What Makes an Anime Better Than Cartoons? Posted Aug 5, 2019
Animation is a beautiful form of art that presents different aspects of life in a much more simpler way; it almost always presents it through symbolic objects and characters. It’s divided into many types, of course; animation does not come in one form. However, the two most popular forms are regular cartoons and Japanese animation. And, even though these are the two most popular types, people still prefer one to the other.
There isn’t a cartoon buff in the world that doesn’t know and adores anime. You’ll find that many anime cartoons have been dubbed into a variety of languages with voiceovers, and a lot of anime content has subtitles in every language you could possibly think of. Many have gotten international awards as well- this is because they are made in such a way that they can appeal to both the young and adult minds.
Content
The thing about animation is that it has more depth to its story than your average cartoon. Take Neon Genesis Evangelion; for instance, it weaves serious issues as self-worth and depression within a simple story where a boy is destined to save the world. Another great example would be Death Note; this show thoroughly discusses morality and the fine line between being morale and acting as God. There is obviously a plethora of other shows that revolve around more serious philosophies than normal animation.
Characters
Another great thing that can be easily spotted is the round, relatable, and real characters that anime has. Their emotions are real and could be easily felt. The way these characters express their emotions does not come off in as fake rather as real as it can get. Their personalities; as well, are worthy to observe. Throughout the story, you’ll easily follow how the characters’ personalities undergo problems and emerge in the most human way possible. Their personalities never stay the same and they often become a different version of themselves by the end of the story.
Breaks Stereotypes
One of the most honorable elements about Japanese animation is that most of them break stereotypes. There are a lot of strong female characters that can be found; female characters aren’t necessarily girly and male characters are not macho all the time either. It represents life as it is without seasoning it with exaggerated truths in order to achieve humor. It gives its viewers a safe space where they can comfortably be themselves, and feel like they are individuals who are not thrown under a stereotype or another labeled box.
Better Music
Japanese animation is known for its awesome music; even people who aren’t hardcore fans of this genre, are still familiar with its songs. If not all of them, most of them have two different songs per episode; a song for the opening credits and another for the ending credits. Some introduce their fans to two various songs per season, which means that every season has different songs than the season before. They are also known for their energetic music during the opening credits and their rather sentimental songs at the end.
Without a doubt, animation is a great aid for children, especially while growing up. But, at some point children outgrow cartoons. They simply lose their relatability as youngsters grow up. Which is exactly why they turn to Japanese animation. It has a wide fandom that includes adults as well as children. Mainly because they tackle deep philosophies and realities about life. They have better plots, characters, music, and they break a lot of stereotypes that are found all around us.
