What exactly is an anime?

[MaitreDétective]

A definition would state it is a japanese cartoon. But what do they mean by "Japanese"?

Is it because the creator is Japanese? But if a japanese person made cartoons in the US with a non-japanese style it won't be called anime.

So is it a "style"? you know, big eyes and over-exaggerated expresions? but shows called "anime-inspired" like Teen Titans are like these but are not called anime.

So is it made in Japan? many occidental series like Batman or Tiny Toons are made in Japan but still aren't called anime.

So I'll ask, what is an anime?

[xpon]

As far as i know.. Japanese people will call Disney Animations movie as Anime too. because Anime is the Japanese word for Animations.

take example, in Indonesia we call Animations as Animasi
and i bet many people here (Who came from other country) can say what they use to call Animations in their own language.

but because many people dont think too far, when they see an animations movie, they will think it is anime (If it came from japan, then they think calling it anime will fit) but they will get protested by some people who saying that that animations is not from japan or not having japan style, ect...(who think they are smarter but actually not really smart )

so Anime = Animations

but if you dont want to call show that original showed in country outside japan as anime.. then call them as Animations.

[sonoci]

Well, I'm going to go with it is not a style as I read a loooooooooooooooong journal on why that wasn't the case. A counterargument to style is that there are quite a few anime that have different/realistic styles.

As for the whole "what it is" thing, the simple definition is mostly correct: it is an animation made in Japan. However, I think one of the defining things that's missing from that definition is that what is perceived to be anime nowadays is not only animation that is made is Japan, but animation that is also made for Japan. Batman and Tiny Toons seemed to be series that would largely be made for consumers in America, if not for American companies.

So yeah :V

[xpon]

ah.. that too...
they never make batman with Japanese voice right?

[Akonyl]

imo, anime = animated stuff that is made in Japan, for Japanese consumption. So things like Batman and Tiny Toons, while they have their animation outsourced to another country, are made primarily for American consumption, and are thus American, along with the fact that other portions of the shows (like the writing) are probably done in America as well.

Beyond that, you can have things that are in the "anime style" that isn't produced in Japan, but I don't really call that anime if it was done in America for American audiences and was just mimicking the generic anime style.

RM'd by sonoci who basically said the same thing with the whole "depends on the audience" thing :V

[mangaluva]

I'd say the base definition is animation made in Japan. There are certain tropes, cliches and subgenres that are rather particular to anime, but that's entirely a cultural difference; there are tropes and cliches that are also more typical to western animation.

You could do non-Japanese anime by basing it off of Japanese conventions and style, but anime will, generally, be animation originating in Japan.

[sonoci]

You could do non-Japanese anime by basing it off of Japanese conventions and style, but anime will, generally, be animation originating in Japan.

Hrmmmm.

Just for reference, what would a non-Japanese anime be? It's just an interesting point that I can't seem to grasp. I mean, I've seen many things like Teen Titans that have been "anime-inspired" but through and through they were still very western.

I dunno, I guess I'm just of the belief that anime = Japanimation and thus anything else just wouldn't be anime to me xD

[kei]

Technically, anime means animation; but I guess that nowadays it is used (outside Japan) as a synonym of animation made in and made for Japan, as sonoci said.

BTW, I found out a month ago that the Thundercats were co-produced in the US and in Japan.

[ranger]

One does not simply

Define Anime