Category: Animation

Within the last ten to fifteen years, shows like South Park, Family Guy, Futurama, and American Dad have been creating huge crowds of followers.

These shows are unique in that they are animated, and animation allows for greater freedom of expression and more watering down[footnoteRef:10] of what may seem offensive when real actors are used – things like violence, bodily functions, and even stereotypes are depicted with less grit[footnoteRef:11] than would be in real life. [10: Watering down: to make something weaker] [11: Grit: strength]

The question is: Are these portrayals – especially the stereotypes – positive or harmful? Are these shows making fun of stereotypes, or are they really just continuing the damage?

The show South Park is known for its stinging[footnoteRef:12] social and political commentary, and the show’s creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have won several Emmy awards because of it. But within the social commentary – whether it be on the environment, the homeless, or illegal immigration – some serious stereotypes emerge. [12: Stinging: the quality of being harsh or cruel ]

There’s the stereotype of the flaming gay man, portrayed through the characters of Mr./Mrs. Garrison (who went through sex-reassignment surgery from male to female, and back again), Big Gay Al, and Mr. Slave. And there’s the stereotype of the disabled child – Jimmy, who walks with the support of braces and stutters when he speaks, and Timmy, a boy in a wheelchair who can’t say anything other than his own name when he speaks.

There’s also Sharon and Sheila, the nagging housewives, Randy the doofus husband, and others. And while these stereotypes in and of themselves can be problematic, especially when taken to the extreme (something South Park is known for), they can also be used to make a statement or challenge the status quo[footnoteRef:13]. [13: Status quo: existing state of affairs ]

Through the stereotype of the schoolteacher Mr./Mrs. Garrison, we see the promotion of children’s acceptance of LGBTQIA+ teachers in the classroom. Jimmy and Timmy, who often go on crazy adventures together, give voice —and even more importantly, action — to disabled children on television, where often there is very little.

Meanwhile, Seth MacFarlane’s Family Guy — a show similar in style to South Park — has its own share of potentially problematic stereotypes. One of the most popular of these is the character Consuela — the town’s Mexican-American maid who speaks broken English, and always wears a uniform and rubber cleaning gloves, while walking around spraying everything with Windex. Problematic? Probably.

But one could argue that if we look more closely at Consuela’s character, we could see that she is more than just the stereotypical Latina housemaid. Oftentimes, her character behaves in a way that lends us to believe that she is fully aware of the oppressive, stereotypical situation that she’s in and acts accordingly as the bitter character that she is.

In one such episode, the Griffin family’s youngest son Stewie (the talking baby) accuses Consuela of stealing his play money (with yet another stereotype that all maids are thieves). Consuela acknowledges that she’s taken the money and when Stewie demands that she return it, she responds with, “Come get, b*tch”.

But even if these hidden messages do exist beneath the stereotypes that overshadow them, are their meanings strong enough to shine through? Because even though Parker/Stone’s and MacFarlane’s intentions may be to expose problematic stereotypes by shining a spotlight on them, not everyone sees it that way.

After all, although there are many who watch these shows for pop-culture references, and can overlook the stereotypes, there are those who watch them specifically because the show makes fun of gay people, Asians, Italians, or whomever the viewer holds prejudiced views toward. And that’s never a good thing.

Family Guy in particular makes fun of people, cultures, and disabilities for no apparent reason, without the accompanying social commentary to diffuse the jokes. And I fail to understand how repeatedly making rape jokes, mocking how Asians drive, or picking on Michael J. Fox’s Parkinson’s-related mannerisms is funny, even in the name of “insult comedy.”

Computer animations are gaining popularity in movies and television. Traditional animation will undoubtedly continue to play a significant part in animation for many years to come. Apart from being faster and more cost efficient, computer animation offers several additional advantages. Because it is software-based, this streamlines the animation toolkit. Traditional animation is time-consuming and labor-intensive. The finished product involves many people and is fully handmade. In comparison to traditional animation, where errors are common and can have a substantial influence on the final product, computer animation enables more rapid and precise fixes. Another advantage of computer animation is its superior ability to represent motion. For instance, an edge loop is a collection of overlapping edges that facilitates movement. This approach enables the creation of fluid and organic movements.

Computer animation has several benefits and drawbacks. Additionally, computer animation is constrained by several factors. The animator is bound by the gear’s capabilities. As a result, the animation may be limited. On the other hand, traditional animation has less constraints on creativity because it is mostly done by hand and hence requires less technology. Another disadvantage is that, because computer animation is entirely dependent on software, expressions may not be conveyed as easily or as convincingly as they are with conventional animation.

People have known since the beginning of photography that photographs of a moving object captured in quick succession may be flipped through sequentially to create the illusion of a moving image. The use of animation has been around for a long time. Animation, such as cartoons and films, was made in black and white in the early 1900s. Backgrounds and cartoon graphics are limited to a bare minimum. Animation technology has come a long way from the early days of hand-drawn cartoons. The tools have improved. The term ‘animation’ refers to a visual representation of drawings that includes movement. A series of drawings is related and frequently photographed. When seen in rapid succession, the drawings have been discreetly adjusted between each frame to give the appearance of continuous movement inside the artwork.

Before 1910, the earliest animations were made from primitive drawings that were filmed one by one. It took a lot of time and effort because each minute of the film required hundreds of drawings. Animators used to use a technique called stop action animation. Before resuming the camera, the director adjusted, eliminated, or added objects to the shot while it was paused. This approach was used in live-action films such as ‘Trick Plays’. Flat animation was significantly more efficient for American firms’ ‘assembly-line techniques’ of generating animated films, therefore they swiftly abandoned dimensional animation in favor of flat animation. Consider Gumby (a three-dimensional character) vs Tweety Bird (a two-dimensional character). The invention of celluloid in 1913 eased the administration of animation. Rather than making many drawings, the animator may now build a complex backdrop or foreground and compress moving figures between numerous extra pieces of transparent celluloid, except where drawings are painted. It was no longer necessary to build the backdrop on a regular basis because it remained static and only the characters moved. It also gave the impression of depth, especially when foreground elements were framed. Emile Cohl and Winsor McCay, among others, created the first animated cartoon in 1910. The animation timeline then accelerates, with many films made over the next two decades, Winsor McCay’s ‘Gertie the Dinosaur’, premiered in commercial cinema theatres in 1914, is a landmark during this period. Warner Bros., MGM, and Disney Studios pioneered cartoon techniques in the 1920s and 1930s, creating complex cartoons by building ornate backgrounds and then superimposing animated figures on top of them using celluloid, a transparent film. With the introduction of sound in 1928 and the release of the first feature-length animated film, ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’, in 1937, Walt Disney catapulted animation to new heights.

Animated films have risen in popularity as a form of entertainment since Disney’s 1937 release of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’. Films like ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘Aladdin’, and ‘The Lion King’ have all been developed, produced, and distributed by Disney. These legendary animated feature films’ stories and characters have been engrained in our modern culture, with each generation loving them. These popular animated feature films have traditionally been created utilizing the difficult and time-consuming two-dimensional, hand-drawn cell animation approach. Cels (translucent cellulose acetate sheets used to paint animation frames) are no longer often utilized in animation nowadays. It may be photographed over other celluloids and/or a painted background because it is transparent. Cel animation is a time-consuming technique that demands meticulous preparation and attention to detail. The animation approach used now is more successful and significantly reliant on contemporary computer technologies.

Without the advancements in computer technology, remarkable animated films would not have been conceivable. On the other hand, computer technology is not a novel concept. Disney’s amazing works such as ‘Toy Story’, ‘Madagascar’, ‘Finding Nemo’, and ‘Up’ would not have been achieved without the use of computer technology. Previously, animators worked hard to create a tiny video, but today everything is computerized, and one can readily observe the progress of animation, how dramatically it has developed and carved out a unique niche for itself in the industry. “Computer animation revolutionized the animated picture business”, according to Buffy Naillon. “Today’s animation is more reliant on mathematical formulae than on the skill to draw”.

