American "anime"~~!
 

So, how do you guys feel about American (or other non-Asian creators) cartoons influenced by anime? Think they're cheap knockoffs, and not as good as most of the series that comes from Japan? Do they evoke different reactions or feelings than actual Japanese series? How are they better, or worse?

So far, I think the most successful adaptation has been Avatar: The Last Airbender (shown by Nickelodeon). It has its own art style, and the art is awesome. When characters go spastic in humorous moments, sometimes they go chibi or have a blown-up head shouting angrily (Japanese style), and other times the expressions just become VERY exaggerated similar to cartoons produced here. And I really prefer how the characters are drawn compared to super huge shoujo eyes and pointy, triangle noses... it's all very cute and more realistic at the same time. So I think this cartoon/anime/show is a big improvement from the original Japanese art types.

Tell me what you think, what your favorite shows are that might have had anime influence! After watching Avatar, I really look forward to more shows that combine Japanese anime elements and the creators' own individual creativity. :)

I think avatar dosent come from America though does it i read somewhere, and yea i think they are cheap knock offs to, lots of people ovr react over both sides like the oens that dislike are like ''eeeeeeeeew they art aint all anime like'' and the other side is like '' oh come ooon theres some art thats good'' its stupid... ITS NOT ABOUT THE FRIGGIN ART!!!!!!!!

they are people who want to copy and want profit they dont like anime, if they like it so much then why aint they good?? they cant even put BL or GL in there >.<;;; if they say like.... made a anime for Demon Diary then yea i proberly appriteiate it.

but they dont.... all it is is money, money, money and i suspect secretly trying to hook people onto these ''fake anime'' to get people off proper anime, hope they dont succed eithier anime is totally different than anybody thinks, theres a lot of stuff put into anime that american's cant do, like shota/lolita, incest, BL, GL and so on.

also japanese imaginations are good to and their plots and violence is better to, they should just stick to creating cartoons cause thats how the fake anime ends up being like anyway. :/

belive me i have seen a lot of anime and a lot of cartoons in my time and they are different, anime aint like everybody thinks it is like pokemon and digimon its so much more unfortantley a lot of people are stupid and closed minded that they dont know it and when they do watch it they are like ''eeeeeeeeww inceeeeeeeeeest, eeeeeeeeeeeeeeww shoooooooooota'' and so on!

I agree thats what im aiming at to theres stuff in anime that they dont and cant put in.

One thing I do look at first is the art of the show, I wouldn't watch something I drew DX But if I do end up watching it anyways and it's good I stick with it. But the show has to be aesthetically pleasing both visually and mentally.
And as for dubbing some of my favorite voices actors are American dub artists, like Steven Blum(who is in a few American animes but only on Cartoon Network) and Kari Wahlgreen.

But a lot of these crappy, knockoff American animes do hurt real animes by making them look stupid and chilish which is a not true and anyone who's actually watched real animes knows that.

I don't hate American animes. I hate bad animes. Japanese don't always do it good, and neither do we.

If it's funny and well drawn I don't care. ^ ^;

I don't like how people go 'oh, it's not real anime. It's just american knockoff.' Well, there are a few good ones and I just want a laugh.

But if you're talking about american manga vs. japanese manga, yea, you see the difference but : I love comedy, drama, suspense, etc. It's the story and the art I look at not the nationality.

(is xiaolin showdown american? I find the art weird at parts but I like the show

WB has been experimenting too much on cheap anime knockoffs or just plain bad cartoons last year if you ask me...)

Out of American Animes nick has the best (Invader Zim ftw! And yes that's an American anime and manga, the creator was even at ACEN X3)but I watched Storm Hawks from CN which I also noticed relied a lot on what the Japanese and Koreans have laid down and I loved it XD the CG effects confused me at first but within the first five minutes I grew to love it. (still not interested in Skyland ><;)
WB doesn't make good ones...

The only American anime/manga that I've really enjoyed is Avatar. And yes, it is American made. Someone spread the rumor that it was Chinese first, but that's not true. I like a lot of regular American cartoons, but when they try to make it like an anime just in order for it to appeal to people who like anime? That's not good enough for me.

As far as manga goes... the only one I've been interested in so far is Bizenghast. I like the cover artwork and the story seems interesting, though inside the book, the artwork can get pretty sloppy. I look forward to seeing where that artist goes, however.

And I'm going to make a plug for my friend who is currently working on a manga version of Dark Crystal for Tokyopop and say that I love her work, too. :D I was surprised at how much I ended up liking it, though.

i dont think many know thats an american anime/manga..i didnt..well now i do..gir is sooo cute^^

Why do all of these have to be compared to 'real' anime? They are their own creation. Just because someone who wasn't Japanese made it doesn't automatically mean it's fake and not good. Get over it.

But it 'is' about the art. The only think that makes people say it's an American Anime is the art style. If it were drawn in any other style, no one would claim it to be ... as you say "A cheap knock off" (Actually Airbender cost a pretty penny... way more than most actual anime cost to make). So when it comes right down to it... It's only about the art...

As for me... I really couldn't care less ^.^; I don't even consider them American Anime unless you want to say that Anime is just short for Animation. Even anime is just a style of cartoon. It's all a bunch of moving drawings and actor voices for me. There's no real difference. So if I like it, I like it... If I don't... I don't watch it. No matter where it's made.

Oh... And most American cartoons aren't even animated in America... It's cheaper to have it done in India or some other cheap outsourcing place. Like Family Guy does...

Of course it aint about the art O__O open your eyes theres a lot more diffeences you know, i mean poor Kouga Yun she has been working hard lately on a manga that NO CARTOON!!! will ever do.

