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Do you think anime is or should be classified as cartoons?
Do you think they're cartoons?
Do you care?

I myself think anime covers way too many genresand ratings to just be cartoons. But that's my opinion. What about you?

Well i would say that i believe that anime can be much more then just a cartoon, its can even be a equal to nay movie for me. But as i voted it depends on the show ,movie, or type of anime. Like say something as bad as DBZ, thats a bad cartoon to me. But a movie like Princess Moniyoko (forgot how to spell it), was wonderful and as good as any movie to me. I have grown to like anime a lot i even draw anime (im actually not bad), so anime is very important to me, but still i could do without some (example. DBZ DB DBGT Pokemon and so on). Most creators of anime ushally put adult rating on them so they get adults to appreciate the work gone into these movie or shows.

What else is anime?Its not live action or CG...therefore it is a cartoon.Anime means cartoon from Japan.No matter how you *try*to make it out,thats all they will ever be.

Anime is animated. Cartoons are animated.

I just, for some reason, don't like when people refer to anime as cartoons...don't ask why

Of course anime are cartoons. No, I don't care; why should I? Nothing wrong with cartoons.

Hardcore fans will want to say "foul" as would calling a manga a comic book. I'm not hardcore, but I still differentiate both type of mediums.

Anime covers a lot of ground from kiddy cute, blood and gore, pornography, etc. Most cartoons that are being associated are geared predominantly towards the younger crowd, with exception of things like Fritz or the Heavy Metal series (both also found in a comic book medium).

Depending on where you live, animes may or may not appear to be cartoons to the general populace as well. Cardcaptors for example, was butchered when it came to the United States, but if it left subjects of adult to minor relationships and homosexuality (apparently still not generally accepted) as the Japanese version had, then people may classify it a little bit more.

And on mangas, they cover far more subject matters than regular comics. There is even ones on cooking.

Even without any censorship, Batman: the Animated Series was far more mature than Card Captor Sakura, Pokemon, or Digimon--dispite the fact that they're all "kid's" cartoons. I admit that they're aren't many American cartoons aimed specifically at adults (the Spawn animated series is the only one that comes to mind). Many people I know consider Mask of the Phantasm (the first feature animated Batman film) to be one of the best animated films ever.

Comics cover a lot more teratory than most non-comic fans seem to realize. I doubt that you could name a major genre, and are geared for a much wider audience. If you want comics geared for adults, for example, you owe it to yourself to check out DC's Vertigo line.

Interesting opinions...
I do agree that just because something is animated that doesn't mean that it's a cartoon. To me, most cartoons are geared towards little kids, and have no real plot. (E.g. Spongebob Squarepants)
Anyway, please keep posting.

Then your friends really need to widen there venison, cause that movie is made right for kids, there was no adult theme's at all.

I am also a comic fan but i think i can say that it goes either way some comics do go in a "lot more territory" but some times there animated counter part is better to (exp. Bleach).

You have got to be kidding me. Either that or you think that you need gore and nudity for "adult themes." Or you've never actually seen the movie. Or there are really a huge number of children's books about lost love and the extent to which personal vengeance can be justified, and I somehow missed them.

I dont need any of that, but even though i hate it i must admit those do help, but the real thing is no matter what you call it ,it is just another batman cartoon. I have seen it and i have hated it, i even remember the original batman cartoon better then that.
What cartoon now a days dont bring up lost love and vengeance, most of the batman bad guys want vengeance on something. And the whole batman thing is based on lost love and vengeance. Like his parents getting killed so he goes gets vengeance by becoming the batman. Im sorry but in the end it was just another batman Saturday cartoon episode to me.

Well, anime is still animation so it is a cartoon.What else could it be?

That doesn't mean those aren't adult themes, it just means that cartoons are getting more mature. Anyone who's seen the original and new TMNT cartoons could have told you that. And you could use that sort of logic to say that basically anything is immature. Is Princess Mononoke a kid's cartoon because it's theme is reminiscent of Captain Planet?