Consistent with PIXAR’s ‘four-stage process’, which includes development (which involves generating a plot), pre-production (which involves solving technological obstacles), production (which involves creating the film) and post-production (which involves ‘polishing’ the final product), today’s animation is extremely effective. It is a multi-step process that begins with the development of the film’s concept, continues with the creation of a story line, continues with pre-production and the resolution of all technical challenges, continues with production and the making of the film, and concludes with final changes and polishing.

We now have three-dimensional animated films that give the appearance of more realism. Everyone nowadays appreciates animated films. The stories are stunningly beautiful, yet they are also clear. Furthermore, the quality of animated films now is superior to that of previous generations. Smooth transitions between layouts are visible when animated films are watched in rapid succession. Seeing how animation techniques and approaches have evolved over time reveals how the process has evolved and continues to develop and add to the aesthetic of the media being produced.

I think that the use of 3D animation films has grown tremendously over the last few years. The first 3D animated series began with ‘VeggieTales’. It was created in 1993 and basically set the stage for other 3D animated films to come after. The first totally animated movie was ‘Toy Story’. Other films before it had used 3D animation to make bits and pieces but this was the first film that used it entirely. Another thing that made 3D animation so popular was the creation of Tim Burton’s films. I do expect this trend will continue. People are always asking for more of this style in sequels to the already well-known movies. It has also been noticed that many 3D animated films become huge box office hits.

When you film a regular movie with actors, the quality of the film mostly depends on the capabilities of the chosen actors. 3D animation does not have this problem because they animate exactly what the actors are supposed to do. This leaves no room for acting mistakes or slip-ups that we notice in many movies. I think one of the biggest forces driving this trend is Tim Burton’s movies as well as Pixar. It is very easy to tell that ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ and ‘Frankenweenie’ are stop-motion films. All movies by Tim Burton have a very distinct style that is very recognizable. Pixar, on the other hand, has created some of their best-selling movies, such as ‘The Incredibles’, by using 3D animation to create their films.

Another reason 3D animation films are so popular is because they are so realistic. Many people, including myself, enjoy watching films that they can relate to. When a film looks more realistic more people will enjoy watching it.

A common misconception about 3D animation films is that they are cheaper. In many cases a 3D animation film is much more expensive than a regular film with live actors. When you take into consideration the cost of the technology, they have to use to create realistic animations as well as the professionals that they have to pay to create all the parts of the animations, the films typically have a very large price tag. The most expensive animated film was ‘Tangled’. This movie had a budget of $260 million and most other animated films are not far behind. The upside of these large numbers is that the movies typically pull way more than the budget. These types of films are always a lot of money and contain even more hard work than dollars, but in the end, they pay off.

I would expect 3D animated films to take over all types of filming before I would expect them to lose popularity. This type of animation is a very fast-growing industry and creates jobs for all types of people. The type of films that are produced by using 3D animation is one of the most popular types of film that the industry has ever seen. I have never enjoyed watching a certain type of film as much as I enjoy 3D animated films.

What Is Cinematography?

“Cinematography is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work… when you go to church… when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth” (Morpheus).

We love cinema no matter how much the formats audiences and distribution may have changed. We have been telling stories in motion ever since the Lumiere brothers first. Brought us this gift and since that inception, great thinkers have attempted to explain our connection with it. They have said that movies are dreams but, there are windows in two worlds and lives that are not our own but, they allow us to sculpt in time but as poetic these descriptions are they capture the specificity of the art form and our ability manipulate it or if this is about the art of visual storytelling then the heart of cinema is cinematography. Now cinematography is not only about how we capture the action of the scene it is how we show that action to the audience. It just means that cinematography is all about communicating with the viewer take, but because the cinematography is often so beautiful and so emotional, it makes us assume that the murky process of filming movies must be built on some murky instinct, but instead, like all disciplines, cinematography is built on principles of concrete understanding because is a language. It sounds so simple, but it’s like zooming in on the atomic level, you get to see how it really works on people. Think about it in terms of a language analogy, words have meanings, sometimes a few of them, but they have clear definitions. We have verbs now in sentence structure these rules are critical to our use of language but also, we build on them, evolve them, invert them and use them ironically. The key understanding is that rules are at the heart of how we speak to each other and us understand of cinematography works the exact same way.

Now you may have all these things you want to do, and these cool shots ideas and you want to try and mimic or invent but there are still basics of the cinematic language that must be reckoned with. We must zero in on the specific words and meanings embrace the glossary of high angles low angles wide lenses depth of field color palate the more we understand the meaning of these words the better we understand the language of cinema like a language you must learn how to speak. For example, you were filming a scene and wanted to show that someone was really scared. The first tool, the cinematic language you would reach for is the high angle, the subject looks down on the victim cowering below showing the person in a place of being threatened. Now you could say all come on it just showing a person scared and that’s why you think that, but the language of cinema does more than that it emphasizes it’s not just about the information (what’s happening on screen), it’s the way that information. Is being shown the way it evokes emotion and makes it scarier. The way it goes right past the connection of our brains and dyes into our nervous system and can do this because it understands the perspective. Imagine if you pursued the opposite tack. For example, in ‘Jurassic World’, there is a scene and there’s a camera angle looking from the monster’s perspective and we wanted to no longer be with the monster looking down on the scared human and instead emphasize with her feeling, in that case, we would switch to a lower angle with her looking up at the monster our perspective would be her perspective. The monster would tower over us with menace and violence and makes us feel the same way she does. The great thing is we instinctively understand this these are the kind of things that happen in movies all the time just with a slider and more sublet emphasis. You think of that famous scene in the graduate, where Dustin Hoffman is being guided around at the party by his parents, they take up the sides of the frame dominating over him as he shrinks into the lower center, its same exact principle as the verts of horror movies shots, but just used in much more subtle conducts. The cinematography is obviously not a series of mechanical static angles. Cinema is alive, it moves and just like with angles, the way camera moves tells us something to the smoothness of the steadicams or tracking shots and stills us with confidence, ease and an omnipresent godlike ability to go through action with clarity and impunity a documentary style organic movement makes us feel uneasy like we were witnessing the real world. Dutch angles make us feel like the world is off-kilter skewed and we can use any number of techniques to go beyond the layers of surface and peer in at the people who lay under them to unfurl the world before us these tactics reveal the heart of cinematherapy where you put the camera doesn’t just allow you to tell the story it tells you what to think and feel about the story you are watching. Cinema is an effect the movie gods view and sometimes, it can seem like this movie god is actively investigating people, sometimes this movie god is trying to show us something about these people they don’t even want to show themselves because, the god of a movie universe is the storytellers behind the camera. Therefore, it is up to the cinematherapy to decide what they wish to communicate to emphasize to us make us feel something, you think that you want your action heroes to be unstoppable, cool, refreshing but doing so can easily lose the dramatic effect of a fallible hero in danger, making the audience feel that way to. Either way, it’s all about what you want to communicate to your audience.

What Does Animation Use Cinematography For?

Live action movies depend heavily on staging a set and a camera to capture scenes while animation requires simulating movement with a sequence. Frame by frame drawing which is why animation requires a talented artist/animator.

With live action movies, the art style can be done to a certain limitation, while there is no limitation to animation art style. The animation itself has more art style from different countries, from west to east the animation style are different. For example, Disney, anime, stop motion, etc. With animation, there are infinite different possibilities/worlds that can be created as well as various characters/species that can have their own perks. I know that with live action, CGI has contributed a lot to it specially, Marvel, DC, SONY, etc.

