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The '''Japanese animation''' industry has attracted much interest in the West, with [[English]]-speaking fans avidly adopting Japanese terminology such as ''anime'' (short for "animation", but used almost exclusively to refer to animated features originating from [[Japan]]) and even ''otaku'' (a derogatory term meaning "obsessive fan"<ref>[http://www.beneaththetangles.com/the-christians-guide-to-anime-and-otaku-dom/ The Christian's Guide to Anime and Otaku-dom] at Beneath the Tangles</ref>). The term anime (アニメ) is the short form of the Japanese word ''animeeshon'' (アニメーション), which is itself derived from the English word ''animation''.<ref name="Anime">[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Anime Anime] at TV Tropes</ref> Anime shares a similar visual style with its print couterpart ''manga'' and both are derived from the works of Japanese artists such as Osamu Tezuka.<ref name="Anime"/>

The '''Japanese animation''' industry has attracted much interest in the West, with [[English]]-speaking fans avidly adopting Japanese terminology such as ''anime'' (short for "animation", but used almost exclusively to refer to animated features originating from [[Japan]]) and even ''otaku'' (a derogatory term meaning "obsessive fan"<ref>[http://www.beneaththetangles.com/the-christians-guide-to-anime-and-otaku-dom/ The Christian's Guide to Anime and Otaku-dom] at Beneath the Tangles</ref>, the Western equivalents of which are likewise derogatorily called "fanboys" and "fangirls"). The term anime (アニメ) is the short form of the Japanese word ''animeeshon'' (アニメーション), which is itself derived from the English word ''animation''.<ref name="Anime">[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Anime Anime] at TV Tropes</ref> Anime shares a similar visual style with its print couterpart ''manga'' and both are derived from the works of Japanese artists such as Osamu Tezuka.<ref name="Anime"/>

The best known ''anime'' director in Japan is [[Hayao Miyazaki]], founder of [[Studio Ghibli]] and famous for ''[[My Neighbor Totoro]]'', ''[[Spirited Away]]'' and ''Princess Mononoke''.

The best known ''anime'' director in Japan is [[Hayao Miyazaki]], founder of [[Studio Ghibli]] and famous for ''[[My Neighbor Totoro]]'', ''[[Spirited Away]]'' and ''Princess Mononoke''.

As in the West, Japanese animation tends to follow Japanese comic book styles (called ''[[manga]]''). An author/illustrator  of a manga is called a manga-ka. Many anime begin as manga in magazines such as ''Weekly Shounen Jump'', one of the most popular compilations in Japan.

As in the West, Japanese animation tends to follow Japanese comic book styles (called ''[[manga]]''). An author/illustrator  of a manga is called a manga-ka. Many anime begin as manga in magazines such as ''Weekly Shounen Jump'', one of the most popular compilations in Japan.

In recent years, the translation process of anime and manga has come under criticism for the process of "Americanization". This process is the editing of the original works so that they can be made more acceptable for the American public. Episodes are known to be shortened to add more time for commercials. Religious influences and [[homosexuality]] are removed so that anime can be shown and marketed to younger audiences. Some directors adopt a policy of "no cuts", where their works cannot be altered and are more literal translations. If this condition is not met, the director will not allow his work to be translated. Some groups of Bilingual speakers have, thus, taken to providing "unofficial" translations for the general public, uploaded to the internet for free. This was one of the major controversies of the SOPA bill that was recently a major issue.

In recent years, the translation process of anime and manga has come under criticism for the process of "Americanization". This process is the editing of the original works so that they can be made more acceptable for the American public. Episodes are known to be shortened to add more time for commercials. Religious influences and [[homosexuality]] are removed so that anime can be shown and marketed to younger audiences. Some directors adopt a policy of "no cuts", where their works cannot be altered and are more literal translations. If this condition is not met, the director will not allow his work to be translated. Some groups of bilingual speakers have, thus, taken to providing "unofficial" translations for the general public, uploaded to the internet for free. This was one of the major controversies of the SOPA bill that was recently a major issue.

Some non-Japanese cartoons, particularly such shows as ''Avatar: The Last Airbender'', ''My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'', ''Totally Spies!'', ''The Amazing Spiez'', ''Code Lyoko'', ''The Boondocks'' and ''Kappa Mikey'', have anime-influenced artwork and appearances (with ''Kappa Mikey'' and ''Totally Spies!'' and its spinoff ''The Amazing Spiez'' being the most anime-like in appearance and feel), showing a heavy influence by the anime style.

