Equivalent Exchange

This is a post that has been a long time coming. That's right I'm talking about the post where I explain why I like anime. I will also post on the differences between anime and animation that originates here in the US. The way that I'll do this is to compare and contrast. First off I will explain why I like anime. The reasons include the depth of some of the episodes. The shows seem to deal more with more emotion than do US cartoons. As a result the characters seem to be more real in anime than US cartoon characters do. This may or may not be important to some people but for me it's one of the most important things. If the characters seem more "real" than I will like them more. I will also find it easier to sympathize with them or dislike them as is applicable. Not that all US characters seem two dimensional. Anime characters seem to struggle more with issues like wondering who they are, moral issues(i.e. Is it worth hurting someone else for selfish reasons?) An example of struggling to find who they are can be found in the show Full Metal Alchemist, in the form of Alphonse Elrich. Al's soul was bound to a iron suit of armor, and the seed of doubt was planted when Al was fighting against a criminal who had gone through a similar process. The seed of doubt that was plantd was whether or not was real or if his memeries were just fabricated.If you're not familiar with the show you may be wondering what I mean by saying that Al's soul being bound to a suit of armor. It was done with alchemy when another alchemy process went wrong.

 

Another reason that I like anime is that in some cases the drawing is outstanding. In some of the anime out there also incorporates CG into the animation process. If incorporated well, it has a tendency to enhance the whole viewing experience. If done poorly, it sometimes detracts. Some animation in the US does include CG but seems to be one or the other. US CG animation in some cases is really well done. For example Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, and others. This does not fully explain all there is to know but it is a start.