I think it does, because kids seem to be use to this stuff, its every day stuff to kids now a days. The standard of "kids stuff" is changing, just like the tolerance of swear words. 10 years ago you couldn't say *** on TV.
I agree with you there.
I could say Princess Mononoke is not a kids cartoon because of the violence and the mature story line, and all the morals that come with the movie (like the balance of humans and nature). And hate to say but this movie has nothing to do with Captain planet, that was about pollution, bu the movie was about humans and animals trying to fight for control.

The conflict between the humans and animals is caused by the human's destruction of the forest. The general theme--destruction of nature by humanity--is the same.

Times have changed where violence and other themes are more tolerated on television, but not to the level some animes are given (i.e. falling anvils on Looney Toon characters don't qualify the same as a death). Sure there are exceptions to the rule of genres beyond the kiddy theme, but there is not many alternatives to call it other than a cartoon or just animation.

Calling an anime a cartoon says it belongs to one or just a couple of categories and just doesn't give it justice. Animes are made with a different quality that is not always emphasized in other animated mediums. Sure there were a little heart wrenching scenes in Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, but an emotion twister doesn't justify a classification that the cartoons we associate with are on the level of animes. Otherwise, I would have said Beauty and the Beast the same way.

Captain Planet and Princess Monomoke? How can they be similar? Captain Planet, regardless, was geared towards children. The cast to conjure him were children to help children relate to these characters. Princess Monomoke has definitely more depth than this.

I would argue that a lot of anime (Sailor Moon, Dragonball Z, and so forth) aren't even close to the same "level" as a lot of American cartoons. And that's why I'm bothered by people who think that calling anime cartoons somehow "degrades" it.

Have you ever seen an anime called Blood: the Last Vampire? It had blood/gore, and that was all it had--the characters were card-board, and the plot could have been come up with by an average ten-year old: vampire hunter fights vampires! Woo! And yet, even though it has less plot and character interactions than the average Scooby Doo episode, people look at it and go, "Ooh, blood! What an adult-oriented animated feature!" I guess what I'm saying here is just because American cartoons are "cleaner" than the average anime, it doesn't mean they're necissarily less mature.

I'm not saying Captain Planet and Princess Mononoke are similiar, exactly; I'm saying that they have a similiar theme in that they're both concerned with the environment--this in response to someone who claimed that vengeance couldn't be an adult theme because it appears in a lot of kids shows.

Sorry for being ignorant but, I don't really care. Both are animations and are animated using Cels.

I have seen that movie and actually for a 45 minute movie it was pretty good. Saying "It had blood/gore, and that was all it had--the characters were card-board, and the plot could have been come up with by an average ten-year old" is something way off, your saying that a ten year old could come up with a very dark, Alone, independent girl that feel outcast because she is the last vampire, so she takes out her frustrations on other demons to save real humans because she really just wants to be like them "normal"? I think not. And if you didn't catch all the character points to get what i just typed out go watch it again, because she is dark and angry about life she doesn't talk much, so for lazy viewers i could see why u might have missed these character points, none of the other character are portrayed very much but they just want you to get the girl. And its a 45 minute movie c'mon. So i doubt a kid could think or even want to watch a movie about a vamp that doesn't even talk, or share her feeling or give great reasons why she will save the world blah blah blah.

I could have sworn that you did think they were similar, but ok. Any way as i said before captain planet was more about pollution and stopping the PEOPLE behind it, really nothing about animals other then they need the pollution gone to live to. Also CP was about the present and about technology hurting things, and talked about recycling and so on. PM was about nothing about polluting but making a world like ours today were we cut trees and hurt animals, so they rebel to keep there home. And with this all going on one kid tries to make a balance. I could go on with the many morals in thins movie but i think i could make a list go on for a awhile so i wont lol. So in the end there really nothing alike other then there a good guy and a bad guy and they fight lol, and there are animals in both.

you must be seeing some of those english translated ones. they're better than you think for the untampered ones. just don't watch that STUPID Sailor Moon Live version. really, a numbef of these cartoons are for a niche group and wouldn't be suitable for everybody.

