Fresh Question #2 - American Animation VS Japanese Animation

[Dub]

OK, the next fresh question is up and I tried to really think of a good one

A lot of people either prefer American Animation while some prefer Japanese Animation. Which type do you think sylistically and quality is better, and give some examples and why you think so. Like, whats your opinion of how the two industries are. Also - if you can, list some reasons why you think one has more pros or cons than the other and how those said cons could be fixed.


And thats that. Debate!

 

[Batmex]

I'll go with Anime:

-It has a beginning and an end
-Cool songs and BGMs
-Cool artwork & action scenes
-Even good guys die in anime
-Great plots(Evangelion)
-MECHAS!!!
-fan service

I grew up watching both so this is my veredict.

 

[Ikwig]

I'm afraid I like both for different reasons!

Anime tends to have better writing and better overall animation quality (think stuff like Cowboy Bebop, Evangelion, The Big O); I would say that what I've seen seems to have been treated as an art form - a real form for creative expression - rather than just something to entertain the kiddies. (Also, I've got this thing for mecha - I don't know why, I just do. )

However, there is American stuff that has to win for sheer wackiness/general silliness, which I adore (a la Freakazoid or Sealab 2021).

I think I'll continue watching both!

 

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Why is this a fresh question? Hasn't this issue been debated all over the internet for the last 10 years?


I hope this doesn't degenerate into another flame war, as this topic so often does.

 

[Dub]

Oh well then YOU try coming up with a better one then Mr. Jojo Sillyhead!


**wildly lobs Demonic Peanuts at you** ^_^

 

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally posted by Jon "WB" Gray
Oh well then YOU try coming up with a better one then Mr. Jojo Sillyhead!


**wildly lobs Demonic Peanuts at you** ^_^

No. It's good not to have any responsibilities...

 

[Ruffian]

Nothing to debate for me. I prefer American Animation, part nostalgia and part appeal. I grew up watching Tom & Jerry, Looney Tunes, The Disney Afternoon, the old Disney shorts, He-Man, She-Ra, Tiny Toons, Animaniacs, BatmanTAS, X-Men, and they are some of my favorites, particularly He-Man and She-Ra. For the wacky comedies, I love the humor. Comic book animated series I was intrigued with the characters, costumes, origin, stories and all. I never got to read comics as a kid, but heard about them. The animated series was the closest I could get to them. He-Man and She-Ra I love because they were maybe the first series to make me go "WOW!" I love She-Ra especially, because she's the most powerful and most independent woman from her decade and surpassing every other female before that. The set designs, and the style were awesome too. The MOTU and POP universe were very unique in visualization, which help spawned my interest in fantasty I'm sure.

The only anime I would place among my favorites are Robotech and Voltron, and only because of nostalgia, I grew up watching those as a kid and there's a lot of fond memories, particularly Voltron. Robotech I didn't quite understand what was going on till I was older and they were airing it on Toonami. I've seen other anime around and been exposed to some more from a East Asian Popular culture class as well as these boards here, but the anime doesn't make an impression on me.

I can go on with what I think is not so great or what is great about the technical makings of the series or movie, but just because something is "perfect" doesn't mean I'll like it, and just because something is "flawed" doesn't mean I'll hate it. A lot of this I can say about American Animation too. There's a bunch there that doesn't appeal to me either. In the end I am a fan of American Animation (which doesn't equate to anti-anime mind you).

 

[Anthonynotes]

I prefer American animation over anime (though do like Tokyo Movie Shinsa's work on the various modern WBA series!)

Recall watching Transformers as a kid (and a little bit of "Voltron"), but overall never got into/found any interesting anime (saw "Princess Mononoake" (sp?) but was pretty bored by it, I admit....). "Pokemon" (and such similar stuff on KWB) hasn't helped much, either

Generally prefer humorous stuff (the modern WBA shows, Looney Tunes, "Angry Beavers", "Daria", etc.) or comic book based series (Superman and Batman series, though also liked the Spider-Man one from Fox)...also like the American animation style better as well (though note the influence through things like Tokyo Movie Shinsa-animated shows and such)...

-B.