However, sometimes CGI stands out and takes you away from the world you’re watching. With animation, the style and animation style has already been developed, so any new or ‘quirky’ things are usually kept in the same style, and therefore less likely to knock you out of the reality. Examples of this would-be majority of Pixar (literally all of them) and studio Ghibli, both stand out to me personally. Not only because of the art style but some of the things/creatures that appear in ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ or spirited away would look very different in live action/CG. In addition to this, you can see, you could almost analyze the difference between the anime ‘Death Note’ (directed by Tetsurō Araki) and the live-action movie ‘Death Note’ (directed by Adam Wingard). Seeing Ryuk, a character in ‘Death Note’, in the anime, and Ryuk in the live-action has two different effects on an audience. In the anime, the character had a big part to play, his character development was very impressive; however, live action version of it couldn’t achieve all his personality from the anime. Also, they even had hidden messages in the anime. Ryuk has a great fondness for apples, stating the addiction to be a comparable of cigarettes and alcohol for humans. He also suffers certain symptoms of withdrawal symptoms involving twisting himself up like a pretzel and doing handstands. His addiction to apple is like a metaphor to human’s addictions to drugs, etc. Live-action take on ‘Death Note’ also informed the audience that Ryuk is addicted to apple, but the way they presented him wasn’t a clear presentation of him from the anime. In the live action, his character seemed much more mysterious, scary and evil. Whereas in the anime he was lazy and was to entertain himself which is the reason why he bought the death note into human’s world, he was much more likeable in the anime.

Speaking of hidden messages, animation movies tend to show stronger metaphors compared to live action when trying to portray a message. For example, in animation movies, metaphors/hidden messages are often done better due to how well they have been hidden to viewers. Often are unable to become aware of the hidden messages until the further analysis has been made. An animated film that has a hidden message/story is ‘Spirted Away’, the movie overall is about a girl, 10-years -old Chihiro, and her parents getting lost in a spirited and her finding a way out while discovering the place and the people who live there; however, the director of the movie himself, Hayao Miyazaki, has confirmed that the story is about Japanese brothel industrial. There are many hints given in the movie such as the writing above the bathhouse says ‘yu’, meaning ‘hot water’. And during the Edo period bathhouses were brothels and the women were known as ‘yuna’ or ‘hot water women’. Another big hint was ‘Yubaba’, which means hot water old women and that was the name of the old witch that runs the bathhouse in the movie. Signing a contract to work in the bathhouse and changing your name is what prostitutes used to do in Japanese culture which is what Yubaba does to Chihiro.

Recently, Disney made a remake live action movie of ‘Beauty and the Beast’, but the more I watched it the more I am bothered by them. I find nearly every shot to be beautifully composed, perfectly lit and bursting with rich colors yet something about it just feels off. Comparing an identical scene from the 1991 animated version proved insightful for me and I hope of interest to you the scene from the 2017 live action version opens with two beautiful shots of a clock striking eight o’clock immediately, I ask why two shots? Hitchcock’s rules, “the size of an object in a frame should be equal to its importance in the story at that moment”. The sudden cut to an extreme closeup tells me this is as important as the clock striking midnight for ‘Cinderella’, but is it? Furthermore, Emma Watson performances didn’t even come close to the animated version had. For example there’s this scene Belle askes the beast to come into the light, after he captures her father and in the animated movie belle very curiously, cautiously tells the beast to come into the light so that she came see him and he takes a step forward and this small beam of lights fall down on him and it’s just this really powerful effect when she’s looking up at him in fear and she turns away in distaste now in the live action movie, Bella tells beast come into the light and instead of waiting for him to step forward she takes a candle stick and shoves forwards towards his face so she’s revealing him herself instead giving him a chance this subtle difference but it creates a big chance in her character and the cinematography shots where used in the animated version crated a better impact.

Conclusion

I believe that animation is better than live action because animation movies need much more talent and skills than a standard film does. The traditional hand-drawn animating has a bigger impact how cinematography mostly, because of the hand-drawn style. Overall, live action and animation can come up with amazing cinematography and both have they difficulties, but animation shows that its harder but out is much greater. I also understood that with animation being produced in from so many countries and so many cultures that it has a different art style which also means it new ways of cinematography. Anime style has a different cinematography to Americans animation style so watching animation has a variety of different, new and refreshing feeling to the audience’s eyes.

When it comes to propaganda, the creator of it wants the audience to agree and support their cause and their views. Propaganda can be anything from commercials, magazines, posters, movies, cartoons, and more. Although, a majority of the time propaganda is biased and full of fallacies. Only depicting what they want the audience to see and how they want it to be seen. For example, if there is a war between two countries, each one is going to create propaganda making the opposing country seem like the ‘bad guy’ and theirs as the ‘good guy’, or simply just mocking them while representing themselves as the heroes.

Visuals are very important and useful in the case of propaganda. Without good imagery to represent your ideals the piece of propaganda will not have an impact on the viewer’s opinion. Animation is a limitless medium for imagery and therefore very impactful in terms of swaying someone’s opinion and point of view on a matter. In cartoons you can make anything happen and anything be perceived the way you want with exaggeration and straightforward imagery and symbols. Even in regular cartoons without any political agenda, it is very easy to tell who is a good guy or who is a bad guy and who we are meant to be rooting for and against. It’s no different with animations with a political agenda.

During difficult times concerning wars, was a time where blatant propaganda was heavily used. After the attack on Pearl Harbor and World War II, there was a switch in animation and its capabilities. Cartoons studios such as Warner Bros. used propaganda in their cartoons, such as ‘The Ducktators’ (1942) and ‘Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips’ (1944) being a couple examples of cartoons using propaganda. As well as ‘Der Fuehrer’s Face’ (1943), an anti-Nazi propaganda film by Walt Disney. As stated before, these were made to mock and demoralize the enemy. Wanting to bring attention to the war and encouraging people to help contribute to the war. But some animations such as ‘Stop That Tank!’ (1942) also created by Walt Disney, were created to instruct and train Canadian troops. These types of films were called ‘edutainment’. Animations were no longer focused on comedy or entertainment but instead strived to get a certain ideal out in the media for all to consume.

Animation can be used in a variety of ways, to tell a story, to educate, persuade, entertain. Propaganda is one of the many ways that animation and cartoons have been used. It can display political views and stances in a narrow way so the audience will have no other angle to look at the situation, therefore believing and supporting something that they have limited and misleading information to. If the people who are reading and looking at the propaganda in the media are uneducated and credulous in the matter, they are more likely to buy into it. Although I believe propaganda is a discreditable way to share information, it is effective in coaxing someone’s support on a subject they know little about.

References

1. Nandwani, Ravi, and Ravi Nandwani. ‘Propaganda in Animation’. Academia.edu – Share Research, www.academia.edu/8012716/Propaganda_in_Animation
2. Ness, Mari. ‘Animation as War Propaganda: Disney’s Victory Through Air Power’. Tor.com, 28 July 2016, www.tor.com/2016/07/28/animation-as-war-propaganda-disneys-victory-through-air-power
3. ‘World War II and American Animation’. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Feb. 2019, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_and_American_animation

In a modern world where everything is now digital, what does this mean for the future of 2D animation? This essay discusses the 2d vs 3d animation differences and examines the widely debated question, ‘Is traditional animation a dying art form?’.

The History of 2D Animation

From ‘Despicable Me’ to ‘Frozen’ and ‘Finding Dory’, the bulk of contemporary animated films are created using CGI or computer-generated imagery. This is a stark difference from the popular animated films throughout 20th century which are mainly created using traditional 2D animation. In a modern world where everything is now digital, what does this mean for the future of 2D animation? Although the use of this medium isn’t as evident in the recent feature films, it hasn’t completely been abandoned. The origins of traditional animation go all the way back to the early 19th century a principle known as the persistence of vision was determined in order to explain the illusion of movement. Early animation devices were created with this principle in mind, including plateaus phenakistoscope in 1832 and Horner’s zoetrope in 1834. Around the late 1870s, Reynaud invented a device known as the praxis kinescope which allowed animations to be projected in front of large audiences. Stop-motion animation was introduced in the early 1900s, as a result of new developments in photography. In 1914 the process of cel animation was patented by Earl Hurd and was widely used throughout the mid-1900s. This allowed for more detailed backgrounds and made the process of animation more efficient. Walt Disney’s ‘Bambi’: The Magic Behind the Masterpiece (video 1997): “Disney studios ink and paint department created all their own paints, for ‘Bambi’ nearly 250,000 cells were drawn and painted. When you combine that figure with the animation drawings, concept art, layouts, character designs and backgrounds. Over a million drawings went into making a little fawn come to life”.

