Thread: American Japanese-like art: is it plagiarism?

Grumble Grumble Grumble

It's really more 'influence' then 'plagiarism'... You can tell your art teacher that the practice of 'Big Eyed' characters comes from Osamu Tezuka, (also known as the father of Japanese Manga/Anime,) who admitted an influence in his early works from 'Betty Boop' and other character from the US Fleischer Studios in the late 1940s... So ask her if this is case of 'plagiarism'...

Fleischer Studios - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Your art teacher doesn't know Jack-Squat about copyright law.

In the case of drawn art work, plagiarism only occurs when two things happen:

1. You have Copied a work in its entirety or in part (But that part encompasses the majority of the work)
2. Claim the work to be your own completely.

If your characters are completely original, then no copyright has been infringed upon, therefore no plagiarism has occurred.

Just because your art work fits a particular style, as long as the subject matter that you are creating is original to you, no plagiarism can occur since the majority of the work is original. Example: You paint a Cubist painting, are you plagiarizing Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, the pioneers of Cubism? Hardly, your only creating art work in a particular style.

Then remind your art teacher that the whole basis of all modern art stems from people coping other peoples work, this dates back to the times of Da Vinci, and most likely all the way back to cavemen painting on walls.

If your art teacher is worth his weight in salt, he should know that.

And even if someone did 'own' the anime art style, it's so prevalent in the world that the style as passed into what is called "Public Domain", meaning that the public is free to do with it as it pleases.

Yes, i agree! And i'm not the only one struggling with this at school. She tells students in all her classes that anime is plagerism and most of my otaku friends are appalled. Even people who i know who don't like anime find her comments stupid.

She probably doesn't even know that there are americans who are making a living out of anime drawn style, like the people featured in Mangaka.

But i do hope that it isn't true that colleges look down on anime-inspired things. I heard this before elsewhere, before i entered high school, but if it isn't accepted, then art schools are close minded.

Being accused of plagiarism is a serious matter. The kind of thing that can get you expelled from Colleges and Universities.

If your teacher is accusing you of plagiarizing someone's work, it is THE EXACT SAME THING as being accused of stealing something from a store

If you do not agree with your teachers position on the matter (A position that is wrong), get your parents involved and have them talk to your principal. , if you parents don't know much about copyright law, have them read my post, or they can email me, and I can explain more in detail.

Me thinks your art teacher just doesn't like Anime in general, and is in fact, a difficult art style to pull off and master.

If I was your parent, I'd rip your art teacher a new one for accusing my child of being a thief.

You can get into art school if you draw anime/manga-esque work, as long as you make it your own. I've seen a lot of anime inspired work in my time at art school, however I don't think teachers are really into students who have already committed to a style when they're still young and learning.

If I were you, I'd experiment with many different types of styles, heck when I first started drawing I had crappy How To Draw Manga books scattered around, but I made it my own and I'm happier with myself for it. However, even after you experiment if you find yourself loving anime more and more, stick with it.. whatever it's all about enjoying your own artwork.

thanks, this really has given me insite =D. My mom has been pissed of at my teacher's comments before, but we'll definately handle my teacher if she accuses me again. the way i draw has been all from my head, and my own ideas and i want that to be regonized. i wonder if anyone else has had to go through this like i and some of my friends have.

and just as a side note, i know this popular art high school that began allowing kids to submit work anime-inspired just recently, but before they were against it. i'm begining to wonder if this has always been an issue.

but thanks again.

Your teacher is an idiot. You can major in arts at pretty much any institute with little to no recommendations. Besides, saying something that dumb is akin to saying that anyone who tries their hand at impressionism is plagiarising Degull. It has no validity. Remember a lot of people think all anime characters are teh same though, don't let the closed minded get to you. All good artist have mentors and influences.