 

[Jude Santos]

anime definatly. ive seen a lot of american animation, but none tells a story as captivating as japanese animation does. ive never seen american animation with the twists of Berserk, or the action present in Cowboy Bebop, and heck, even the love triangles present in Tenchi Muyo! or Love hina. another reason why i like anime better is most of them are for adults, even the ones made for kids also appeal to adults. and do i even have to mention character designs, mechs, guns and fan service?

 

[Jude Santos]

oh yeah, unlike american animation, most japanese anime's dont portray villains as 'villains', they portray them as good people fighting for their own beliefs (as evident in Mobile Suit Gundam with the Zeons). in most american animation especially the old ones, villains are just evil with no explanation on why they are evil. well, its really hard to explain...its just something that ive noticed. just watch Fushigi Yugi or Zoids: CC.

 

[Seafaring]

I prefer Japanese animation to American animation. For most of the reasons you all have pointed out. The animation to me is much better and detailed, and the stories within anime can be absolutely fascinating. It also appeals to more people, where as american animation generally appeals to kids, not all of american animation but most. Plus I absolutley love the character designs, and how anime mixes in computer animation, and makes it look really good(well in some cases). And I always love listening to opening songs and the music within the show. I could go on and on why I like and think japanese animation is better than american, but its all been said before.

 

[Mackenzie Rainelle]

Anime:

-Mostly better voice casting
-Most seiyuu can actually sing (Char: Except for Hikaru Midorikawa... Baja: Shut up, you!)
-Great soundtracks
-Complex plots (most of the time) with lots of twists
-Intriguing characters
-Villains don't HAVE to be evil
-Comedy is usually excellent
-Eyecatches going to and from commercials are great
-Diverse character designs
-detail in mechas, war equipment, and occasionally the normal vehicles
-Many more genres covered than in American animation
-The mascots are adorable....most of the time. ::glomps Mokona and shoots at Pikachu::
-Romance is a little more believable
-When the series is over, it's OVER, no bringing back characters just to cash in (Except DBZ, that's kind of a rule with them). ::coughbuffycough::
-There's actually death, mourning, etc.
-In some cases, absolutely BEAUTIFUL artwork
-Most series, there's a single director, so the quality of the artwork doesn't randomly raise and drop
-Reaction shots. Gotta love those reaction shots.

 

[JETBLACK87]

I like how some Anime series have a continuing plot from episode to episode. and the music. and the maturity of it. it makes you think some time. the drama. it's like they take it more seriously they take the time to think up and write a good plot and characters.

 

[Borg4of3]

Here's a good, and ancient thread we had on this subject as well:

http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21575

I particularily like Bic's view on page 2 and Mad Hatter's remark on page 3.

I also think that there's too much in both Anime and American to generalize either as good, bad, or better than the other; I also prefer Invader Zim over everything, but that's just me...

 

[Psycho Fox]

Well I do like US but it keeps getting held back. Look at the US cartoon casulty list and you notice most were snuffed out in the prime of their life. Then you have great animated movies like Iron Giant and Cat's Don't Dance that gets no respect. Lastly for mainstrem they have to be tame or end up being snuffed out by soccer moms.

Anime does not have the restrictions US animation has. They have more genres and do have deeper plots. Anime can get away with more but they kinda have a kid - adult switch I have not seen many Anime that can hold the attention of both and they fall flat on the face with preschool animation.

Europe is in the middle of the road between US and Japan. They go from preschool animation like Pablo the Little Red Fox to adult shorts Lotia Lotia. I have to say I'm addicted to it I love Rex the Runt, Redwall, Watership Down, Blake, The Adventures of Blake & Mortimer, Night Hood, Lotia Lotia and even Pablo the Little Red Fox (Yes I watch a european kids show) but even they are not perfect. Watership Down's season finally was cool. The rabbit Campion was flirting with for the episode was tring to role a bolder onto General Woundwort. Campion that just offically switched sides was holding Woundwort in his troops back so the rest could escape. When Campion realized what was planed he push Woundwort out of way (either becouse loyaty or force of habbit) getting himself killed. Watership down's popularity was spread thin across Europe, Asia and Canada but they can't end the series like this I want another season.

Canada well kinda inbettwen Europe and US, I won't get into Canada's animation right here since some I see it mostly in the same light as European and US and I already covered those as for Africa well there animation industry is in serious trouble dispite some okay shorts.

