Anime Kia Asamiya and "Americanime".

[Omar Harris]

Hi-ho, Kermit the Frog here...Oh wait, wrong persona.:p

Anyway, for those who don't know, Kia Asamiya is the creator of Silent Mobius. His art style is pretty good, especially when colored. Recently, he has been featured prominently in the American comic market, where he is doing a Batman story(or has done, I haven't kept up with its status) provided some art for X-Men: Evolution the comic, and is the current artist for Uncanny X-Men.

Are there any fans of his work? If so what other work has he done and are they any good? What are your opinions?

On another note, what do you think about the sudden influx of anime influence in the American Market? Shows such as The Powerpuff Girls and Samurai Jack have obvious anime influences and some would argue that the movies Treasure Planet and Atlantis do as well. The French series Totally Spies is animated similarly to anime style(much to some fans dismay) and anime has made a huge impact in the comic market with Dreamwaves studio (the company that currently produces all the Transformer comics) and even Marvel Comics, possibly the number one comic publisher on God's green Earth, has jumped the bandwagon with its Mangaverse line (which has some really weird concepts like the Avengers being a magic girl group, the Fantastic Four piloting mechs that combine a la Voltron, and Spider-Man as a ninja with Venom as an opposing samurai).:)

[Solo Tremaine]

I think if it's to a good quality, then I think it can be good. personally, I don't like Samurai Jack, Powerpuff Girls and I especially don't like Totally Spies. I'm not sure what it is that doesn't seem quite right about them, but they just don't have the same sort of style that japanime does. Maybe it's the camera angles or the types/style of drawing used for the backgrounds and characters, but generally I think it's of a lesser quality to what you could call 'the real stuff'. From what I've seen, it lacks the precision of some of the better anime serii, and often the characters end up looking fairly clunky and with jagged, over accentuated features that don't quite fit. Mind you, I've never seen Silent Mobius, so not only can't I comment on it's quality, I can't answer the first three questions.:bluesweat:

The only US animation series with japanime influences I really like is Justice League, but that's probably also down to the writers and the fact that Batman's in it.

[James]

[color=#507AAC]I think it's only natural that anime will be replicated in different ways by different markets, because of its increasing popularity.

Does this mean that anime is only TRUE anime if it's Japanese? No, not at all. That's like saying that you can't paint a Cubism-based painting if you're not Spanish. It makes no sense.

It is my hope that we will see anime influencing many other areas of cinema/cartoons/comics in the future.[/color]

[amibasuki]

[FONT=arial]heh, I noticed the Japanese/anime influence thing in the Powerpuff Girls, too. like how they occasionally have signs written in Japanese, and this one time Bubbles was reading a shoujo-ish looking manga with some really long, confusing name.

I think it's fine that they use some influence, as long as they don't overdo it. good when used [i]in moderation[/i] ^_^.[/FONT]

[Hinata]

I heard about Kia Asamiya in a magazine a few weeks back...oops I mean I read about him. But I guess it shows you that we are actually starting to lovve the look that Anime artist bring to our fav comics, esp. action. I know I love it, not that the previous artist wasn't good, but you know we're always looking for something a bit different, just as with the show that are trying to assimilate Anime styles within them. The reason why I think is because they (American artist) may want to further themselves in their skills. I thinkt they're tired of doing it the American way and want it to be a half and half mixture. Although it may not reach the quality of true anime. I still kinda like it. Besides, it helped the series to stand out...and yes I'm talking about both the POWERPUFF GIRLS and SAMURAI JACK.

[megami_girl]

I think the japanization of western animation is truly disturbing. They get it alllllllllll wrong. But dont worry my ppl, I plan to make the first successful anime (that is actually done correctly) in America!!! :D :D :D :D

[Semjaza]

Anime isn't confined by any certain rules. American's taking on Japanese styles shouldn't be governed by any rules either. There's a difference between influence and right out copying, and all that has been mentioned so far are adaptations and influences in my mind.

There are Japanese studios that create stuff based on western comics and animation as well... Astro Boy, probably the first real anime, was influenced by Disney animation a great deal. So obviously the same would happen in terms of anime being a factor on designs here.

If any person here was able to make their own popular cartoon or comic, I guarantee you it would have a really high chance of being in some anime style. It's the same with shows like Powerpuff Girls. The writers and such are fans, and this might be their tribute or a way to poke fun at something like that. That's how I see it anyway.

There are tons and tons of anime based on US ideas, cities ahd characters and they don't get everything right either. Some Japanese artists draw in a generally western style as well if you look around. I don't know why there should be a double standard. I think a hybrid style would actually be pretty cool.

[Manic Webb]

I think stuff like Powerpuff Girls and Dexter's Lab (I love the way he presents his mechs like an old 1980s anime) show a lot of anime influence. It's a good thing, really. Bubbles reading a manga written in Japanese (I don't know which writting was used) adds humor to the show. The funniest episode of Dexter's Laboratory I've ever seen was the one where Dexter and a Japanese boy named Toshi switched places with one another (as part of a student exchange program) and everyone at Dexter's new Japanese school piloted a robot high-tech vehicle. There's nothing wrong with a little Japanese influence in an American show. Nothing at all.

It's a little ignorant to say something like "Big O" is an anime (with all of its Western influences flying) and then to say that [i]anything[/i] an American company puts out with Japanese influence is wrong.

I think that there could be (and probably is, somewhere) an American anime, or a Western anime. All animation, especially anime, are cartoons. If someone can make a cartoon with enough anime-like design (characters, backgrounds, angles) then that could very well be an anime. I don't understand how Endytarou Mionu can make an anime, but Endy Mion can make the exact same thing and it'll be called a rip-off of anime.

