What is anime?

Anime is not simply a term for the Japanese styles of animation, but rather a medium of art and storytelling that holds a mirror up to every aspect of Japanese life and culture. Like Western animation, anime developed as a result of the technical capability to bring still images to life through the process of motion pictures. The foundation for Western animation is rooted in comic books, mirrored in the Japanese counterpart of manga (pronounced “mahn-guh”). The two are so intertwined that it is difficult to discuss one independent of the other.

Anime is often compared to cartoons; however, there is a distinct difference between the two. Unlike the Western ideal of "status quo", wherein the end of an episode returns the characters and setting to its original point, anime often involves a linear, continuing story arc. Characters grow, change, and evolve over time in anime, new characters are introduced, and the events of one episode affect the next.

What is manga?

Manga is the umbrella term for all comic books in Japan. They are not limited to a youth audience, but instead target a wide age group with a genre and theme for all ages and interests. The literal translation of the term is “random (or whimsical) pictures” that are only produced in a print format. The defining characteristic of manga is the focus and attention to lines—not color, as most pages are still printed in black and white (except for the cover). As is often the case, a manga story or character is animated and introduced to the realm of anime.

Like anime, manga is often referred to by its Western "equivalent": comic books. In recent years, however, the term "graphic novel" has gained much popularity, as it neither implies an immature audience nor a funny nature. While many manga are, in fact, humorous, there are serious manga genres as well. The introduction of manga into Western society has seen a rise in graphic novels from a variety of cultures and has redefined the concept of artistic, visual storytelling.

For more Infomation Click Here.