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

Angry at Ignorance?

  • Yes

    Votes: 50 34.2%
  • No

    Votes: 27 18.5%
  • Wut? They're Cartoons.

    Votes: 69 47.3%

  • Total voters
    146

Kaminari

Future Pokemon Master ✗✗
28
Posts
14
Years
  • They basically are cartoons so you can't necessarily say they're wrong. Though I use cartoon & anime differently, depending on the story, the art, and where it came from. Sometimes I dislike lumping some things into anime, like Miyazaki films. I prefer to call his work animation because it just has a different connotation to me. Pokemon I guess could go either way but I prefer to call the show a show or a cartoon just because that's my connotation. The PokeSpe I like to call manga, but comic would also work I guess..
    But really, anime=animation/cartoons. Its just what you prefer.
     

    Crystal Clair

    Shinji lover
    3,464
    Posts
    19
    Years
  • I think you guys should read this TvTropes article. I found it fascinating.
    The Animation Age Ghetto

    And I realize, that no matter how much I and other people who know that anime and cartoons are subgenres of animation and not the other way around argue with people who disagree, we wont get anywhere. There will always be people who disagree and it's always been that way.
     

    tnguye3

    Very, very, very lazy spriter.
    311
    Posts
    14
    Years
  • I don't mind people calling them cartoons, to me anime is basically Japanese Cartoons, or cartoons with VERY nice drawings, however I prefer to refer to them as "anime" cause it just sounds nicer IMO! xD
    As long as they don't make fun of me just because I watch it e.g. "oh it's just [censored] for babies", I don't really care how it's called, otherwise, they're asking for 1 week in hospital. :P
     

    jirachis_best_friend

    Aura Hunter
    28
    Posts
    14
    Years
  • It only annoys me if they are ignorant about it. If they're all like 'Oh, a cartoon's a cartoon anime or not' then it kinda gets to me.There's a specific difference! Anime is alot more detailed, and very beautiful. And most American cartoons don't have charcters with more than 4 fingers (three fingers and a thumb. Not that it matters. My friend noticed o3o;; ) Especially if they always say 'oh, those chinese shows or whatever' cuz most Anime is Japanese and it's kinda racist to think anything of asian background is 'Chinese'.
     

    A Pixy

    Cruel?
    3,171
    Posts
    16
    Years
  • It only annoys me if they are ignorant about it. If they're all like 'Oh, a cartoon's a cartoon anime or not' then it kinda gets to me.There's a specific difference! Anime is alot more detailed, and very beautiful.

    I have a very hard time believing THIS or THIS or THIS or THIS or THIS isn't beautiful.

    Also, how come people keep saying Anime is pretty? Sure, it is. But take one step to the side and you see the actual animation doesn't hold an eight of a candle to cartoons. And we do have detail, I just listed 5 movies that all look stunning and those are the Disney films I know off the top of my head.
     
    Last edited:
    22,953
    Posts
    19
    Years
  • TWEWY (the person who posted above me) makes a good point in that post. It's just moreso that, aside from movies, storyline plays second-fiddle to comedy in American animation, and people therefore associate most animated shows with kids.
     

    Kura

    twitter.com/puccarts
    10,994
    Posts
    19
    Years
  • Even if not all anime is for children it's still considered a cartoon. :/.. (What about South Park? Spawn? Etc)
    I'm in an animation course.. so.. I'd pretty much know..
    That's pretty ridiculous. Anime= Japanese animation= Cartoon.
     

    A Pixy

    Cruel?
    3,171
    Posts
    16
    Years
  • I noticed something, the people who posted, saying that they think Anime is different, they usually say it's better.

    The people who don't (a.k.a. the sane people), are either people who don't watch Anime or people who watch Cartoons and Anime.

    Those people need to watch more cartoons and see how awesome Phineas & Ferb is. :D
     

    hiphiphippo

    hip hip hurray!
    324
    Posts
    14
    Years
  • i guess technically, it's hard to give them a real definition since they are pretty similar
    but if you watch something, then it's pretty easy to categorize it as anime or a cartoon in your own head though others might not understand the differences
    so basically, it's hard to explain
     
    26
    Posts
    14
    Years
    • Seen Jun 6, 2011
    But isn't a cartoon animated drawings? That's exactly what anime is. Granted, Japanese cartoons are usually better than Western, though.
     

