Anime: A Beginner's Guide

As I mentioned last week, there are going to be some ongoing changes to this blog. One thing that you will notice in 2015 is a definitive shift in focus from general discussion and literature to geek culture. Not that much of a change really since I often focused on Sci Fi/ Fantasy and anime anyway. So you can expect a lot more anime, video games, comics, science/tech, and science fiction/fantasy posts in the future. Not that it means you'll see less depth of content or rigorous discussion about relevant issues, but it will be brought about via the context of said topics.

Lately, I've been on an anime-watching binge with the start of the winter season this January. This is a fairly strong season, in my opinion, but I'll follow up with that in the future. First, I want to sort of introduce the concept of anime and help those who are interested navigate the multitude of titles to find a comfortable starting point. I know from personal experience that it can be a challenge to get into a new hobby or to explore a new medium. Especially since anime is looked down upon and dismissed by many, you might feel uncomfortable or unsure whether it's worth looking into. Anime ranges from heartwarming children's tales to incredibly adult stories filled with bizarre characters and abstract concepts. It can be beautiful, it can be crass, it can be subtle, it can be blatantly sexual. Depending on your interests, this can be very overwhelming.

For those who are nervous about starting something new, those who are curious but intimidated or embarrassed and really don't know where to start... hopefully this post can help guide you. And if you're already a fan, maybe there are even some new titles here that you haven't checked out yet. Or maybe you'd like to add your own titles in the comments. Feedback is always welcomed.

So, what is anime anyway? In Japan, the term anime refers to any animated film or television show. In the West, however, we generally consider animation created in Japan to be anime. There is often a distinct style associated with Japanese animation both in the artwork (characters with large eyes, vibrant hair colours and exaggerated emotional expression) and plot (frequently supernatural, strong character development, complicated and unexpected storylines). People debate this further - whether Studio Ghibli films are truly anime, for example - but for the purpose of this post, we will consider any animation originating from Japan to be anime. I will be talking about Western animation a little, but I will specifically point out which titles this refers to. Check out Idea Channel if you want a closer look at the Japanese vs Western anime debate.

To start, we come to that age old question... Dubs or subs? This refers to whether you choose to watch anime that has been dubbed over by English voice actors or anime with the original Japanese dialogue and English subtitles. I always recommend subtitles simply because the English dubs frequently change the dialogue to match the mouths of the characters as they speak. This is limiting and I can tell you from watching both versions, a lot is lost in translation. Now, of course, if you hate subtitles and it makes the difference between enjoying the show or not... then just go for the dubbed version. It's really personal preference that matters overall.

So where to start? Personally I recommend starting with films instead of shows. You only have to sit through a couple of hours rather than investing in a show that is 13+ episodes long. Plus, there are plenty of easy to find titles. I'd also recommend starting out with milder shows, more in keeping with stories you might be familiar with from Western film and television. Unless you're already really into weird and abstract film, starting out with an Akira or an Evangelion might be a bit jarring... 

I'd say it's not as weird as it looks, but it totally is...

 So here's what I suggest:

Studio Ghibli films - Hayao Miyazaki films in particular - come highly recommended and are distributed in the West by Disney, so they are very easy to find. I'd recommend starting with some of his simpler stories (often based on Western works) - Kiki's Delivery Service, The Secret World of Arrietty, or even Howl's Moving Castle - and working towards the more fantastical Japanese tales found in Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke. All of these titles, Mononoke excepted, are family friendly and often have a socially and environmentally-conscious narrative.

Did I also mention that Miyazaki's films are stunningly beautiful?

From here I'd move onto Mamoru Hosoda's films. These are mostly stories about family and friendship, but are geared towards a slightly more mature audience than Miyazaki's. Again, they are all fairly easy to find at your local movie stores and on streaming services. Look for the titles: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars and Wolf Children. Each has a slightly supernatural element that is presented subtly and in such a way that it enhances the emotional, human elements of his stories.

