Is Anime Art?
Art is a form of expression; it is the application of human creativity and imagination captured within in a visual representation produced to be appreciated for their beauty and emotional power (according to MacDictionary, © Copyright 2005-2007 Apple Inc.). There have been several different opinions on whether to consider Japanese animation as an art form as it is, considered by some, a cartoon or comic. Japanese anime is used to entertain but because entertainment isn’t its sole purpose, as there are stories behind a majority of anime having incredible depth and the drawings are done with such detail, it should be considered an art form. Anime is the imagination captured with in this visual world (influenced by Japanese culture) the created to be appreciated for its aesthetic appeal and content. In the KRAZY: The Delirous World of Anime + Manga + Video Games exibition they support said concept—that Japanese anime is an art form and a representation of a social culture that has permeated into the culture of American and other countries.
The KRAZY exhibition is dedicated to anime, manga and video games. It is “designed to evoke Tokyo’s clamorous cityscape, the cutting-edge installation features original artwork by eight leading manga artists, more than 12 simultaneous anime projections, a sound room, a manga zone with hundreds of comic books, and video game consoles for visitors to play” (Japan Society). An anime fan would enter this place, walking from room to room is excited about their very favorites beign mounted up on walls for people to appreciate, and those unfamiliar with anime, would get a taste and learn to appreciate animation as each room of the exihibit teaches you how much detailed work goes into creating anime comic books to anime television series.
One interested anime series that was recognized by the exhibit was Afro Samaria, whose series was created by Takashi Okazaki and was later turned into a television series by Fuminori Kizaki. The details of the piece are something exciting to look at—as the anime takes on a real life form of itself—and the drawings are done with such detail and precision. One could truly appreciate the anime and the artist’s technique and ability to capture the justice-seeking plot in the body of the art. Along with Afro Samaria there were several other anime comic books mounted on the walls and several animations movies being played that expressed the similar artistic expression. Masaaki Yuasa’s Mind Game (2004) is anime film also presented at KRAZY that had a different form of expression using anime—it was abstract anime. Mind Game, was possibly one of my favorite pieces as it made me curious and it made me laugh—it was an interesting art piece that not only entertained its viewers but invited them to think and reflect on it (as most abstract art pieces invite you to do). Another fascinating part of the exhibit is the little treat they save for you at the end—the music-box room that displays and plays countless soundtracks that are used in many of the anime films. It also this detail that is so important to consider when taking anime into consideration as an art form—the music is another stroke in the painting. This aspect shows that anime can be a compound art form, as there are several artist working on the presentation of it: the music, the visual, and the production. Anime series are to be looked at not as a form of art that has been created by an auteur, but by several hands molding in different pieces and influences to create this one creative display of expression.
Japanese animation may seem just to be a simple display of entertainment, but it is not—it is so much more than just drawings that are produces to feed a consumer society that loves anime. Yes, Anime is created to entertain, but it is also created with the intentions to capture the artist’s expression whether it be the common journey to seek out justice or to provoke the viewers thought using underlying, overt or abstract messages. And to begin to see anime become an series is an even more beautiful process as you begin to see several artists’ minds engaging and creating together to create a piece that through all aspects—sound, production and drawing—speak the same message. Japanese animation is a form of art that should be given the time to be looked at, studied and appreciated.