By Levi Lester Posted December 20, 2016
Anime to the general public isn’t as widely recognized as it is in Japan; its birthplace.
Created around the time Toei Animation began and considered to be the first anime film, “The Tale of The White Serpent” was released in 1948 making anime into what it is today. Since then anime films have come a long way to spread their influence to Western audiences and eventually in the early 2000s to win an Oscar for best-animated film for the first time for the anime genre. The movie “Spirited Away” won the Oscar for Best Animated Film in 2003 and was the second film to be awarded this title in this category. “Spirited Away” is acclaimed as a masterpiece by its creator Hayao Miyazaki. For the 15th anniversary “Spirited Away” aired on December 4, 5, and 8 in theaters around America.
Although this is a young category, the recognition of “Spirited Away” gave anime a new name in Western culture. Other anime films that have been nominated are “When Marnie Was There” (2015), “The Tale of The Princess Kaguya” (2014), “The Wind Rises” (2013), and “Howl’s Moving Castle” (2005). Anime films in Japan are idolized more than Western animated films that are created by studios such as Pixar Animation Studios, Dreamworks Animation, Walt Disney Pictures, and Warner. Bros Pictures, and Paramount Pictures. Since “Spirited Away” no other anime films have been awarded, but they have been nominated over the years. One recent anime film that has a chance of being a winner is “Your Name” (2016). This film shows promise and might be selected as best animated film in 2017.
Anime has come a long way from the early 20th century and continues to captivate audiences across the world. Anime films prove to be enticing and are animated beautifully compared to animated movies in America. Over the years anime is slowly coming to light in the public eye and has drawn the attention of younger audiences and the older generation of anime watchers from the 80s and 90s more every day. Having a unique artistic style, cultural roots in feudal Japan, and to old literature and themes, anime has characteristics to attract a wide variety of audiences from across the world.
Everyone should take a little time out of their day to watch some anime and you might even learn more about yourself and some good morals to carry on with you.
