1. Is anime a genre or a media? Is it a branch of film or another mode?
2. According to Lent (2000), what place does animation occupy in Asian societies? How different is this across Asia (ie comparing Japan, Korea, China)?
3. Is it a high or low cultural genre/media, according to Napier (2005)?
4. What are some of its subgenres?
5. Looking at Napier and Cavallaro (2006), discuss how anime is culturally ‘located’ – in the East or West, or somewhere else?
6. What is the ‘shojo’ (also spelt 'shoujo' or 'syojyo' in English) and how does it often function in anime? How does Miyazaki challenge the stereotype?
7. What genres/subgenres of anime can you identify?
8. After viewing Howl's Movinng Castle, what are your impressions of the film? Any surprises?
Feel free to widen the discussion to talk about works of anime you have viewed and enjoyed (or not, as the case may be!).
Hi Anime or animation is a media and it has also genre according to the context of the story. Anime comes from Japan and it is part of their culture and tradition. “It is a richly fascinating contemporary Japanese art form with a distinctive narrative and visual aesthetic that both harks back to traditional Japanese culture and moves forward to the cutting edge of art and media” (P, 8-, Critical Reader).from view of history and role, anime has a high value in the Japanese society because of reputation of their cultural background. Anime is a popular cultural form that clearly builds on previous high cultural tradition (Lent, 2000). What is your idea?
In my ‘Critical Reader’, there is not Lent’s reading material ‘Animation in Asia (2000)’. Does your ‘Critical Reader’ have the part? Is my ‘Critical Reader’ the defective product?
I think anime is a media, and it is not a branch of film but a new mode.
According to Napier (2005, p.14), ‘[anime is] complex and fascinating medium,’ and ‘[it’s] fascinating variety of genres.’ Then, Napier (2005, p.4) says ‘[anime texts are] stimulating audiences to work through certain contemporary issues in ways that older art forms cannot.’
I think that Napier (2005) says anime is not “high” cultural genre/media, although it is not “low” cultural genre/media.
Napier (2005, p.14) says ‘the three modes used to examine anime are ones that go beyond any distinction between “high” and “low” culture or beyond any nation-specific site to illuminate in a timely fashion some of the major issues of global society at the time of the millennium.’
Hi Kimiko As we know anime is a media. That is correct. But as I underestood form your answer, you mean that anime has not any genre. Can you explain more to me? Thanks.
As I answered Bahram’s question, I do not think anime is one of genres. So, I cannot answer for this question. (I am also thinking my answer is not correct…? But, that is my understanding now.)
This is my answer for Question 5 from Napier’s (2005) point of view that anime is culturally ‘located’ in ‘another world’.
Napier (2005) quotes the opinions of Japanese commentators. That is, ‘animated space has the potential to be context free, drawn wholly out of the animator’s or artist’s mind. It is thus a particularly apt candidate for participation in a transnational, stateless culture’ (Napier 2005, p.24). ‘[The] deliberate de-Japanizing of the characters is in keeping with their view of anime as offering an alternative world’ (Napier 2005, p.25).
This is my answer for Question 5 from Cavallaro’s (2006) point of view that anime, especially Miyazaki’s animation style, bridges East and West.
Cavallaro (2006, p.6) says, ‘the films are woven from both cross-cultural elements and aspects’. ‘The collusion of East and West is paralleled by two further forms of thematic and structural interplay’ (Cavallaro 2006, p.9).
Firstly, I’d like to say about the English spellings in Question 6.
I think the correct spellings are ‘shoujo’ and ‘syoujyo’. The ‘sho’ and ‘jo’ in the first spelling are American way when they occupied Japan, and the spellings are still used in Japan. The ‘syo’ and ‘jyo’ in the second spelling are Japanese original invention, and we also use the spellings. So, the spellings have no problem. However, ‘shojo’ and ‘syoJyo’ have a different meaning from ‘shoujo’ and ‘Syoujyo’ in Japanese. Only the difference is whether ‘u’ is used or not. But, in Japanese, ’shojo’ and ‘syojyo’ mean ‘virgin’, although ‘shoujo’ and ‘syoujyo’ mean ‘girl’.
According to Cavallaro (2006, p.11), ‘the term shoujo literally means “little female” and is commonly used designate girl aged 12 or 13.’
