Brief Overview of Japanese Animation
More than 6,000 Anime are Produced in Japan
Japan is one of the handful of biggest producers of animation in the world. Japanese animation is called distinctively “Anime” compare to other animations from other countries. The word “Anime” is the abbreviated pronunciation of "animation" in Japanese. In other languages, the word ”Anime” is defined as animation from Japan or as style of animation imported from Japan, often characterized by fantastic themes, dynamic characters and colorful graphics. According to the survey, more than 6,000 anime are produced, and more than 3,200 anime are aired on television. Also, about 60% of the all animations broadcasted in the world are made in Japan.
Japanese Anime holds 2 Guinness World Record
Japanese Anime holds several Guinness World Record. One is "Sazae-san", which is the longest broadcasting animation in the world with more than 7,000 episodes since 1969. Other one is "Anpanman", which holds the the highest number of characters in an animated franchise with a total of 1,768 characters appearing in the first 980 episodes of the TV series and the first 20 movie films.
Anime Became Greatly Popular Around the World
The first commercial Japanese animation was broadcasted in 1917, and production of anime works in Japan has since continued to increase steadily. The characteristic art style of Anime emerged in the 1960s with the works of Osamu Tezuka and spread internationally in the late 20th century, developing a large domestic and international audience. Anime is distributed theatrically, by television broadcasts, directly to home media, and over the internet and is classified into numerous genres targeting diverse broad and niche audiences.
Anime is Developed by Distinctive Technique
Anime is based on a varied art form with distinctive making methods and techniques that have been adapted over time in response to emergent technologies. The production of anime focuses less on the animation of movement, and more on the realism of settings as well as the use of camera effects, including panning, zooming and angle shots. Diverse art styles are used and character proportions and features can be quite varied, including characteristically large emotive or realistically sized eyes.
More than 430 Anime Studios in Japan
The anime industry consists of over 430 anime production studios including major studios like Studio Ghibli, Production IG and Toei Animation. Despite having a fraction of the domestic film market, anime achieves a majority of DVD sales and has been an international success after the rise of televised English dubs. This rise in international popularly has resulted in non-Japanese productions using the anime art style.
Opening Movies of Japanese Anime
Fantasy, Adventure
Play with HD setting is recommended
Love story, Comedy, Sport
Play with HD setting is recommended
History of Japanese Animation
Japanese Animation was Born in early 20th Century
Anime arose in the early 20th century, when Japanese filmmakers experimented with the animation techniques. The earliest Japanese animation is called Katsudo Shashin, an undated private work by an unknown creator. In 1917, the first professional and publicly displayed works began to appear. Animators such as Oten Shimokawa and Seitarou Kitayama produced numerous works, includes the oldest surviving film “Kouchi's Namakura Gatana", which is two minutes clip of a samurai trying to test a new sword on his target only to suffer defeat. In 1923, Great Kanto earthquake resulted in broad destruction of Shimokawa's warehouse, destroying most of these early works.
Development of Japanese Style Cel Animation Production Technique
By the 1930s, animation has started to replace the live-action industry in Japan as an alternative format. At that time, it faced a competition against foreign products, which were cheaper cutout animation rather than cel animation. Kenzo Masaoka and Mitsuyo Seo, nonetheless made great strides in animation technique; they benefited from the patronage of the Japanese government, which employed animators to produce educational short films and propaganda. By 1940, numerous anime artists' organizations had risen, including the Shin Mangaha Shudan and Shin Nippon Mangaka. The first feature-length animation film was “Momotaro's Divine Sea Warriors” directed by Seo in 1944 with sponsorship by the Japanese Imperial Navy.
The Influence of the Walt Disney to Japanese Animation
The success of The Walt Disney Company's film “Snow White” and “the Seven Dwarfs” greatly influenced many Japanese animators. In the 1960s, manga artist and animator Osamu Tezuka brought in many Disney animation techniques and simplified it to reduce costs and to limit the number of frames in animation film. He intended this as a temporary measure to allow him to produce material on a tight schedule with inexperienced animation staff. “Three Tales”, aired in 1960, was the first anime shown on television. The first anime television series was “Otogi Manga Calendar”, aired from 1961 to 1964.
Tezuka Method Made Base of Modern "Anime"
The 1970s saw a surge of growth in the popularity of manga comics and graphic novels, many of which were later animated. The work of Osamu Tezuka drew particular attention: he has been called a "legend" and the "god of manga". His works and the works of other pioneers in the field inspired characteristics and genres that remain fundamental elements of anime today. The giant robot genre (known as "mecha" in other countries), for instance, took shape under Tezuka, developed into the Super Robot genre under Go Nagai and others, and was revolutionized at the end of the decade by Yoshiyuki Tomino who developed the Real Robot genre. Robot anime like the “Gundam" and “The Super Dimension Fortress Macross" series(“Robotec" in other countries) became instant classics in the 1980s, and the robot genre of anime is still one of the most common in Japan and worldwide today.