Some non-Japanese cartoons, particularly such shows as ''Avatar: The Last Airbender'', ''My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'', ''Totally Spies!'', ''The Amazing Spiez'', ''Code Lyoko'', ''The Boondocks'' and ''Kappa Mikey'', have anime-influenced artwork and appearances (with ''Kappa Mikey'' and ''Totally Spies!'' and its spinoff ''The Amazing Spiez'' being the most anime-like in appearance and feel), showing a heavy influence by the anime style.

==Criticism of anime==

==Criticism of anime==

Anime has come under criticism over the years by animation purists due to most, if not all, anime shows (particularly the more recent shows from the 1980s onward) looking stylistically similar in their artwork and lacking a clear-cut distinction between styles,<ref>[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.247476-Criticism-of-Anime-and-Manga Criticism of Anime and Manga]</ref> as well as being considered inferior in visual style to American animation.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/notes/i-hate-anime/our-reasons-for-not-liking-anime/556774851034596 Our reasons for not liking anime]</ref> The anime genre has also been criticized for the inclusion of such above-mentioned subject matter as homosexuality, pedophilia, pornography (which has its own anime subgenre, ''hentai''), horror and graphic violence, which tend to make such shows taboo for younger viewers. Another glaring criticism of anime is the poor adaptation of many such shows into English, with poor voice acting (in particular, making some charatcers sound childish), nonsensically-interpreted storylines and dialogue (especially when the dialogue and/or its tone do not match how a particular character feels in a scene), the changing of character names to ridiculous-sounding names,<ref>[http://www.cornponeflicks.org/harlock/ZIVharlock.html ''Captain Harlock'' vols. one and two by ZIV International] at the Captain Harlock Archives</ref> and the elimination of Japanese cultural references and their replacement with more recognizable pop culture for English-speaking audiences; while done with the intent of sanitizing the translated anime to make it more kid-friendly, such shows end up looking and sounding farcical and non-serious.<ref>[http://ca.ign.com/articles/2008/05/30/anime-adaptations Anime Adaptations]</ref><ref>[http://fanlore.org/wiki/Anime Anime] at Fanlore Wiki</ref> The most looked down-upon aspect of anime is its hardcore segment of fans (the above-mentioned ''otakus''), who often violently react in extreme, histrionic and illogical fashion to any criticism of the anime genre (including even making death threats to the critics and others who are not anime fans<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/notes/i-hate-anime/questions-asked-when-overprotective-anime-fans-come-to-this-page/815531001825645 Questions asked when overprotective anime fans come to this page]</ref>), giving such fans much in common with [[liberal]]s who react in similar fashion to any criticism of any of the liberal sacred cows like "global warming", the homosexual agenda, abortion, feminism, socialism and Islam.

Anime has come under criticism over the years by animation purists due to most, if not all, anime shows (particularly the more recent shows from the 1980s onward) looking stylistically similar in their artwork and lacking a clear-cut distinction between styles,<ref>[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.247476-Criticism-of-Anime-and-Manga Criticism of Anime and Manga]</ref> as well as being considered inferior in visual style to American animation.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/notes/i-hate-anime/our-reasons-for-not-liking-anime/556774851034596 Our reasons for not liking anime]</ref> The anime genre has also been criticized for the inclusion of such above-mentioned subject matter as homosexuality, pedophilia, pornography (which has its own anime subgenre, ''hentai''), horror and graphic violence, which tend to make such shows taboo for younger viewers. Another glaring criticism of anime is the poor adaptation of many such shows into English, with poor voice acting (in particular, making some characters sound childish), nonsensically-interpreted storylines and dialogue (especially when the dialogue and/or its tone do not match how a particular character feels in a scene), the changing of character names to ridiculous-sounding names,<ref>[http://www.cornponeflicks.org/harlock/ZIVharlock.html ''Captain Harlock'' vols. one and two by ZIV International] at the Captain Harlock Archives</ref> and the elimination of Japanese cultural references and their replacement with more recognizable pop culture for English-speaking audiences; while done with the intent of sanitizing the translated anime to make it more kid-friendly, such shows end up looking and sounding farcical and non-serious.<ref>[http://ca.ign.com/articles/2008/05/30/anime-adaptations Anime Adaptations]</ref><ref>[http://fanlore.org/wiki/Anime Anime] at Fanlore Wiki</ref> The most looked down-upon aspect of anime is its hardcore segment of fans (the above-mentioned ''otakus''), who often violently react in extreme, histrionic and illogical fashion to any criticism of the anime genre (including even making death threats to the critics and others who are not anime fans<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/notes/i-hate-anime/questions-asked-when-overprotective-anime-fans-come-to-this-page/815531001825645 Questions asked when overprotective anime fans come to this page]</ref>), giving such fans much in common with [[liberal]]s who react in similar fashion to any criticism of any of the liberal sacred cows like "global warming", the homosexual agenda, abortion, feminism, socialism and Islam.

==References==

==References==