The Evolution of 3D Animation

Meanwhile, in the early 1960s, 3D computer animation emerged. John Whitney was a major contributor to its development with his creation of motion graphics and animated title sequences. In 1972, Ed Catmull and Fred Park were the first to used 3D wireframe imagery with the creation of an animated hand. Over the decade’s computers became more capable and started to become ever more useful in animated pictures. One of the first Disney movies to use CG was 1986 ‘The Great Mouse Detective’, in the clocktower scene where the girls were animated on computers. During this time, all the animations that were made still had to be transferred onto cells and painted. Around this time, Pixar partner with Disney to produce the computer animation production system also known as CAPs. The animation was still done on pencil and paper but instead of having to put that animation on transparent cells and painting by hand, now they were scanned into a computer and digitally painted thus significantly decreasing the cost of the process. The last Disney movie to use hand-painted cells was ‘The Little Mermaid’ in 1989. Starting with the rescuers down under, a year it was all CAPs. Because of CAPs a lot more was able to be done when it came to computer effects as such Disney used CG a lot more throughout the years, you can see it being used in, be our guest sequence in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (1991). The ballroom scene was entirely rendered on computers with only belle and the beast being hand-drawn. ‘The Lion King’ (1994) used CG to simulate the movements of a real herd of wildebeest. ‘Pocahontas’ (1995) used CG for animating grandmother willow Mulan (1998), used it for the scene where the hunter army attacked. ‘Tarzan’ (1999) has the entire jungle rendered on computers. Although these movies did have parts of them animated or rendered on computers, it’s still was very much traditional animation. All the characters were drawn by hand with a pencil and paper, and just like ‘Snow White’ back in 1937. However, when in 1995 Pixar produced ‘Toy Story’. Their first feature-length animated film and the first film to be animated entirely on computers, was both critical and financial success (100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 373.6 million at the box office), changing animation for the future.

In 2001, the former Disney animator, Katzenberg, with his own studio, DreamWorks animation, released ‘Shrek’ with great success, enough success to obtain the academy award for Best Animated Film. In 2004, they released ‘Shrek 2’, which became the highest-grossing film of that year and the highest-grossing animated movie of all time until 2009, where ‘Toy Story 3’ overtook it. At this time Disney started to have more trouble when it came to animated movies. Starting with the disappointing performance of ‘The Emperor’s New Groove’ (budget 100 million, box office 169.3 million), came a couple of more box office disappointments and straight-up failures. These included ‘Atlantis’, ‘The Lost Empire’, ‘Treasure Planet’ and ‘Home on the Range’. Then in 2005, they released ‘Chicken Little’. Disney’s first fully computer-animated film and the critics weren’t too pleased with it, but it was pretty successful and managed to put Disney back on its own two feet, giving us a string of completely computer-animated films, such as ‘Meet the Robinsons’ and ‘Bolt’, but then Disney decided to return to its roots. They started developing ‘The Princess and the Frog’ (2009), and were finally returning to hand-drawn animation. Not only that but it was a musical, had a prince and a princess and was based on a fairy tale. Some things have changed since the 90s such as CAPs becoming obsolete making the studio switch to toon boom harmony (animation software). While the character animation was done on paper the backgrounds and other effects were drawn directly onto tablets. When it was released, it was received well, with 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and 267 million at the box office. But now, it’s been over 8 years since, we got a 2D animated movie, what happened?

Many people say that traditional 2D animation stopped being used because there’s a lot more expensive than 3D, although this seems like a good point, a little research will show that it really isn’t the case. Compared the budgets from the 90s to today’s released movies, they lower. Using a more recent example, ‘The Princess and the Frog’ (2009) cost around 105 million to make. While ‘Tangled’ released a year later cost 260 million to make and it is still the most expensive animated film to date. Not counting ‘Winnie the Pooh’, every animated movie after it also had a higher budget so, really what happened? I think at this point; computer animated movies just became the bigger successes. Disney’s ‘Tangled’ released the following year took greater commercial success than ‘The Princess and the Frog’ (591.8 million). ‘Wreck-it Ralph’ released in 2012 and made more money as well (471.2 million). ‘Frozen’ (2013) came out the year after that and it is still as of the year 2018 the highest-grossing animated movie of all time (1.287 billion) and ‘Zootopia’ (2016) the current sixth highest-grossing animated movie of all time. That’s also the problem of very little animators left at Disney being trained in the traditional animation, and it’s not just Disney. We can see that computer animation is the current dominated form of animation for American theatres.

What Made 3D Animation So Popular?

Back when 3D animation began, the ability to make a character move from one pose to the next was essentially automatic, whereas with 2D animation each frame had to be made individually, which was an extremely slow process. 2D animation was also considered to be very limited in what it could do in terms of realism, 3D animation can go into much more detail than 2D can depicting shadows, applying textures and placing characters into a realistic virtual space. Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks animation, said: “Audiences’ kids do find a stronger connection today with the CGI characters. It has a dimensionality to it that actually makes the characters and the worlds themselves richer and it makes it a more immersive experience”. There’s only so much one can do with 2D animation with the invention of 3D animation a whole new row of possibilities opened which built a lot of excitement. The question of whether 2D animation is dying is a widely discussed topic. Disney’s last 2D animated film was ‘Winnie the Pooh’ in 2011. Following its release, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that the company had no future to make any more hand-drawn animated features. Why the switch? Production studios want to create a film that will make them the most money and will always choose the least risky option. Disney released the 2D animated feature, home on the range in 2004, at the same time Pixar released the computer-animated feature ‘The Incredibles’. ‘The Incredibles’, however, happened to achieve much more success. Pixar’s ‘Up’, a CGI animation, and Disney’s ‘The Princess and the Frog’, a 2D animation, were released in the same year and both had great box office numbers and critical praise. However, the box office numbers and critical praise for up were slightly better.

Is 2D Being Eaten by 3D?

No, it is not. 2D has different strengths to 3D. It is a much more flexible and expressive medium with a shorter production pipeline (meaning the animation needs to be passed through fewer people before it is shown). Even if 3D did somehow completely eat 2D animation, core elements of 3d animation require 2D design such as 2D storyboarding, 2D animatics, character design, set design, textures, etc. The evidence for 2D animation is alive and well in television is clear. Charles Kenny, an amazing blog writer (Animationanomaly.com), said: “Switch on any TV station with animation and 2D is more than likely what you’ll find. Any Sunday on Fox we’ll have the traditional look that was established with ‘Simpsons’ and continues all the way through to the forthcoming ‘Borderlands’. Both Cartoon Network and Disney have stayed with 2D for their biggest shows and even Nickelodeon, which is dabbled with 3D CGI has come back around for 2D for hits like ‘The Legend of Korra’. Comedy Central even increased their animated presence with the revival of ‘Futurama’ and original show ‘Brickleberry’. While many are no longer drawn on paper and cells, they are still drawn by hand to a greater extent than 3D CGI or flash”. So, 2D cannot completely die without the complete extinction of 3D. Look behind the scenes of Pixar and see how much 2D artwork they pimp out for a 3D feature films. 2D animation remains an extremely effective way to effectively convey stories and complex ideas to other people. The possibilities with 2D animation are almost limitless. You can make anything visually with 2D animation. If you can imagine it, it can be done. That’s the kind of freedom you don’t get with other animation mediums or film mediums. It would be very strange to see a young medium with so much potential dies out so early, I just can’t see it happening.

Is 2D Animation Underperforming?

Traditional animation still thrives throughout Europe with award-winning films such as ‘A Cat in Paris’, ‘The Illusionist’, and ‘Song of the Sea’. Additionally, the medium dominates TV and the web. Animated shows such as ‘Family Guy’, ‘The Simpsons’ and the regular show among many others continue to use traditional animation. Hybrid animation styles are beginning to appear as well. In 2009, Disney produced the short film ‘Paperman’, which combined both 2D and CGI. 2D animation is far from a dying art form. From television shows to web series to gifts to future films around the world 2D animation is still present in numerous different areas. John Lasseter, CEO of Pixar Animation Studios said: “I love the medium of hand-drawn animation. I love it. I think it’s fantastic and I never quite understood why animation studios we’re deciding that people, audiences weren’t interested in watching hand-drawn animation anymore. Never in the history of cinema has a movie been entertaining to an audience because of the technology, it is what you do with the technology it’s what you do with a medium it’s so special”. The success of Pixar films doesn’t come from the use of computer animation, rather the films are popular due to their captivating stories and relatable characters. For example, Woody from ‘Toy Story’. With an engaging story, charming characters and emotional appeal animation we’ll be able to find success and beloved by many no matter the technique.

