As for what I do when I encounter Anime, read manga or try and draw manga pictures of my own, is try and comprehend the narrative and what it is trying to say through a Japanese lens. I also read Japanese novels and have found Japanese storytelling modes to be fascinating indeed, their whole concept of what a plot is varies so much and yet there is a unity to it that isn’t the same as the Chuck Palahniuk or Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman novels I love so much.

The fact that it might be symbolic doesn’t surprise me, of course, as anime is full of those types of things, even down to the birthdates of its characters at times (despite the anime itself never really telling us their birthdate!), but certainly I never considered it to be. This is the real reason I read anime blogs, I think, to find out what other people noticed that I haven’t.

Great read.

@Dm: The best of everything has to come from somewhere, indeed ^^ However, I’m not sure that a general consensus would agree that the best animation is from Japan. Same thing goes for U.S. movies — perhaps the U.S. has larger production budgets and produces superior films, but I know from experience that many people abhor Hollywood movies.

As a science, I don’t understand animation very well, but if you compare your average anime to your average, say, ‘Western’ cartoon — from an animator’s standpoint, each has its strengths and weaknesses. Same thing applies to manga and U.S. comics (Marvel, etc.)

We have to remember, too, that anime still caters to a niche audience (Japanese fans included.) I truly believe that what really makes anime special runs far deeper than technical prowess. Perhaps it’s style…

@Asuka: I hope to visit Japan sometime soon! Glad I could put a name to a face for you. This tune has been bugging more for YEARS!

@13: Takes one to know one

The same reason European soccer, Brazil’s mens soccer team, and the US movie industry produce the best in their own fields: a group of people make a conscious choice to put all their heart, effort, and focus into one thing, and make it into an artform.

As for the great detail of culture in anime: population density and paying attention.

But I honestly don’t think it’s the only one.There are other elements.For exemple, until the 2000s anime was probably one of the few tv experience offering a coherent plot over 26 episodes and six months.

If your into sci-fi or fantasy, it’s also with novels one of the few mediums that can satisfy your needs.

And the list could probably go on and on.

This was an interesting post and it got me really thinking about why I’d become so obsessed with anime as well. While I don’t think that it has to do completely with the “dooryway to Japan culture” that you can get, I know that that is one of the reasons why I feel that anime is so great. There’s another reason as to why I like anime so much, but indeed, there is so much you learn and recognize in anime after watching so much about it.

The first time I remember hearing Tooryanse was way back in elementary school when in my (American) third grade class we did a little cultural presentation. This song was included in Japanese and we even played something similar to the game that was mentioned above. But until recently when watching Amatsuki’s first episode did I realize that I’d heard the same song before.

As far as Japanese culture is concerned, I really have learned a lot from anime about it, especially about the school system and whatnot. School uniforms, shoe lockers, the emphasis on club activities… And then I’ve also noted how much food is emphasized in anime (and manga) a lot. And then there’s the way people address each other… Geez, I’m such a fangirl.

Japanese culture really is very unique and I like how well it is presented in anime (and manga).

@Extrange: Sorry sir, I haven’t seen the Animatrix. Good call though, it sounds like Beyond used Tooryanse pretty extensively.

@Ibrevis: This post was originally intended as a collab with Lelangir, and when I was talking to him, I think he mentioned that Dennou Coil’s use of Tooryanse was pretty strong. The examples I came up with play on more obscure connections.

I think here in the US the crossing tune is usually either beeping or birds chirping. Which is not quite as interesting…

One of the best movies of the Animatrix, along with The Second Renaissance, A Detective Story and Program.

Edit: Oh wait, YOU DID referenced it…but considering it’s a key element of the short film, you should had developed more aboit it :-p