LOL true enough those shows are better when not translated and censored, but not by much.

anime being cartoons is unthinkable how could you even think that at all

saliorsaturn101: I think it because it's obviously true. Any other idea is just some sort of eleatism, or something similiar--"I don't like cartoons, and I like anime, and since the dictionary bows to my whims, that means anime and cartoons are different things!" Unless you're actually defining cartoons as "western animation," I don't see how you could come to any other conclussion.

miahera: In my opinion, the dubs and censors just made a bad job worse. I've watched at least some of both series in Japanese (uncut), and I still think they're pretty bad, albeit with a few good moments scattered around.

Major Knight: I think that you're projecting ideas onto Blood:TLV that aren't actually there, but you can have the point if you want it, because I'm not going to rewatch the thing to find out. I really hated that movie.

cartoons are bugs bunny and daffy duck...
anime is anime. theres actually a plot and a 'story' to the series.

Well i know I'm not projecting anything, but highlighting things that are already in the movie.
Well a question could be asked that are you just, "seeing" the movie or are you actually "watching" the movie. The points i pointed out can be found easily by any normal adult viewer. But if you cant, i understand. Alot of people say they watch movies but never really get deep enough to actually say that they truly watched the movie. And anyone thats says a cheesy bat-man cartoon is more mature themed then Blood:TLV must have really not paid any attention to either movie.

I watched it. Poor angry/tortured soul, shedding tears over the monster she killed (really, the only good part of the movie), blah blah blah. Maybe this is hard for you to understand, but someone really can pay attention to a movie and still come to different conclussions about it than you do.

In the spirit of friendly inquiry (or something), I've just rewatched the thing. If you have something specific you think will support your interpretation of the main character, I'll be happy to consider it, but unless you can give me something specific, I'm going to continue to disagree. Although the action was better than I remembered.

The early Bugs Bunny and Daffy shows are not for kids,

Most of the gags Adults get, Like Duck Tracy.(Dick Tracy if you did not know) Pretty Adult like with the mobs, and guns, and dead bodys falling out of the closet.

And the rematch of Bugs vs the Turtle, Were after the mob rabbits, stop Bugs from winning and knew there mistake, they shoot them selfs, because thats what the mob does or die at the hand of the mob.

The old Bugs Bunny cartoons had Adult themes, They were the Mad TV of the cartoon world, and nothing like Micky Mouse.

And Anime is a Slyle of cartoon work.

As far as I can tell all Anime are cartoons. This doesn't somehow destroy it's credibility its just a simple fact. Trying to say that Anime is different to cartoons because they have a greater ability to use adult content makes no sense. Any cartoon could have adult content its just that the Japanese are better at accepting it.

Yes, I like the use of the word "style." But the word "cartoon" still doesn't give animes overall justice. Sure there are adult theme cartoons, but how was their plot and development? Sexual innuendos from a Tex Avery cartoon wouldn't convince me that it's an anime.

Batman could have strong relation, but when an audience watches it, we are not expected to be dazzled by the layout as many animes tend to achieve; we are not enamored by the support characters that litter the daily life of the main character. Sure the "bad guys" have their uniqueness, but they could easily be forgetten in the next panel as they will play no relevence or interference.

The Joker will never be forgoten, I mean when I watch MOTP, it may not be a Anime, but Hamill's Joker sure gives me the chills in that movie.

Hamill will never be forgoten as the Joker, and MOTP might had been his best work as the Joker.

but I agree calling it a cartoon does not give anime justice, Hell the old Looney Toons shows were more than Cartoons. They had adult humor, and gags, that FIT the era.

The depression, with Bugs on the bench, and these big movie stars are down right broke, Yes people relate to Bugs because they been thoguh the depression.
Or Sam brings back the old cowboy days. I never consider Looney toons just a cartoon, that would not give them justice either.

Both shows had diff styles. Looney Toons imo is not just a cartoon, they are made for Adult humor and gags,

Anmie deals in there art work real life and such(By the art work)

That's the same with a lot of anime. Do you remember the name of the gang that Lina Inverse fights at the beginning of Slayers? How many fans does Raditz have, I wonder? Relatively trivial villians (Raditz, Clock King, Soaring Henya, and a host of others) are remembered slightly, or forgotten, while major villians (Joker, Shishio) are remembered. That's natural, and nothing to do with anime/cartoons.