 

[Elven Moon]

While American animation does have its series that I watch and enjoy, I personally prefer Japanese animation, or anime.

-The villians aren't always obviously the villians, and they may have reasons for why they do what they do - horrible pasts, unreturned love, causes they believe are right, etc.

-Some episodes at least have a point to it in order to advance the series, and not just another "Oh no! This villian, who tried to steal the world's water supply, is now trying to steal the world's makeup supply!" (Think Mary-Kate and Ashley)

-A lot more emotion and emphasis on feelings are used.

-Less action-oriented (on some), and more realistic, or at least realistic action.

-Anime has genres for all kinds of ages, and not just kiddie stuff.

I'm not bashing American animation. Nor am I saying that American animation doesn't have any of those things I mentioned. Those are just a few differences between most of the genres.

 

[metaphysician]

I think American animation could be just as good as anime, *EXCEPT* for the huge prejudice in America, that animation = cartoons. IOW, kids stuff.

Its not only that people don't give animated works a shot, except in the context of kids shows; its also that people see things that, in a live action PG13 movie wouldn't even draw a blink, and are appauled, because it, subconsciously, is putting mature content into "kids" stuff.

Shows like B:TAS et al are a good step, but we won't really start unlocking animations potential until we have an animated series that is just plain not aimed at kids at all, nor has any comedy component.

( we also need new terms; currently, there is no way to indicate that a work of animation is not for kids without it sounding like porn )

 

[Xevo]

Yeah meta just beat me to the punch, but the biggest difference in the two to me is the way their respective cultures view them.

American producers see animation as "cartoons," and since they grew up with all animation being for kids, they believe adults can't or won't accept animation as an entertainment medium.

The Japanese producers, however, have come to realize that animation is just as viable a medium as live-action television or film, and thus they tend to make a significant amount of animation that appeals to adults.

Of course, each also has their own style, but as people have already pointed out even that distinction is not as strong as it once was.

 

[Zero Angel]

My Thoughts...

i believe in the idea that american animation can be every bit as good as japanese animation. look at some of the great series like Spawn that had a continueing storyline, dark heroes and villans that may or may not have been the true enemy. also there are those american animated classics like Heavy Metal that had no real point except to show the type of quality material that we could produce. then you have stuff like Invader Zim that has garnered quite a popular following recently (i love Johnens work and think that any amount of attention is good for him).

of coarse on this note i believe right now that japanese animation is several steps further down the road then we are...moreover for the societies in which they are marketed to. look at Disney's Atlantis...it didnt do very well yet was probably the best animated feature they have done. one of the reasons for that was it was not very kid friendly. alot of anime can be said to be like that.

with anime you have multiple variations on genres. you also have a diversity of characters not ussually seen in american animation. most times anime characters tend to have multiple sides and emotions making them more then 2D figures. ill bring up the ever popular Cowboy Bebop. the characters in this show had a myriad of emotion that they showed every episode...each character had a different perspective and reacted differently to any given stimuli...you dont get that with a lot of american animation, and that is just within the past decade. anime has been doing that type of direction for the past 40 years.

also the point was brought up of continuity, this is a very good point. most anime lasts a 26 episode season with one major storyline progression and has a very definate begining and end. with american animation on tv it ussually has a 42 to an 84 episode season and it doesnt neccessarily have to have a continueing storyline...the only animated series i can think of that did and had a very epic storyline was Gargoyles...and that was before Disney sank its claws into it.

even in the prime time section you do have comparable but significantly differnent series in both japan and america. over here prime time cartoon is something along the lines of The Simpsons and Futurama and the Family Guy. in japan you have more serious material...comidic yes but more along the lines of Alley McBeel like GTO.

right now american standards of animation is what is holding down the market here and what makes people that want something new go to anime for the way to saite their animation appetites.

 

[Mackenzie Rainelle]

Originally posted by Psycho Fox

I have to say I'm addicted to it I love Rex the Runt, Redwall, Watership Down, Blake, The Adventures of Blake & Mortimer, Night Hood, Lotia Lotia and even Pablo the Little Red Fox (Yes I watch a european kids show) but even they are not perfect.

I'm a huge fan of Brian Jacques and his Redwall books, and I would actually love to see the series, but I can't get it in this area. I have seen Watership Down though, and I just didn't like it as much as I thought I would.