“Just for kids”, is what most people think when cartoons come into picture. Many of us must have heard about Dragon Ball Z, Pokemon, Bleach, Death Note cartoons with bizarre characters, designs, gorgeous physique and beautiful female characters.
Says Pranati, a cartoon addict: “I remember the first time I saw Sailor Moon, I knew I was hooked. Even after almost 10 years I am still addicted to it.” Where did these cartoons with such vibrant pictures come from? “To answer this question I didn’t have to look too far. It all came down to Japan, the birthplace of Anime, the main source of the new obsession, especially among youth,” says Pranati.
Anime consists of eye-catching, stylised colourful art and is full of motion which is mainly hand-drawn.
Anime characters are very life-like, unlike the cartoons one is familiar with. The main difference between Anime and American cartoons is that the former appeals not only to kids but is widely watched by millions of adults. They also contain themes of sex and violence.
The art direction and quality of anime are superior. The heroes and villains are part of an ongoing complex storylines with drama and action. Much like a soap opera or film saga, the characters develop and grow with the next instalment. Most youngsters are unaware that anime is used in their beloved Play station, Xbox, Wii. With the quality of American cartoons continuing to resemble that of anime, the original stuff from Japan still appeals to fans.
Anime is usually English-dubbed and includes television series, short films or even feature-length movies which can either be viewed through internet downloads or on subscribed channels like Animax India or on DVDs.
Sri Charan, a dedicated Anime follower, had this to say: “I love Death Note because it was compact with just 35 odd episodes, but the intensity which they carry through with the story is just unbelievable, and that was the one show where both the antagonist and protagonist are the same”.
Not everything famous requires being in flesh and bones. The more people realise that it is not a typical cartoon, the more it becomes addictive and exciting.
