Question about "anime"

[Captain Kong]

This has been bugging me for a while, but why is Japanese animation called anime? As far as I can tell, every bit of animation from Japan (whether hand-drawn or computer-animated) is considered anime.

Obviously there is a certain style that the Japanese prefer to use with the majority of their art (big character eyes, pointy hair, etc.), but I still don't understand why Japan gets the special "anime" title for their animation.

When you get down to it, a cartoon is a cartoon, no matter where it is from. So why don't we just refer to animated shows from Japan as "Japanese Cartoons"?

 

[TheBluesader]

Matter of specification. We use 'anime' so everyone knows what everyone is talking about.

It's called language, boss.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I forget the exact entomology of the term, but it does literally come from "Annie May"... I just forget how that came to be associated with japanese cartoons.

 

[Bat Vader]

In Japan Anime means all types of animation. In different countries mainly the United States, and he United Kingdom they refer to anime as just Japanese cartoons.

 

[[Gavo]]

Maybe anime is the name for "cartoon" or "animation" in Japan. I don't know.

 

[nikomas1]

Anime is a shorting to the Japanese word animēshon, guess where it's borrowed from?
Anyways, the otaku is here with an answer.

 

[Captain Kong]

Matter of specification. We use 'anime' so everyone knows what everyone is talking about.

It's called language, boss.

But the word "anime" has so many uses that it is rather vague, in my opinion. If "Japanese animation" is the same thing is "anime", I wouldn't exactly call that specific.

In Japan Anime means all types of animation. In different countries mainly the United States, and he United Kingdom they refer to anime as just Japanese cartoons.

So why not just call them Japanese cartoons? Some people seem to think that cartoons and anime are totally different things.

 

[Sparrow]

Because not everything needs to be Americanised.

In the great words of Brock from Pokemon:

"Ooooh. JAM FILLED DONUTS. Don't you just love JAM? I love DONUTS. Especially JAM DONUTS."

Yeah, Funitardation's set at trying to pass Rice Cakes off as Donuts. No, seriously.

 

[nikomas1]

Anime is a shorting to the Japanese word animēshon, guess where it's borrowed from?
Anyways, the otaku is here with an answer.

ya know being an otaku isn't really something to brag about its considered an insult in japan

I know, I know, so what? I am what I am.

 

[Weaver]

Anime is a shorting to the Japanese word animēshon, guess where it's borrowed from?
Anyways, the otaku is here with an answer.

"Animation" is an English term and is not of Japanese origin in the English language.
It is based on animātiō in the english language.

 

[Bat Vader]

Matter of specification. We use 'anime' so everyone knows what everyone is talking about.

It's called language, boss.

But the word "anime" has so many uses that it is rather vague, in my opinion. If "Japanese animation" is the same thing is "anime", I wouldn't exactly call that specific.

In Japan Anime means all types of animation. In different countries mainly the United States, and he United Kingdom they refer to anime as just Japanese cartoons.

So why not just call them Japanese cartoons? Some people seem to think that cartoons and anime are totally different things.

That is the word that was adopted to describe Japanese cartoons in different countries. I don't know why. I don't question it, I just go with it.

 

[nikomas1]

Anime is a shorting to the Japanese word animēshon, guess where it's borrowed from?
Anyways, the otaku is here with an answer.

"Animation" is an English term and is not of Japanese origin in the English language.
It is based on animātiō in the english language.

What I meant was, the word is a Japanese version of the English word animation.

 

[Pumpkin_Eater]

]Maybe anime is the name for "cartoon" or "animation" in Japan. I don't know.

This, basically. Although a few Korean and North American studios are doing their animation in the Japanese style, so the word is undergoing some semantic drift.

 

[CIA]

I forget the exact entomology of the term, but it does literally come from "Annie May"... I just forget how that came to be associated with japanese cartoons.

Maybe from the way manga used to be westernized, by being flipped so it read left to right. On a shirt MAY becomes YAM.

Just a thought.

 

[ravensshade]

Matter of specification. We use 'anime' so everyone knows what everyone is talking about.

It's called language, boss.

But the word "anime" has so many uses that it is rather vague, in my opinion. If "Japanese animation" is the same thing is "anime", I wouldn't exactly call that specific.

In Japan Anime means all types of animation. In different countries mainly the United States, and he United Kingdom they refer to anime as just Japanese cartoons.

So why not just call them Japanese cartoons? Some people seem to think that cartoons and anime are totally different things.

besides the reasons above i guess it would also be because it's in away easier to say japanese cartoons or anime

 

[Weaver]

Anime is a shorting to the Japanese word animēshon, guess where it's borrowed from?
Anyways, the otaku is here with an answer.

"Animation" is an English term and is not of Japanese origin in the English language.
It is based on animātiō in the english language.

What I meant was, the word is a Japanese version of the English word animation.

ohhhhh lol.
Well isn't my face red!
Sorry for the misunderstanding!

 

[Captain Kong]

Meh, maybe it is something I shouldn't complain much about. Still, why don't American cartoons get a cool name? :/

 

[Pumpkin_Eater]

Meh, maybe it is something I shouldn't complain much about. Still, why don't American cartoons get a cool name? :/

Because foreign stuff is always cool and exotic but domestic stuff seems normal and blase?

 

[minoes]

It´s probably for marketing porposes, I remember that back in the late 80´s japanese cartoons used to be called Japanimation.