    Clefairies

    I'm always chasing rainbows.
    142
    Posts
    14
    Years
    • Seen Aug 12, 2016
    No, it doesn't bother me if they are referred to as cartoons.
    I personally like both western and japanese animations, although, I tend to prefer japanese animations for the pure fact it seems to quench my fantasy & magic thirst a lot more than western animation does :-P
     

    missingnoresearcher

    I like your bedsheets
    180
    Posts
    16
    Years
  • By technically, sure they are.
    But that's where it stops.
    Anime is much more......open.....to the things in life while cartoons are mainly meant to be funny.
     

    A Pixy

    Cruel?
    3,171
    Posts
    16
    Years
  • i guess technically, it's hard to give them a real definition since they are pretty similar
    but if you watch something, then it's pretty easy to categorize it as anime or a cartoon in your own head though others might not understand the differences
    so basically, it's hard to explain

    No, it doesn't bother me if they are referred to as cartoons.
    I personally like both western and japanese animations, although, I tend to prefer japanese animations for the pure fact it seems to quench my fantasy & magic thirst a lot more than western animation does :-P

    By technically, sure they are.
    But that's where it stops.
    Anime is much more......open.....to the things in life while cartoons are mainly meant to be funny.

    [JQ]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.[/JQ]

    Even when it is a comedy, it's still more diverse.

    Boy has fairies but is nowhere near responsible enough to use them.
    Fry cook sponge in the sea with the mind of a child.
    Over enthusiastic alien is too stupid to take over stupid planet.
    Short-tempered Chihuahua living with mentally retarded Cat.

    And those are just the ones I can think of from Nick.
     

    Muffin™

    Knows your age
    429
    Posts
    14
    Years
  • Especially if they always say 'oh, those chinese shows or whatever' cuz most Anime is Japanese and it's kinda racist to think anything of asian background is 'Chinese'.

    Some of the people at my school think anime is from China... I have only 3 friends who KNOW that the anime is from China... and Al Kahn has ruined anime by making crappy dubs
     

    tikki

    Idiot Haunter
    10
    Posts
    14
    Years
    • Seen Aug 12, 2010
    Anime are cartoons... just from a different place. What bugs me is when people try to seem so "Omg I know so much about Japan desu desu, gtfo with your stupid Western cartoons desu." Granted, the style in most anime is a little more detailed and artistic than in Western cartoons, but it all boils down to its roots. Looking at Ukiyo-e, you can see where some of the original anime may have pulled some major elements from, while the disproportionately large eyes probably owe themselves to the "kawaii" factor. I'm not super sure how Western drawings moved from detailed etchings in the Victorian era to Popeye the Sailor, but I have a small inkling that political posters had a lot to do with it. I do call anime "anime", but all it is is a shortened name for "animeshon", or animation, i.e., cartoons. I also do feel a twinge of annoyance when people say "She's off watching her Japanese cartoons," but that's the perspective they're coming from. I'm a Japanophile with TTGL posters and a map of Japan tacked to my wall, and they're not. Oh well.
     

    DXrobots

    Just a passing through trainer
    263
    Posts
    14
    Years
  • I don't mind because I call avatar the last airbender anime all the time. Although I don't mind I still call anime anime and cartoons cartoons. Although cartoons are childish their are cartoons for the adult audience such as the spawn cartoon. I like to think of anime as an art style so a cartoon with better looking animation.
     

    nkedwards90

    As in notebook of chickens?
    7
    Posts
    14
    Years
    • Age 27
    • TN
    • Seen Nov 25, 2010
    It's not a cartoon and I fail to see the reason to call anime a cartoon.
    Cartoons are for children, which Pokemon is on the border of an actual "anime" and an American "cartoon", even if it where made in Japan.
    I would most certainly not consider "Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood" or "Death Note" a cartoon, because "cartoons" are suitable for all ages (or at the worst for 7+), with the exception of [adult swim]'s cartoons such as "Robot Chicken" or Family Guy". The audacity of those who call anime a cartoon enrages me. Don't call it a cartoon, it's anime. And for those of you with children ages 2 - 15 that allow them to watch things like [adult swim] and find it utterly suitable, you disgust me and have an excellent day.
     
    Last edited:
    30,928
    Posts
    20
    Years
    • Seen Apr 2, 2023
    because "cartoons" are suitable for all ages (or at the worst for 7+), with the exception of [adult swim]'s cartoons such as "Robot Chicken" or Family Guy".
    So cartoons are for kids except for when they're not? Yeah, totally makes no sense. The same could easily be said of anime.

    Anime and American animation cartoons are the same thing, the Japanese refer to American animations as anime. The only people who make that distinction (outside of just using anime to refer to cartoons made in Japan) are the uninformed and rage inducing otaku.
     
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