Access Key Details What is so special about anime? The best is renowned for the quality of the animation, and sometimes full screen animation is used, unlike the two or three cel layer partial animation in the West.
Anime probably started with the MGM Japan release of "Magic Boy" in 1959 - about the time Disney had their last movie cartoon hit for some time with 101 Dalmations. Due to the number of visitors seeking info on this film and the scarcity of web information, I have added my own Magic Boy tribute page (caution- 500k of images).
The Anime Cafe is a wonderfully crafted site well worth reading.
You will find that anime covers everything from animations for the youngest children to very adult animation- there are many videotapes / DVDs
sold in Japan of animation that UK customs would seize and prosecute you for- so be careful if you import to make sure what you are getting!
UK residents will have met with anime in such lovely programs as
Moomin
and Alfred J Kwak (Kwak Ep Guide) - both
of which have excellent animation and stories.
My special favorites in the movies are "My Neighbour Totoro", now available both subtitled and dubbed into English on DVD;
Kiki's Witch Delivery Service and tv series such as
Maison Ikkoku (tenants of an apartment);
Kimagure Orange Road (love triangle, very sweet) and Uresai Yatsura -(bikini clad alien falls in love with womenising loser).
Disney Ghibli website in English from Japan. ||
UK DVD Optimum UK Ghibli distributors
webpage.
Can't not mention Sailor Moon which is better in the subtitled Japanese than in the US TV
dubbed version, but even the dub is OK.
Of course as a human owned by a cat,
What's Michael is especially endearing- if only I could find videotapes with subtitles!
The Shaw family are greatly entertained by the comedy present in Marmalade Boy, and greatly
enjoyed both the tv series of Little Women and the movie from Toei.
Another beautifully animated show in the World Masterpiece Theatre series of anime, which included Moomins, Little Women, Nadia and so on - Romeo's Blue Skies, a Swiss story which seems not to have been translated to English. Over a century old, the anime is very attractive.
More recent discoveries I can recommend:
Mahoraba - Heartful Days;
Victorian Romance Emma;
REC;
Rose of Versailles.
I could not end without mentioning the 39 episode NHK TV series
NADIA (The Secret of Blue Water)- a long story arc, cute leading teenagers, conspiracy;
aliens; cute lion cub... superb story and good animation. Episode 5 requires a handy box of tissues. Wow. Gainax advise that the central
13 episodes, based on the island, were farmed out to Korea, hence differing animation, characterisation and suggest their 26 episodes can be watched on their own. (first 21, last 5 eps).
Several strong similarities to a later Disney feature animation.
21k picture of Nadia
There are many other excellent titles. Discover and enjoy.