Is 2D Animation Dying?

My argument is that 2D animation is not dying, it’s changing. People are fixated on the feature film industry when the film industry might not actually be the future of animation as a medium. In the future, we could see 2D animation move further into short films, commercials, TV shows, phone apps, music videos, tiny video formats such as vines etc. Also, it is very likely that we’ll see a democratization of animation in its creation, distribution, and consumption. We`re seeing this more and more with streaming platforms on the Internet. We’re seeing hardware and software widely available to the public at very affordable prices and films are being distributed completely by the Internet and it removed this bureaucracy that was in place in the feature film industry. Not only that, but we’re seeing the animation in 2D take center stage on new streaming websites such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon. Although YouTube’s algorithms seriously stifle animated content on the Internet, there are cases of highly successful animated series on YouTube, such as ‘Simon’s Cat’. We’re also seeing crowdfunding websites provide animators with the capital that they need to continue creating content. Who knows where this will go in the future maybe crowdfunding will play more of a role or maybe it’s a fad which will just die out, but for now websites like Patreon are providing animators with enough money to make animation their full-time career and this is independent of production companies (or studios). If we look at the animation industry from a perspective of supply and demand, the animation industry will only remain as an industry in 2D, that is if it meets the demands of businesses and people. As people in the animation industry, we need to be looking out for new ways to innovate and ways to occupy new video sharing platforms. Animation remains an extremely effective method of communication and animation can entertain in a similar way that films entertain but, in my opinion, it has less of the restrictions that conventional film does. The main downfalls, of course, are that animation is a costly method of film production and there is a public perception of animation which we`d rather not have. It will be pleasing to see more people to be open to watching and consuming animation. The animation industry is not staying the same, we need to change with the times or become useless and that really goes for any industry that you see today. In order to maximize your chances, you must stay ahead of the curve and to some extent give people something that they will get value out of.

What Are My Thoughts?

Well, like many people I prefer traditional hand-drawn 2D animation. The reason why is that I just find that it looks much more appealing. In 2D I really feel like I am seeing an artist’s work pop into life. It’s weird to say but to me, traditional is animation it is the very definition of animation. It is what I think of when I hear the word ‘cartoon’. I’m not saying that 3D is not animation, because it is, but I just find a movie like ‘Beauty and the Beast’ represents what a cartoon is more than a movie like ‘Tangle’. I love ‘Tangled’, but I don’t want to be like one of those people who dismisses computer animation calling lazy or unimpressive, because it’s not. Looking at ‘Tangled’ again the hair physics in that movie are really an amazing achievement and the results show. That really works great in computer animation, making the hair look and move realistic. Looking at the recent movie ‘Moana’, the water animation is truly top-notch. The look of the hair, when its wet, it’s even distracting to me. I also don’t like it when people say that 3D can look good when it’s done well, because of that assumes that traditional animation always looks good, but look at ‘The Flintstones’ (1960-1966), the animation there is terrible. A lot of TV cartoons traditionally done from the 60s to 80s don’t look all too good actually, and bad 3D can look lazy and awful like ‘Food Fight’ (2012). but so can bad 2D. I just prefer traditional animation, and I don’t think that it can be truly replaced. ‘Paperman’, the short film, had success and the animation looks good, but the technology required to make a feature film like it’s so extensive, that it makes you wonder why not just make a 2D movie instead of a 3D movie to emulate one.

My conclusion is that 2D animation industry will probably not die for a long time because it’s such a great medium and you must take into consideration that 2D animation has been always relatively small compared to live-action film, so it’s never been a huge medium. Even in the time of Disney, we’re talking a handful of studios reaching mainstream success. So, it’s my belief that we’re in a golden age of animation right now, so I’m optimistic of where it goes but we need to stay alert to what’s happening around us.

Squidward Tentacles, one of the central characters in the popular animated series “SpongeBob SquarePants,” is often portrayed as the grumpy and frustrated neighbor of the show’s protagonist, SpongeBob. However, a deeper analysis of Squidward reveals a complex and multifaceted character who elicits both sympathy and intrigue.

From the surface, Squidward appears as a cynical and joyless character, constantly annoyed by the cheerful antics of SpongeBob and his friend, Patrick. His dry wit and sarcastic remarks often make him the target of humor, portraying him as a perpetual grump. However, upon closer examination, it becomes evident that Squidward’s behavior is a manifestation of his unfulfilled dreams and aspirations.

Squidward is an aspiring artist with a passion for music and the arts. He dreams of recognition and success in his chosen field, but finds himself stuck in a dead-end job at the Krusty Krab. His talent and creativity are frequently overlooked, and this constant disappointment leads to feelings of resentment and bitterness. Squidward’s frustration stems from his perceived lack of recognition and the unfulfilled desire to pursue his artistic ambitions.

Beneath his cranky exterior, Squidward displays a vulnerability and longing for connection. He yearns for appreciation and validation from others, often resorting to desperate attempts to gain attention. Despite his outward disdain for SpongeBob and Patrick, he occasionally finds solace and companionship in their company, even if it is unintentional. This contradiction showcases Squidward’s complex nature and highlights his underlying need for human connection and understanding.

Another aspect of Squidward’s character that deserves attention is his portrayal as a representative of the average person, trapped in the mundane realities of everyday life. Many viewers can relate to Squidward’s frustrations and disappointments, as they mirror the struggles and setbacks experienced by individuals in their own lives. Squidward serves as a reminder that dreams and passions can sometimes be stifled by the responsibilities and monotony of everyday existence.

Despite his flaws and occasional mean-spiritedness, Squidward demonstrates moments of compassion and empathy. He shows genuine concern for others and occasionally displays acts of kindness, even if they are overshadowed by his grumpy demeanor. These instances hint at Squidward’s capacity for growth and redemption, suggesting that there may be more to his character than meets the eye.

In conclusion, Squidward Tentacles is a character that extends beyond his initial portrayal as a grumpy neighbor. Through a deeper analysis, it becomes evident that Squidward is a complex and misunderstood character with unfulfilled dreams, a longing for connection, and relatable struggles. His portrayal serves as a reminder of the complexities of human nature and the importance of empathy and understanding when evaluating the behavior and motivations of others. Squidward’s character brings depth and nuance to the world of “SpongeBob SquarePants” and leaves viewers with a lasting impression of the multifaceted nature of the human experience.

Throughout the history of animation, there has been a lot of famous figures. Many of which can come people’s mind when talking about the entertainment medium such as Winsor McCay, Walt Disney, Chuck Jones, Max Flesicher, Ray Harryhausen, and Hayao Miyazaki. But there is one animator that is also well-known but has push the envelope with the techniques in traditional animation. His name is Richard Williams. Richard Williams is a Canadian born Animator, who worked on famous projects such as ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1971), and ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ (1988). However in-between those two works, he has also worked on his ambitious unfinished masterpiece, ‘The Thief and the Cobbler’ (1993), which has been in the works from 1964 to 1993. He was not only an animator, but also teacher of the medium sharing his knowledge he has learned from the great animators of the past to students who want to get into animation. Williams has even published a book featuring his knowledge on how to create animation called ‘The Animator’s Survival Kit’. Richard Williams’s work in was inspirational and has created some well-known works throughout his career in animation.

