"They're not Cartoons!" Do you hate it people mistake Anime for Cartoons?

[enzo51]

Nah I don't really mind. Since Anime is the cartoons of Japan, well for me.

 

[Fox♠]

I hate when people treat anime like it is anything different than a cartoon.

This. I was gonna go into a huge rant about how it's just a style of cartoon and an over rated one at that, but you summed things up better than i was going to.

 

[otakulily]

My parents call anime "cartoons" ALL THE TIME. Anime is srs bsns. Not like the slapstick comedy of Western cartoons. How can anyone ignore the huge gap in professionalism between the two animation styles? Anime is not necessarily comedy. They aren't always meant to be funny. In fact, anime can be just about anything. That is the beauty of anime. It is not a "genre" per se, rather a way of portraying a story, much like films. In this sense, anime is an art style. It does not hold any connotation in terms of genre, unlike the association with cartoons and comedy.

(ex. Anime makers choose themes and characters appealing to Japanese audiences while Westerners make cartoons appealing to...Westerners).

The key difference here is that Western cartoons are generally all the "same". There aren't very large distinctions between cartoons, moving from series to series. Anime presents a much larger range of interests. It's not necessarily that anime appeals to Japanese audiences. Anime can appeal to anyone, since the sheer variety of anime greatly surpasses the limited range of Western cartoons.

 

[Fox♠]

My parents call anime "cartoons" ALL THE TIME. Anime is srs bsns. Not like the slapstick comedy of Western cartoons. How can anyone ignore the huge gap in professionalism between the two animation styles? Anime is not necessarily comedy. They aren't always meant to be funny. In fact, anime can be just about anything. That is the beauty of anime. It is not a "genre" per se, rather a way of portraying a story, much like films. In this sense, anime is an art style. It does not hold any connotation in terms of genre, unlike the association with cartoons and comedy.
The key difference here is that Western cartoons are generally all the "same". There aren't very large distinctions between cartoons, moving from series to series. Anime presents a much larger range of interests. It's not necessarily that anime appeals to Japanese audiences. Anime can appeal to anyone, since the sheer variety of anime greatly surpasses the limited range of Western cartoons.

I am so sick of japanophiles constantly generalising Western animation as "just poor slapstick" and "all the samey" I mean Jesus, how many animes are pretty much "guy has goal guy makes friends has lots of battles guy reaches goal"?

The old Batman cartoons were serious, they were dark and they were mature, same with older Hulk and X mean cartoons, speaking of Batman, how about you check out the Gotham Knight cartoons? Or maybe you can hit up some Disney classics like Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King etc. You won't though, because then you'll have to admit something outside of Japan is a srs cartoon.

 

[Ryoutarou]

Totally agree with that. I hate how people over generalise just about everything when it comes to the two. Anime isn't a style, you'll see a dozen different forms of animation in Japan, just like you'll see the same in the US.

YES!@ Just as annoyed as i get when my dad call's manga's comics...

it's like... STFUUUU .

Manga are comic books, though.

 

[Fox♠]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYRPvz-LV-k

Just thought this was pretty relevent to the subject.

 

[aкισ]

Totally agree with that. I hate how people over generalise just about everything when it comes to the two. Anime isn't a style, you'll see a dozen different forms of animation in Japan, just like you'll see the same in the US.
Manga are comic books, though.

I know, but in my opinion ... theres a big difference between american comic and manga's..

ehh

 

[Fox♠]

I know, but in my opinion ... theres a big difference between american comic and manga's..

ehh

Yes, one's Japanese and therefore better in your opinion.

 

[Yuoaman]

Manga are no different than comic books, they're just comic books that happen to be published in Japan.

 

[Ryoutarou]

I know, but in my opinion ... theres a big difference between american comic and manga's..

ehh

There's a difference between and American comic and a Japanese comic, sure, but a manga is the same thing as a comic book simply based on the definition of the words. I can call an apple a suspension bridge, but you know what? It's still a fruit. Same thing with comic books and manga.

 

[.hack]

Since when people say cartoons they think of like Fairly odd parents and spongebob and stuff. Yes, I do, Anime is like way better and most animes are directed at a teen age group =3

 

[Fox♠]

Since when people say cartoons they think of like Fairly odd parents and spongebob and stuff. Yes, I do, Anime is like way better and most animes are directed at a teen age group =3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViEH57xQu1c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5G5bD2Do-k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWFp-bI3olg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02swhXqxorU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Duwojvd_eRM&feature=related

Just a few choice examples. These all seem to be aimed at teenagers, have deep plots and aren't at all childish, unlike western rubbish!!!!!

 

[Aureol]

Just for all the folks here, I looked up the definition of cartoon:

A drawing depicting a humorous situation, often accompanied by a caption.
-Referring to newspaper cartoons, I guess.