Then, Cavallaro (2006, p.11) quotes the explanation of Tamae Prindel. Tthat is, ‘What fascinates the Japanese is that the shoujo nestle in a shallow lacuna between adulthood and childhood, power and powerlessness, awareness and innocence as well as masculinity and femininity’. However, in Miyazaki’s films, ‘the average shoujo is portrayed as a passive being suspended in something of a timeless dreamland, Miyazaki’s heroines are active, independent, courageous and inquisitive’ (Cavallaro 2006, p.11). ‘Through positively adventurous and risk-taking, Miyazaki’s heroines are concurrently depicted as compassionate, gentle and magnanimous’ (Cavallaro 2006, p.11). ‘Miyazaki’s films simultaneously deal in imaginative ways with gender and sexual relations, depicting intriguingly ambivalent characters that frequently transcend stereotypical notions of femininity and masculinity’ (Cavallaro 2006, p.11).
Sorry for a late comment as this is the busiest time of the semester. However, I’ll try to have something written down for our discussion
Is anime a genre or a media? Is it a branch of film or another mode?
First of all, let’s see what anime is. Napier (2005) simply defines anime as ‘Japanese cartoons’ gives no sense of the depth and variety that make up the medium.
Napier also reveals that many definitions in the west try to explain anime by comparison to American animation, specifically Disney. Also, the Time article tries to answer the question by suggesting that in comparison to Disney “anime is all kinds of differents...” Napier further believes that anime is kids’ cartoons: Pokemon yes, and Sailor Moon… It is also doomsday fantasies, (Akira), schize – psycho thrill machines, sex and samurai sagas. However, the insistent comparisons with Disney show the fact that anime does not deal with what American viewers would regard as cartoon situations, but audiences are accustomed to seeing in live-action films – romance, comedy, tragedy, adventure etc.
Additionally, Napier says that animated works are a major part of the output of Japanese studio, and animated films are also far more important in Japan than in the west.
Therefore, I think, to answer the question, anime can be another mode, it can be a branch of film too, and it can be a genre as well. Anime is also a media, as Napier (2005) says that anime is complex and fascinating medium, and it is fascinating variety of genres (p.14).
.Is anime a high or low cultural genre/media, according to Napier (2005)?
According to Napier (2005), anime has roots in high cultural forms and may often be a challenging art form.
The culture to which anime belongs at present is a “popular” or a “mass” culture in Japan, and exists in America as a sub culture. However, this situation may well change. (Napier, 2005, p.4)
He also reveals that anime is a popular cultural form that clearly builds on previous high cultural traditions. Not only the medium shows influences from such Japanese traditional arts as Kabuki and the woodblock print (originally popular culture phenomena themselves), but it also makes use of world wide artistic traditions of twentieth century cinema and photography.
Moreover, the issues it explores, often in surprisingly complex ways, are ones familiar to readers of contemporary high culture literature (both inside and outside Japan) and viewers of modern art cinema (Napier, 2005).
In fact, anime texts entertain audiences around the world on the most basic level, but, equally importantly, they also move and provoke viewers on other levels as well, stimulating audiences to work through certain contemporary issues in ways that older art forms cannot.
Napier further reveals that, because of their popular reach, they affect a wider variety of audiences in more ways than some less accessible types of high culture exchange have been able to do. So, I think, anime is a high cultural media.
Hi friends I want to add to my explanation about question 1. Is anime a genre or a media? Is it a branch of film or another mode? As Napier said anime can be the kids of cartoons. I think it is in fact an art from that incorporates all genres found in movie, TV and so on. I think anime is mode and it can be a genre as well as. Anime is also a media, as Napier (2005) says “that anime is complex and fascinating medium, and it is fascinating variety of genres “(p.14).
There are comedy, tragedy, romance, fantasy, horror, thriller, SF, etc, etc… There are the remake versions of fable, myth, movie, manga, literature (include in Eastern (not only Japanese but also Chinese, Korean, etc) and Western classic and modern stories), etc, etc…
Moreover, we have lots of anime works as educational materials. For example, there are lots of works based on historical facts used as the teaching materials in the field.
Hi Kimiko I as non-Japanese can say that it was different animation art by Miyazaki. At a result he was Oscar-winning as director and writer. Everything in the film was excellent and in the high level of arts. I have enjoyed and never forgot it.
21 comments:
Hey guys - some more questions to discuss:
1. Is anime a genre or a media? Is it a branch of film or another mode?
2. According to Lent (2000), what place does animation occupy in Asian societies? How different is this across Asia (ie comparing Japan, Korea, China)?
3. Is it a high or low cultural genre/media, according to Napier (2005)?
4. What are some of its subgenres?
5. Looking at Napier and Cavallaro (2006), discuss how anime is culturally ‘located’ – in the East or West, or somewhere else?
