Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Ninjas, Alchemists, and Vampires -- the Anime of Japan

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I'm sure if you're reading this blog, you must know about Anime and Manga. They're significant in Japan's culture, and are extremely enjoyable if you ask me. Manga are basically graphic novels thought up and drawn out by people known as Manga-ka, or Manga Artists. They're read from right to left, or in the west, backwards. We read our books from left to right in western countries, and when you start reading Manga, it's amusingly hard to go back.

Anime is really just the animated version of Manga, though one can exist without the other. It can also be called Japanimation, hence the title, which I personally find very fun to say. In Manga and Anime, there are different styles when it comes to the art. There's Shoujo, which in Japan means, 'girl'; and there's also Shounen, which in Japan means, 'boy'. There are many, but those are the main two.

Shoujo is more of a, dare I say, girly style of Manga/Anime. By that, I just mean that it's a little less realistic; usually meaning bigger eyes, smaller noses, and could be a little less proportional (in, well, head-to-body ratio if you know what I mean). For those of you that know them, Anime that could be examples of this are Vampire Knight, Full Moon wo Sagashite, and Ouran Highschool Host Club.

Shounen is more of a realistic style of Anime, aimed more towards boys (but we all know that doesn't work); usually meaning realistic-looking eyes, normal noses, and more proportional and less exaggerated bodies. Anime that could be examples of this are Death Note, Bleach, and maybe Fullmetal Alchemist.

Manga and Anime are a very important part of Japanese culture, and when a good amount of people think of Japan, they think of Anime. Two of the first examples of Anime to appear in America would have to be Speed Racer and Astroboy; if go ask your parents, I'm sure they used to watch them (both of which, by the way, have been made into Major Motion Pictures; I haven't seen Astroboy, but I highly suggest Speed Racer).

Now, if you've never heard of these following Anime...I can't help you. Anyway, I hope all of you have heard of POKeMON and Sailor Moon. If you're my age, then you might know them very well. Sailor Moon is a good example of a Shoujo Anime, and a significantly well-known (and old) one. POKeMON, (and just for the record, I can't find the 'make the dash above the e' button on here, so bare with me) originally started out as a video game, later made into an Anime, then a Manga. I think POKeMON is one of Japan's crowning achievements when it comes to Animation, and I figured I'd mention it because it played a big part in their culture...other than that, all I have to say about it is that the new game is REALLY fun.

Well, that's all for this post, hope you enjoyed and learned something new...
~Jess'ka K.

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