Anime: 1000 Years of the Making

EAST 251 Week 2

Is it a coincident Anime originated in Japan?

Common misconception: Anime is children’s entertainment and TV pastime

Students only know the current state of Anime Cannot clearly distinguish Anime and cartoons

Clarify the definition of Anime Social impact

Criteria of Anime

Criteria

I Animated production (vs. live action) either hand-drown and/or computer generated

II Episodic (for television series) and containing meaning conversation and/or strong story

III Having a purpose other than comedic relief (such as moral and message)

IV Manga-based

(V Produced in Japan)

Definition of Manga (origin of Anime)

  Manga Graphic Novel in the US

Style Comical, exaggerated, disproportional physical and facial features

Comical, exaggerated physical and facial features

Targeted Demographic

Various (child, teen, young adult, adult etc.)

Predominately young male

Theme Various (drama, politics, daily-life, animals, food, love etc.)

Super-power/heroes

Purpose Storytelling, entertainment

Storytelling, entertainment

Origin 12-13th century 1950s

Popularity of MangaCurrent Popularity:

Japan: $5 billion industry (Anime adds another 2 billion) a year

Global: US Manga sales jumped from $60 million in 2002 to $210 million in 2008 (US Publishers weekly 2013)

History of Manga traces back to early Japanese history

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication Statistic Bureau (2010)

The Scrolls: The Origin of Manga

The earliest Japanese paintings are found in Nara period (710-794)

Scrolls are long strip of papers (can reach 49 ft.) Read from right to left Usually story telling in nature

Choju-junbutsu-giga (鳥獣人物戯画 ) 1153-1140

30-40 ft long

Early Japan: Asuka and Nara Period

Asuka: 592-710 Nara: 710-794

Around that time in Europe…

Byzantine Art

Fujibukuro-shoshi Emaki ( 藤袋草紙絵巻）16th Century

2 ¾ x 7 ¾ inch

Nezumi-shoshi Emaki ( 鼠草紙絵巻） 16th Century

13 ¼ x 185 inch

Tamamushi Monogatari ( 玉虫物語 )17th Century

450 ¾ x 8 inch

Tamamushi Monogatari ( 玉虫物語 )17th Century

450 ¾ x 8 inch

The Birth of Japanese Print: Edo Period

A period of peace brought the time to enjoy life (c.f. 鎖国 Sakoku ）

Middle class grew richer People now have access to entertainment

Middle class children went to “terakoya” or private schools Higher literacy rate

News paper Advancement of printing technology

Ukiyoe was born

Edo: 1603-1868

Ukiyoke ( 浮世絵 ): Images of the Floating World“Earthly domain governed by changeability and

fleeting pleasure”

Ukiyoe played many roles: Advertisement (restaurants, beauty products,

theaters/play, courtesans) Entertainment Art for middle class

Utagawa Toyokuni (1857)

c.f. posters

Takehara Shunsen (1987-1801)

百物語　 The Hundred Tales (unknown)

Kitagawa Utamaro, A Child Pstered by a Nightmare with his Mother (1800-1801)

Katsushika Hokusai (1775-1824)Hokusai’s work:

Hokusai Manga=15 volumes of various sketches (300+)

Depicting things in nature: animals, ghosts, etc. (30,000 + art works)

Hokusai: Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji

Origin of Anime, Manga北斎漫画 (Hokusai Manga) 1775-1824 by Hokusai

Katsushika

15 volumes of various sketches (300+) Depicting things in nature: animals, ghosts, etc.

Hokusai: Hokusai Manga

Hokusai Manga (1775-1824) 北斎漫画 (Hokusai Manga) 1775-1824 includes

portrayal of frame-by-frame dancing sequences of human body movements – reminiscent of Anime.

Hokusai: Shunga Became very popular during Edo period Categorized under Ukiyoe Exaggeration/overstatement Lively Comical Humorous

Next 2 pages: Rated R

Hokusai: The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife (1820) from Kinoe-no-komatsu

Hokusai: Kinoe-no-komatsu (1820)

Manga was common people’s entertainment in Edo period (1603-1868)

Samurai7%

Farmer (including fisher-men 76%), Artisans (7%), Merchants (10%), non-

human class 3%)93%

Around that time in Europe… 16-18th century paintings

Edo to Modern Period (1868-1945) Utagawa Yoshikazu, The acrobats (1858) Anonymous, Working the Fields (1898)

c.f. Box arrangement of modern Manga layout

The Rise of the Comic Strip: Modern Period

Kitazawa Rakuten, The Primary School board game (1913)

The Rise of the Comic Strip: Modern Period

Manga on Current Topics (1925) Manga: Chiyomaru and Princess Yachio (1939) The Exploration of Mars (1940)

History of Japanese Anime

The oldest existing Animation: なまくら刀 (1917)

Manga: Post WWII手塚治虫　（ Osamu Tezuka) 1928-1989

Military medical doctor turned into manga writer Inspired by Walt Disney’s work His manga focused on story lines,

psychological depiction, emotional conflict and importanceof human lives

Based on his Manga, he produced first TV Anime, Tetsuwan Atomu (Astro Boy)

Tezuka Osamu Created 700+ Manga (15,000 + pages) Produced 60+ Anime

1950-1954 1952-1968 1954-incomplete

First Animation airs on TV: Tezuka’s 鉄腕アトム (Astro Boy) 1963

1970’s Anime boom テレビ名作アニメ劇場

(Television Anime Master piece theater), Sunday, 7:30 PM.

On the other hand in the US… Saturday morning cartoons

宮崎駿　（ Hayao Miyazaki) 　 1941- Inspired by Tezuka’s manga He directed and designed

“Television Anime Master piece theater” until 1979. That washis break

Moved onto the production of anime films

Established Studio Ghibli in 1985

Etymology of “Anime” 1917: Jidaigeki-manga 時代劇漫画 = a period

drama manga 1930’s: Anime was called 動画 (dooga

=moving drawings); was shown as ‘pre-show’ before movies.

1960’s: Anime was called 漫画映画 (manga eiga=comic movies). The word Animation was business lingo.

July 1965 issue of Kogata-eiga ( 小型映画 ), a movie magazine, used the word “Anime”.

Format of Current Anime One season: usually 6 months (2 cycles) One episode=30 minutes

Warning: 5 seconds Opening music: 1 minute 30 seconds A part: 10 minuets Commercials B part : 10 minuets and 30 seconds Ending music: 1 minute 30 seconds Coming attraction: 15 seconds

Nature of Anime

Rich in history

Though the drawing style is simplified, the story line is more complex and explores human emotion and drama

Targeted not only children but also at a wider audience

What is Anime?

1. Two dimensional animated art form2. *Japanese origin3. *Originally manga4. Containing meaningful conversation or story5. One episode is either 30 min (TV series) or more

(OAV or full movie length)6. Having story line and consequences

* Usually but not always

In my humble opinion, if it doesn’t satisfy the criteria above, I’d call it an animated cartoon.