An animated cartoon.
-Same as above, except it's animated for the TV. This is what we watch and commonly refer to as cartoons.

Source: Answers.com

Cartoon =/= Animation.

So, the only time that anime can accurately be called a cartoon is if it's in the Comedy/Child Entertainment genre.

Besides, some anime have incredibly deep plots to the point where it's an insult to even suggest that they are simply "cartoons."

Maybe most people think a cartoon is simply an animation though, which could explain the misconception.

As for me personally though, I don't get offended. I'm not insulted when somebody gets the definitions wrong.

 

[Gidget]

I hate when people treat anime like it is anything different than a cartoon.

This.

I lol at people who "rage" when people call anime cartoons.

 

[Ryoutarou]

Just for all the folks here, I looked up the definition of cartoon:

A drawing depicting a humorous situation, often accompanied by a caption.
-Referring to newspaper cartoons, I guess.

An animated cartoon.
-Same as above, except it's animated for the TV. This is what we watch and commonly refer to as cartoons.

Source: Answers.com

Cartoon =/= Animation.

So, the only time that anime can accurately be called a cartoon is if it's in the Comedy/Child Entertainment genre.

Besides, some anime have incredibly deep plots to the point where it's an insult to even suggest that they are simply "cartoons."

Maybe most people think a cartoon is simply an animation though, which could explain the misconception.

As for me personally though, I don't get offended. I'm not insulted when somebody gets the definitions wrong.

This really is just playing semantics, don't you think? (not this entire thread already isn't, but this is a more unique case) There is no uniform definition for the word cartoon, some sources make no reference to them being comedic at all, some preface the definition with the word "usually", but I think after almost a century or so, cartoon has become synonyms with animation while comic has always kept to its original meaning.

 

[Yuoaman]

Just for all the folks here, I looked up the definition of cartoon:

A drawing depicting a humorous situation, often accompanied by a caption.
-Referring to newspaper cartoons, I guess.

An animated cartoon.
-Same as above, except it's animated for the TV. This is what we watch and commonly refer to as cartoons.

Source: Answers.com

Cartoon =/= Animation.

So, the only time that anime can accurately be called a cartoon is if it's in the Comedy/Child Entertainment genre.

Besides, some anime have incredibly deep plots to the point where it's an insult to even suggest that they are simply "cartoons."

Maybe most people think a cartoon is simply an animation though, which could explain the misconception.

As for me personally though, I don't get offended. I'm not insulted when somebody gets the definitions wrong.

Batman: The Animated Series sure was full of laughs, wasn't it guys?

 

[Aureol]

This really is just playing semantics, don't you think? (not this entire thread already isn't, but this is a more unique case) There is no uniform definition for the word cartoon, some sources make no reference to them being comedic at all, some preface the definition with the word "usually", but I think after almost a century or so, cartoon has become synonyms with animation while comic has always kept to its original meaning.

Eh, this thread called for semantics. And if there's no uniform definition, then cartoons can be whatever people want it to be, and thus this debate is fruitless. Either cartoon is strictly defined, or it's open to whatever definition people give it. If cartoon is simply another word for animation, then it is undeniable that anime is cartoon. If cartoon is anything beyond animation, we must find out what makes a cartoon a cartoon, rather than simply animation, then compare it to anime.

Batman: The Animated Series sure was full of laughs, wasn't it guys?

Just letting you know, sarcasm is a excellent way to impress me. Sarcasm aside, I'd sooner admit that Batman isn't a cartoon than admit that anime is nothing more than a cartoon.

Honestly though, I don't really care what others think. I personally don't think anime is because (a) it falls outside the official definition, like I already pointed out, and (b) taking in a more general idea of what might be cartoons, the only quality I think the genre of anime and what most people understand to be cartoons is the fact that both are animated. I promise to read replies, but don't expect me to continue in this :) Or, maybe I'm a coward who's shouting my opinion and running from everybody else's, take your pick.

 

[helix]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in Japan, 'anime' is regarded as anything animated in general. That does mean that titles such as The Lion King and the regular shows you see on Cartoon Network are also known as anime there. And then consider that Cartoon Network does air anime on the Adult Swim hours.. If one persists that anime are not cartoons, then I guess that Cartoon Network's grown to be quite the anachronism.
If we're really to submit to semantics, then I do suppose that that may be incorrect by definition. Though, personally, I think that 'cartoons' are any hand-drawn entertainment, be it intellectual caricatures, child entertainment, or anime. It's just the audience and the general regard of each sub-genre that vary.

 

[ReyRey-Pyon]

Main Entry: animated cartoon
Function: noun
Date: 1915
: a motion picture that is made from a series of drawings, computer graphics, or photographs of inanimate objects (as puppets) and that simulates movement by slight progressive changes in each frame

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just thought I'd throw that out there =A=

 

[Shiiny Pikachu]

Technically,anime are cartoons ._.