Richard Williams was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1933. At a young age, he had inherited the graphic talent from his father, who was an artist. When he was five years old, his mother (who was offer a job at Disney, but turned down) took him to see ‘Snow White and Seven Dwarfs’ (1937), which ultimately changed his life. Which other children in the audience were either laughing or being scared during the film, Williams was surprised when he saw drawings that were able to move. From there on, his mother along with other family members encouraged him to draw. At the age of 10, he would buy a book called ‘How to Make Animated Cartoons’. From the information, it made him understand how animation would work at that age and start doing some Five years later, he saved up some money for a bus trip from Toronto, Canada, to Hollywood, California. When arriving in California, Williams took a tour of the Walt Disney Studio and met Disney himself. While he wasn’t all that interesting with Walt, he met the animators who worked there and show him how animation worked. During the 1940s, Williams worked at Disney for their advertising department as well as work at United Productions of America, or more commonly known as UPA. During the 1950s, He would then move to Spain for two years to study and paint after going to a Rembrandt exhibit. While being in Spain, he felt like his drawings wanting to be moved, but never got around to it. In 1955, Williams settled in England, where he would remain for the rest of his life. He would begin his animation career with director George Dunning as freelance animator and worked on commercials for television. While working as freelance animator and getting help from animator Bob Godfrey, he had an idea for animated film. It would take three years to make and the result would become into the film, ‘The Little Island’ (1958). The film gave Williams some instant recognition and would win a BAFTA for his film. During the 1960s, Williams would establish his own studio called Richard Williams Animation and by the late 60s, he would hire some legendary animators from the golden age such as Ken Harris, Art Babbitt, Emery Hawkins, and Grim Natwick. Throughout the 1960s, he would continue to do commercial work, several shorts namely ‘Love Me, Love Me, Love Me’ from 1962 as well as do some animated sequences for certain features like ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ (1968) and ‘The Pink Panther’ (1975-76).

By the end of the 1960s, things were going well for Williams. However, in the mid-60s period he would work start on a film that would become his most ambitious project. It would be known as ‘The Thief and the Cobbler’. It all started in 1964, when Williams was reading some stories about Mulla Nasrudin. He enjoyed reading the stories and got in contact with the writer of the stories named Idries Shah. When the stories were being translated to English, Williams would supply the illustrations for them. The illustrations would cause a spark of the idea of a motion picture. The title would go under various names until finally setting on ‘The Amazing Nasrudin’, but it would be changed to ‘The Golden City’, according to Edward Summer. Work on the film would begin in 1967 and when, things took a turn for the worst. Idries Shah’s sister made a claim that she had the right for the stories. After a few years of work, the original film idea was abandoned in favor of a new film idea keeping the setting that Williams had in mind. And the title of the film was change to ‘The Thief and the Cobbler’. Throughout the 1970s, he would work on various other projects that would raise the funding for the new film such as the Oscar-winning short, ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1971) and ‘Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure’ (1977). He finally gets his big break when the 1980s came into the scene. Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis choose Williams to be the animation director of their upcoming film of ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’. With that film, Williams along with his team of animators manage to pull some groundbreaking techniques as well as fixing the issues when it comes to combining traditional animation with live action. When the film was released in 1988, it became a huge success and Richard Williams would receive some notable recognition from his work on the film. Several projects came to his attention, but he declined them all as he was focused on getting ‘The Thief and the Cobbler’ completed. He would soon get his chance with Warner Bros., as they would help Williams and give him the remain funding for the film. Unfortunately, things would take a turn for the worst. As Williams was continue working on the film, another film was announced and had some similar aspects to ‘The Thief and the Cobbler’ and that was Disney’s ‘Aladdin’. Warner Bros. became worried upon hearing the news and when Williams couldn’t make the deadline, the studio withdrew from the project and the Completion Bond Company ended up taking the film away from him. In his place was Fred Calvert who ended up finishing up the film in 1993 as ‘The Princess and the Cobbler’. When the film was released by Miramax Films in the United States, it was renamed to ‘Arabian Knight’ and it was a flop upon release. 30 years of work went down the drain.

As the final product of ‘The Thief and the Cobbler’ wasn’t the success that Williams had hoped, he wanted to find a way to get his version out to public. A workprint of the film had surfaced during the 1990s. A couple of years later at the Annecy Festival, Williams showed Roy Disney the workprint he had made. Disney loved what he has seen from the workprint and decide to restore the version of ‘The Thief and the Cobbler’ the way that Williams had intended. However, things would fall apart as Roy Disney would leave the Walt Disney Company after a decline from their lineup of traditional animated films at the time. Williams had decided to throw in the towel with ‘The Thief and the Cobbler’ and work on other ideas. During the 1990s, he decided to use all his knowledge he had learn and hosted a series of classes on animation. Later in 2001, he would create a book called ‘The Animator’s Survival Kit’. The book features everything that the person needs to know on how to create animation. In 2006, he would adapt his book into a 16-part series on DVD. That same year, a fan of Richard Williams named Garrett Gilchrist, created a fan-made restoration of Williams’ unfinished masterpiece under the name, ‘The Thief and the Cobbler: Recobbled Cut’. Utilizing various surviving materials, ‘The Thief and the Cobbler: Recobbled Cut’ was created to be as close to what Williams had originally intended. During the 2010s, Williams would go back into making animated shorts starting with ‘Circus Drawings’ (2010). The film was based on a couple drawings of a circus that he had made while in Spain during the 50s. Five years later, he would create that would become his last film with ‘Prologue’ (2015). The idea with the film was that it was meant to be the start of a new feature, but it was never finished. Tragedy would later strike on August 17, 2019 as Richard Williams would pass away because of cancer.

Richard Williams’ work in the animation industry was inspiring and has created some of most influential works ever made. There have been many animators that have left an impact, but mainly in a specific era in animation. Richard Williams is one of the few that have not only have showcase a vast of knowledge that he has acquired over the years, but also blend the old days of animation with the modern era of the medium. While there a handful of films made by Williams that are very well-known today in entertainment, his contributions overall will never be forgotten.

Introduction

Animations have been around us since our childhood. Cartoons are the major source of entertainment among kids. Anime refers to the animations of Japanese creators adapted directly from primary source material comic books known as manga. Anime has a huge impact on the current society in many different aspects. In this project we will explore how people communicate through the mode of anime. Japanese anime has been widely accepted all around the world during the past decade. It cuts through communication and cultural barriers creating unity. Many people around the world have gained knowledge about Japanese communication, ideas, knowledge and beliefs, laws, folkways and rituals and even artistic history.

Overview

Japanese animation or simply Anime is a form of animation adapted in the form of a TV show from original source material like manga, video games and light novels. The first anime series was titled “Astro Boy ” which roughly translates to ‘Fairy Cartoon Calendar’ which aired on January 1, 1963. In the recent years’ anime has gained a rather high attention as it is being accepted by people from all cultures. Over the past decade anime has gained a lot more support than ever and its still growing. Many people are able to learn broken Japanese just by watching anime with subtitles, sometimes to the extent that they are able to understand the whole episode without needing subtitles. A normal 13-episode seasonal anime costs around 250 million yen which roughly converts to $2 million. Due to advancement in technology the equipment used for anime production also improves which helps in creating an anime better than its predecessor. In its Annual Industry Survey 2016, the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA) the revenue from anime and anime related markets totaled ¥2,000,900,000,000.

Anime communicates with people in a way cartoons never can. Even fictional anime show characters who have faced difficult conditions and how they never gave up to become the top in what they do. Compared to cartoons anime don’t always have a happy end. They show us that along the way of success we need to make sacrifices and need to face despair. There are times we will completely lose hope but, in that moment, we must never give up and keep striving towards our goal. There are many anime in the genre known as “slice of life” which deals with day to day lives of people and makes the scenarios relatable to the audience.

Anime also includes communication through hand signs, face expressions, body language, colors etc. Some of the anime that communicate with more than just words are: Irozuku sekai no ashita kara, Koe no Katachi, Kimi no nawa and Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Review of Literature

Most of the information contained in this paper is from secondary sources, mainly websites. Opinions of the masses have been analysed through public group chat platforms like Quora, Discord, Anime-Planet etc. No actual books other than Japanese comics (manga) have been used as source material.

From the Dragon Ball Seriesby Akira Toriyama this report contains data on telepathic conversation between characters. The most popular gestures from this series are the Kamehameha and Instant Transmission which are widely popular around the world.

From Naruto, series by MashashiKishimotothe hand signs depict most of the conversation. This anime expresses many emotions through its music and sometimes leaves the audience in tears showing the truth of life. The speech by Pain on hatred and his story in the Volume 47 Chapter 436: ‘Peace’ still does not fail to move the audience hearing the villain part of the story.

