Hey everybody, been awhile since I did a post so I hope this long one makes up for it. I've gotten a few great ideas for blog entries, but this time I'll be posting my essay final for my English Composition course. We had to discuss at least one type of art, details about it, how it's good or bad, and it's importance. So-ooooo, in true geek fashion I used anime and manga as the subject material. Those of you who are non-geeks and non-nerds (how you even got to this page is beyond me) will see this as me legitimately arguing cartoons as art; to which the geeks will respond: "It's not cartoons--it's anime!"
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Arguing Anime As An Amazing Art
Art creates an emotional response. Art creates analysis and discussion. Art creates anime. If one were to inspect the modern pop-culture of today’s youth, they would inevitably come across the global sensation called anime. Given the most basic of definitions, anime specifically means animated works, such as films and shows, that are created in Japan; however, anime has become much more than simply its origin. While anime was derived from another Japanese art called manga, or Japanese comic book, to shorten its history to such an explanation would not do the style justice. Anime and manga follow a few key artistic aspects, as described by Christopher Hart in his book, Manga For The Beginner: Shoujo. Most notably, anime and manga use simplified facial features with enlarged eyes and heads, making the characters highly expressive. Additionally, the ratio of head and body size will rise in exaggeration as the target audience grows younger (11-13). Surprisingly, manga and anime were inspired by American comic books, as explained by Patrick Drazen in his book, Anime Explosion! The What? Why? & Wow! of Japanese Animation. In the early twentieth-century Japan was highly inspired by American cartoons and artists, most notably Walt Disney, which led to keen interests for Japanese artists, such as manga and anime legend Dr. Osamu Tezuka (4-5). Tezuka drew on his observances of American cartoons and French cinema to inspire his own works, he later became one of the most innovative anime artists and the creator of perhaps anime’s most recognizable character Astro Boy, a crime-fighting robot that looked like a human (5). Tezuka’s character was animated in the early sixties and shortly thereafter imported to the United States, though by end of the decade viewers had lost interest (7-8). However, in the late seventies, George Lucas released his first installment of his famous Star Wars trilogy, and America was consumed by an insatiable thirst (9). America was set with a new craving for science-fiction, a genre that Anime was more than equipped to meet head on. Since then, anime has become a captivating medium incorporating nearly every genre of fiction, with both frivolous and meaningful titles that have inspired and infuriated fans around the world.
As with any art form, anime bears both great and terrible works, however, again like any other art form, these works are subjective to the viewer. Audiences ascribe anime as astonishing artworks and as atrocities. Many fans and critiques gage their approval, or lack there of, on an anime’s story and its characters, especially character development. Anime often tell a cohesive story over the length of the series, thus a story arc can expand seasons and even years. Recently, the action/horror series Attack On Titan has garnered much praise as it contains these qualities. The series features a bleak world in which humanity faces a race of nigh-invincible giants that seem set on devouring the remnants of humanity. In an analysis by Phillim O’Neill, a writer for The Guardian, titled “G2: Reviews: Your Next Box Set: Attack On Titan.” Much of O’neill’s review regards the show as a whole, and reads as very supportive, however he does mention one of the anime’s key elements of character development saying: “The writers are ruthless: characters are developed over a generous number of episodes, only to be brutally killed off as the man-eating behemoths attack.” While it may seem cruel, in reality the series’ success has this nature to thank. The audience constantly watches with anticipation as they vest interest in the characters’ futures, romances, success, failures, and even their deaths. O’neill also makes mention of how the show’s unique simplicity also encourages its success. The show never explains if the world takes place in an alternate past or a dark future, and bypasses many customs that Americans and Japanese have by ignoring these countries all together. As a result, Attack On Titan created a new world, fraught with deep story and complex characters. As popular and successful as many fans find the series, this anime is a drop in an ever-expanding ocean. Anime uses these techniques in numerous shows and across all genres; this all-inclusive nature has made anime immensely popular and has led to an ever increasing sub-culture.
Enjoying and supporting anime moves beyond the audiences of the socially awkward. A new culture of anime-lovers permeates much of America and world, and can find its supporters from accomplished professionals to small children. Some even argue that anime has become so established, it deserves proper respect and attention from academic colleges. Laura Pope Robins, a professor at Dowling College, has made such arguments in her paper, “Bringing Anime to Academic Libraries: A Recommended Core Collection,” where she states that anime deserves proper respect as a form of film. She mentions how some colleges already have incorporated anime and manga into their curriculum, and that discussions have circulated that deeper studies will grow into fields of sociology, anthropology, law, and economics. The biggest reason why anime carries so much support from Robins has much to do with the capabilities the art has to share Japanese culture. While watching anime, a viewer can draw insights into Japanese traditions, customs, and values, all the while enjoying their experience. These arguments move beyond philosophical debate as evidenced by the earthquake and tsunami disasters Japan faced in 2011. NPR news featured an article “Japan Disaster Strikes Home Among Anime Fans,” in which they preformed interviews with American convention goers in March of 2011, where they discovered a wave of support and sympathy from its members. One woman was reported as carrying a gallon container to raise relief funds, while others stated that they had friends in Japan whom they were concerned about after the disaster. These anime supporters were not merely worried about their source of entertainment, but about the people of Japan, who they felt a real connection with. Even the greatest of art critiques will admit that art brings about an emotional response in the observer, anime goes beyond that. Anime has created a shadow society. An underlying culture that not only feels bound to the experience the art provides them, but to each other as well.
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So, I hope you liked this week's entry. This was just the essay, I actually did a lot more research than just what you read. For instance, what I found as the worst anime of all time was Mars Of Destruction (or Hametsu No Mars in Japan). Of the fifty anime that made the list, it had the single lowest scored--compiled by viewers that rated the titles, not by critiques, which arguably makes it worse--most likely due to the fact that the anime lasted a single episode, and thus had no character development or compelling storyline.
Anyway, the semester's winding down which means two things. First, I'm going to probably be very busy for a while, and second, I will finally have more time to focus on writing for fun soon. As always if these are the types of blogs you like to see, and you'd like to hear more either about these topics or similar ones, let me know in the comments.
Image Source: http://www.zazzle.com/its_not_a_cartoon_its_anime_postcard-239336406878226932