Anime is a form of art that has taken the world by storm over the past few decades. Originating in Japan, anime has become a symbol of Japanese culture and has now been embraced by fans from all over the world. Anime is a diverse art form that can be used to create stories, express emotions, and explore themes. It is a medium that has been used to tell stories of all genres, from comedy to drama, and from fantasy to science fiction.
This art form has a long and rich history that started in the early 1900s and has since grown to become a beloved form of entertainment that has captivated the hearts of millions of people around the globe. Whether you’re a fan of anime or just curious about this fascinating art form, this article will provide an introduction to anime and explore its incredible journey.
Origins of anime
Anime can trace its roots all the way back to the early twentieth century. It was at this time that the first animations were being created in Japan, and the first film studios were beginning to emerge.
One of the earliest examples of animation in Japan was created by a company called Yonezawa. It is believed that this company created a short film that was a parody of ‘The Great Train Robbery’, a 1903 American film. This film is the earliest known example of animation in Japan and is largely credited with kick-starting the art form.
A few decades later, in 1931, the world’s first full-length animated film was created by a Japanese artist named Noburō Ōfuji. The film was called ‘Suna no Wakusei’, which translates to ‘Planet of the Sand’. This film was a hit with audiences and was highly praised by critics.
Genres of Anime
Anime is a very diverse art form and therefore has many sub-genres. However, the broadest and most general way to categorize anime is by the target audience. This means that the sub-genres are based on the age group they are appropriate for. The two most common sub-genres are shōjo and shōnen.
Shōjo is generally aimed at girls aged 15 or older, while shōnen is aimed at boys aged 10 to 19. These are the two most popular and widely watched sub-genres of anime, with the majority of anime falling into one of these two categories. These sub-genres are just general labels, and some anime will belong to more than one of these categories.
For example, ‘Naruto’ is a shōnen anime, but it also has shōjo elements, as it features a female protagonist, Sakura. Other sub-genres of anime include genres based on setting, such as sci-fi, fantasy, and historical. However, these sub-genres are less common than the two main sub-genres.
Anime and its impact on culture
Anime is a beloved art form across the globe, and its popularity of this art form has grown exponentially over the years. There are many reasons for this rise in popularity, and one of them is the evolution of the art form.
One of the largest changes in anime over the years is the increase in the amount of violence and sexual content. As anime developed, it began to focus on more mature themes, and this created a demographic shift in the audience. Things like anime sex dolls are extremely popular today. This meant that while there were still several children watching anime, there were also many teenagers and adults tuning in as well.
This created a niche for anime, and it became an art form that attracted a unique fanbase. Another reason for the rise in popularity is the increase in availability. Over the years, anime has become more accessible, and you can now find it online or on TV. This rise in availability created new audiences who never would have had the opportunity to view anime before.
Anime’s influence on the world
Anime has become such a well-known form of art that it has transformed into more than just an art form. It is now a symbol of Japanese culture and has become a part of everyday life in the country. In fact, it is so influential that the government has created a category for it in the National Tourism Survey.
This is because it is believed that the number of tourists to Japan from overseas is growing due to the popularity of anime. Many people visit Japan just to see the places that are featured in their favorite anime shows, and this is a very lucrative source of income for the country. The rising popularity of anime has also meant that it has become an increasingly profitable form of media.
The industry behind anime has grown significantly, and now generates billions of dollars in revenue each year. This has been possible because anime has evolved to become an art form that is much more profitable than it once was.
Anime’s use in storytelling
Anime has been used to tell stories of all genres, and there are many different themes that have been explored through this art form. These themes include romance, comedy, drama, horror, mystery, and sci-fi. Anime has also been used to explore a wide range of themes, such as identity, relationships, war, mental health, and environmental issues.
The most common way for anime to be used as a storytelling device is through a type of storytelling called ‘storyboarding’. This is where the creator of the anime will produce a visual storyboard of the episode or film, allowing them to see the story in pictures and plan it out in advance.
Anime can also be used as an expressive device, where the art form is used to explore and convey emotions. This often happens when a character is experiencing an extreme emotion and the artist uses the art form to communicate how they are feeling.
Anime and its use in media
Anime is used in a variety of different media. It can be found in TV shows, movies, and video games. One of the most common ways that anime is used in media is through motion-capture animation. This is a technique where an actor will wear an articulated suit covered in markers and the movements of the suit will be recorded.
The actor will then be given a detailed character model to work with, and the movements of the suit will be translated into the movements of the character model. The most common example of this is sports-related media, such as football or tennis, and the actor will be wearing a suit to represent their character. Another way that anime is used in media is through the technique of traditional animation.
This is the method that was used to create some of the earliest anime pieces, and it still continues to be used today. Traditional animation is very expensive and time-consuming, and there are very few companies left that are able to produce it.
Popular anime franchises
There are many different anime franchises, and they are all wildly popular. This has been made possible by the rise in popularity of anime, but also by the different new ways that anime can be consumed. Fans can now download their favorite anime series on all types of devices, including smartphones, tablets, computers, and virtual reality headsets.
This means that you can take your favorite anime with you wherever you go, and it is accessible for fans of all ages. Some of the most popular anime franchises include
- ‘Dragon Ball’: This is one of the most famous franchises in anime, and it has been around since the 1980s. It follows the adventures of the protagonist, Goku.
- ‘Naruto’: This is a shōnen series about a young ninja who is trying to save the world. It was created by Masashi Kishimoto, and its first volume was published in 1999.
- ‘Doraemon’: This is a shōnen series featuring Suneo, Nobita, and the robotic cat, Doraemon. It was created in the 1970s, but it remains very popular to this day.
Conclusion
Anime is a very diverse art form that has been used to tell stories of all genres. It is a great form of storytelling and has been used to explore a wide range of themes. It has evolved over the years to become a more efficient and profitable form of media. There are many different anime franchises that are hugely successful, and this is mainly due to the rising popularity of anime.
