American animation or Japanese animation?
 

Both countries sh*t out cartoons like no other country on the planet. Probably more individually than all other other countries in the world combined. So yeah, 99% of the cartoons people grow up watching are American or Japanese. Which do you genenrally prefer?

Let's break it down:

American animation:

Strictly for kids for the most part. Animation is kind of viewed as something more for kids than adults in general in USA and the Western world in general. Exceptions are cartoon series like Archer, South park, Family Guy, The Simpsons, etc and they're all comedies. Coincidence? Probably not.

Way more mainstream than anime in general. While there's some heavy hitting anime titles it's still easier to find people who know Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse than Naruto or even Goku.

Japanese animation:

It's not as mainstream except for big series like DBZ, Sailor Moon, Naruto, One Piece, etc. and it usually doesn't have as high budgets as American cartoons usually do. Also, it's almost always based on existing manga or video game series.

But it has a much wider variety in terms of genre and target demographics. And when it's aimed at adults, it's not almost always comedies like American cartoons are. It's pretty hard to find an American cartoon in the same vein of ghost in the Shell, Monster, Kaiji or Legend of the Galactic Heroes. And if there's an adult comic like that in USA it will get adapted into a live action movie always instead of a cartoon, unless they really tone it down and make it kid friendly like TMNT and The Mask.


I used to be way more into anime, but it's hard to say which one I prefer nowadays. I'd say at its best, anime wins, especially when it comes to more mature and adult plots and characters like you see in Kaiji, Monster, GiTS, etc. For some reason USA and the West seem to think those type of stories shouldn't be "wasted" in animation format, because of the prevalent "cartoons are for kids!" mentality. But on the other hand, American cartoons have less annoying tropes and characters that plague a lot of anime. Some anime character arch types are so graaaating. Also, anime doesn't really have charming and timeless classics like Looney Tunes or Tom & Jerry, imo.

I'm undecided. What about you?

Both. Both is good.

Sure, but if I made a "both" option that would get a lot of votes. It's not supposed to be an easy decision.

Japanese. Their animes are beautiful most of the time.

Some of American animations are too simplistic & butt ugly: like Ren & Stimpy, Adventure Time, Steven universe, Rick & Morty

I could try to be nice to American animation and bring up a bunch of Disney movies, well written comedy shows (like South Park or Rick and Morty), even talk about some of WB direct-to-video adaptations of DC storylines or just talk about stuff I like personally...

But it's hard to deny that the Japanese is better at treating animation as an actual artform, rather than some bizarre excuse to make children's entertainment.

What's arguably the best animated movie produced by an American studio, Beauty and the Beast, is still just a kid's movie with simple themes and plot. When you do get something for adults from the Americans, it's usually some direect-to-video thing with a low budget. It's a lot easier to name Japanese animated movie intended for an older audience that actually had some money put into it. Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Metropolis, Paprika, A Silent Voice, Mononoke, Grave of the Fireflies, Neon Genesis Evangelion, the list just goes on.

I kind of hate to draw lines like these but yeah...

Western countries need to get rid of the "cartoons and comics are just for children" prejudice. Animated Batman did a good job, but the stigma still exists.

I recall feeling ashamed for watching cartoons and reading many comics (ordinary action-style) when being around 11 years old. So I always had the remote control near my hand, ready to change channel if my parents came up.

I told my parents to cancel my subscription for the TMNT Adventures comics, when reading the continuiation was what I wanted too, just for feeling so ashamed.

Sadly, it felt like the entire world was watching through the window (you could see the TV screen from outside through the window) even if I knew nobody did. So I turned around my head every 5th minute or so. :)

Japanese all the way. Some of the west's best is Japanese, even. :tlol:

I like the stuff coming out of Korea, if I'm being perfectly honest.

In particular the work coming out of Studio Mir.
American animation puts more emphasis on facial expression and subtlety in facial expression that I find Most Japanese animation tends to lean to. I just don't like Flappy mouths.

The stuff coming out of Korea tends to split that difference. You get the dynamic background and fight scenes, but you also get facial animation will you can almost read their lips.

North or South?... :)

You can find some North Korean propaganda cartoons on youtube. They're kind of creepy.

But are they well animated?

I don't know. Didn't really pay attention to such details. I was too busy chuckling and taking in the bizarre experience it was. One of the cartoons had a squirrel as one of the good guys and a wolf as, I assume, the main bad guy... he looked like Wolf O'Donell's older brother or something. You know, Wolf from Star Fox.

...if someone ever writes fanfiction out of a North Korean cartoon series then I can see someone doing this.

You should totally nominate it at Yuletide.

I don't get it?

Also, what are some Korean(South) cartoons you like? Is their animation industry big nowadays? I can't think of any South Korean cartoon series. unless you mean stuff animated at Korean studios, but aren't most American cartoons animated in Asian country studios anyway?

...ah.

Yuletide:
It produces some really stellar stuff, you should check it out!

I originally mentioned Studio Mir, they're the animation house behind the new Voltron, and Avatar/Some of Korra.

But you're not wrong, that most American cartoons are animated not in America, which kind of gives this thread an interesting side-step.

I love Japanese animation in many aspects, but I prefer American animation.

One reason is because of the fluidity in American animation while some animes can sacrifice their framerate in exchange for detail. That being said, with technology improving we are getting animes with both great detail and great fluidity.

I also feel American animation has more variety in how it looks, from the detailed and grand spectacle of the Lion King to something more simple and comedic looking such as Invader Zim while alot of animes have this overarching and similar look.

I do think that animes are a lot better at aiming for an older audience however. Can't stand a lot of the adult american animated shows on nowdays.

French animation, there is a lot of crazy stuff you can get away with that you don't see in America or Japan

Recommend me some french animation, you had already told me about the boxer one but what else would you recommend besides Wakfu or TinTin?

If you are feeling something classic check out The Legend of Calamity Jane
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/p...e0405e5350.png
Lascars is pretty funny imo and they even made a movie


For film I recommend the Rabbi's Cat and Ernest and Clemintine


And while not French The Breadwinner is pretty great film.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....VL._SY445_.jpg

Japanese animation. At least when you know that there are a bunch of shows coming out (like what? 40 a season) you know at least something will probably ring with you.

In the case of US cartoons where (not including pre-school shows) not as many (new) programs comes out and if non of them hits well, it kind of sucks.

I feel as if those are two extremes, on one hand yeah there is more to choose from but the crap shows waste so much talent and resources. And with the former the pool to choose from is small.

I like both! I go back and forth between them....

But I prefer Korean animation like studio Mir! Even French animation is pretty awesome!

but my favorite animation shows are like avatar and voltron where it's a cartoon but with Korean animation and a little bit of an anime style.

Aren't some Japanese anime and manga of the 1970's and 80's considered classics, like Starzinger (even if that's an adventure series)?