The input is mainly from communication-based manga. From the manga Koe no Katachiby YoshitokiŌimathe focus is on Volume 2 Chapter 6 which is about the male protagonist talking to the deaf main heroine using sign language apologizing for bullying her in her childhood days. The use of hand signs makes the scene emotional and heartwarming.

Kimetsu no Yaiba, manga by KoyoharuGotōgefocuses on non verbal communication as Nezuko the protagonist’s little sister gets turned into a speechless demon with a bamboo muzzle. The starting chapters of the manga are mostly referred for the source material.

Scope and Objectives

This research is aimed to create awareness about anime to the community. It will help people to gain new knowledge about the otaku culture and in a way the history of Japan. This study also focuses on how anime developed from zero to being one of the most popular representation of Japanese culture. This research is also a study of emotions that influence the people through the mode of anime and manga.

Learning Japanese lifestyle through Anime

What is an Anime ?

A term accustomed to describe the fashion in the Japanese animation industry and has been around since the twenty-first century. Now, anime and its magazine counterpart, manga, are vastly made in the islands of Japan associate degreed on the far side with an industrial price of over fifteen billion U.S. bucks. Anime doesn’t solely embody TV series for youngsters, however additionally to TV shows and even movies catering the middle aged people. A number of samples of hit animation movies embody Ghibli Studio’s famous ‘Spirited Away’ (2001) or the recent well-liked ‘Your Name’.

Anime designs differ with artists, however characters can sometimes be recognized from their massive eyes, typically hair style, color, and tiny noses and mouths. Japanese folks varying in age and life styles have at some point watched anime at some purpose and now it has integrated to their fashionable culture. Anime TV series are sometimes full of attention-grabbing characters along-side a fascinating story which will make the viewer to laugh or cry.

It covers a large array of genres, such as romance, drama, science-fiction, and horror. Odd genres of cyberpunk and mecha(robots) are also in popular demand. In countries of the west, associate degree is seen not solely as a Japanese series of animation however it’s additionally an art vogue that is used by the Japanese additionally.

Anime Vs Cartoon

At large there is actually no big difference between cartoons and anime. They are in a way two sides of the same coin. Both anime and cartoons are hand drawn pictures or comics which are later given life through the means of animation (Graphic Designing). Yet anime and cartoons actually vary in internal themes. The visual representation (facial expressions/gestures), concept (cartoons are likely to be light hearted and happy ending shows whereas anime are more likely to not follow the general concepts.), subject (cartoons are created to create laughter and humor whereas anime may follow a darker path focusing on the actual life issues sometimes in violet or sexual context.)

Anime as a reflection of Japanese Lifestyle

Watching anime gives the viewers an insight of the daily lives of Japanese people. The information on how they eat to greetings and etiquettes, everything is covered though the means of anime. For example, the anime like Hyouka and Toradora (mystery and rom-com anime respectively) highlight the lives of high school students and how most of the schools in Japan manage the schools through the disciplinary committees and student council. These anime also highlight the procedures and practices involved in organizing the school festival. People in Japan are involved doing the same activities as shown in the anime through different festivals. Another example can be taken as the celebrations for New Year and Christmas Eve. Anime shows the different activities done be people on these holidays. On a new year eve, the people visit the nearby shrine at sunrise and make any wish to the God of the concerned shrine throwing in 5 yen in the donation box. They also draw their fortune and offer the Kagura dance to Kami-Sama.

Food in anime is always shown as top tier. Most of the times the local cuisines of Japan are shown in anime. There is always an episode in each anime which features the protagonists eating Onigirior Bento/Obento. The anime Shokugeki no Soma is an anime based on a teenagers pursuing to be the greatest chef of all time hence succeeding his father in the family restaurant. This anime features a lot of Japanese food and even shares the recipes with the viewers. Curry rice and Ramen are the most common food to appear in anime.

Attitudes and personalities of the people living in Japan can also be inferenced through the means of anime. Since all the manga is written within Japan, all the content is likely to be influenced by the nature of the people surrounding the author. Anime characters are hospitable and affectionate. Most of them are helpful and inspiring to the other characters. An example of such a character is All Might from Boku no Hero Academiawho is also nicknamed as the “Pillar of Peace” as stands on the top of all heroes saving people from all kinds of dire situations with a smile. We can see the bright and cheerful side of the personalities of the Japanese through anime characters.

Impact of Anime

Anime’s Influence on the World

Japan could be a country that’s accepted and favored well for the several facets of distinctive plus attention-grabbing culture. This embraces the bloody and long history otherwise the time-honored traditions that have withstood the time. Take a look at the geishas, varied ancient festivals, and the ceremony. It can also apply to numerous forms of behavior that are thought of distinctive or uncommon by individuals from different components of the planet, like loud noodle gulping, shoving into overflowing trains, or gifting kids cash for New Year’s.

Several things of Japan simply cannot be noticed in different nations, creating an Associate in Nursing thrilling place to go to wherever one will build some persistent reminiscences.

Countless cultures of fame have unfold worldwide, that piques foreigners’ curiosity which inspires them to go to and experience it for themselves. Japan has additionally created loads of offerings to the globe over the years with improvements like video games, fashion, and cars.

Anime has developed to one of the simplest resources these days to inform stories in an animated kind of way, with free will of expression for any genre and for any audience, that contrary to antique cartoons that square measure typically aimed toward youngsters. Anime amplified success in alternative countries from series like, Slam Dunk airy, Sailor Moon, Astro Boy, and Dragonball. As a square measure numerous folks United Nations agency began to be captivated by Japan once looking at animes. Occasionally, they’re also galvanized to discover anime. As an end result, the JLPT was created.

Initial Nineteen Nineties served to be far-famed “anime boom”. Thanks to this, culture of anime evolved more once anime parties started happening. Anime parties serve as a square measure of giant congregations which will present itself over amount of days, so as for anime and manga enthusiasts to indicate their desire and allegiance. These have even incorporated trade speak panels wherever vocal sound actors and anime making employees will come together at events to speak concerning their anime plus fans will get an opportunity to be satisfied. Fans also congregate to shop for anime products and check out the cosplay. The word springs from “costume play” and once fans dress in their favorite characters costume and mimic that personality. Costume play isn’t limited to anime, however it’s additionally passed over to the western characters from Hollywood movies, cartoon series, comics, and also video games.

Additional side of anime is the art styling. The fashion that originates from the anime is exclusive, charismas typically depicting distinctive hairstyles and massive eyes. Western countries have additionally come up with series victimization that individual vogue. Series that has tailored this art stylishness is that the Avatar: The Last Airbender, that has gained international acclaim. A follow-up series was additionally created titled as ‘The Legend of Korra’.

One of the lot of fashionable samples of a western anime shows is RWBY. Prominent as ‘RUBY’ is a show made by the Cock Teeth Company. It was created by Monty Oum which conveys the story of 4 women joining a facility to become huntresses that fights against the evil creatures acknowledged in their world. RUBY has gained an outsized fan base in Japan. Japan is determined in acquiring it and as a Japanese dub. Also harness it for Blu-Ray and optical disk. This marks the first American anime to be marketed in Japan.

However, has anime really influenced the world? The multi-billion-dollar industry has definitely impacted on trendy cartoons. It has caused individuals allover the globe to come to a decision to try Japanese anime, resulting in the formation of JLPT. It can also be said that this business was nice for promoting touristy to Japan. We tend to also see influencing heaps of popular culture these days.

Anime’s influence on Japan

Culture of Japan will be realized in several anime shows. Great faculties area unit almost like that in reality plus characters eating with chopsticks and keep ancient in ryokan inns. Fashionable anime personalities can be visibly witnessed everywhere on t-shirts, accessories and toys. Some restaurants, like The Ichibanya, have also created their own terrible characters in anime style for the purpose of children’s meals marketing.

