Notes on Anime

While considered part of the culture of Japan, anime in America is still given a stigma that all Japanese Cartoons are about it enormous mechs, cute girls, and tentacle porn. Also,  a lot of peopel associate anime as being "lazy" art--that is, art that isn't based in western, academic painting and drawing. However, that's just a very inconsiderate excuse--a prime example being Miyazaki's work (animation that is treasured by millions across the globe).

But where does the stigma come from? Where did it start? Unfortunately, I don't know for sure. But, I do know that a lot of people still consider anime to be childish due to the fact that animation in its entireity is still considered just for kids. If you walk up to anyone and ask, "What is your favorite animated film?", the chances of it being something created by Disney, DreamWorks, or Pixar is incredibly high. You're not going to get many answers along the lines of Waltz with Bashir, A Scanner Darkly, or Akira (films that I admit no one under the age of 15 should see). These are films about war, psychos, and space physics that could murder you with one look--these are not for children.

Which is why, during my time presenting anime to the class, I chose some that were considered mature/teen-rated. The first one, Psycho Pass, was definitely an anime not meant for kids. In the first episode, people are shot, raped, and psychologically tormented. They also explode into lots of blood (which is something that would require a heavier censorship if released as a live-action show). Even if the anime wasn't everyone's favorite (and it wasn't apparently), it still brought a reaction to most people rather than indifference.

Another stigma that also occurs with anime is the idea of over-sexualizing its female characters. This is still a problem, even in my favorite anime! While some of it isn't as explicit (as some are so explicit they require their own genre), it's still there in certain cuts within the shows. Usually, when a female character is talking, rather than cutting to the face they'll cut to the butt, legs, thighs, ankles, lips, etc. Anywhere but her whole face. And I understand--if the girl is trying to be sensual, then it makes sense to make those cuts to make her more femme fatale. But, in ordinary conversation, it certainly can be distracting.

Lastly, as part of a cherry on top, I introduced my class to Parasyte: The Maxim. This was one that struck a balance between the typical goofiness or exaggeration of anime (while also maintaining serious topics). It's a show I recommend everyone see--a perfect balance between hilarity and horror. And in the end, I think that's what changed some people's minds about anime--most consider it to be just too kiddish. But, in the end, anime can be just as serious and hilarious. It all depends on how you perceive it.