Anime is the cartoon version of Japanese Manga, or graphic novels. Whilst the artwork is extremely appealing it can be a bit daunting knowing what anime is a good place to start for a novice. Therefore an anime reviewer may be just the ticket.
In 2015, this genre of animation has become mainstream as Tokyo based Studio Ghibli and their production of The Tale of Princess Kaguya has been nominated for an Academy Award (Oscar) for the Best Animated Feature. Princess Kaguya won't be released until March 20 in the UK, but this could be a great place to start. The voices for the movie are mostly provided by American actors including James Marsden and Lucy Liu.
Studio Ghibli is a great foundation for a novice in anime, as they produce Japanese inspired animation but catered for a specifically Western market. Over the years SG have produced numerous movies, all of which are charming in different. My personal favourite, and a uber-feel-good movie is My Neighbour Totoro which was released in 1988. It is set in post-war Japan and we learn of two young girls who in their new home discover there are strange soot mites in the house and wood sprites in the garden. The sprite in charge is Totoro; a loveable, cuddly creature which I for one would like to meet. The Totoru theme music is ridiculously catchy and you will be humming it for ages after the movie has finished.
In 2008 SG released the movie Ponyo; a tale about a cute goldfish, who wants to be a little girl. With the help of her young friend Sosuke, she has lots of adventures which are cute and highly amusing.
Not all animation is cute, and a real classic supernatural series is Death Note. This series was televised in 2006-7 and is now available on DVD, and narrates the tale of college student, Light Yagami. He discovers a notebook which belongs to a Shinigami, god of death, which enables him to kill by writing the name down. He sets himself as a vigilante executing criminals. The series was completed in 37 episodes which was inspired by a 12-book manga series.
Another on-going series is Ghost in the Shell, with a new instalment of GS Arise due in the Spring 2015. A complex franchise, Ghost in the Shell started as a Manga and was made into a movie in 1995, and then a television series, with the subtitle, Stand Alone Complex, in 2002, followed in 2013 with the Arise series which is ongoing. A further movie is to be released in 2015.
There is therefore a lot of catching up with this franchise. In one form or another the story-lines follow the work of Public Security Section 9, a specialised task force of police and military men. Each series or movie has a different crime to solve including corruption and cyber crime, and the inevitable complications.
For the British anime fan it can be tricky to be up to date with new releases, as only Ghibli movies end up on general release. There are of course websites such as www.wnimenewsnetwork.com which give the low-down of new films or series, but these are not always available in the UK until they are on DVD. However, even watching 2 or 3 year old anime is entertaining so don't fret too much.
In 2015, this genre of animation has become mainstream as Tokyo based Studio Ghibli and their production of The Tale of Princess Kaguya has been nominated for an Academy Award (Oscar) for the Best Animated Feature. Princess Kaguya won't be released until March 20 in the UK, but this could be a great place to start. The voices for the movie are mostly provided by American actors including James Marsden and Lucy Liu.
Studio Ghibli is a great foundation for a novice in anime, as they produce Japanese inspired animation but catered for a specifically Western market. Over the years SG have produced numerous movies, all of which are charming in different. My personal favourite, and a uber-feel-good movie is My Neighbour Totoro which was released in 1988. It is set in post-war Japan and we learn of two young girls who in their new home discover there are strange soot mites in the house and wood sprites in the garden. The sprite in charge is Totoro; a loveable, cuddly creature which I for one would like to meet. The Totoru theme music is ridiculously catchy and you will be humming it for ages after the movie has finished.
In 2008 SG released the movie Ponyo; a tale about a cute goldfish, who wants to be a little girl. With the help of her young friend Sosuke, she has lots of adventures which are cute and highly amusing.
Not all animation is cute, and a real classic supernatural series is Death Note. This series was televised in 2006-7 and is now available on DVD, and narrates the tale of college student, Light Yagami. He discovers a notebook which belongs to a Shinigami, god of death, which enables him to kill by writing the name down. He sets himself as a vigilante executing criminals. The series was completed in 37 episodes which was inspired by a 12-book manga series.
Another on-going series is Ghost in the Shell, with a new instalment of GS Arise due in the Spring 2015. A complex franchise, Ghost in the Shell started as a Manga and was made into a movie in 1995, and then a television series, with the subtitle, Stand Alone Complex, in 2002, followed in 2013 with the Arise series which is ongoing. A further movie is to be released in 2015.
There is therefore a lot of catching up with this franchise. In one form or another the story-lines follow the work of Public Security Section 9, a specialised task force of police and military men. Each series or movie has a different crime to solve including corruption and cyber crime, and the inevitable complications.
For the British anime fan it can be tricky to be up to date with new releases, as only Ghibli movies end up on general release. There are of course websites such as www.wnimenewsnetwork.com which give the low-down of new films or series, but these are not always available in the UK until they are on DVD. However, even watching 2 or 3 year old anime is entertaining so don't fret too much.
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