If you wonder what anime is, we have the answer and explain a little if you want to know more about this particular type of animation that is gaining so many followers today. A movement that has arrived in the world to stay as generations advance.
Anime? What is it?
Anime is a type of animation born in Japan characterized by its physical traits and animation style. Most characters in this animation style have large eyes and quite expressive faces, being one of the easiest styles to distinguish from all others within animation today.
This animation style was born in Japan with influences from manga. It was also a way to bring manga stories to a more visual format for all audiences, being anime a striking and easy-to-view format for everyone. Strongly influenced by Disney's animation techniques that at the time were a great influence for all animators worldwide, thanks to their revolutionary animation techniques.
Characteristics of anime
Besides the physical characteristics that are what stand out most in anime, we have more traits that are remarkable compared to other animation styles:
- It has genres for all ages, from children, adolescents and adults. All have their classifications and can be searched separately from other themes. Something not seen in any other type of animation.
- Its genre classification is much broader being from typical love stories or school series to much more adult themes. Joining strong topics like erotic ones where sex is included between the protagonists explicitly or implicitly. But being much more focused on an adult audience.
- Characters with large eyes and very exaggerated expressions in some cases, although this also depends a little on the genre we are watching. But it is one of the most outstanding characteristics of this animation style.
How to distinguish anime?
Anime can be distinguished in a very peculiar way. Especially if we are not used to seeing names directly in Japanese to classify a group of anime but its classification also has to do with the audience it is directed at. General classifications by social and age groups to which they are directed:
Anime demographics
- Shonen:This means "Child" in Japanese and is used in anime to classify works that are mostly aimed at children under the age of majority. Deals with themes of action and battles where there is almost always a hero who grows as the story progresses.
- Shojo:Means "Girl" in Japanese, it is more focused on female protagonists and their growth or romances. They tend to be dramas focused on romantic themes mostly.
- Seinen:Means "man" in Japanese, These stories are focused on the adult male audience mixed with violence or extreme violence in some cases and erotic themes where sex scenes can be seen.
- Josei:Means "woman" in Japanese, Josei stories are very particular where their main focus is realistic and emotional. Taking the viewer on a journey through their emotions or touching on realistic topics that are lived in the daily life of an adult woman.
These are simple classifications and what audiences they are focused on, but it does not mean that we have to only see that type of content. It's just a reference of what we will see in the story or how far they will reach in certain topics. So we can easily be fans of shonen even being very old or love school romance shojo without needing to be a school girl yet.
What we must avoid is that adult themes like Seinen or Josei reach a younger audience than it is directed at because the themes change abruptly as we change genres. Both in the bodies of the characters and in the plots that the stories will take.
For example, the characters in the Seinen genres are focused on the tastes of adult women and men. What does this mean? It means that the bodies are more focused on the tastes of their general audience. In Seinen, women tend to have large breasts and erotic bodies while in Josei they tend to be men with muscular, attractive or millionaire bodies.
Where to start watching anime?
If you are interested in starting to watch anime and do not know where to start. We can give you a few examples but they are not the only ones, there are thousands for each classification and varying in genres covering practically all possible, from robots in intergalactic battles to the day-to-day of school students in their institute:
A few examples of demographics
For some, a few anime on the list would be almost must-see anime, but we leave it to your judgment.
- Shonen:
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- Jujutsu Kaisen
- Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Shojo:
- Fruits Basket
- Kamisama Hajimemashita
- Akatsuki no Yona
- Seinen:
- Vinland Saga
- Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru
- Oshi no Ko
- Josei:
- Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi
- Kiniro no Corda: Primo Passo
- Higeki no Genkyou to Naru Saikyou Gedou Last Boss Joou wa Tami no Tame ni Tsukushimasu.
Keep in mind that these are just a few of the many that exist for each demographic, so do not limit yourself to them but look for more and form an idea of what you really like. Do not limit yourself only because the series are Shonen or Shojo if you are adults since they are practically for all audiences.
Something important is that regarding recommendations, do not let yourself be carried away by everyone who tells you "This is an anime that must be seen". An anime that they recommend does not have to be of your genre so if you did not like it, the best thing is to say it. Often if they are fans they will give you more than surely know but do not force yourself just because they tell you that it is an anime that you have to see.
What anime to start with?
Following the ideas, what anime to start with is a totally personal decision but very influenced by your tastes. This is because no matter what we do if we don’t like a type of theme regardless of our age and taste, it will not convince us.
So the best thing is to look for genre and demographics, if we like action with robots and we want a shonen we can easily go for Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann or even if we like the classic drawing aesthetics we can try Code Geass. There’s also the opposite side if we want something with newer animation we have Muv-luv Alternative or Darling in the Franxx. As notes of the same genre there are incredible variety of anime to choose from.
It's a matter of trying and looking for which ones you really like to start watching anime. So experiment with different genres and demographics to be able to decide what you really like. You can even find some outside the genre that catches your attention in the future, like what happened to us with Oshi no Ko, an Idol anime that doesn’t attract our attention the theme integrating things like Isekai and unexpected twists left us hooked during its broadcast.
Feel free to explore all genres
As we already mentioned, the best thing is to feel free to explore all genres and demographics you want to know if they manage to capture your attention. They are so varied that no matter what you do you will surely find some anime that catches your attention without being the ones you usually see.
So anime is a journey of exploring new worlds and new stories each time we start with a new chapter, a new season or see a preview of what will be an anime. Feel free to learn more about this world of Japanese animation where the possibilities are practically endless.
Check out our category ofanime reviewswhere you can find more information on the anime we have analyzed and whether we recommend them or not. So you can know a little more about what you can see.
