Thread: Avatar: the last airbender - Anime or not?

well i understand that it may not be authentic anime but you have to agree that it deals with more oriental concepts than most animes do. i think it was america's best shot at anime and yeah it may not met the standars but it ain't so bad. i like the plot it's really intersting and it kinda does have a exotic feel to it, still the graphics could have been more anime influenced, if they had been more traditionally anime then i guess people would consider it anime.

Originally Posted by sangogirl

well i understand that it may not be authentic anime but you have to agree that it deals with more oriental concepts than most animes do. i think it was america's best shot at anime and yeah it may not met the standars but it ain't so bad. i like the plot it's really intersting and it kinda does have a exotic feel to it, still the graphics could have been more anime influenced, if they had been more traditionally anime then i guess people would consider it anime.

See, that's what I wanted to get people to understand. They get so stubborn, you know?

I hope this will help, and not fuel to the fire.
Definition of Anime
The American Heritage Dictionary, 4th edition:
(Japanese, short for animeshon, animation, from English animation
A style of animation developed in Japan, characterized by stylized colorful art, futuristic settings, violence, and sex.
Wikipedia:
Anime is an abbreviation of the word animation. (outside of Japan the term most popularly refers to animation originating in Japan. To the West, not all animation is considered anime, anime is considered a subset of animation.
Note key words in examples. It's a style developed (not exclusively made in) in Japan.
&
In the West not all animation is anime.Anime is a subset of animation.
Some argue that if it's not made in Japan, it's not anime. While in Japan, it's not anime just because it's made in Japan. Anime is a STYLE of animation that started in Japan. That does not mean only made in Japan. Now if we are to draw a conclusion from these two examples, then me would have to say that the Avatar could indeed be considered anime.
If we are to go by the strict "Japan made" definition, then are we to say that if a famous anime maker from Japan moves to (for arguments sake lets say America) American, and they start to create anime written, created, and marketed from America... Then by the strict "made in Japan" definition what they have created is not anime.
I had an email buddy who was from Japan (she had lived in the USA while attending collage, but returned to Japan), and I once asked her what "they" considered anime. She told me that "anime is a type of animation that has a certain feel and look.". I asked her if it was something only the Japanese can do. She responded "No, we consider any animation that follows the same principles, to be a part of what we consider anime. I think I'll continue listening to her, she would know.

Originally Posted by anika

Avatar is clearly american and the definition of anime is cartoons drawn in japan so no it can"t

Yeah! I get the pint... I'd agree with him myself... Besides, the characters on the upper area of their logo or welcome screen or whatever you call the thing which has a designed title on it after the intro of each episode are chinese... I highly doubt it's actually anime... Is there even a japanese dubbed version of the series?

Originally Posted by Umbriel

I once asked her what "they" considered anime. She told me that "anime is a type of animation that has a certain feel and look.". I asked her if it was something only the Japanese can do. She responded "No, we consider any animation that follows the same principles, to be a part of what we consider anime. I think I'll continue listening to her, she would know.

That's very odd... because it isn't true. Unless by "the same principals" you mean "a series of still images presented in quick succession to give the illusion of movement."

The Japanese use the word "anime" as an ~exact~ equivalent to the term "animation". There's no distinction at all made between styles, places of origin, etc.

Scooby Doo is anime. Powerpuff girls is anime. Flash animation is anime. Dragonball Z is anime. Bambi is anime.

Any distinction made is made for the benefit of foreigners.

Originally Posted by crimson

Besides, the characters on the upper area of their logo or welcome screen or whatever you call the thing which has a designed title on it after the intro of each episode are chinese... I highly doubt it's actually anime... Is there even a japanese dubbed version of the series?

What does that have to do with the price of cabbages? Japanese animation is full of nonsensical english: does that exclude it from the running? Meanwhile Teen Titans is full of Japanese characters that mean absolutely nothing: does that mean it's any more "Japanese"?

Likewise, what bearing does a Japanese dub have on the show? "Star Wars: Clone Wars", "Looney Tunes" and "Kim Possible" all have very popular Japanese dubs O-o;

Not sure how any of this plays into the argument.

there is more that one style of anime drawing for anime/cartoons. can the style of drawing say it can be an anime or not. can the style of drawing for a show such as powerpuff girls say it a cartoon or not compare to the style of dbz or naruto say it can be an anime or not. so im saying yes it is an anime show

Originally Posted by tsurara

That's very odd... because it isn't true. Unless by "the same principals" you mean "a series of still images presented in quick succession to give the illusion of movement."

The Japanese use the word "anime" as an ~exact~ equivalent to the term "animation". There's no distinction at all made between styles, places of origin, etc.

Scooby Doo is anime. Powerpuff girls is anime. Flash animation is anime. Dragonball Z is anime. Bambi is anime.

Any distinction made is made for the benefit of foreigners.

Okay.... Where to start???

Why do I feel like I was just told to stand in the corner?

I see your from Japan, so I suppose you would know more than me on this. However I did say I wanted to help, not fuel the flames. Also I did note my sources. Nothing I said was mine, but theirs.

Below I have copied a section from my first post. Note the underlined parts. Also I did list which books/sites (The American Heritage Dictionary, 4th edition & Wikipedia) I took the definitions from, so if it's not true I am sorry, but I did copy it from them.

[I had an email buddy who was from Japan (she had lived in the USA while attending collage, but returned to Japan), and I once asked her what "they" considered anime. She told me that "anime is a type of animation that has a certain feel and look.". I asked her if it was something only the Japanese can do. She responded "No, we consider any animation that follows the same principals, to be a part of what we consider anime. I think I'll continue listening to her, she would know.]

As for any of it being untrue... The definitions are just that, definitions. I did not write them, I just copied them. Sorry. As for anything SHE may have said, she said it, not me, again sorry.

principals was her word, not mine. I don't recall asking her what she may have meant by that, As I recall I just accepted the statement as is.

Wow, I never thought I'd be on the other end of one of your slap-downs. You know a great deal, and I respect that. I always enjoy your posts. Sorry if you felt I said anything untrue. I merely repeated what I have been told, and I copied (from the noted sources) definitions.