It’s no secret to young people and those who keep up with the latest media, movies and such alike that Anime has busted with amazing popularity. But why? Why has this cartoon style been adopted as one of the most influential cartoon styles as to draw many people into the feel of modern Japan and affiliate animation works?
Without having to go into a history lesson, thanks to that wiki article, I’ll state why I think, know, and have developed this opinion as to why Anime has taken the reigns, and set off to popularity mountain.
Let’s start with how the world is right now. It has problems, but still manages to make movies, arts, music, games and all that media. In recent times, we’ve seen the amazing ways all those media types can grab us, make us feel loved, strong, sad, inhuman, emotional in every way possible. Turly an interesting time to live in, despite the problems. I sit here with the clock ticking to midnight, thinking of these things.
In this time when only the limits of technology and intelligence being the only REAL thing to stop even more truly epic media to be made, means to find easier, working ways of displaying people’s stories and ideas have been tested. Anime is simply one type of animation style. There have been many. If you go back to the, “Good ole days,” you see animals being used to represent people. Then there’s the style of animation leading to even today, with regular, half-cartoonish looking representations of people.
There are some really great, moving films out there that display some well-thought-out lessons. But now Anime has a different appeal. Fair enough, Anime is not to everyone’s personal taste, but then again, what is?
The genres and themes of Anime extend beyond that of what movies & other animation styles offer. Anime can show sword-wielding teens slicing off heads, guts pumping blood all over the place, and it’s completely normal for Anime. It can also have cute little girls playing around in school with a comedic theme. Now, usually for those two extremes, there would be an actual different animation style for it. But now, both genres can fit into Anime without hassle. Where as if you were to see a horror animation that is not anime-themed, it would certainly look different from another non-anime styled animation.
Like any big deal, though, there is a dominating theme or regularly used story/character types/locations, but that’s just playing with the gravel on the side of the big long road of life.
Anime Works.
It uses a character model base that can be cute, sexy, dangerous, crazy, or damn right AMAZING. Anyone who’s anyone can find a type of Anime character they like (except anime-haters, of course). There is an infinite amount of Anime movies, shows, artworks (as shown by the ever-anime dominating DeviantArt) fan fictions. And that’s another thing, Anime is even displayed through literature, still holding its Anime title, despite having no actual animation, the name’s origin.
Character have an appeal that can often time be stronger than a real human. This is shown through Hentai, proving that Anime has a sexual desire and pull on it’s audience, which of course shows that people can respect these works of art, the characters, and even begin to love them as though a real human.
The actual visuals of Anime are most important to its success. The eyes are rounded, everything is flawless, and any flaw is there on purpose to represent something, which the viewer will recognise immediately, absorbing its meaning and purpose much faster and efficiently.
Most things are rounded, soft, light and appealing. The SPHERE and CURVE is scientifically proven to be the most liked shape and feel to humans. This probably explains why women are seen as more of a desirable thing, too… and have been adopted for more use in Anime accordingly.
Now, I can’t draw very well at all, not even Anime, but I know full well Anime is an easy thing to draw once experience has been gained. This I know thanks to my Anime-crazed DMC fans and admitted by Anime drawers. So, it’s also time-saving. It’s handy, it can be made into a movie with skilled animators, designers and directors in… okay, a lot of time, but the time is spent on the QUALITY of the animation. Take Spirited Away for example… the quality is second to none.
It provides the least amount of detail when it comes to the boring things like noses and mouths, which in my opinion are not the nicest human features anyway so I don’t mind them being downsized and ignored… which is what Anime does. Anime focuses on the eyes, a very important part of identifying someone. It also has a strong focus on modern things, such as hair (to represent style, fantasy with colours), questionable clothing (to show fantasy and sexiness). This makes the model inviting to anyone who is not old.
Anime tends to… work. Especially with young people. It’s modern, easy, very attractive. It also proves that less is more. There doesn’t have to be a lot of detail to obtain respect and often times, the less stuff going on, and the simpler something is… the more it works. In modern days, Anime is working. Anime works. And I can only see it getting stronger. The only thing bringing it down now is Japan’s country, eco and population problems… and of course, how they affiliate with the rest of the world’s problems. Whatever way you slice it, take long gander at Anime. It sure is having fun.
Recent Comments