Introduction

Anime (the e is pronounced as in “red”) is the shortened word for animation. However, anime refers mainly to Japanese animation which has a certain style similar to manga. Indeed, most manga, if they are successful, get turned into anime. However, sometimes anime get turned into manga, for example Deltora Quest, or books, they often get turned into anime. Again, like film, there is a range of anime, from anime aimed at small children, to aimed at grown-ups. If it is an anime derived from a manga, it is usually a very popular story, but the anime often deviates from the real work because not everything can be shown on TV, especially before nine o’clock.

Anime is a well known Japanese media. It is able to convey realistic scenes with unrealistic effects, in a way that you would not be able to do in film. Anime has helped show people some of the culture of Japan, and is very popular in use in games such as in the Nintendo and PSP. The style varies from studio to studio with some people exaggerating features of the body like eyes, hands, hair, and some people styling the characters more inline with real life.

Ghibli Studios

This is a bit of an introduction into my favourite anime studios. Ghibli Studios is usually run by Hayao Miyazaki, a director who has produced extraordinary films, many which have been dubbed into English and are well known, such as: Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle etc. However, other films that have not been directed by Miyazaki but produced by Ghibli should not be missed, like: Whisper of the Heart, The Cat Returns, and recently Tales from Earthsea by Miyazaki’s son.

Ghibli Studio’s anime style is very realistic, and simple, which is one of the reasons I like it. Miyazaki as a director creates anime which usually have an underlying moral about the environment or people in general, which is always good to see. Also, the scenery in Studio Ghibli’s works is usually beautifully painted, you would expect no worse from a film.