Anime Teen Titans: Anime or Not?

[Manic Webb]

At the risk of repeating what others have said...
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by TheGodlyME [/i]
[B]Also; fine, there is a racial diversity in american animation, but it is to APPEASE the minority of the country and try to convert EVERYONE(you know, we used appeasement against the NAZIs and you can see how that turned out). In *most* anime, the cultural diversity is to show the point that there is a general cooperation between races or that there is more than just ONE country involved in the story. It could also just be that CRAZY sense of Japanese logic that there would be other races mixed in with the populous.[/b][/quote]
Anime use diversity to show cooperation between races? Yet American cartoons still have 10 times as many black characters as any anime. American animation may or may not only use minority characters to "appease the minority" viewers, but it's still a hell of a lot more diverse than any anime I've seen. In an American cartoon, you might get one white person, one Asian person, one Latin person, and one Black person. In an anime, you might get two Japanese characters, and two white characters. I'm not feeling the cooperation between races when I can't find a decent black person in an anime. Frankly, I'm a little offended by the lack of diversity in anime.

[quote][b]Teen Titans was aimed at, get ready for this,TEENS! Hamtaro was aimed at the toddler-12 year old age group. Now you have just compared a kiddie show from japan with a TEEN-YOUNG ADULT show. I feel that this proves my point about just grouping all animation into one category. [/b][/quote]
Sorry. Teen Titans features teenaged characters, but the show is aimed for audiences 6-11. Hamtaro is aimed for audiences younger than 6, not 12. I think this proves my point about group animation into the wrong category.

I mentioned this briefly in my first post in this thread. Teen Titans is aimed for younger audiences. It might appeal to the occasional teen, but it's a kid's show. If it were aimed for actual teens, it'd be a lot more like Gargoyles or Justice League. And if you think the characters and plots are Shallow on Gargoyles and Justice League, you obviously haven't seen a whole episode of either.

What I don't understand is how you obviously know that Teen Titans and Trigun are made for different age groups, yet you compare Teen Titans to anime made for young adults. You won't find complex storylines and well-defined characters in anime made for little kids, either. Teen Titans would be a hollow series if it were made for an older audience, but it isn't. It's made for kids, and it has the elements you'd expect in a kid's show.


Scenario...
You've been given the chance you animate one of your favorite comic books into a TV series. Being the big anime fan you are, you decide that it'd be cool to add in a few elements that resemble anime. Does this make your animated series an anime-wannabe? Because this is exactly what Glen Murakami did. Does this make Teen Titans a wannabe?

[Kwai]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Manic [/i]
[B]
Anime use diversity to show cooperation between races? Yet American cartoons still have 10 times as many black characters as any anime. American animation may or may not only use minority characters to "appease the minority" viewers, but it's still a hell of a lot more diverse than any anime I've seen. In an American cartoon, you might get one white person, one Asian person, one Latin person, and one Black person. In an anime, you might get two Japanese characters, and two white characters. I'm not feeling the cooperation between races when I can't find a decent black person in an anime. Frankly, I'm a little offended by the lack of diversity in anime.
[/B][/QUOTE]
[size=1][color=olive]
This will be a digression, but I thought I'll address this. I admit that I too have yet to see a well developed black character in any anime.

But take into account the difference in history. Japan never had the period of slavery. Japan never had the Civil Rights movement. Japan is not a 'melting pot' like the U.S. is. Hell, Japan is not diverse, period. Japan does not have enough space to accept much immigrants, and the strikingly unique culture deterrs many foreigners from staying too long. Go to Japan, stand in Shinjuku, and see how many black people you can tally up in the course of an hour. I'm betting at the most, one or two.

Basically, Japan never had the period where we were to be 'accepting' of other races or cultures. It was either the Japanese way or the high way. You didn't like the way things are, then leave. That simple. Its just the way history carried itself out in Japan thus far. Japan is a rigid society, and accepting other cultures and races is not really in the priorities. I'm not sure if that will change in the future, but like I said, the lack of diversity in anime stems from the lack of diversity in the history itself.[/size][/color]

[Heaven's Cloud]

[color=indigo]I think it is hilarious how the ?GodlyMe? tried to use Batman as a comparative icon to anime. If you have followed the character of Batman through his comics, animated series, and related movies over the years you would long ago have realized that he is an infinitely complex character. But you place him against a very one dimensional character like Vash or even a semi-complex character like Kenshin and then have the cojones to say they (the anime characters) are more layered and have more depth. It just shows me how ignorant you are when it comes to American comics/animation. You are an anime snob that has created an opinion based on a limited experience?[/color]

[Dagger]

Speaking of Batman.....

Big O is a well-done, thoughtful, [i]anime[/i] series that just happens to have been heavily influenced by Batman and other American cartoons, both in terms of content and artistic style. TheGodlyME, does that automatically make it "tainted"?

~Dagger~

[Rockstar Haruko]

Gunsmith Cats? That anime is like highly influenced by American... um... things. I think the setting even takes place in America somewhere. If I'm wrong then just ignore me. I'm sleepy.

[gpeowyn]

boy you seen to be geting out of hand i know is like old but i have to say that teen titans is not just useing anime Styled actions. that dearm robin had about slade was right out of star wars and i spednt the rest of the show laffing at how well the dream was as a waring.

[Katana]

TheGodlyMe, you have made this thread very interesting. Very.
Since you keep talking about such things as Made in Japan and stuff, did you know that the seemingly all-American movie, "The Ring", is actually based on a manga? It's true. "The Ring", the movie that drew millions of dollars in the box office, is from a manga. Surprised? *mildly amused*
America and Japan have grown tight in the span of 60 years, my friend. Both cultures are influenced by each other. I mean, look at all the Japanese products on the market here. Cars, cell phones, food, and various other stuff. Same goes for Japan and all the US stuff there. Over time, Japan and the US have grown from renowned enemies to almost best friends, if you would. Saying that a show such as Teen Titans is an anime wannabe is not right. That'd be like saying Honda is a Ford wannabe. Yet it's not.
I know comparing anime and cars is a bit strange, but they're almost the same. TheGodlyMe, keep an open mind about everything. Don't exlude Teen Titans from the outer rings of the anime loop just yet. Remember that anime has grown in popularity over the past few decades.
Here's something to think of:
Me and my friends draw in the style of anime. Everything about our drawings is anime. And yet, you would say it's not anime? Anime comes in different shapes, forms, and varities, not to mention from different places. Think. ^_~

[Rockstar Haruko]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Katana [/i]
[B]
Me and my friends draw in the style of anime. Everything about our drawings is anime. And yet, you would say it's not anime? Anime comes in different shapes, forms, and varities, not to mention from different places. Think. ^_~ [/B][/QUOTE]


[COLOR=darkblue]I am soooooo guilty of drawing anime style, but you can't help it right? Anime is like my favorite type of animation. In my comic books the characters take on anime characteristics and the dialogue is in Japanese Hiragana (at least until I can master Kanji). So...um...what Katakana said.[/COLOR]