When one first views Japanese anime, the most striking difference from Western animation is sheer artistry and technique. Of course, this is not the only difference, but an important one nonetheless. The amount of detail found in Japanese animation is unparalleled. This can be seen in the depictions of machines (mecha). Every single piston and digital display is drawn and animated in every frame. Another one of the most unique aspects of Japanese style is the manner in which the characters are drawn. There is a general style of creating characters that find themselves as somewhere between fantasy and reality. Proportionally, they are human. They have realistic builds and five fingers. There are exceptions, though, such as the use of excessively short and pudgy adult characters, but remain intrinsically Japanese. In anime, despite the realism, the characters may also have extremely large and expressive eyes, as well as huge, surreally colored hair. Thus, the characters find themselves somewhere in between fantasy and reality. It is also worth noting that within anime there are slight variations between boysâ and girlsâ cartoons. Boysâ anime is drawn more crisply and flashier. A softer look is seen in cartoons made for girls.
Are less obvious aspect of Japanese animation is the way in which it is animated. Much effort is made by the animators in their work on moving the characters faces. The mouth movements often accurately mimic actual movements found in word formation. Much of the emotion of a Japanese cartoon is conveyed through the face, especially through the large eyes. There is also much use of posing in climactic scenes. It is very similar to the posing found in Kabuki theater. One often sees a completely still drawing on a moving background.
A very different style is employed in Western cartoons. In the higher-end productions there is a similar attention to detail. The castle in Disneyâs Beauty and the Beast is a very good example with its attention to accurate rendition of the architecture of the time, as well as in the meticulous work put into the stained glass windows. It was also Disney that first animated the shadows of its characters, adding much to the sense of three-dimensionality. It goes without saying that quality varies greatly, in both American and Japanese cartoons.
The characters in American cartoons are normally drawn in two ways. The animators may strive for complete accuracy of the human figure, with a lifelike build, and well-formed faces. Disney characters and the Marvel superheroes show this. On the other hand, many human cartoons barely resemble an actual human. Their features may be grossly distorted with large noses, yellow skin and odd-shaped heads, such as The Simpsons. In fact, the use of a four-fingered hand is a cornerstone of American cartoons.
As far as how the cartoons are actually animated, western animation takes a fairly straightforward attack. If it is supposed to move, it moves. Larger production studios pride themselves on making the animation as fluid as possible. Some films are run at 30 frames per second. More frames mean that more individual drawings represent each movement.
Thus, there are clear stylistic differences between the two types of animation, each with their strengths and individual flavors.