Anime mini-FAQ
Anime is a type of Japanese animation. There are many different forms of anime, and each artist has his or her's own style. What sets this form of animation apart from the rest is that anime tells stories, which are quite different from the comic strip art we commonly see in newpapers in the US. Most of these series run over many books, or manga. Manga are the books that the anime art is published in.
The stories in anime can range from light hearted and hilarious to serious and heart breaking. I can name several series that I have read or seen that have made me want to cry. Those stories can be very touching. That's another difference that sets anime apart from other comics: the beautiful stories.
One of the most famous aspects of anime is the absolutly gorgeous art you see so often. Anime is often characterized and associated with the large eyes that the artists draw.
One of the best examples of beautiful art is the series Ah! Megami-sama! by Nohiro Watsuki.
Where can you find anime?
The best place to get anime is obviously Japan, but since anime is so popular, you can probably find it in your local comic book store. The manga are translated into a lot of languages too, so if you can't read Japanese, there might be a chance that you can find them translated to another language you can read. Online anime places also sell products, usually at pretty cheap prices.
Do I get anime at my local TV. Station?
Chances are, if you live in the US, you get some sort of anime on TV. One of the most popular ones in the US is Pokémon, which airs daily. Of course, the ones you see on TV will be dubbed, which means they have different vioce actors who speak another language. I, for one, prefer the original Japanese seiyuu(voice actors).
Feminine guys?
::sighhh:: Okay, when I put this question up, I was thinking of all the comments I get almost daily about how there are these distincly feminine guys in anime. For an example, my absolute favorite character in Fushigi Yuugi is Nuriko. Now we know Nuriko is quite feminine, so I get a LOT of comments from people that I think are quite irrelevant to Nuriko's character. Many guys in anime are feminine, and a lot are also gay. some people may have a problem with that, so here is my message to them, "GET USED TO IT". There are quite a number of guys who fit this category. Some were probably intended to be feminine, and some may be a fluke of the artist. The bottom line is, anyone who is not mature enough to just live with the fact that there are guys who are gay or feminine, should not get near anime. (maybe that's a bit harsh, but at least MOST of anime)
What does SD mean?
I put this question up because so many of my friends were commenting on how "messed up" these pics looked SD. "SD" is short for super deformed. That may sound a bit strange, but let me clarify that. SD does not mean that the characters are twisted and ugly, it means that they took on the shape of a little kid. This is usually used in anime for comedy.
I have also heard or read another way of referring to SD characters. The Japanese word "chibi" means small, or young. When you put that word in front of a name, it could be translated as "young _____" For example, the pic you see here can be referred to as Chibi Asuka and Chibi Rei.
What's the difference between Bishonen and Bishojo?
Bishonen and Bishojo are two different types of anime. Bishonen is mainly for boys, and Bishojo is mainly for girls. For example, Rurouni Kenshin is a Bishonen comic, while Sailor Moon is Bishojo. Of course, there is nothing keeping you from reading Bishonen if you are a girl, and vice versa.
Those are all the questions I have now. Fell free to email me with other questions if you have any. Lilkitten@usa.net
One last thing: Although there are many, many great series in anime, you should be cautious as to which you choose to read. Don't go running into a manga book store and grab any one that you like, because X-rated anime is out there too. Those often feature pornagraphy and more. Remember, you shouldn't read those unless you are above 18 years old. Of course, I can't really stop you, but this is a fair warning. There is plenty of great series out there!
