In todays culture I personally think its incredibly important to have an understanding, of anime, and to watch closely with how they set up their storytelling. All through High school i didn't think very highly of anime, until one day I sat down opened Netflix and binged almost everything. The first anime I watched out of sheer luck was Gurren Lagann. Which was Easily one of the most inspiring pieces of animation I have seen to date. It tackles everything I could ever think of in a story narrative, in only 24 episodes. It typically takes at least 50 episodes of a typical show to accomplish half of what Gurren Lagann did. It centers around a young boy named Simon who literally digs his way out from under the dirt, and into the stars using sheer will and courage, as well as moral support from his friends. As cheesy as it may sound it sells the message by using giant mechas as the enemy, and regular people outwitting, and being united. It really inspired me personally to hopefully tell a tale like it some day.
However enough of Gurren Lagann, I also grew up watching dragon ball, and loving the training sequences, that always led up to the martial arts tournament, it's now that I realize that most of the anime I love, is about showing that hard work, a positive attitude, and determination all pay off if you never stop, and I think these morals are very spot on to how people should try to live their life. Im not saying you should run around being the next Goku, but to find something you love and stick with it. Thats a very powerful thing to show in a kids show.
Some shows today that clearly show the curve of western animation, with a anime blend are shows like Steven Universe, and Bee and Puppycat. Steven Universe introduces same sex relationships in a very beautiful subtle way, that doesn't leave you with any question in your mind, It shows that it should be as natural as the hair on your head, a very powerful message. Example: of how natural and subtle the show is, but delivers a very strong message that can be sensitive today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q-RSGsTI-0
Overall I think many shows should start moving in the direction of anime, not only for the story messages, but also for the short episode count. With shorter amounts of set up episodes the more powerful your story will most likely be by the end. There isn't much of a need for fillers today. I thnk it would be wise to follow the example of some of the stronger works of anime. However i can't say all animas is great, there are plenty of, just like american shows, bad ones too.
It's interesting how much anime has grown in Western culture, as in the 90s it was a niche market that catered to a very specific demographic, but now you have to go out of your way just to avoid it if you wanted. I'm very happy to see how much anime has ignited this generation's enthusiasm for identity and artistic awareness. Just about everyone, even non-artists can identify a Miyazaki film and tell you why it is a good film.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started drawing and writing, anime was a major component of that learning process, and I began as most just starting out would, and that was by copying everything I liked. As I grew and developed a better understanding of my craft I began to focus more on what I could do myself and not what my version of something else was. Eventually I found that I there was a great distance from myself and anime in general. I will gladly sit down and watch an anime friends suggest, but you won't see me cosplaying any time soon.
This is why I agree with your comment about Dragonball. I remember watching it on Toonami (which is where anime began for me) and how finding inspiration at an early age enabled me to cultivate my interests in the things I enjoyed. Deciding I wanted to do comics came much later, but I'm pleased with the path.
I do worry sometimes about a distinction that people who like anime should make, but don't. Some friends of mine are so engrossed in anime and (by extension) Japanese culture that they become obsessed with is and inject it into their everyday lives. Unfortunately, many friendships of mine ended because of this reason. It became the crux of any conversation or activity, and eventually I would ask to talk about something else. I'm friends with many anime enthusiasts, and many of them go here at Ringling, but everyone I know here has a sophisticated level of maturity that they can make that distinction easily.
I don't have any plans to get back into anime anytime soon, as it's just not my thing anymore, but that shouldn't suggest that I don't respect it or would sit down and watch it sometime. I gladly would.