6. What is the ‘shojo’ (also spelt 'shoujo' or 'syojyo' in English) and how does it often function in anime? How does Miyazaki challenge the stereotype?
7. What genres/subgenres of anime can you identify?
8. After viewing Howl's Movinng Castle, what are your impressions of the film? Any surprises?
Feel free to widen the discussion to talk about works of anime you have viewed and enjoyed (or not, as the case may be!).
Look forward to reading yr comments ^_^
Hi
Anime or animation is a media and it has also genre according to the context of the story. Anime comes from Japan and it is part of their culture and tradition. “It is a richly fascinating contemporary Japanese art form with a distinctive narrative and visual aesthetic that both harks back to traditional Japanese culture and moves forward to the cutting edge of art and media” (P, 8-, Critical Reader).from view of history and role, anime has a high value in the Japanese society because of reputation of their cultural background. Anime is a popular cultural form that clearly builds on previous high cultural tradition (Lent, 2000).
What is your idea?
Hi group;
In my ‘Critical Reader’, there is not Lent’s reading material ‘Animation in Asia (2000)’. Does your ‘Critical Reader’ have the part? Is my ‘Critical Reader’ the defective product?
Hi, Bahram;
This is my answer for Question 1.
I think anime is a media, and it is not a branch of film but a new mode.
According to Napier (2005, p.14), ‘[anime is] complex and fascinating medium,’ and ‘[it’s] fascinating variety of genres.’ Then, Napier (2005, p.4) says ‘[anime texts are] stimulating audiences to work through certain contemporary issues in ways that older art forms cannot.’
Hi, Bahram:
This is my answer for Question 3.
I think that Napier (2005) says anime is not “high” cultural genre/media, although it is not “low” cultural genre/media.
Napier (2005, p.14) says ‘the three modes used to examine anime are ones that go beyond any distinction between “high” and “low” culture or beyond any nation-specific site to illuminate in a timely fashion some of the major issues of global society at the time of the millennium.’
Hi Kimiko
As we know anime is a media. That is correct. But as I underestood form your answer, you mean that anime has not any genre. Can you explain more to me? Thanks.
Hi bahram;
I do not think anime is one of genres.
I think anime is a media/a mode like a vehicle that can present variety of genres.
Hi Group;
This is my answer for Question 4.
As I answered Bahram’s question, I do not think anime is one of genres. So, I cannot answer for this question. (I am also thinking my answer is not correct…? But, that is my understanding now.)
Hi, group;
This is my answer for Question 5 from Napier’s (2005) point of view that anime is culturally ‘located’ in ‘another world’.
Napier (2005) quotes the opinions of Japanese commentators. That is, ‘animated space has the potential to be context free, drawn wholly out of the animator’s or artist’s mind. It is thus a particularly apt candidate for participation in a transnational, stateless culture’ (Napier 2005, p.24). ‘[The] deliberate de-Japanizing of the characters is in keeping with their view of anime as offering an alternative world’ (Napier 2005, p.25).
Hi, group;
This is my answer for Question 5 from Cavallaro’s (2006) point of view that anime, especially Miyazaki’s animation style, bridges East and West.
Cavallaro (2006, p.6) says, ‘the films are woven from both cross-cultural elements and aspects’. ‘The collusion of East and West is paralleled by two further forms of thematic and structural interplay’ (Cavallaro 2006, p.9).
Hi, group and Dr Paul;
Firstly, I’d like to say about the English spellings in Question 6.
I think the correct spellings are ‘shoujo’ and ‘syoujyo’. The ‘sho’ and ‘jo’ in the first spelling are American way when they occupied Japan, and the spellings are still used in Japan. The ‘syo’ and ‘jyo’ in the second spelling are Japanese original invention, and we also use the spellings. So, the spellings have no problem. However, ‘shojo’ and ‘syoJyo’ have a different meaning from ‘shoujo’ and ‘Syoujyo’ in Japanese. Only the difference is whether ‘u’ is used or not. But, in Japanese, ’shojo’ and ‘syojyo’ mean ‘virgin’, although ‘shoujo’ and ‘syoujyo’ mean ‘girl’.
Hi, group
This is my answer for Question 6.
According to Cavallaro (2006, p.11), ‘the term shoujo literally means “little female” and is commonly used designate girl aged 12 or 13.’
