This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. VII, No. 12, April 29-May 5, 2007
CULTURE
Classifying Japanese Animation
Anime is one of the most
popular forms of animation in the world today. Who would forget Voltes V of the
early 70s? BY
MAC BRYAN N. BAUTISTA Anime is one of the most
popular forms of animation in the world today. Who would forget Voltes V of the
early 70s? Voltes V marked the entry of anime in the Philippines. But when
former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos declared Martal Law, he banned Japanese anime
citing its violent content. But when People Power 1 toppled the dictatorship,
Japanese anime made a comeback. Voltes V, the theme song of which was made
popular again by Bubble Gang, was revived during the latter part of the 1990s.
For years anime captivated the minds and hearts of every person, of every age.
Cartoon characters with round eyes, and plots, whether comedy or drama, have
been as much a part of this generation’s childhood as Pop Eye, Tweety Bird, and
the Flintstones were a part of our parents’ childhood. But what is this anime? Anime is the shortened term
for Japanese animation. This form of animation has been present for the past
fifty or so years, and until now, it is evolving to keep its loyal fans and to
continue attracting a new generation as well. Anime aficionados are also known
as “otaku” fans. These aficionados are well-aware of the genres of the shows. Anime has many genres of
which seven are the most common. An anime may contain one or a combination of
these genres. The most common anime genres are as follows: fantasy, drama,
adventure, science fiction, sports, adaptation and mature. The first class of Japanese
animation is fantasy. This genre is one of the most popular and the most common
among the seven classes mentioned. This genre involves characters that use
magical powers and items, mystical places, mythical and weird creatures, and out
of this earth evil villains. Examples of this genre are “Slayers” and “Rune
Soldier.” This genre does not have any age limit and anyone can watch these
shows. The second class of anime
is drama. This anime involves plots that can be relevant in a teenager’s life.
This genre tackles subjects that a teenager commonly encounters. These include
peer pressure, love, jealousy, and the like. This kind of anime also shows a
typical person living a typical life. Examples of this kind of anime are “Boys
Be, His and Her Consequences,” and the ever popular “GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka).”
The third genre is science
fiction. This genre involves a lot of violence and some plots that are not
suitable for very young audiences. Children watching this genre need parental
guidance or adult supervision. Also, this genre’s trademark is the use of
technology. Such technology can be seen in the form of machines also known as “Mecha”.
Mechas are huge robots capable of destroying everything that strays in its path.
This can be seen in the hit series “Gundam” which has many stories and plots.
At the same time, the stories revolve around the violent side of the world and
are all about war. Science fiction anime uses the latest weapons technology like
stealth fighter planes, night vision goggle, and the like. Examples of this
genre are “Full Metal Panic”, “Neon Genesis Evangelion”, and “.hack//SIGN”. The fourth genre is
adaptation. Anime of this genre are usually based on famous books, myths, and
legends. Examples are “The Saiyuki Trilogy (Gensomaden Saiyuki, Saiyuki Reload,
Saiyuki Reload Gunlock)” which uses the Chinese legend of a monk who goes on a
journey to the west with
three cohorts.
Another is from Alexandre Dumas’ French classic “The Count of Monte Cristo”.
“Princess Sarah”, one of the oldest anime is an adaptation of “The Little
Princess”. Even the story of “Rurouni Kenshin” is based from the history of
early dynasties of Japan, especially on the Meiji Era. This genre is suitable to
all audiences. However, if the storyline turns out to be violent, adult
supervision is recommended. The fifth is sports. This
genre of anime revolves around the story of characters in a team whether in
racing, basketball, or soccer. This genre is not too violent compared to other
genres. Examples of this kind of anime are “Captain Tsubasa”, “Hungry Heart”,
“Initial D”, “Prince of Tennis”, “Dear Boys”, and “Slam Dunk”. This genre of
anime is best for people who are inclined to or interested in sports. The sixth is adventure.
Being the most prevailing form of anime, it has combined genres that are found
in other anime shows. Majority of today’s anime are adventure-based whether
fantasy, action, adaptations, sports, etc. The plots involve a person or a party
going around the world saving it from sheer destruction. The characters are
sometimes dressed in an adventurer’s clothing that either resembles their role
or the place where they came from. Examples of these anime are “Get Backers”,
“Star Ocean EX”, “Record of Lodoss War”, “Flame of Recca”, “Yu-Yu Hakusho”, and
“DNAngel”. The last of the seven
genres is the mature. This genre is the so-called “strictly for adults” due to
the fact that this genre either has too much violence and gore content, or it
has sexually-explicit content. This genre is oftentimes shown in the late or wee
hours of the night. The most common mature-genre anime is “Hentai”. This form of
anime should not be watched by minors. In watching Japanese
animation, viewers learn both positive and negative values. There are some
animations that promote the values of friendship, teamwork, concern for others,
love, brotherhood and the like; at the same time, viewers can also learn
negative values from these forms of entertainment. Examples of these negative
values that one can learn are hatred, the vice of vengeance, lust (in mature
anime), greed, etc. Japanese animations create a loyal following. Since the day
viewers first watched their first anime, they began to crave for more. Anime has more genres other
than the seven mentioned above. The genres can either be productive or
destructive, depending on its impact on the viewer. But because it generates a
loyal following, TV networks will continue to show anime and the number of
aficionados will continue to increase. Anime is here to stay unless it is again
banned by government edict. As TV networks are ratings-driven, viewers play a
crucial role in the evolution of anime. In the end, the viewers themselves will
mold the anime of tomorrow. Bulatlat © 2007 Bulatlat
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Bulatlat Intern