There are a few things that transcend cultures. Often, countries and cultures are so different that what is accepted and loved in one country is not accepted and loved in another. As a result, the core value system or language is so different that it just never catches on. However, anime is one of those special things like music or some fashion choices that have managed to cross different cultures.
Anime, which is the shortened version of Japanese term animation, is huge in Japan. It is a genre that produces massive profits and it has been around for nearly 100 years. Anime is not only released in Japan but around the world. It is translated into multiple languages, bringing in billions of dollars every year.
Anime originated sometime around 1917. Japanese filmmakers began experimenting with animation techniques that were coming out of European countries; the oldest known anime clip consisted of a samurai warrior testing a new sword that lasted 2 minutes. By 1933, companies were releasing anime that had sound.
In 1937, after the successful release of Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, a Japanese animator named Osamu Tezuka managed to simplify many of Disney's trademark animation techniques into something cheaper that let him both experiment with his animations and still get them out on a very tight schedule. The manga boom of the 1970s also helped the industry grow. Mangas are Japanese comics, many of which ended up being turned into anime later on. This practice is still hugely popular in Japan where the most popular anime shows are actually adaptations of Japanese manga. By the 1980s, anime had become popular and accepted by the mainstream in Japan and that also caused production to increase. When several anime shows such as Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Sailor Moon, and Cardcaptor Sakura were released, anime's fame became popular in overseas countries in the 1990s, further establishing anime as one of Japan's most successful industries.
Animes are defined by several unique things. While it's true that artists have their own personal vision for their art, there are some stylistic elements that are now present in all anime. These include things like very large eyes, very complex hairstyles, and elongated limbs. Body proportion is directly related to the length of a head. For instance, almost all anime characters are drawn to a standard "eight heads" and then if they are taller, another "head" of height is added. The characters also have very large eyes that can be brilliantly colored in shades like silver or purple. The colors are added with the purpose of giving the eye's cornea depth. This is done by shading the eye with a light color, the tone color, and then a darker color.
An anime character's facial expression is also critical. Their faces are very expressive where Western animated characters are not. A variety of expressions that are never used in Western animation are common place is Japan. For instance, to express embarrassment, a sweat-drop is drawn on the character's head. If a character is non-pulsed, their eyes will revert to slits. If a character is particularly emotional, their eyes will actually seem to waver.
All of these things are common in anime. The genre has produced some of the most interesting stories the world has ever seen and continues to be one of the most profitable.
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In some countries, entire television stations are devoted to anime . These stations, along with their associated websites, allow fans around the world to watch anime clips and entire episodes either on the TV or online.
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