Then, Cavallaro (2006, p.11) quotes the explanation of Tamae Prindel. Tthat is, ‘What fascinates the Japanese is that the shoujo nestle in a shallow lacuna between adulthood and childhood, power and powerlessness, awareness and innocence as well as masculinity and femininity’. However, in Miyazaki’s films, ‘the average shoujo is portrayed as a passive being suspended in something of a timeless dreamland, Miyazaki’s heroines are active, independent, courageous and inquisitive’ (Cavallaro 2006, p.11). ‘Through positively adventurous and risk-taking, Miyazaki’s heroines are concurrently depicted as compassionate, gentle and magnanimous’ (Cavallaro 2006, p.11). ‘Miyazaki’s films simultaneously deal in imaginative ways with gender and sexual relations, depicting intriguingly ambivalent characters that frequently transcend stereotypical notions of femininity and masculinity’ (Cavallaro 2006, p.11).
Hi everyone
Sorry for a late comment as this is the busiest time of the semester. However, I’ll try to have something written down for our discussion
Is anime a genre or a media? Is it a branch of film or another mode?
First of all, let’s see what anime is. Napier (2005) simply defines anime as ‘Japanese cartoons’ gives no sense of the depth and variety that make up the medium.
Napier also reveals that many definitions in the west try to explain anime by comparison to American animation, specifically Disney. Also, the Time article tries to answer the question by suggesting that in comparison to Disney “anime is all kinds of differents...” Napier further believes that anime is kids’ cartoons: Pokemon yes, and Sailor Moon… It is also doomsday fantasies, (Akira), schize – psycho thrill machines, sex and samurai sagas.
However, the insistent comparisons with Disney show the fact that anime does not deal with what American viewers would regard as cartoon situations, but audiences are accustomed to seeing in live-action films – romance, comedy, tragedy, adventure etc.
Additionally, Napier says that animated works are a major part of the output of Japanese studio, and animated films are also far more important in Japan than in the west.
Therefore, I think, to answer the question, anime can be another mode, it can be a branch of film too, and it can be a genre as well. Anime is also a media, as Napier (2005) says that anime is complex and fascinating medium, and it is fascinating variety of genres (p.14).
Hello bloggers!
.Is anime a high or low cultural genre/media, according to Napier (2005)?
According to Napier (2005), anime has roots in high cultural forms and may often be a challenging art form.
The culture to which anime belongs at present is a “popular” or a “mass” culture in Japan, and exists in America as a sub culture. However, this situation may well change. (Napier, 2005, p.4)
He also reveals that anime is a popular cultural form that clearly builds on previous high cultural traditions. Not only the medium shows influences from such Japanese traditional arts as Kabuki and the woodblock print (originally popular culture phenomena themselves), but it also makes use of world wide artistic traditions of twentieth century cinema and photography.
Moreover, the issues it explores, often in surprisingly complex ways, are ones familiar to readers of contemporary high culture literature (both inside and outside Japan) and viewers of modern art cinema (Napier, 2005).
In fact, anime texts entertain audiences around the world on the most basic level, but, equally importantly, they also move and provoke viewers on other levels as well, stimulating audiences to work through certain contemporary issues in ways that older art forms cannot.
Napier further reveals that, because of their popular reach, they affect a wider variety of audiences in more ways than some less accessible types of high culture exchange have been able to do.
So, I think, anime is a high cultural media.
Hi friends
I want to add to my explanation about question 1. Is anime a genre or a media? Is it a branch of film or another mode? As Napier said anime can be the kids of cartoons. I think it is in fact an art from that incorporates all genres found in movie, TV and so on. I think anime is mode and it can be a genre as well as. Anime is also a media, as Napier (2005) says “that anime is complex and fascinating medium, and it is fascinating variety of genres “(p.14).
Hi Group:
For Question 7…
I’m sorry. This is my privilege as Japanese.
I can identify variety of genres of anime.
There are comedy, tragedy, romance, fantasy, horror, thriller, SF, etc, etc… There are the remake versions of fable, myth, movie, manga, literature (include in Eastern (not only Japanese but also Chinese, Korean, etc) and Western classic and modern stories), etc, etc…
Moreover, we have lots of anime works as educational materials. For example, there are lots of works based on historical facts used as the teaching materials in the field.
Hi Group:
For Question 8…
Although I love the landscapes in the works of Studio Ghibli, I’d like to know what do you think the film as non-Japanese, too.
Hi Kimiko
I as non-Japanese can say that it was different animation art by Miyazaki. At a result he was Oscar-winning as director and writer. Everything in the film was excellent and in the high level of arts. I have enjoyed and never forgot it.
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