history of animation
... short episodes like "Steamboat Willie", in which Mickey Mouse first appeared. Animated works such as these proved to be instrumental in defining a standard for animated material around the world. By comparison, the Japanese were slow to make an impact within the animated film industry, and, as has been mentioned already above, the first attempts by Japanese artists are hardly even worth mentioning. A combination of conservatism and, at the time, global isolation may have been attributing factors that prevented artists from experimenting with the revolutionary mediums at the time. However, the Second World War came and passed and, as Japan started shifting their focus towards technology, the Japanese began to make progress towards creating animation that was similar to that of their Western rivals. It was from this point onwards that Japanese animation began to move more rapidly towards creating the unique style, anime. A BRIEF OUTLINE OF ANIME: Anime (ah-NIH-may) is a term for Japanese animation. Anime often covers more serious topics than the typical cartoon. In America, cartoons are considered a form of entertainment meant for children. In Japan, people of all ages watch anime. Most shows and movies are centred for kids, adolescents or young adults, but there are also many anime that are made for the older crowd, even businessmen. There are many genres in anime with basic categories like comedy, romance, action, drama and pornography (hentai). There are also anime with content meant specifically for boys (shounen) and girls (shoujo). (Sensei, T. pp 1) During and after the Second World War, there was a man by the name of Osamu Tezuka. As a factory worker during the war and an aspiring doctor, Tezuka maintained a strong interest in the works of artists like Disney and the Fleischer Brothers. As a child he gained respect from his peers by imitating cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck and even creating his own characters similar to those that were popular at the time. This early enthusiasm laid the first of the stepping-stones towards what would become a successful career as an animator. At this stage it is important to outline the significance of the Second World War and how it influenced Japanese culture and various anime productions. The Pacific War, (within WWII), and the chaos that surrounded it, deeply affected the people of Japan at the time. It is quite common to see pictures in Japanese animation that resemble mass explosions, similar to that of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. One anime, titled Barefoot Gen, specifically deals with issues faced by the Japanese people during WWII. It is an autobiographical tale of a young boy who experiences the trauma of losing family and friends during the war. It deals with political issues, the actions of the Japanese Government and their determination not to surrender to the Americans, until it was too late. Many devout fans would say that Tezuka pioneered the art of manga and anime. He was the first to release a graphic story in 1947, titled "New Treasure Island", and in 1963 the world was introduced to the style of manga with the release of Tezuka's, "Testuwan Atom", more commonly known as, "Astro Boy". As mentioned above, Tezuka was strongly influenced by the works of American cartoonists, yet he created characters with that were subtly unlike those of his counterparts. He used bold features such as, huge eyes, brightly coloured hair and exaggerated physique. Tezuka wanted to be able to display a range of emotions for his characters, and, like characters such as Mickey Mouse, felt that large eyes were essential. Tezuka and his studio moved on through the years to bigger and better things, all the while maintaining a unique style of animation and creating new boundaries within the industry. They continued to embark on discovering new artistic styles, genres and formats. It is important to note the significance of Japanese religious culture and mythological history that was strongly influential in conceptualising anime. Japanese culture draws many ideologies from religious and mythological beliefs. Legends spaning from religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism have been central to many models of anime. Belief in kami (Gods) was common in Japan and is still current today to a lesser extent. Anime, such as My Neighbour Totoro and Princess Mononoke, exhibit themes of "godliness" and adopt mythology as a basis, forming the structure of the film. However, the concepts differ from what Westerners may view as a religious influence. The Japanese legends tend to be more supernatural, and the spiritual elements and rituals are associated and combined with the physical world. (Poitras, G. pp 28-32) Examples of ritual are evident in the film, Card Captor Sakura: Sakura and Li use "mantras" and "mudras" (ritualistic hand poses) to invoke the powers of "Clow Cards". In Shinto, mantras and mudras are used to invoke the powers of the good Gods. The example above exhibits a theme that is common across the anime spectrum. Characters often use and inherit powers that appear to be of Godly proportion. One is led to believe that there is a close link between the supernatural and the physical elements. It is the modern interpretation of ancient legends and custom that creates the unique science fiction genre of anime. During the 20th century, the anime medium continued to change and grow. Technological advancements were increasing at a rapid pace, especially in Japan, and anime experienced a move that widened the genre-gap between Western and Eastern styles. The period surrounding the late 1960's and 70's reflected the technological movement through further development of anime productions. The most obvious trend being established was named "mecha", short for mechanical. Artists began to create a certain sub-genre by indulging in creations of giant robots and other science fiction machines. Today, mecha is a typical element of manga productions and other related Japanese animations. Throughout the 70's, mecha was increasingly combined with the unique characterisations of existing anime styles. This led to the production of various action series ("Mob...