In basic terms, Anime is a style and series of animations that originated in Japan. The earliest animations can be dated back to 1917, but the first real animated movie was released in 1944, and the beginning of what are now some of the biggest Anime studios where just opening at this time.

Since then with the rise of DVD’s and the internet this genre has become much more accessible both in and out of Japan, and has reached a worldwide audience. Especially with the addition of adding multiple language dubbing over the original animations. But Anime is not just confined to the big screen there are also TV series, comics and games that use this style in their presentation.

Anime is also popular for its story lines as well as look. Often there are science fiction themes, and Ninja’s also feature quite heavily throughout the genre. Some of the most recognizable anime includes giant robots in series like Gundam Wing. Though there are still many series and stories that fall into the past, both in fictional and realistic worlds too.

Within the heading of Anime there are a few different sub genres, one of the most well known is Manga, a specific and more stylized artwork that become very popular in the 1990’s and onwards. But there are also forms that are designed for specific audiences, such as children, men or women. These sub genres have their own story lines and art styles that are tailored for their readers and viewers.

So, what is it that characterizes Anime, it really falls to how the characters are drawn, and the style in which they move in the animations. In most cases these characters are designed to fit into a certain realistic height and weight structure. Where the difference comes is that the eyes are usually larger, and the hairstyles of the characters are exaggerated and brightly colored.

When you watch an animation in this style you will also see that the characters have minimum movements, and that in many cases the characters barely move and only the mouth works for speech. The faces and expressions are also very stylized to convey emotions in a dramatic or overstated way.

There are many reasons for these differences between eastern and western animations, including the budgets or time constraints as well as the techniques being used, cell based animation is a slower process and so to save time movements were shortened or just not used at all.

All of this combined has created a unique, and much loved artistic and storytelling style. Anime has become so popular in the last few decades that there are conventions and events entirely devoted to it, where participants dress as their favorite characters and there are competitions held for the best cosplay.

As of today, Anime is a full blown world favorite, across many cultures and genres of fiction and film. From the science fiction worlds to child friendly films there is an Anime for everyone. With the newer techniques and modern technology making the process easier as well, there is a lot to look forward too in the future.