Animation as a Form of Story-telling.

Why is it that here in America we have the idea that animated automatically equals childish? Animation started out as something very strange a quorky that was definitely meant for children, but when Disney, for example, released its earliest movies, they were actually marketed for adults. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was presented as a bringing to life of a classic fairytale that everyone had heard before, only now they could actually watch it happening. There are even scenes near the end where narration is told by words standing still on the screen. Young children would not have been able to read this, and may have had trouble sitting through the entire movie without getting bored.

As time went on, cartoons lost appeal in this country for most of the older generation, and so animators began to target a younger audience. Cartoons maintained their silly light-heartedness and lost their serious edge. However, this has not been the case in all countries of the world. In Japan, animation (which they shorten to "anime") is considered a legitimate method for story-telling. True, they have some animes that are meant specifically for children, but also many that are definitely not. I would give a good deal of anime a PG-13 rating for violence, language, or other content that could be inappropriate for children.

Ever wonder why anime has become so popular with the teen/young adult generation lately? It's because as anime and manga are making their way over to this country, young minds are discovering a hidden potential that the majority of Americans have passed over. Anime can be exciting, romantic, dramatic, realistic, fantastic, comedic, and anything else that any genre of movie can. While American adults who have grown up with the idea that animation is for children and hence it is stupid and not worth their time are less likely to discover what they are missing than younger generations who have not yet succumed to the stereotypes of society. Anime has its own style, to be sure, and that style is not necessarily similar to American animation. I don't see any reason why we should expect the Japanese to be American. It has become the norm in their industry to illustrate with things like "big eyes," dramatic hair, and chibies. Many Americans take one look at these things and dismiss anime altogether because this style is not what they are accustomed to. But the fact of the matter is that many have also been able to accept a style different from our own, and have discovered the amazing stories that anime and manga have to offer.



Seriously, does this look like a kids' story to you?
This is from the manga "Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle" by Clamp. It's an intense and awesome story, but I would definitely say it's PG-13.

Now in all fairness, Disney (and especially Pixar) are finally starting to realize that cartoons can be meant for more than just kids. For one thing, it's parents who have to take their children to see the movies, and it would be nice if they could enjoy it too. With movies like Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Wall-e, and others, Disney and Pixar have created masterpieces that are actually entertaining for all ages. There is a fun and simple level for the kids, but also a deeper and more plot-oriented story for the adults to follow. I have to wonder if this new development has anything to do with the opening up of the concept brought in by the anime genre in recent years. I can't say for sure why it is happening, but I can say that the change toward more rounded animated movies is quite welcome. Hopefully more Americans can come to realize the potential of anime and will not condemn it as a stupid past time for children before they give it a chance.
(By the way, the anime that are normally translated into English and releases on American TV are usually the kid ones, because--again--we expect animated things to be for children. Unfortunately, many Americans have let these sappy kid animes influence their view of the genre as a whole).

Imagination in Fantasy

One thing that I feel very strongly about is the fantasy genre, particularly in writing. As this is my area of expertise and interest, it distresses me when people object to it on the basis that it is "evil."

I'm not saying everyone should like fantasy. Everyone is entitle to his or her own opinion, and for some people it's just too strange to read about things that couldn't really happen in our world. That's okay. There's nothing wrong with that opinion. There are genres I don't like too. What gets me is when people claim that just because something is not realistic, it must be bad. Just because characters are casting magic, they must be in league with Satan. What they are basically saying is that imagination is bad. What's wrong with visiting another world for a little while when you sit down to read a book? No one is suggesting that readers will believe that it's real and start a cult. What's appealing about fantasy is the very fact that it's not realistic. Through the eyes of a main character, we can rise above certain problems of humanity thanks to magic, or we can look into the issues in a fantastic world and use it as a mirror for our own. Creating a new world is a great way to look at our societies objectively. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis knew this better than anybody.

That's not all fantasy has to be either. I for one believe that there's nothing wrong with reading a book for entertainment (though I know some professors who would disagree). Consequently, I don't think there's anything wrong with writing a book for entertainment either. Actually, I've been working on one for years. Yes, the characters have issues that we can understand, and yes, there are troubles in that world that we see here as well. But it is not a political, social, or any other type of satire. My main goal is to enthrall readers with a new place where magic exists and the imagination can easily be swept away. (I have the same goals for my art also). My characters have no evil intent when it comes to magic. As is the case with many fantasy stories, magic is an innate ability, NOT something obtained through witchcraft. I know there are those that will go so far as to say that Wizard of Oz and Cinderella are evil things. (bipiddy-bopiddy-boo....must be satanic words!! *gasp*) For those who feel this way, I encourage you to open up your imagination and allow yourself to see that innocence and beauty you are missing.

As you can tell, this has been thoughts "From the mind of a Light Mage." :) (A mage, in case you don't know, is a common word in modern fantasy to refer to someone who can use magic. I call myself a Light Mage because the main character in my book that is based on myself is a user of Light magic).

Testing?

This post is a test to see how this all works... Thanks for visiting! This Angela Merkle's blog, created for my writing senior seminar. ...Read at your own risk...