[Solo Tremaine]

I think whether something's classed as anime will depend on the studio, the writers and directors. If the studio can make it look like anime, if it follows/looks/sounds like an anime then there's no reason why it shouldn't be called one, regardless of who it's made by.

I didn't mean to say that I think Japanese influences in Western animation is wrong, but often it just looks like a rip-off (to me), so I don't tend to like it. It's just my personal opinion, but I don't like the Powerpuff Girls or Totally Spies because the anime-stylisation of it doesn't look very good, and I just prefer the more detailed stuff. Shin Chan isn't one of my favourites.

In fact, I think anime influences in Western animation could be very good, but sometimes it's hard to tell which has influenced the other. The Lupin III anime films look a lot like Inspector Gadget, for example, although which was made first I'm not sure. Anime has already begun to creep into Disney films (Mulan, Atlantis, Treasure Planet). If it's done well, then I like it.

[ZeroBlade]

I'm kinda mixed in this one. First I need to say that anime originated in Japan so its quite apparent someone may say anything that looks like anime but was made by a non-Japanese studio and such would say it isn't anime. I always liked Japanese anime because they always get my attention and does things better than any of the non-Japanese made anime. Why? Alot of reasons. The art is better than any other cartoon I've seen, better story, character development, actual emotion in the voice department and lastly that one thing that always soars over other animations: higher limits. Western shows are always hindered by censors and parents who do not approve certain types of media and the result is always a show being butchered and losing the elements that made it great to begin with. I laughed when the aired Escaflowne on Fox as a Saturday morning show and got canceled 4 shows later when they got to the intense stuff you'd expect to get cut out. On the other hand if they do make such a show its either a movie or a pointless show like Ren and Stimpy.(God I hated that show.) The Japanese, they take things to heart. They make a love story-it makes you cry, (hasn't happened to me yet but I got close...), they make an action flick-its usually stuff you never saw before, they make thought provoking situations - it drives your insane. Serously, when was the last time you saw a non anime show that does things like this? Chances are it was a movie. Today, these artist are finally taking in the Anime culture and made those shows you see on CN like Samurai Jack and Power Puff Girls. They are both good its perfect for younger auidences, but I wonder if they can continue creating such sucessful shows...

Argh... I confused myself again... @_@

[vegeta rocker]

i hate the powerpuff girls they are as annoying as pokemon.
Anyway, i have no problem with the anime being thrown around and repackaged. Who am i to say that they can't do it? I didn't draw or write it so really why should i care? Sure it T's me off if they are crappy but i can just run back to good old anime. I think that as long as the animation is worthy then there is no prob.
The spiderman thing though, i must say, goes to far. But then again I had my fill of Ninjas a long time ago.

[Syk3]

Hmm, about time I gave my opinion on, erm..."Americanime."

I can't say that I really agree that American animation is what is technically "anime." Now, hear me out. I believe that the actual description of anime comes from the term Japanese Animation; the two are pretty much interchangable. The feeling given off by Japanese animation is very distinct and different than the cartoons in America. Why? Well, I think that TechTV explains it much better than I ever could:

[quote][i]Although it's easily identified by its distinctive visual style, anime knows no boundaries. It's not merely a style of animation but a genre unto itself where you may find sophisticated science fiction, fantasy adventure, romantic comedies, and even wrenching drama. Anime sets itself apart from Western animation by exploring depths of character and contortions of plot. Despite their deficiencies, anime characters are beholden to their desires, their hopes, and their dreams. Happy endings can happen but are not guaranteed, and actions always have consequences.[/i][/quote]

Is America trying to compete with the Japanese animation market? Sure, but the basis for this will most always be confined under the editing for American viewers on network television. I don't think that they would get that detailed in plot and character as well, since their aim would be for younger individuals. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't mind a lot of the cartoons in America, but I can't begin to compare them to Japanese Animation, which is what I call anime.

[Manic Webb]

A lot of people like to make part of their definition of anime include things such as the plot developement and the depth of the main characters. This was never in my definition (don't know why. It just never was.) I tend to define anime [i]purely[/i] by its style of *ahem* animation. I look at how some anime use less frames than you'd normally expect or the shape of characters' eyes or the way certain characters react visually.

Why don't I include things such as plot in my definition of anime? Sure, there are a lot of good anime out there that take the time to give you a feel for each character's true self and then they develope the plot at an even pace that continues throughout most of the series. Then there's shows like Hamtaro and Tokyo Pig that have absolutely none of that going on. Including a good plot developement is always good, but that doesn't define any type of animation to me. You can find all of that stuff in live-action shows and movies. Using a good plot in animation is just that; using a good plot in animation.
Tokyo Pig is an anime, but no one is going to say your cartoon shows anime influences if you develope the characters or give a mood like that anime. Then you'll just have a standard stupid cartoon.

If I made an action-comedy cartoon with complex characters and a well developed plot, then you'd all say it was influenced by anime (and some of you would say I'm not doing it right). In truth, my series would be influenced by live-action shows like "Angel" or other stuff I like to watch and a few novels I've probably read. To me, anime's influence wouldn't show in my cartoon until I started to give my characters large eyes that glimmer in the light and teenaged girls wearing miniskirts start riding giant robots powered by a deck of playing cards.

I think anime influence in Western cartoons is all visual and has nothing to do with the maturity level of the show or anything like that. Western animators have been making mature cartoons since before anime was even popular anywhere else but Japan.

[Semjaza]

I was about to post something to this effect, but you beat me to it. Well said.

I find Tech TV's argument to be really shortsighted.