While some anime is hand drawn, computer assisted animation techniques have become quite common in recent years. Like any entertainment medium, the story lines represent most major genres of fiction. Anime is broadcast on television, distributed on media such as DVD and VHS, and included in video games. Additionally, some are produced as full length motion pictures. Anime often draws influence from manga, light novels, and other cultures. Some anime storylines have been adapted into-live action films and television series.
Animation became popular in Japan as it provided an alternative format of storytelling compared to the under-developed live-action industry at the time. Unlike America, where live-action shows and films have generous budgets, the live-action industry in Japan is a small market and suffered from budgeting, location, and casting restrictions. The lack of Western-looking actors, for example, made it next to impossible to shoot films set in Europe, America, or fantasy worlds that do not naturally involve Japan. The varied use of animation allowed artists to create any characters and settings.
During the 1970s there was a surge of growth in the popularity of manga stories (which were often later animated) especially those of
Osamu Tezuka, who has been called a "legend" and the "God of manga" in Japan. As a result of his work and that of other pioneers in the field, anime developed characteristics and genres that are fundamental elements of Japan's art today. The giant robot genre (known as "mecha" outside Japan), for instance, took shape under Tezuka, developed under Go Nagai and others, and was revolutionized at the end of the decade by Yoshiyuki Tomino. Robot anime like Gundam and Macross became instant classics in the 80s, and the robot genre of anime is still one of the most popular in Japan and worldwide today. In the 1980s, anime was accepted in the mainstream in Japan, and experienced a boom in production (It should be noticed that, manga has significantly more mainstream exposure than anime in Japan). The mid-to-late '90s, on into the 2000s, saw an increased acceptance of anime in overseas markets.
ANIME GENRES
Anime features a wide variety of artistic styles. They vary from artist to artist or by studio to studio. They are generally characterized by detailed backgrounds and stylized characters in a variety of different settings and storylines, aimed at a wide range of audiences.
Anime has many genres typically found in any mass media form. Such genres include action, adventure, children's stories, comedy, drama, erotica (hentai), medieval fantasy, occult/horror, romance, and science fiction.
Most anime includes content from several different genres, as well as a variety of thematic elements. Thus, some series may be categorized under multiple genres. A show may have a seemingly simple surface plot, but at the same time may feature a far more complex, deeper storyline and character development. It is not uncommon for an action themed anime to also involve humor, romance, and even social commentary. The same can be applied to a romance themed anime in that it may involve an action element, or in some cases brutal violence. Like the genres, no two characters are ever the same.
Here is a list of the major genres and designations that are specific to anime and manga:
Bishôjo: This term is Japanese for 'beautiful girl', blanket term that can be used to describe any anime that features pretty girl characters. Example: Magic Knight Rayearth.
Bishônen: Japanese for 'beautiful boy' blanket term that can be used to describe any anime that features "pretty" and elegant boys and men. Example: Fushigi Yûugi.
Ecchi: Derived from the pronunciation of the letter 'H', Japanese for 'indecent sexuality' (although its origin not well known, even in Japan. Someone says it's because it's the previous letter to 'I', which is a homophone of 'love' in Japanese. It happens to be the first letter of the word 'Hentai' too but the relationship here is rather doubtful).Contains mild sexual humor, and some fan service. Example: Love Hina and He Is My Master.
Harem: Is a genre where several girl characters are attracted to a single, or sometimes multiple, boy characters. It is more often than not a Shonen and may be considered a sub-genre. Example: Ranma 1/2.
Hentai: Japanese for 'abnormal' or 'perverted', and used by Western Audiences to refer to pornographic anime or erotica. However, in Japan the term used to refer to the same material is typically Porno or Ero. Example: La Blue Girl.
Josei: Japanese for 'young woman', this is anime or manga that is aimed at young women and is one of the rarest forms. Example: Gokusen.
Kodomo: Japanese for 'child', this is anime or manga that is aimed at young children. Examples: Doraemon, Hello Kitty, Keroppi, or Panda-Z
Robot/Mecha: Anime or manga featuring super robots. Example: Mobile Suit Gundam.
Moe: Anime or manga featuring characters that are extremely perky or cute. Example: A Little Snow Fairy Sugar.
Progressive: "Art films" or extremely stylized anime. Examples: Voices of a Distant Star or Byôsoku 5 Centimetres.
Seinen: Anime or manga targeted at teenage or young male adults. Examples: Ah! My Goddess, Outlaw Star and Cowboy Bebop.
Sentai: Literally "fighting team" in Japanese, refers to any show that involves a superhero team. Example: for Cyborg 009.
Shôjo: Japanese for 'young lady' or 'little girl,' refers to anime or manga targeted at girls. Examples: Fruits Basket and Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch.
Mahô shôjo: Subgenre of shôjo known for 'Magical Girl' stories. Example: Sailor Moon.
Shônen: Japanese for 'boys,' Shônen is like Seinen, but refers to anime or manga targeted at younger boys. Examples: Dragon Ball Z and Naruto.
Mahô shônen: Male equivalent of Mahô Shôjo. Example: DNAngel.
Shôjo-ai/Yuri: Japanese for 'girl-love,' refers to anime or manga that focus on love and romance between female characters. Examples: Revolutionary Girl Utena and Kannazuki no Miko.
Shônen-ai/Yaoi: Japanese for 'boy-love', refers to anime or manga that focus on love and romance between male characters. The term "Shônen-ai" is being phased out in Japan due to its other meaning of pederasty, and is being replaced by the term "Boys Love" (BL). Example: Loveless.
Yaoi: Is more intimate than that of Shônen-ai, often sexual.
Yuri: Is more intimate girl love than that of Shôjo-ai, often sexual.
Some anime titles are written for a very specific audience, even narrower than those described above. For example, Initial D, Wangan Midnight and éX-Driver concern street racing and car tuning. Ashita No Joe, Hajime no Ippo are about boxing. Hanaukyo Maid Team is based on the French maid fantasy.