"Anime" became Mainstream of Japanese Entertainment
In the 1980s, anime has became more accepted by the audience of majority in Japan, and experienced a boom in production. Following a few successful adaptations of anime in overseas markets in the 1980s, anime gained increased acceptance in those markets in the 1990s and even more at the turn of the 21st century. In 2002, Spirited Away, a Studio Ghibli production directed by Hayao Miyazaki won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and in 2003 at the 75th Academy Awards it won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
One of the Most Famous Anime "Gundam"
Kiki's delivery Service from Studio Ghiburi
Realistic Scenary of Japanese Anime by Makoto Shinkai's Film
Representative Japanese Anime
Fullmetal Alchemist
GINTAMA
Steins;Gate
Hunter x Hunter
Clannad: After Story
Code Geass
Code Geass R2
Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu
Spirited Away
Wolf Children
The Melancholy of Haruhi
Samurai X
Fighting Spirit
Cowboy Bebop
Gurren Lagann
Princess Mononoke
GTO
Fate/Zero
Fate/stay night
Natsume's Book of Friends
Death Note
Kara no Kyoukai
Howl's Moving Castle
Parasyte -the maxim-
Kuroko's Basketball
Attack on Titan
anohana
Haikyu!!
Hellsing Ultimate
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Evangelion:2.22
One Piece
Madoka Magica
Baccano!
Grave of the Fireflies
Bunny Drop
Nana
Chihayafull
Chihayafull 2
Psychopath
Psychopath 2
Ghost In The Shell SAC
Ghost In The Shell GIG
Ghost In The Shell Arise
Innocence
The Seven Deadly Sins
Slam Dunk
From the New World
Toki Kake
Katanagatari
Tiger X Dragon
Kids on the Slope
My Ordinary Life
My Neighbor Totoro
Angel Beats!
Samurai Champloo
Dhurarara!!
Nausica
Ouran School Host Club
Sword of the Stranger
Beck
Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online Ⅱ
Naruto
Bleach
Elfen Lied
Soul Eater
Fairy Tail
Bakemonogatari
Another
Black Butler
K-On!
KILL la KILL
Tokyo Ghoul
The Familiar of Zero
Lucky☆Star
D.Gray-man
Claymore
Shakugan no Shana
Black Lagoon
Furi Kuri
5 Centimeters per Second
A Certain Magical Index
Noragami
Log Horizon
My Little Monster
Kimi ni Todoke
Eden of The East
InuYasha
Beyond the Boundary
Ergo Proxy
Eureka Seven
Eureka Seven ao
Terror in Resonance
PandoraHearts
Kokoro Connect
Disappearance of Haruhi
Blood Plus
Darker than Black
Certain Scientific Railgun
Shiki
Danganronpa
Free!
Pokémon
Blast of Tempest
Daily Lives of School Boys
Summer Wars
Akira
Black★Rock Shooter
Aldnoah.Zero
Berserk
Wolf's Rain
Hell Girl
Nagi-Asu
Arakawa Under Bridge
Gargantia
Final Fantasy 7
Ga-Rei-Zero
Barakamon
Rozen Maiden
Castle in the Sky
Paprika
Kiki's Delivery Service
Hanasaku Iroha
Persona 4
Ponyo
The Garden of Words
.hack
Last Exile
Gundam Unicorn
GUNDAM 00
GUNDAM THE ORIGIN
GUNDAM Char's Counterattack
GUNDAM 0083
GUNDAM F91
GUNDAM 08th MS Team
GUNDAM MS IGLOO
GUNDAM Seed
GUNDAM Seed Destiny
GUNDAM Wing
Macross
Macross 7
Macross Zero
Macross Plus
Macross F
Battle Ship Yamato
Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball GT
Dragon Ball Kai
Yukikaze
Magic Knight Rayearth
Ojamajo Doremi
The Twelve Kingdoms
APPLESEED
Moyasimon
Sengoku Basara
Genesis of Aquarion
Aquarion Evol
GaoGaiGar
Broken Blade
Hyōka
Space Brothers
Sket Dance
Hikaru no Go
Kamisama Kiss
Captain Earth
Ace of Diamond
Ping Pong
Your Lie in April
Rage of Bahamut
SHIROBAKO
Garo
Knights of Sidonia
Expelled from Paradise
Blood Blockade
Tokyo Godfathers
The Tatami Galaxy
Tiger & Bunny
Yowamushi Pedal
Lupin the 3rd
Detective Conan
Gunbuster
Gunbuster2
On Your Mark
Star Driver
Nisekoi
Shin Chan
Doraemon
Salor Moon
Saint Seiya
Captain Harlock
Must Visit Spots
For More Information
See Also
Manga of Japan - Japan is a Pioneer and Origin of Manga Culture.
Painting of Japan - Ukiyo-e, and other iconic painting style of Japan
Characters of Japan - Japan is home of many world famous characters