Warning: keep the kleenex handy for this one (that goes double for moms and triple for new moms)

If you're an adult who already enjoys abstract and challenging plot lines, you may also be interested in Satoshi Kon's films. Fans of films like Inception will be interested in the movie Paprika, about a woman who must navigate people's dreams to investigate the theft of potentially dangerous dream-interaction technology. If you enjoyed Black Swan, you may want to pick up Perfect Blue. Darren Aronofsky, director of Black Swan, is himself a fan of Kon and you will notice plenty of parallels between the two stories (despite owning the rights to the film, he denies it as an inspiration). Kon is a master of blurring the lines between dream and reality, and his plots are simultaneously twisted and incredibly intelligent.

I could seriously discuss Perfect Blue for hours. In fact, I'm pretty sure I have.

If you're looking to invest more time and want to try out a couple of shows, you can always try some Western animation first. The Nickolodeon shows Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra are Western shows that are often noted as having many similarities to Japanese anime. The stories, though geared towards a young audience, are still very deep and engaging for an older audience.

If you're trying to prepare yourself for some of the more bizarre elements of anime, you may be interested in checking out another Western animated show, Over the Garden Wall. I really don't want to tell you much about this one because its appeal is in its mystery. I will simply say it is a modern Alice in Wonderland story that pays homage to various eras and genres of animation. It's also only 10 episodes long so it doesn't require a massive commitment.

There is likely an upcoming post dedicated to this show. So watch it now. NOW.

From this point on, it really depends what you're interested in. Here are some Japanese titles based on various genre interests. I'm recommending each of these based on the reasonable length of the show, the lack of fan service (aka unnecessary nudity/sexual content) and a somewhat straightforward plot.

If you like science fiction, you've probably already heard of Cowboy Bebop. Reminiscent of Joss Whedon's Firefly, Bebop follows an unlikely crew of bounty hunters as they take new jobs and come to terms with their pasts.

 

Many people I know started with the incredibly popular Death Note, a great selection if you're interested in supernatural thrillers and crime drama. Light Yagami, a high school student, gains possession of a notebook which allows him to kill anyone as long as he knows their name and face. What begins as a quest to rid the world of evil, quickly turns into a battle between some of the brightest minds the world has ever encountered. 

If you're a fan of horror - particular Japanese horror stories like the Grudge and the Ring - Another is a gory, mysterious and creepy-as-hell show which I highly recommend. It centres on a cursed classroom and a couple of students who break the taboo protecting the class from a terrifying and deadly force.

Attack on Titan is another great title that has already won over many non-anime fans. It takes place in a world where humanity lives behind massive stone walls to protect themselves from the titans - massive humanoid monsters that seem to exist solely to kill humans. But when the wall is breached, humanity is thrown into turmoil and questions begin to arise about the nature of the titans and whether there might be an intelligent goal behind their mindless violence. A word of warning - this is an ongoing series and only one season has yet been released (the next isn't slated until next year). 

Likely you've seen this image (or parodies) even if you've never seen the show.

Maybe you'd rather shy away from the supernatural and are just looking for a good drama/ slice of life show. If so, Usagi Drop, or Bunny Drop, is a beautiful story about a man who unexpectedly becomes the guardian of the young, illegitimate daughter of his father. I'm also a fan of Kuroko's Basketball, an ongoing series about a high school basketball team trying to improve enough to challenge a group of prodigies known as the Generation of Miracles.

As you gain confidence and your interest builds, you'll likely start finding some titles of your own. Just don't give up if you find a title or two that aren't what you're looking for. Like any medium, anime is filled with a variety of genres and various degrees of quality. Check out www.myanimelist.net for a list of top-rated anime, reviews, and recommendations. You can find my user profile here: http://myanimelist.net/profile/AmyMaehem. I've found it to be a great resource for finding new anime to check out. Plus, I'm always happy to recommend titles and I'm sure I'll be talking about some new shows in the near future! 

As always, thanks for reading and feel free to comment here or if you have me on Facebook!