Anime refers to a specific style of cartoon produced or inspired by Japanese animation. Think of it this way: all anime shows are cartoons, but not all cartoons are anime. The art style associated with anime is very unique and recognizable. You’re probably familiar with the large eyes, wild hair, long arms and limbs, and more. This exaggerated design helps the characters more easily express emotions of which there are plenty in anime.Also adding to the emotional feel of anime are the technical animation tricks like dramatic closeups and zooms, intense lighting, and brilliant colors. But beyond its distinctive visual look, anime has endeared itself into the hearts of fans because of its complex characters and engaging plotlines.
Think of it this way: anime is to animated cartoons as manga is to comic books. Manga is essentially the paper (or ebook) version of anime, with similar drawing styles and themes. Manga is incredibly popular in Japan and a part of its national culture. In fact, in this year’s opening ceremonies at the Olympics in Tokyo, manga even made an appearance! The placards introducing each country’s athletes were designed in manga’s traditional speech-bubble style. Like its counterpart, manga has spread in popularity in America.
How did anime get so popular? The very first reason is “its difference”. Unlike any Western or American cartoons like “Family guys” or “Marvel Avengers”, anime builds up an incredible world that has psychological depth and the visuals to match. It is unique by the breadth of material, the ways stories are told and even the cultural nuances exhibited by the characters. It was pushing boundaries in a way US comics at the time were not”. That was what professor Susan Napier (Tufts University) said about Japanese cartoons in an interview. Giant robots, giggling magic users, and post-apocalyptic chaos are what people don’t see much coming from Hollywood. Above all, anime reminds us of ourselves and gives people an escape from reality.
The difference between Anime and Cartoon is that the former refers to animated feature films or series majorly produced in Japan while the latter refers to the unspecified animated art made with the intention of bringing sarcasm or humor out. And apart from this feature, there are many other characteristics that differentiate these two from one another. And to understand these two types of animations to their complete extent, it is crucial to have known these differences.