I am a lover of Japanese culture and the medium responsible for cultivating this love is Anime. To most people on the outside, Anime seems like a chaotic jumble of loud foreign noises and even louder, overly dramatic images but once you are accustomed to the sheer vibrancy of it and what I like to call “Anime logic”, you can begin to enjoy what the medium has to offer.
Steeped in the long history and traditions of the Japanese people, anime evolved as a way to produce animated content that was cost-efficient, yet engaging. I won’t go into much detail in this post but you can read up on the history of anime here. Also, a short but intense overview of the history of Japan itself can be found here:
If you haven’t taken the time to watch the video, please do. It gives a pretty good idea of what anime can be like i.e. a lot of seemingly chaotic imagery and fast-paced action/narration that makes complete sense when taken in context.
There are as many genres of Anime as there are of any other medium, plus some that can only exist because of anime and its unique development (think giant fighting robots. Yes, Japan did that first). There is anime that builds on traditional Japanese religion and folklore, sports anime where everything is open to competition, shoujo anime where romance and the softer side of life are the focus, shonen anime that’s the most exhilarating blend of fantasy, sci-fi and can-do spirit ever and many many more.
The most impressive thing about anime for me is the sheer amount of work that goes into making one. From the research needed to get facts straight in many different contexts, such as history, cooking, space travel, fashion etc. You name any area of human study and endeavour ever and there’s probably anime that incorporates some aspect of it or the other. Then don’t get me started on the actual work that goes into the production of the anime: from the animation to the sound design, to the art direction to the voice acting. Everything about anime is an intense labour of love, the writing of the stories themselves in no way being the least of it.
A large number of anime are adapted from manga; the Japanese equivalent of a comic book but those who write them (called mangaka) have elevated the genre to great heights that only a few western comics I think have ever accomplished. Think on the great works of Alan Moore such as V for Vendetta and Watchmen and I assure you there are many manga that match and even exceed them in sheer creativity as well as worldbuilding and character development. Think of the absolute wonder of the world of John Constantine or the multiverse of the Flash and I assure you there is manga that leaves them in the dust. Even the utter brilliance that is Neil Gaiman’s Sandman collection is run-of-the-mill in the world of manga and anime.
This is where “anime logic” comes in because, sometimes, concepts in anime are so far out that you have to abandon all preconceived notions and take the anime in the context of itself. Many anime seem ridiculous and silly but, taken in context, they have marvellous internal consistency that only serves to further elevate the plot and themes of the story. Space odysseys can rhapsodize the ideals of friendship, isekai (stories about being transported to a fantasy world) can be used to emphasize the depth of familial bonds, cooking competitions can teach on the virtues of perseverance and courage; the possibilities are endless. This blog does a very good job of analysing anime on more technical merits than I do here, in a fun and engaging way.
In many ways, I think what is responsible for this upwelling of creativity in the Japanese people is their culture; not just in the sense of tradition, but also in the sense of how their society functions. I sometimes say I want to live in Japan for a while because I’ll be sure of not being the weirdest person I know there. Their society has its flaws, as any society does, but they are one of the most accommodating cultures I have ever encountered. Yes, they can be strict in their ideals of honour, duty and familial responsibility but they also nurture individualism, without it being to the detriment of the individual or their society. Basically, to the best of my understanding, the Japanese help you be the best version of yourself possible because only then can you truly be the best member of society.
On that note, I hope I have been able to convey my most earnest love for anime and all things Japan to you. If you have anime recommendations or feel the same way about the Japanese (or any other) culture, do feel free to
😊.
Till next time, Peace and Kami no o Megumi.