Anime
Japanese animation medium with global cultural impact.
Anime is animation originating from Japan, derived from a shortening of the English word 'animation.' Outside Japan, it refers specifically to Japanese animation, while in Japan it describes all animated works regardless of origin. The medium has developed a characteristic art style since the 1960s, influenced by cartoonist Osamu Tezuka, and has become a globally significant form of entertainment, accounting for 60% of the world's animated television shows as of 2016.
- field
- Animation
- nationality
- Japanese
- known_for
- Distinctive art style, large emotive eyes, limited animation techniques, global influence
- earliest_commercial_animation
- 1917
- characteristic_art_style_emerged
- 1960s
- percentage_of_world_animated_TV_shows_20
- 60%
Lore & Background
The earliest commercial Japanese animation dates to 1917, with pioneers such as Ōten Shimokawa, Seitarō Kitayama, and Jun'ichi Kōuchi producing the first professional works. A characteristic art style emerged in the 1960s through the works of Osamu Tezuka, who adapted Disney techniques to reduce costs and limit frame counts, defining the medium's style. Anime is distributed theatrically, via television, home media, and the Internet, and often adapts manga, light novels, or video games.
The anime industry comprises over 430 production companies, including major studios like Studio Ghibli, Kyoto Animation, Sunrise, and Toei Animation. Since the 1980s, anime has seen international success through dubbed and subtitled programming, and since the 2010s through streaming services. By 2022, anime became one of the fastest-growing content genres globally, characterized by increased globalization, cross-cultural collaboration, and brand integration.
Reader's Guide
Anime's significance lies in its evolution from early 20th-century experiments to a dominant force in global entertainment. Its production methods, historically hand-drawn, focus on detailed settings and camera effects rather than movement, distinguishing it from Western animation. The medium's diverse art styles and genres, from mecha to slice-of-life, target broad and niche audiences. Anime's international success, driven by streaming services and dubbing, has made it a major cultural export, influencing media and popular culture worldwide. The term 'anime' itself reflects a linguistic blend, with disputed etymology possibly involving French or English roots. As of 2016, Japanese animation accounted for 60% of the world's animated television shows, and by 2022 it was one of the fastest-growing content genres globally. The industry's expansion into cross-cultural collaboration and brand integration underscores its lasting legacy as a transformative art form.
Did You Know?
- The term 'anime' is a shortened form of the English word 'animation,' written in Japanese katakana as アニメ.
- The earliest commercial Japanese animation dates to 1917, with the oldest surviving work being Namakura Gatana by Jun'ichi Kōuchi.
- As of 2016, Japanese animation accounted for 60% of the world's animated television shows.
- The word 'anime' is universally accepted as a loanword from the English 'animation,' not derived from the French 'dessin animé.'
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