LOADING
If your big on animation from either nation than surely this argument will come up. Doesn't matter if u are a geek, otaku, nerd, avid collector, or someone who is just generally interested in the two. Competition like this is like Batman vs Superman (Batman wins of course) Pepsi vs Coke (Pepsi) or Stupidity vs Retardation (they both lose). Anyway it doesn't matter at the end of the day which one you choose both of them have their strengths and weaknesses.
AIMING
Let's size up the competitors shall we? In one corner we have a strong super hero based muscular rock 'em sock 'em fighter born in the early 1900's. Things really didn't start to go until the late 1930's when the appearance of certain notable characters started to show up. Before long we had a industry where web slingers and cape wearers save us all from disaster. The golden age of American comics. Not to mention the rising popularity of the Peanuts and Scooby Doo, and Spiderman. Then the eighties came along and with it TMNT, He Man, Ghostbusters, Inspector Gadget and others came to the party. The nineties were the last great period of American animation if you are only counting Saturday Morning 2D cartoons. Marvel's arsenal was just about unmatched, X-Men, Iron Man and the Hulk, the Fantastic Four! What about Dennis the Menace, Eek the Cat, Ren and Stimpy, G.I. Joe, The Justice League and Warner Brothers Animaniacs? Not to mention classic Loony Tunes! Other great accomplishments include Toy Story, The Increables, Beauty and The Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, The Jungle Book, Lady and The Tramp, The Rescuers, and many many more. And later at night we got the Simpsons, Family Guy, Bevis and Buthead, South Park, The Venture Brothers, The Critic and King of the Hill.
In the other corner, from the land of the rising sun we are treated to large eyes, tiny noses, shiny hair, and other weird body proportions. We're talking about a style that was originally influenced by America before breaking off and creating it's own unique style. Before long Astro Boy and Gigantor ruled the day. They were followed by Lupin the 3rd and Mobile Suit Gundam. Somewhere along the line an explosion occurred and manga was everywhere. Everybody in Japan was reading it. Out came Akira, Dragonball/ Z, Ranma one half....hell you know what I mean! Once the nineties hit we were treated to Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, Evangelion, and the every so annoying Pokemon. Later on, Full Metal Panic/ Alchemist, Eureka Seven, Black Lagoon, Afro Samurai and other titles lined up on our shelves. FLCL, Azumanga Daioh, Fruits Basket, Gunslinger Girl, Battle Angel Alita, and Tenchi Muyo!They even pushed out the American Saturday morning cartoons. Yu-gi-Oh, and the relative of the annoying Pokemon, Digimon, Monster Rancher, and Sonic X? Anime released it's own movies, some from Bleach, Transformers and Naruto, along with Ghost in the Shell, Princess Mononoke, Metropolis and Spirited Away.
So, who's the ultimate winner of this bout?
AND FIRE
AMERICAN PROS: Controversy generates attention and some of the stuff that I've seen from the American workhorse is funny, funny, funny. Watching some of this stuff is like watching stand up comedians do their thing. How many time have you burst out laughing when Homer did something stupid again(The Simpsons), or you cant understand what Boomhower(King of the Hill) said or Kenny died yet again(South Park)?
America takes the lead in 3D animation. A slew of such movies are enjoyed by just everybody! (Finding Nemo. Shrek and Monsters Inc.)
AMERICAN CONS: Americans seem to think that animation is only for kids to a certain extent. Anytime the mere concept of a bunch of drawn wiggly cartoon characters jump on screen the assumption is that it's kid's stuff. Then South Park, the PJ's, and Family Guy came along and some people Had the nerve 2 b outraged. Everybody doesn't want to see a show about cute cuddly characters all the time. We need some adult content too! They need to bring Stripperila or whatever the name of it was back on the air.
How many American cartoons are ACTION or ADVENTURE oriented? Why not some serious DRAMA or SCIENCE FICTION? America animation and comic books are dominated by COMEDY or SUPERHEROS. Everyone is trying to save the damn world. Exceptions might be the Punisher, Heavy Metal, stuff from Image or Dark Horse. At least offer more variety when this stuff hits the mainstream!
JAPANESE PROS: For one thing, age makes no difference in Japan. EVERYBODY reads manga. On trains, at libraries, at work, at home wherever and whoever can get a piece of the action. Age and gender make no great difference.
There is also variety in Anime. It seems like the weirdest and most zany things can happen(Hare + Guu). Sometimes the content is up there with young adult material. Violence(Black Lagoon), Scantily Clad Heroines(Burst Angel), and philosophy(Ghost in the Shell). Heck they even have nudity in children's programs because the cultural differences!
JAPANESE CONS: This may not be Japan's fault directly, but can some of these anime title get any more expensive?
Some Anime endings are so weird and left wide open you are wondering what the hell you are watching. That made no sense! So what happens to the main character now? Does he live happily ever after?
There is also this annoying feature where the dialogue wont make any sense. Usually this is present in older anime. I don't know if the people who dubbed are to blame but it usually makes you sratch your head. Was that suppose to be a joke? (The Irresistible Captain Tyler) Why was the same question asked twice?(Trigun) Why do anime characters make a lot of grunts, and groans or full blown yelling?(Dragonball Z, but common all around) Sometimes there is just a staring contest.
I know there's more but that's all I got 4 now. This battle is still going on strong. Who do you think is the winner?
BLAM!
