Introduction
In Japan, animation is not a genre limited to childrens' entertainment
like it is in America; it is a broad medium that contains all the
variety you can find in the medium of live action film, and at times
much more. Anime makes up roughly half of Japan's visual media,
and as such it can be seen as one of contemporary Japan's most important
and revealing art form. Of course, not all anime can be considered
"art" just as not all live action movies can be considered
"art": there is bad anime, mediocre anime, and excellent
anime. There is anime aimed at children, anime aimed at teenagers,
and anime aimed at adults. As far as genre goes, you can find just
about anything: science fiction anime, fantasy anime, historical
anime, romantic anime, serious anime, silly anime, pornographic
anime, horror anime, political anime, psychological anime... the
list goes on. Japanese animation is very different from the Disneyfied
form of animation you find in America: because the Japanese culture
has embraced animation as a serious medium for artistic expression,
and not limited it to politically-correct animal musicals for kids,
anime has not only allowed for more variety, but, in many cases,
movies and series that rival, if not surpass, the best that live
action has to offer. Just as live action can do things that animation
cannot, animation can do things that live action cannot. In Japan,
the strengths of the animated medium have been explored and exploited;
in America, it seems the best we can do is make singing and talking
animals. Hopefully this will change someday, but I sincerely doubt
it will.
Anime reviews (spoiler-free)
Anime wallpapers
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