I already griped about anime and high school. It’s time I look at exactly why so many anime use high school as the main focus…other than letting the artists draw cute uniforms. Certainly teenagers are a good audience to market to, but many manga and anime oriented for adults still feature teens as characters…Perhaps this…
Category: Understanding Anime
Brief Visual Anime History
Anime as we know it has been around in Japan since the Edo period…ok at least it draws it’s roots to that period. Ukiyo-e were woodblock prints. Ever heard of Katsushika Hokusai? His work is ukiyo-e. You can see many of the elements anime will draw from: the simplified yet expressive faces, the vibrant colors,…
Why do I Enjoy Anime Anyway?
Dramas rarely hold my attention anymore. Heck, I don’t watch much of anything except anime and documentaries. So I wondered, what is it about anime that holds my attention better than most live action shows? I am not an otaku by any means, yet I now watch more anime than anything else. I could say…
Anime Annoyances: Poor Storytelling
Anime has good storylines…but terrible story telling. There are 6 pacing problems that are unfortunately common in anime. These problems sometimes even turn me off to anime. It is sad that anime is plagued by problem conventions. The medium could achieve much more if it could cast them away and tell a story properly. There…
Anime’s Visual Language
Anime and manga have a unique visual language that conveys character emotions and thoughts. Many of us “regular” anime watchers are so familiar with these symbols that we don’t give them a second thought. These symbols (like the vein popping out, as shown to the left) can make anime confusing for people new to anime….