Maybe I didn't phrase it correctly. The villain usually doesn't cross over in the next episode or will have any effect. My apologies Joker1237. He isn't forgettable.

I suppose the term of supportive characters as an example is obscure, as series such as Pokemon, Sailor Moon, etc. have their relative one-episode only characters. Yet, despite this, a number of these characters have faces unlike your average run of the mill extras (i.e. Scarface's entourage). They often times react to the main characters rather than fade in and out (exceptions would include something like an army of soldiers, ninjas, etc.).



There can be certain characters that will create an impression for some people beyond the battle costumes. This by no means say that all animes are a masterpiece. You will not see me compare DeVadasy with Neon Genesis anytime soon.

Cowboy Bebop is a good anime, but I forget most of the Villians, sure I rember a few, but most of them are forgoten in my head.

Again I like the show, and watch it when Cartoon Network puts it on. But I just forget about the villians.

Anime are not cartoons...cartoons are usually non-violent comical things...

Than by that way Bugs Bunny is not a cartoon,
Anime are cartoons, hate to say it but it is.

I loved Bugs Bunny though.

There is cartoony/humorous violence and the occasional groaning, agonizing in pain type of violence. Sometimes you see a cut lip for on television cartoons, but other ones can illustrate blood and gore, but violence alone doesn't make up anime.

I'm surmising the dedicated writers want to illustrate anime as though they are appraising a ceramic piece in a tea ceremony. Others however, just appeal to no nonsense fun or other categories. Cartoons often times try to appeal to the latter.

How is bb not cartoon and anime cartoon?
This makes no sense to me...
I accept that some people call anime cartoons and some don't, but how do you classify a character that has been called cartoon since before a lot of us were born as not a cartoon?



And as has already been stated fifty million times, the reason some of s consider anime above cartoons is because of all it encompasses. Most other types of animation are geared to a specific audience and are solely for comedy. A few throw in some toching or serious moments, but overall, it's funny.

I find cartoons to be a show/comic/etc that's drawn. No matter what the genre; comedy, action, drama, I consider them to be cartoons. They're all drawn and have people acting the voices only.

Bugs was more than "JUST" a cartoon, the guy is a AMERICA ICON.

Like I said before, He came in the depression, That was a time period, were Americas were down on there luck, and Bugs, made people laugh.

Bugs is the only drawn cartoon, to get a medal for his serivce in World War 2. A real Medal from the Marines. He help sell War Bonds and such.
He made people laugh in hard times, With War, and Death and such.

Bugs is MORE than a cartoon.

In my opinion, most anime has a far deeper and moving plot then cartoons ever have (at least the ones I watched) anime is much more believing and plus the way the art is drawn is different to a cartoon. Thats why I'd class it differently

Going back to the old BATMAN TAS, that had a very deep plot.

Fear of Victory, or Maybe Dreams of Darkness,

But the best Batman TAS with a Deep plot is Heart of Ice.

Were Mr Freeze first comes in, for reveage, for the death of his wife(Later brought back to life.)

I like it would Batman is frozen to a roof, And Freeze says, I would take 1000 lives to feel the heat of the sun, Blah Blah Blah,(I forgot the speech, but it was moving.)

Or what about Joker's Favor, Were Charlie had to do what the Joker said, to protect his famly. You can feel the fear Charlie had, on the phone with the Joker.

"Charle" Joker
"Wrong number, pal, This is Don' Charlie

Oh this is the right number, even though you moved your family to Springfild, And change your name to Don Wallace, Some people might be thinking you were cutting out on our little Deal.
Now listen Charlie Brown, your book on the next flight to Gotham, Tell the family you have to visted a sick freind.

And keep this to our selfs ok?? BAD things happen to people that Gosship.

Anime is not the only type of Cartoon that has deep plots.

Mud of Clay is other one, and Twoface 1 and 2. Very deep plots.

Why are we still on Batman? If you really want to go into Batman plot and blah, blah, blah, please find a place to start a thread on it.

Anyway, I didn't think this was going to be such a big issue. Please do not criticize others' opinions.

