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The List - 6 Japan-International Co-Productions Revisited

The first few Ghost in the Shell anime were produced by American and British companies (Yes, Bandai Ent was an American company; shouldn't have to belabor the obvious) but are anime due to its intended target and primary Japanese production, direction and screenplay.

I think at the end of the day it's kinda ridiculous to draw lines in the sand. You can't say it's based on art, because it can vary, and even what is the trend for animation in anime changes. Saying the staff has to be "pure-blooded Japanese" is well, ridiculous. Can you imagine anyone getting as uptight about french animation as some people do anime? "I only watch french animation, called frenchimation, and don't you dare call it cartoons. Oh wait, the director was actually Japanese, dropping this show.

Interestingly, ANN are not consistent on this. Why are Mega Man, Transformers and Street Fighter coded as "U.S." shows on here despite the fact that a lot of the production of these shows were partially Japanese, but Batman Gotham Knight was not? I mean come on.

I think at the end of the day it's kinda ridiculous to draw lines in the sand. You can't say it's based on art, because it can vary, and even what is the trend for animation in anime changes. Saying the staff has to be "pure-blooded Japanese" is well, ridiculous. Can you imagine anyone getting as uptight about french animation as some people do anime? "I only watch french animation, called frenchimation, and don't you dare call it cartoons. Oh wait, the director was actually Japanese, dropping this show." At the end of the day we all like what are essentially animated foreign films, sometimes in short form television programs, and sometimes motion pictures. Animation frees you of the limits of filming reality and allows you to abstract details, allowing for various new storytelling techniques. I mean I know a lot of people think "cartoon" is a dirty word, but I mean... why? Does it have to be anime because it sounds cooler and more socially acceptable, like when comic books were calling themselves "graphic novels?"

I just like good movies, and I tend to particularly enjoy Japanese animated films. Who cares about what you call it. I'll watch any movie about anything from anywhere if it's good. Yes, even if I have to call it a cartoon because it's from somewhere else.

Stop motion and puppets have more in common with live action than animation.

Here's my personal definition of anime: A show that features character designs that look more realistic and covers genres beyond surreal comedy, regardless of its nationality.

I still think Kira from Seed shouldn't be in the poll because they were never called Newtypes in Seed or Seed Destiny, they were called Coordinators.

Now, we have Pokémon Generations. MyAnimeList refuses to accept it, but I believe it is anime. Yes, it was made for an international audience, and I do find it weird that it's not being released in Japanese (though I'm sure it'll happen some day). However, it's pretty obvious that it wasn't just animated in Japan, but also had Japanese creative control. It has signs of being originally written in Japanese, so I think the US side only funded and translated and dubbed the project.

Anime is Japanese for "animation" (same for manga and "comics"). So, to a Japanese person, "Adventure Time" is anime. Also, technically all anime is dubbed as it is adding sound to a picture.

Mr. Oshawott wrote:

Here's my personal definition of anime: A show that features character designs that look more realistic and covers genres beyond surreal comedy, regardless of its nationality.

So Batman or Spider-man are anime, but Shin-chan or Doraemon aren't???????
See, this is the problem with trying to define anime by genre or style.
What even is the line for "realism"?

Does K-ON count? Or was it disqualified by default because it's a comedy?

Alright, I misspoke. I've should've said "a show that tends to feature realistic character designs; i.e., more detailed.

I never said anything about K-ON not being an anime show due to it being a comedy. Plus, I mentioned "surreal comedy," a specific kind of comedy, not comedy in a general sense.

1. Correct. Anime does have a French language origin, but that's within the context of Japan.

Selipse wrote:

Now, we have Pokémon Generations. MyAnimeList refuses to accept it, but I believe it is anime. Yes, it was made for an international audience, and I do find it weird that it's not being released in Japanese (though I'm sure it'll happen some day). However, it's pretty obvious that it wasn't just animated in Japan, but also had Japanese creative control. It has signs of being originally written in Japanese, so I think the US side only funded and translated and dubbed the project.

That's just the site owners being the Japanophiles they are. They refused to add the Black Widow/Punisher movie swearing up and down it's a US production only animated by Japanese, despite all the other Marvel shows and movies from Madhouse being on there. But once it got a Japanese dub, they happily added it.