I like animation. Some people would say "cartoons"--but I have to disagree, because my freaky darlings you know of that which I speak...
Last month Grampy Ray in his consistent wonderfulness-- again gifted me with the seemingly bottomless Borders card for my b-day. And tho I didn't get as much anime as last year...I had to pick up the 70th anniversary edition of Pinnocchio. I am sure you remember the narrative. A mysteriously single Italian woodcarver creates a wooden puppet which is brought to life by the blue fairy, who grants Geppeto's wish that the puppet becomes a real boy; if only he proves himself "brave, truthful, and unselfish" (that would be Gryffindor). So instead of going to the TapRoom with Neek & Frank last night I watched classic animation with my kids. (Petey fell asleep so it is agood thing we didn't go out).
Now before I toddle down memory lane I need to answer one thing for myself...1.) What exactly is the diff between the terms "anime" and "animation"--off we go to Wikipedia that highly trustworthy source of knowledge...
"Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. It is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in a number of ways. The most common method of presenting animation is as a motion picture or video program, although several other forms of presenting animation also exist."
In contrast
"Anime began at the start of the 20th century, when Japanese filmmakers experimented with the animation techniques that were being explored in France, Germany, the United States, and Russia.[3] The oldest known anime in existence was screened in 1917 - a two minute clip of a samurai trying to test a new sword on his target, only to suffer defeat.[4]
By the 1930s, animation became an alternative format of storytelling compared to the underdeveloped live-action industry in Japan. Unlike in the United States, the live-action industry in Japan remained a small market and suffered from budgeting, location, and casting restrictions. The lack of Western-looking actors, for example, made it next to impossible to shoot films set in Europe, America, or fantasy worlds that do not naturally involve Japan. Animation allowed artists to create any characters and settings.[5]
The success of Disney's 1937 feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs influenced Japanese animators.[6]"
I left all the footnotes in from Wiki cuz that is where I stole it from and I am still on my first cup o' coffee--plus the mention of Snow White is nice transition back to Pinocchio, now that we know there is only a language difference--except--there isn't... because modern anime has an edge..a sexy edge...a violent edge... a twisted maturity (individual artistic soul?) that does not lend itself to innocent (read superficial) viewing that Disney(tm) has stuffed down our throats. The mechanical procedures maybe the same but, there is a difference in philosophy (or culture?) that USED to be present in Disney films that is a strong part of "anime"--an acknowledgement that the modern manipulation of mass market does NOT equal ART. Snow White was art--Cinderella was art--but when Pete and I were kids something fell from Wonderland and in '66 Walt died (didn't they freezedry his decapitated head? Sounds like a Futurama episode)--here is another quote from Wiki-- "Traditional hand-drawn animation, with which Walt Disney started his company, no longer continues at the Walt Disney Feature Animation studio. "
sad--and then they made Hercules...gag
Izzy and I were chatting as Z skipped through the numerous ads promoting the pastel puke that Disney(tm) is currently hawking.
Iz: "I thought you hated Disney."
Me: "I do. This doesn't count."
Iz: "why not?"
Me: "same theory as Sleeping Beauty"
Iz: "I thought you liked the dragon..."
Me: "I love the dragon--wait till you see this whale....
Next Friday their education continues...Don Hertzfeld will be in town....