Heavy Metal 1 had a deep plot though.

Isn't Anime Japanese for cartoon though??

Well in my opinion, i'd say no, there just to advanced to be a mere cartoon. They deal with too many real life ideas and 'meanings' Unlike our version of cartoons, anime can atually teack you things about life.
Well thats just my idea ~ BLUE

of course not there is a line that is very big inbetween them both and you have relize what it is because if not then you are niav

sorry i think i got off track there but am i not right?

way I see it, cartoons are animation- so animation are cartoons.

they're more sophisticated cartoons, but still cartoons.

no not at all anime is done up beter then any cartoon ive ever seen

Eactly. Anime are Japanese cartoons made by Japanese. And manga are Japanese comics. It doesn't matter how comple they story is or how nice the artwork is, it doesn't change what they are. It's a simple as that.

well yes but i like comtlicating things so there

It's not really complicating things. Trying to convince others that anime is anything more than Japanese cartoons is incorrect, which makes those who claim it's something more look like they don't know what they're talking about.

So anime is a different kind of cartoon than American cartoons.

yes it is i just cant get people to under stand that consept at all i have to let the world know but lets try some thing here what r the diffs between them so that others will under stand?

Well Japanese cartoons are just as different as Italian or German cartoons. >_> Of course, many countries dub anime and broadcast it on tv, the same way "power puff girls" or some other American cartoon would be dubbed. Take Lion King for example. There must be so many dubbed versions out and about.

One interesting thing though... Japanese tend to categorize anime similar to manga, since most anime comes from manga. They categorize by sex and age group. They're genre make up the different target groups of the manga. http://www.anthy.com/lumina/manga/genres.htm describes it well enough.

So one cannot describe an anime and simply say that it's an "action" anime, you should to say whether or not it's shoujo, shounen or whatever.

yes yes thats what i think i just never put it in to words

Yeah... I see what you mean now. There's also a lot, lot more anime to categorize than American cartoons on cable tv in Japan vs here.

Animax is a Japanese station that dedicates itself to just anime. Japanese pay extra for that channel though. http://www.animax.co.jp/

http://www.animax-asia.com/ is the English site. Animax is offered in many countries, but not the United States... At least not yet. If you look at the tv schedule, you'll get a good idea of the actual ratings of anime too. Things like Wolf's Rain and Stand Alone Complex only get a PG rating.

ya they are but what i dont get is why partens dont like it that you whach them when they have ratings and i would bet every thing that if they found 1 that they had liked then it would be alright

Well, it has to do with the culture. Japanese TV can be a lot more graphic, but at the same time, they don't really have too many shows like Law&Order and so on because their crime isn't such a problem compared to the United State's. So the quality of programming is different.

Their cartoons are more serious and carry morals and so on... Characters in their cartoons die, male characters cry, and more serious issues can pop up. Even though Sailor Moon is a kid show, their were lesbians in it. Now, for Japan, the audience can (for the most part), be alright with that, but America's audience isn't used to that sort of thing in their cartoons. InuYasha is also a child's show, but since their is blood, some death, and some sexual content, it's seen as a show for an older audience... The dialog is often dumbed down in dubs, due to the idea that people aren't supposed to think when watching cartoons as well.

hi everybody

Anything thats animated is a cartoon. No getting around it.

*Sighs* Ok, so in being technical, anime is cartoons. But it seems that some of us say that they are very different because of what they have. As has been said by others, I have no problem with cartoons...well the old ones like Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry...and there are anime that I would call just a cartoon. Bur I still call a cartoon something you put little kids down to watch after school or on Saturday morning. So for example, I would not call Hellsing a cartoon.

to me crtoons are animated for little kids now from the ages of 13 and over anime/manga is way different no matter wat anyone says though wat the japense make could be only cartoons for them

I think it depends on the anime. The difference in a cartoon and a anime is the art in it. Now some people would not consider Anime a art, but I think it is one in itself. Also cartoons are meant to be funny "normally" but anime just go's way past that. Some anime like (Wich, mega man, anything you see on Saturday morning ) which I can not stand- is a kids anime which I could say is cartoon in a way.