Soar Into The Breathtaking World Of Anime

profile
Jasfiq Rahman
Apr 10, 2019   •  209 views

The Oxford online dictionary describes Anime as 'A style of Japanese film and television animation, typically aimed at adults as well as children.'

Well, that's only the tip of the iceberg that is the culture of Anime, so let's go a bit deeper into this Oh! So magical magical world, shall we?

Chances are that you came across a few Animes while growing up, even if you don't realise it. It might've been Doraemon, or maybe Shin-chan. Or it could've been Pokémon, but perhaps it was DragonBall Z. And if you're anything like me, then it was all four and more.

And don't worry if you didn't, it's never too late to start watching Anime!

Anime in itself is an entirely different form of storytelling. It has its own unique approach to the craft, its own varieties of styles and its own bunch of clichés. It has its own dedicated fan base across the world, including celebs like Megan Fox, Keanu Reeves, Samuel L. Jackson, Robin Williams, and the list goes on.

Most, if not all, of the Anime out there are the animated versions of their beloved comic counterparts, the Manga. Some of the best selling fiction authors of all time are Manga artists, people such as Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball), Eiichiro Oda (One Piece), Masashi Kishimoto (Naruto) to name a few.

Interested in the craft? Well it's not easy being a Manga artist, known in Japanese as a Mangaka. According to an editor at Shonen Jump, the essential qualities for any budding mangaka are "nerves of steel, a very strong stomach, and the ability to work for days without sleep, cash, or food." Still interested? What if I told you that they have to work for around 18-19 hours everyday? And they don't get as many holidays either, heck Masashi Kishimoto couldn't go on his honeymoon cause he needed to finish Naruto. But if you're really interested then don't let this discourage you, because if there is one thing Anime and Manga has taught me, it's that A Man (or Woman) never gives up on his dreams.

The 50th Anniversary special cover of the Weekly Shonen Jump, a weekly shonen manga anthology published by Shueisha.

Ever heard of Pixar Studios? Of course you have.

How about Studio Ghibli? Probably not.

Well Ghibli is like the Pixar of Japan. Um... Sorry, my bad, Pixar is rather more of the Ghibli of America. Why do I say this? Because there have been Pixar animators who use Ghibli as a reference and for practice.

You should probably check out some of Ghibli's movies, if you haven't already. They are known for being surreal, and will leave you feeling a bit richer and fulfilled, if nothing else. Most Ghibli movies have a score of over 8 on IMDb, and one of my favorites called Spirited Away has a score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Other than that you should check out My Neighbor Totoro, Howl's Moving Castle and Princess Mononoke. And once you're captured by the magic of Ghibli, you'll start checking out their vast range of 'feel-hitter' movies yourself.

But of course there are many more non-Ghibli Anime movies out there which are just as brilliant. One of the best in recent times is Your Name (Kimi no Namae Wa). You can also give Sword of the Samurai a watch if you're into the bloody kind of action, and A Silent Voice is a good option if you want a good crying session.

Or just want something crazy and over the top, with a last battle so amazing that you could die after watching it and not have any regrets? Then check out My Hero Academia: Two Heroes.

Yes, I'm aware that I'm a nerd. And hopefully after reading this article you will be too.

A still from the movie 'My Neighbor Totoro', released by Studio Ghibli in 2002.

Anime has many genres, the most famous of which is Shonen. It is primarily aimed at a young male audiences, and is typically characterized by action-filled plots.

All the big names in the industry: DragonBall, One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, Fairy Tail, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (Jojo no Kimyou na Bouken) and the latest hits: My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia), Seven Deadly Sins (Nanatsu no Taizai), Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) and Black Clover are Shonen.

These Animes are filled with over the top action sequences, flashy special attacks and an all round disregard for the laws of Physics. Sounds awesome right? But there's a lot to it than that. They also have some of the best plot lines out there, some of the most touching moments in storytelling history, and some of the greatest characters to have ever existed. Shonen is the only place where you'll meet characters who although are strong enough to tear countries apart alone, still bend under the stress of the complications of coming of age. You'll find characters whose powers are so unbelievable you'd probably do anything to be them for just a day, and at the same time they'll have problems and lives so relatable that you'll see a piece of yourself in them.

Like I said before, it's never too late to start watching Anime. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have, or if you want any recommendations.

Go Beyond! PLUS ULTRA!

1



  1