Japanese style anime is different from regular cartoons. While both
are caricatures that may be animated, anime usually has visually
distinct features for characters, and a more "limited animation" style
for depicting movement.
Comparison chart
ANIME | CARTOONS | |
---|---|---|
Visual characteristics: | Distinct facial expressions. Wide variation in physical characteristics. Physical features of characters are, on the whole, closer to reality than cartoons. | Characters usually have features that are not relative to the rest of the body and therefore further from reality than anime. |
Topics/Themes: | Anime concentrates mostly on life issues or things tied closer to human emotion. | Cartoons are generally made to make people laugh and so is more comical. |
Definition and Term: | English dictionaries define the word as ‘Japanese style of motion picture animation’. | A cartoon was used as a model or study for a painting but is now associated with caricatures for humor and satire. |
Differences in Visual Characteristics
Anime illustrations are known to be exaggerated as far as physical
features are concerned. Usually, one can differentiate an anime by
observing the physical traits of the characters which would include
"large eyes, big hair and elongated limbs", and "dramatically shaped
speech bubbles, speed lines and onomatopoeic, exclamatory typography.".
Cartoons however, approximate reality a little more compared to anime
and carry traces of day to day life in them. Striking resemblances to
humans can be spotted in various cartoons. However, cartoons are still
caricatures; so they often diverge from reality e.g. Marge Simpson's hair.
Facial Expressions
Facial expressions for anime characters are often different in form
than their counterparts in western animation. For example, Embarrassed
or stressed characters produce a massive sweat-drop (which has become
one of the most widely recognized motifs of conventional anime).
Characters that are shocked or surprised perform a "face fault",
in which they display an extremely exaggerated expression. Angry
characters may exhibit a "vein" or "stress mark" effect, where lines
representing bulging veins will appear on their forehead. Angry women
will sometimes summon a mallet from nowhere and strike another character
with it, mainly for comic relief. Male characters will develop a bloody
nose around their female love interests, typically to indicate arousal.
Characters who want to childishly taunt someone may pull an "akanbe"
face by pulling an eyelid down with a finger to expose the red
underside.
Anime vs Cartoon Animation Techniques
Anime and cartoons both use traditional animation production processes of storyboarding, voice acting, character design and CEL production.
Anime is often considered a form of limited animation i.e. common
parts are re-used between frames instead of drawing each frame. This
fools the eye into thinking there is more movement than there is, and
lowers production costs becase fewer frames need to be drawn.
Anime scenes place an emphasis on achieving three-dimensional
views. Backgrounds depict the scenes' atmosphere. For example, anime
often puts emphasis on changing seasons, as can be seen in numerous
anime, such as Tenchi Muyo!.
Subject Matter
Cartoons are usually intended to induce laughter; thus revolve around
humorous concepts. There are some cartoons in the market that are
educational in nature whilst retaining their amusing qualities that are
generally targeted towards toddlers and kids.
Anime movies don't always follow a general concept. Their stories
can range from pirate attacks to humorous adventures to tales of
samurais. The majority of anime movies and shows differentiate
themselves from their American counterparts by creating a plot that
stays in place through out the entire series, showing viewers morals and
a certain level of complexity. In short, Anime is aimed at people with
longer attention spans who like to see a plot unravel over multiple
episodes.
Examples
Death Note, Naruto and Vampire Knight are examples of famous anime shows. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Bugs Bunny and Superman are examples of cartoons.
History
The first cartoon is said to have been produced in 1499. It depicted
the pope, the holy roman emperor and the kings of France and England
playing a game of cards. Since then, many humorists and satirists have
been known to produce cartoon strips for the general audience. Even
today, one can find archives of old cartoon strips and newly published
cartoon on the web.
Anime has a very recent history as compared to a cartoon. In 1937 the United States of America was introduced to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
though the first anime (full length feature) to be released was
Momotaro's Divine Sea Warriors’ in Japan in 1945. Since then, there has
been no looking back and with each passing year, anime has become a
profitable venture for many TV & film producers.
Terminology
While "anime" in Japan refers to all animated productions, English dictionaries define the word as Japanese style of motion picture animation. The word anime is said to have been derived from the French term dessin animé while others claim that it was used as an abbreviation during the late 1970s. The word "Japanimation" was also in vogue in the 70s and 80s and referred to anime produced in Japan.
Cartoon, on the other hand, was initially used as a model or study for a painting. Derived from the word
"karton" meaning strong or heavy paper, these were depicted by great
artists like Leonardo da Vinci and gained appreciation in their own
right. Over the turn of the centuries, the term cartoon was distanced
from its original meaning and used excessively to define a humor picture
with a caption or a dialogue.
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