I mean come on :/ i dont even call south park a cartoon, you should try reading proper manga dearie like Loveless and Angel Sanctuary, i mean friggen hell >>;;; do you even know what manga are judging what your reaction is?

well let me tell you, a person creates a manga, then they turn it into a anime, any other place dont do that, they create cartoons straight off from a company to throw at people and dont give a stuff about them, mangaka's are their own person and they sell and create their own popularity like a singer does.

Like i said abouve i dont complain because weather its japanese or not, i goes for what comes from a true fans heart and plot ideas.

and they are NOT!! their own creation, they are MADE from companys!!! if they was made from a persons true creations then i will look at it!

God you know what... because of you guys i gave all that stuff up :/ you lot over react to everything.

Oh you're trying to pull "elitist" on me... I see. I've been watching anime and reading manga for over 2 decades... "Loveless and Angel Sanctuary"? Been there, done that.

Also not all anime started as manga... and not all "cartoons" started as cartoons. Many cartoons started as comic books. And many anime were never manga. Get your facts straight. Also, unless you're talking about doujinshi, mangaka work under a cooperation that promotes their manga and funds it. And even doujinshi artists usually are part of a circle so they don't have to go it alone.

And the fact that you act like all cartoons are not made by "people" and all anime is, means you obviously don't look up the real facts on these matters. Do some research. People have a story, an idea, they show it to a company, if the company likes it, they use it... It's the same way in Japan and America. They want things that will sell.

Many cartoons are changed from their original state to what the business thinks will work better... However, it's the same way for anime. Why do you think the anime and manga never match up quite right? Where do you think filler comes from?

Don't act like you're so much wiser than everyone in the area of anime and manga... You clearly aren't. Come down off your pedestal. Just because my opinion differs from your opinion doesn't mean I've never seen or read "proper manga" or proper anime... I've watched around one thousand different anime series , and who knows how many manga series I've read. Don't jump to conclusions...

Im not saying that all anime are not like cartoons, and wth earleir on you was going on and on about how its all just about the art >>;; so dont you DARE try to get out of this one yourself.

And i dident say fillers arnt like cartoons now did i? hmmmm? i would agree to that but if you ask me i dont think that fillers are a proper anime. :/

*edit* Also if thats your opinion then thats fie, sorry if i had upset you, i wil lsay that ''yes'' anime is a form of cartoon but they do differ from american cartoons.

Sorry if i upset you.

I said the reason people call it "fake" or "American" anime is because of the art. If those shows were not drawn in an anime influenced style, no one would call them "fake anime" or "American anime". The plots have nothing to do with it. It's about the art. And in case you hadn't noticed this thread is about that and not "Anime or Cartoons"... Because that's a different thread. I believe it's in the debates section of the site.

I'm not trying to get out of anything, thank you.

And you didn't say anything about fillers. That was a point I brought up. And fillers are "in" proper anime. Little episodes here and there to make the series longer.

Also here's a little piece of trivia for you... Just for fun. Did you know that anime was inspired by American cartoons? During the time shows like Betty Boop were popular. That's why they drew the big eyes and such. However when each style developed, they developed slightly different. Not that much different though.

Also some of the people who draw for Japanese animation studios also draw for American ones... That's a bonus piece of trivia... Oh and for an example on that one, take Steve Bennett.

Oh i see, well i think people are silly if they just call it fake anime due down to the fact that its because of the art the art dont make a good plot and fantastic ideas.

Not to mention everyone outsources art to Korea anyway. :lol:

akane1412 - I can tell you're referring to more recent American cartoons, because most of the older ones don't fit that description ^.^;

As for killings... I've seen a lot of Japanese action and horror flicks... And I'm pretty sure they beat us hands down for amount of people slaughtered in the movies ^.^;

I guess I'm of the opinion that anime [and manga] can only be defined as such if it's a Japanese product. Kinda like how Chinese/Korean comics are manhua/manwha.

But I like the influence of anime on American cartoons- we're now moving away cartoons that are only adult humour like South Park or mindless sillyness like Spongebob, but animated goodness that has plot and character and can convey morals.

I really used to look down on American anime -- I thought it was like, you know, that dorky kid who thought by hanging out with the jocks they could be a jock, too. But they couldn't, right?

But then, I was flipping through the channels and started watching Avatar one day (a series that has come up multiple times in this topic, and for good reason). Avatar proved me, and I would bet a lot of other people, wrong.

Anime are like novels or documentaries -- it's a medium. It doesn't have to come from one specific place or say one specific thing to be great; it's the variety that does make it great. Maybe Avatar and it's other American kin will never be considered "true Anime," but they can be great in their own right. Don't judge them by the standards you judge other Anime by -- no, they may not have shota or incest or anything, but that doesn't mean they're lesser. It just means they don't have shota or incest; they're something different and should be accepted on their own terms.

I'm an Anime lover so thats pretty much all I watch anymore. That said, there are several American cartoons I still watch simply because I love the characters and story. Avatar is one and Invader Zim is another, but Zim really isn't Amerianime. Still, if the story is good and the art is decent then I like it.

American animators can put homosexual relationships into a cartoon, just as much as a Japanese one can. In fact I would prefer an American interpretation, as Japanese ones tend to be fan-service, and are rarely intended as a simple relationship.

If shota, lolita or incest really "make" an anime, well, maybe you should stick to the Japanese market, but it doesn't make American ones inferior copies. Not all anime has those things anyway. Does that make them inferior? Personally I find all those things morally wrong, and am turned away from such anime.


I find it ironic that you say American anime is just a money grab, and the Japanese are more imaginative, but then say that if they were making a manga spin-off, it would be fine. O_o

I doubt American anime is trying to destroy the Japanese market. That's very... conspiracy like.

At any rate, I judge an animation on:
Art style
Animation style and fluidity
and Writing.

Origin makes no difference to me.