Opinions on Anime films vs animated western films

[Sonicrainboom]

Now we all know that Pixar and the like produce pretty damn good films, such as Finding Nemo, but how do you feel they compare to Japanese animated films?

This afternoon I watched Journey to Agartha and I thought it was amazing. The artwork is stunning, the soundtrack beautiful and the characters totally relate-able and after watching I found myself wondering why such films are not shown in Cinemas over here in the West considering how amazing they actually are.

I think it is a shame that they are missed out on by so many because in many ways they rival and, in my opinion beat some, of the bigger western animated films.

Anyway before I ramble on more I'll depart and let you get on with responding.

 

[FinalPyre]

I think the biggest, most obvious divide, is that the general attitude of the western audience remains that the target audience of animated films is children, while that is not the case in Japan. So american animated films will have much more warm and family friendly themes, and Japan will experiment more across the board.

Pixar has made some excellent films though, and Dreamworks comes out with a good one here and there.
(and I know it is just a bad chance example, but I found Journey to Agartha ridiculously boring. It was supposed to be a homage to Miazaki, and that is usually not done by copying his movies frame by frame...)

 

[KingArturia]

I don't know, if it is CGI only like Finding Nemo and such, I find that Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is far better in terms of graphics and such. But like FinalPyre have said already, I do agree that western animated films tend to be more heart warming and such, aiming towards a lower age group audience whereas Japanese animated film are aimed for teenager and young adults. I like both, but if I have to choose, I'll probably opt for the Japanese side myself.

 

[axtc]

3D animation by the big names are animations I appreciate the most. That said, I'd generally take 3D CGI over 2D any day.

Story-wise, anime. The diversity is greater and plots are generally deeper.



Going by this simple theory, 3D CGI anime would be the best. I still need to see Captain Harlock.

 

[Leggy]

There are examples of both Japanese and US animated films that are either good or bad. There seem to be more Japanese anime movies than US animated movies, but that seems to be cultural in nature. Japanese seem to really love anime. In fact, voice actors in Japan can be more popular than live actors.

But don't expect a lot of fine Japanese anime films to be distributed in the US. The US film industry is very powerful, and have an unspoken monopoly on US distribution. Foreign films have to come to licensing agreements with US companies, and the number of foreign products is kept small.

We see that pattern in anime series on TV. There are some, like DBZ and FMA, but they are distributed through US companies, with US dubs and censorship.

One of the most notorious examples is Sailor Moon. For a (an alleged) children's show, the original, uncensored, Japanese series deals with a wide variety of mature themes, like mysticism, loli relationships, homosexuality, suicide, nudity and violence. The US version is heavily censored and sanitized.

Ironically, the reverse doesn't seem to apply. US films and series seem to be very popular in countries around the world.

 

[axtc]

mature themes, like mysticism, loli relationships, homosexuality, suicide, nudity and violence. The US version is heavily censored and sanitized.

Softies I say.

 

[adameve]

After much study of both, I have come to feel that tho animation did start early in the US, it also did in Japan, as far back as around 1912, and both have developed their own version. In fact, Japanese art has had art based on a strong linear style for hundreds of years, so they had a bit head start. In the end I find no comparisoin at all, western animation is very simplistic and frankly far below quality of Japanese and the current excellent Japanese films being created
are superb. Primary among these is The Garden of Words (言の葉の庭, Kotonoha no Niwa) by Makoto Shinkai, it is simply beyond description amazing and beautiful. and i feel that tho there are some good animated american films, none approach what is being done in Japan. One problem is that most westerners may know of some figures such as Hayao Miyazaki-san, but he is frankly not the best and at times far from it, and his work is very derivative of western styles and character design. I am glad that animated films and anime continue on both sides of the Pacific but sadly there is so much of a very very low quality that is popular in the US that it is very hard for Americans to see what is great about the Japanese work.