It is a misconception to think that anime (Japanese animation) is a childhood hobby. The plots of some stories are in no way inferior to serious full-length films. Characters experience, grow, develop, find themselves in different situations, live.
One of the advantages of Japanese animation is a wide selection of films presented, both in genre and in duration. Finding something to your liking is not difficult. It is enough to pay attention to three components.
The target audience:
- kodomo - for children (up to 12 years old): ideological content is absent or greatly simplified;
- shounen - for older boys and young men (from 12 to 16-18 years old): a dynamic plot, a quick change of events, themes of male friendship, rivalry, the adventures of a small permanent team of characters who are fighting with someone are often shown;
- shojo - for older girls and girls (from 12 to 16-18 years old): in the plot, as a rule, the theme of love, romance is developed, the images of the characters are revealed in detail. Animes that tell about the adventures of girls endowed with magical powers belong to the same genre;
- seinen - anime for adult men (from 18 to 25-40 years old): it is more realistic than shojo, a romantic line may be present, but the plot is not tied to it, the characters of the characters are also well developed, it may include elements of psychology, satire, eroticism.
- josei - anime or manga for women: most often describes the daily life of a woman living in Japan.
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Detective, Action, Romance, etc.
- by surroundings: cyberpunk, steampunk, school history, everyday life, science fiction, fantasy, etc.;
- on the psychology and goals of the characters: spokon (about sports achievements made due to the desire to win), sentai (about a team of superheroes), maho-shojo (about witch girls), harem (the main character is surrounded by a large number of characters of the opposite sex);
- by the presence and detail of sex scenes: etchi (erotica), hentai (porn), yaoi (homosexual relationships), yuri (lesbian relationships).
Format: TV series or feature film
The stereotype that in the anime "childish" art (big eyes, funny faces) is not justified. There are many paintings differing in detailed drawing of faces, gestures, poses. Realistic vivid landscapes, stunningly accurate facial expressions, attention to small details are admirable. Of course, this is more true for feature films than for TV series. However, they also have their own charm, when, according to the expression of the eyes, the pose is clear without words the character's attitude to what is happening.
The musical accompaniment deserves a separate mention. The opening video (opening) reflects the character of the anime, its style, adjusts for viewing, setting a certain atmosphere. The final video (ending theme) is calmer, showing the final credits. Music and songs are usually written specifically for a particular anime. This is a definite plus, as the music itself reflects the content of the anime.
Fans of Japanese animation prefer original voice acting and use subtitles for translation. It is the original voice acting that allows you to immerse yourself in the depth of expression of the character's emotions. The fact is that I voice the anime by specially trained people - seiyuu. In Japan, this is a separate specialization. The choice of voice for this or that character is very important for revealing his character. There is an anime with an official professional dubbed translation into Russian. There are not many of them, mostly unprofessional translation can be found.
Anime is a whole world of new colors and sensations. He has a right to exist and finds more and more fans all over the world.
