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700 BCE
7th century
Japan's graphic tradition is very ancient. Since the 7th century, in the period known as Nara, artists drew everyday themes in wooden blocks, some treated humorously and even pornographically. These blocks are the background to manga, which in turn is the antecedent of anime. -
1603–1860
In the Edo period (1603–1868), the ukiyo-e art movement (engravings of traditional Japanese prints) was developed. These graphic representations included narratives describing what was shown in them. They can be compared remotely to what would later be the manga genre. -
Mangas
The origin of manga as a way of telling stories and defining the word, began during the second half of the nineteenth century and the first of twenty 1868-1912, in the midst of cultural and economic openness under the command of Emperor Mutsuhito. -
Storytelling through music
It was later, in the mid-20th century, that anime emerged as a style with a seal typical of Japanese culture. It was a way to represent the manga-style adaptation of storytelling. The word anime is simply a Japanese adaptation of the word "animation".
The culture of anime is also closely related to music. The animated series are composed of seasons, where each is usually distinguished by having their own music video and input song, as well as their own music video and closing song. -
Disney Studios Inspiration
In 1917, a series of animated short films influenced at its origin by the aesthetics of the Disney factory were created in Japan. The first Japanese animated short film lasted two minutes and was called Namakura Gatana, created by Junichi Kouchi. -
Origins
Within the anime, the place of origin is then represented mainly in the character traits or characteristics. Examples of this are eyes, hair and physiognomy. The eyes in anime are drawn larger than those that would have a normal drawing, this is because with larger eyes more emotions can be shown, besides that as the Japanese and Asians have "ripped" eyes they feel an interest in having large eyes, because they feel that they are more aesthetic. -
Sketches
The hair color of the characters in many cases is extravagant colors, this is because in Japan the hair colors are black or brown, for this reason the hair colors function as an axis in the interest of the Japanese when it comes to having something aesthetic and different. Finally, the physiognomy of the characters (especially women) is considered unrealistic . This is because Japanese women do not possess the typical bodies of European women. -
After the catastrophe
One of the most important historical moments was WW2, this is because as the country turned out on the losing side it struggled to cope with its reality. For this reason in many film studios Ghibli (super recommended) can be seen as subtopics mentioned are the orphans who stayed, the fear of foreigners or the avoidance of wars at all costs. One great example is the movie called the grave or fireflies, it really represents how the Japanse culture felt after this time of war. -
The great depression
Another important moment was how in the 1990s with the millennial generation a kind of wave of depression was found, it was largely impacted by psychological-style animes that fostered existential crises or the search for meaning (Neon Genesis Evangelion). -
2000's
Technological changes find an explosion in sci-fi animes (especially wicks that are giant robots). There are more anime that talk about science or technology (it starts in the 90s but becomes strong in the 2000s). One thing to understand is that anime is something that is always at the forefront, which generates that current affairs are always used, here is more to mention a topic and then look for related animes. -
Spice And Wolf
Spice and Wolf is a light novel written by Isuna Hasekura, with illustrations by Jyu Ayakura, this anime faithfully portrays the trade of the Middle Ages. It shows the principles of trade, monetary rules and other economic terms surrounding the micro and macro economy, all seasoned with a subtle romance between the deity and the trader. -
Rainbow
Rainbow: Nisha RokubTM no Shichinin is a manga series written by George Abe and illustrated by Masasumi Kakizaki. No one, neither the Eastern nor the Westerner, likes to talk about what happened in the early after World War II. Historically it was not a good period for Japanese culture, as they experienced intense repression by the victors and a cruel economic crisis. Rainbow follows a gang of young criminals who meet in a prison in 1955. -
The function of anime
For functions the anime represents a form of transmission of a message or ideal, in more recent cases the anime has been used to incite the Japanese people to do things that are considered prudent. Since 2015 Japan began to have problems of "overweight in the future" so they launched animes that promote physical activity. Another example is that due to the low birth of the country the anime has been used to show the Japanese people the benefits and how fun it is to be married and have a child. -
Nowadays
Currently the anime is mainly the treatment of certain themes, you can see how at first women were given minor roles, following sexist ideas or of that style, while in more recent years women have starred in more works or written more works. -
NOTE
One important point to take into consideration is that sayng "anime" is not just saying some group of japanese drawings. Many people minimizes this cultural expression and simplifies it to just one factor when in reality is so much more than that. -
Nowdays
Japanese external tourism has increased markedly in recent years, driven mainly by cultural tourism. Much of the blame for this increase is manga and anime.
Japan is fashionable and thousands of young and not-so-young people look to Japan with interest and cultural reference. The history of manga and anime is always in constant process of development and technical evolution, supported by consumer demand around the world. -
Nowadays
In the same way you can find different forms of analysis of certain animes, especially those that are considered to be deeper. Understand sympathy in Violet Ever Garden, understand what self-ception is in Neon Genesis Evangelion, the hero ideals in Fate Zero, decision-making at Steins Gate. Everyone understands something new and according to the generation can be interpreted in different ways