Anime conjointly galvanized the conception of Japan’s 1st vocal singer, HatsuneMiku, World Health Organization could be a cartoon sixteen-year-old woman World Health Organization makes popular music genre. In spite of not being a true person, character encompasses an immense cult following and people also attend the live concert! Additionally, several firms use cute anime characters as mascots to draw in teenagers. More often than not, fashionable video games galvanize the creation of by-product anime. A decent example for this might be the Pokémon anime series, aired from the Nineteen Nineties and boasts loads of games. Like this anime has influenced Japan as a whole.

Live Action Movies

Coming to topic of remake, let us pay attention on ‘Ghost within the Shell’ starring Scarlett Johansson. Whereas Western culture centers on ‘white washing’ of Scarlett Johansson’s character, one thing arguably the Japanese culture itself being removed an additional vital. The film’s director, Rupert Prince Sanders, also expressed that the anime was “too philosophical and too contemplative” and determined to show this challenging film as a noteable action flick; as the American movie industry has already finished such a lot of its own source of ideas. Films like Blade Runner explored these themes in Associate in Nursing introverted and philosophical manner, and impressed animes such as ‘Ghost within the Shell’. However trendy Remake films can dumb our own creations, for the worry that they may not cater to the widest market. Anime is fearless to be philosophical and to not reach each person. Of course, with the irony being that in attempting to entertain everyone, you do not find yourself impressing nobody.

‘Ratatouille’ is a movie about a rat who wants to pursue his dreams of cooking for anyone. He has a passion and tries desperately to make his dream a reality. This dream is to work for Gusteau’s restaurant and Gusteau himself is alongside Remy, the main character, through this journey. Although this dream is very inspiring and passion-filled, there are many obstacles on the way that make this journey nearly impossible. Family and physical expectations take a hit on Remy’s dream and discourage him from being the best he can be. This movie is about proving everyone wrong and standing up to those who doubt one’s success. This movie also shows that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.

Inspiration is the theme that means a lot to me personally because it is something I struggle with the most. I admire people, and in this case Remy for having the inspiration that always amazes me, even though he is a fictional character. In life, I feel that I am not inspired a lot to do many things, and it messes me up in the end. Writing this paper right now is hard because my motivation and inspiration are dwindling as the semester progresses and it has been hard to stay focused. I can attribute most of my inspiration to music. As Remy likes to cook, I like to play and listen to music. Music gave me the stability and balance when there was none, and this the reason why I have an inspiration for music. I know it is not the career path that I have chosen, but I have always kept it close in life. My enjoyment for it has never gone away and I am still inspired to practice my instruments and be the best musician I can be. It has shown me time and time again, that if I work hard, I will achieve anything. Music has given me the strength to express myself in ways in which I never felt possible, and for that I am forever grateful. I resemble Remy in this way, and I feel a deep connection when he talks about his love for cooking because I feel that for music. An example of inspiration through ‘Ratatouille’ is: “Good food is like music you can taste, color you can smell” (Gehlot, 1). This quote had music in it which was interesting to me because I feel that way about making music, the colors of music remind of good food at a restaurant, combining flavors to make an excellent product. This was one of the pointers that Gusteau tells Remy as to how to be a great chef. At this point in the movie, Remy was just starting out with Linguini and discovering all of the hidden secrets of food. Remy never experienced good quality food until this moment. Inspiration holds high to me every day and will always be a constant battle, but I know that I can do it, even if it seems impossible, just like Remy.

With inspiration, there needs to be people, or rats in this case, who support along the way and Gusteau helps Remy with that to get the traction he needs to be a good cook; however, societal norms and expectations get the best of him, and even his family does not support his extravagant dream of being a chef. Remy’s family took an extremely superficial approach to food, and needed to see for themselves why Remy was so infatuated. An example of this: “Remy, a rat, is told one phrase more than any other when he discusses his dreams with fellow rats: ‘We’re rats. We don’t cook, we steal’” (Jain, 1). This was told to Remy many times throughout the movie by his family members and was never taking him seriously. This made Remy feel alone and afraid for what he was becoming, but he could not stop himself and succumb to societal and familial norms. He had to follow his dreams and luckily someone extremely important came at the right time. Linguini was what he needed, a face to the art that was forbidden for Remy. An example that represents their relationship is: “Remy and Linguini form the most improbable partnership – with Linguini’s clumsy body channeling Remy’s creative brains – that will turn Paris upside down, leading them both on an incredible journey of comical twists, emotional turns and the most unlikely of triumphs, which they could never have imagined without each other” (Pixar Talk, 1). Their relationship, like many other Pixar film relationships, were unconventional and seemed ludicrous, but they make it work and were successful until they were busted. In my life, relationships work exactly like that, unknown that they would be this successful and very sporadic. Currently I have a friend that I met online originally but managed to meet up because of where we live. They only live about two hours away and I consider them to be one of the best friends I have had in my life. I trust them more than a lot of people in my life right now and it does not seem right. How can someone I know for only a few years online, be one of the best people I have ever met? It is a strange question indeed, but we just click. Our personalities are very different, yet some of our interests are the same, and that is what binds us together. Even more strange is that I met them through playing the same video game, which blows my mind to this day, because I thought that no one played it. Not many of my school friends at the time played it and I was keeping it a secret, but it felt good to not be alone. I never had many friends in my life because I treat people the same, except for my family of course, but I see friendship in a deeper way and loyalty is especially important to me. I want to emotional connect to someone and not be bogged down with the superficial, and I will always have that standard. Although it does not help me make friends, the ones that I do make, are more worth it.

Having relationships is important, but if one does is not being who they truly are, then a relationship will not work. Believing in oneself is crucial to being who you are because if one does not believe in themselves, then how can they be their best selves to others. Remy had to believe in himself to get Linguini to let him cook. An example of how Remy did this was: “On the banks of the Seine, trapped in a glass jar, Remy wordlessly entreats Linguini to save him. Slowly the young man realizes that the rat understands what he’s saying. He asks Remy if he can cook. The way in which the rat responds – with a shrug and a look of sheepish but unmistakable pride in his abilities – cements the emotional core of the picture” (Phillips, 1). To gain the best opportunities in life and to reach maximum potential we have to take risks. This was hard for me because I never used to like taking risks, but the more opportunities I lost because of the fact that I was not being myself, the more frustrated I got and the more inspired I became to change. In my freshman year of high school, I almost did not take an honors English course because I did not think I was ready. Although I got a call from school telling me otherwise, and my parents believing in me all the way, I was not so sure. I ultimately took the class, and even though it was extremely hard, I did okay in the class and faced my fear of looking dumb. Another instance in my life which I hold to me is getting diagnosed with autism. No one expected me to survive in a normal school environment without the full aid of the special education program. After one year, however, that changed, and I was in the normal classes that all the other kids were in. Even though it was a horrible transition, I got through it and am proud of myself for it. Another example that I feel strongly attached to is: “The message given is that with teamwork, support, and a good understanding of one another anyone can work together and create something wonderful” (Tom, 1). Of course, with all the help I received over the years I was able to be successful, but without being myself and putting out the best effort that I could, it would not have succeeded. People in my life, fortunately, saw something in me that I did not see in myself for a majority of my life, but now I can see it and it shows. I have been more forgiving and helpful to others and I can thoroughly figure our problems and situations that arise. Next semester, I am going to be an RA, which takes an immense amount of responsibility and was given to me through an interview. Without being myself in the process, I would not have been able to get this job. I am so grateful for the opportunities I have been given, and I recognize that without being myself, none of it would be possible.

‘Ratatouille’ teaches the viewers that the sky is the limit, we just need to see it and achieve it. The film takes a proactive view on life and shows that we should all strive for our dreams. This movie resonated with me a lot because it felt good to see beings achieve their dreams through hard work and dedication. It has this unconventional wisdom and always inspires me to be the best I could be. I have learned a lot through this film and I never thought that I would be writing about it. My connection to Remy has never gone away, I see myself in him in a plethora of ways, and it makes me feel good about myself because he is a great character. He has the inspiration to succeed, those who doubt him but see him being successful, and those who give him a chance of a lifetime, to prove why he is a great cook. Gusteau gave him all the tools to succeed, and Remy ran with it and proved everyone wrong. He changed the way that people and rats alike, see the world.