Why I love watching anime more than hollywood movies.

[dyomides]

Where to start, well one thing I really enjoy is the fact that the stories and characters feel new almost everytime. Part of that is because of the fact that in live cinema you get used to seing an actor play a certain role and that residual image sticks out in the back of your mind when your watching any new movies. Whereas in anime each character you meet is custom tailored for that universe.

That's another thing I love, the fact that it can create a whole universe out of nothingness much easier then the alternative. Animation lends itself more easily to the disconnection of the realities of everyday life. What you see is exactly what the director intended for you to see.

I love the way it gets me so involved, especially the series. With time on their side they have the ability to explore not only the main character more fully, but the their friends, enemies, as well as the world. In the end theres an attachment that is formed that is almost as strong as the relationships I have with my friends since I feel like I know them intimitaly.

The stories tend to explore deeper plots than your average hollywood movie ever will, that alone is worth the price. I'll come back and post some more thoughts, right now though I should get back to work.

D

[kabuki]

Great topic Dyomides !!

My reasons include:

- Direction and style --> animation lends itself to camera angles, still shots, and other cool things that live action movies rarely, if ever, capture. After watching anime for the past five years, it really bugs me how 99% of live action TV and films soley use shots that have the characters in the center of the screen. Its like they are afraid to experiment with *gasp* shots of just the environment, or anything besides the main characters.

- Un-reality --> animation can do things that simply cannot be done in live films, not even with computer effects. Animation also covers variations on sci-fi, action, and other themes that cannot be done in live action movies.


There's plenty more to say, but I have some reviews to write
- Kabuki

[Station]

My reasons would be:

-You can do allot more things in animation than you can in a live action film. There is no limit to what you can do within an animation

-There are no flaws in animated characters (moles, zits, scars, skin tones, etc)

[OmegaDash]

-The story.
-cool characters.
-The Art.

[Josh]

The ability to have several different genres represented at once.

An action comedy romantic sci-fi drama.

Or

Ahhnold latest flick: "Lotta Shit Blows Up Part Two, With a Vengance"

[Sqoon]

Animation more than live-action Hollywood movies? Yes.
Animation more than live-action movies? No.

I only watch anime because Miyazaki doesn't direct live-action movies and because talking animals look damn ridiculous through computer graphics.

[kabuki]

Another reason:
Character facial expressions and over dramatics - See: Golden Boy, GTO, etc..

- Kabuki

[dyomides]

"After watching anime for the past five years, it really bugs me how 99% of live action TV and films soley use shots that have the characters in the center of the screen. Its like they are afraid to experiment with *gasp* shots of just the environment, or anything besides the main characters."

It's funny you mention that, that's also something I appreciate a lot about anime. It is one of the major reasons I believe that a bond between the viewer and the world the show is trying to convey is more easily created. One show immideatly springs to mind in terms of exploring different approaches when it comes to telling the story from different angles or in this case, different form altogether. I noticed in the first ep. of Boogiepop Phantom that the edges of the shot were all blurred out as if to be hiding something, or hinting at a dream. Much like the viewer is confused throughout much of the show so are the shots, all hazzy and obscured around the edges.

I also love how much faith the creators have in their viewers to see past all the pretty pictures and see many of the underlying messages or elements. I remember having a conversation about Cowboy Bebop, concerning one of the last episodes and how the viewer is left emotionally detached from Julia, Spikes love interest. It was argued that the show lost some of its momentum because it didn't develop her character a lot. I saw it more as a way to invite the viewer to feel closely involved with the main characters. We were in essence, as involved as Jet was. We are trusted to understand the feelings that Spike has for Julia not because we love her character but because we love Spike and understand and see how important she is to him, much like Jet does when he supports Spike by telling him to go and get the woman he loves regardless of how little he knows about her. He knows Spike and that was good enough for him.

D

[Captain Vegetable]

My reasons?

I was always a fan of animated movies because animation lends itself to anything you want your audience to see. You want a panoramic view of Earth and all eight of the other planets in the Solar System? Bang! Done. And at a tiny fraction of the cost it would take to develop a "realistic" CG image.

It's cheaper, but at the same time production values are so much more enriched. I love my cartoons, anime, and other "hand-drawn" types of media.

[kabuki]

Originally posted by dyomides

I also love how much faith the creators have in their viewers to see past all the pretty pictures and see many of the underlying messages or elements. I remember having a conversation about Cowboy Bebop, concerning one of the last episodes and how the viewer is left emotionally detached from Julia, Spikes love interest. It was argued that the show lost some of its momentum because it didn't develop her character a lot. I saw it more as a way to invite the viewer to feel closely involved with the main characters. We were in essence, as involved as Jet was. We are trusted to understand the feelings that Spike has for Julia not because we love her character but because we love Spike and understand and see how important she is to him, much like Jet does when he supports Spike by telling him to go and get the woman he loves regardless of how little he knows about her. He knows Spike and that was good enough for him.

That was an awesome analization, Dyomides. I never thought of it that way, I just always took it as me just not personally caring for Julia's character. What you said makes a whole lot of sense.

Fantastic, man. Its stuff like that post that makes me keep my faith in the internet.

- Kabuki