, but it is slowly creeping into the American genre of animation.

As one writer has noted, "The word 'Anime,' contrary to popular belief, is not the Japanese word for animation. Though the word is used in Japan to describe animation, it is actually derived from a French word" (Barlow 1). Although film and animation in the U.S. are different, in Japan they are the same. Many Americans still have the belief that animation is strictly for kids, but in Japanese culture it is for boys, girls, men, and women. Animation in Japan does not just limit itself to Saturday Morning cartoons. In American animation, no one dies and no one gets hurt. The evil villain's plans are defeated, but the villain himself escapes to hatch a new villainy in the next episode. One great difference between Japanese and American TV series is that the Japanese TV series is designed to last only one or two seasons, 13 or 26 episodes, and then come to a climatic and definite ending. There are many available genres. "One of the MAJOR differences between Anime and U.S. animation is the quality of storytelling and level of understanding at which the story develops" (Barlow 1). Though things are changing in the U.S. regarding animation, the level at which ani...

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... very different elements that the market base is growing. The market for Japanese animation in the U.S. is still very small, but with determination and recognition within the next five years, it should be just as much an art form here as it is in its native country of Japan.

Works Cited

Barlow, Elaine. "About Anime." The Anime Online Network. (3 Feb 1999).

Izawa, Eri. "The New Stereotypes of Anime and Manga." EX Online. Vol.2 Issue 8. 3 Feb 1999.

Schodt, Fredrick L. Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics. New York: Kodansha; IBSN. 1988.

Sherber, Anne. "Disney Looks to Expand Mainstream Presence of Japan's Anime." Billboard, May, 1998: 69.

"Anime and Manga in Japan and America." Essay. (3 Feb 1999).