Anime sux and so does toei.

Anime sux and so does toei.

So you don't like G1 cartoon? or TFTM?

 

And Toei as a company doesn't suck by itself, but when you only pay them for cheap work, that's what you get - that's how it works in animation.

I would consider Transformers G1 Anime. First off, the whole thing was based off of a Japanese property in the first place, and was co-developed by both Hasbro and Takara from Takara's original Diaclone products, thought the concept and name "Transformers", along with them becoming "alien robotic life forms" was Hasbro's idea. Secondly, the animation style itself has a very Japanese flare to it, similar to that used in Giant robot Anime in Japan of the era. It is also cosidered Anime within Anime circles, and in Japan itself. Remember, all anime means in Japan is "cartoon". So, I definately consider it Anime.

So in Japan they call it a cartoon? Well, that settles it. :tflaugh

 

I think we're all taking "anime" to mean "Japanese animation" in particular. So it just depends on how technically that term is applied. Transformers is definitely "Japanese animation" in the sense that it was, yes, animated by Japanese people. But in a broader sense, was it a Japanese production? Obviously it wasn't. Sunbow produced the show with American writers and voice actors.

 

That doesn't mean that it was purely an American production either, though. Nelson Shin directed the cartoon (again, with the US-based Sunbow production team). But he didn't make story decisions or do any voice direction. The direction of the show, what it was going to be, the tone it would have, etc., was all determined by Sunbow, under Hasbro's ultimate oversight.

 

It was a joint venture, which is why I think people have such a hard time categorizing it. It was certainly a lot more anime than (say) He-Man, but it was just as certainly a lot less anime than (say) Voltron.

I've been sorta using the definition of anime being "made in japan with the japanese primarily in mind".

The only snag in that is how do you catagorize shows like Big O season 2 and the new Guyver TV series. Both of these shows were coproduced by american companies.

 

But Prime Collector is right, it is getting into semantics. It just doesn't help that despite Anime literally meaning cartoon in Japan, the definition has sorta shifted in America.

Pete - Agreed.

 

For me to consider a movie or series Anime, it has to be written, controlled, and overseen in Japan. G1 was not. G1 was written in America, overseen overall by Sunbow's American directors (which are the ones who told Nelson Shin what to do), and the overall control was from Sunbow and Hasbro, both American-run companies.

well, the production was "overseeen" in Japan because that is where it was produced. It wasn't produced here. Secondly, as I mentioned before, the whole thing was based upon a Japanese toy line brought over to the US. Third, Takara was just as heavily involved as Hasbro was, and the show aired in Japan as well as the US. It was meant for both markets.

well, the production was "overseeen" in Japan because that is where it was produced. It wasn't produced here. Secondly, as I mentioned before, the whole thing was based upon a Japanese toy line brought over to the US. Third, Takara was just as heavily involved as Hasbro was, and the show aired in Japan as well as the US. It was meant for both markets.

For me...once again I don't consider it Anime, and won't. But it's nice to know where you stand. :thumb

Anime is simply the Japanese term for cartoon. To the Japanese all cartoons, regardless of country of origin are anime. So yes Transformers is anime, of course to the Japaneses so is Justice League, Batman, and even Ren and Stimpy. If its a cartoon its anime in Japan.

 

Here in the states the definition gets modified. Depending on who you talk to it can mean only shows made by Japanese companies in there entirety, shows animated by Japanese companies but written by others, or even shows that weren't written or animated by Japanese but share the style of common Japanese animation.

 

Transformers fits the majority of the definitions. Personally I'd consider it anime.

Okay, first of all, as others have mentioned, the word animé just means animation or cartoons in Japanese... but it is true that the meaning has shifted in the English language's accumulation of the word. Much like how English has altered the meaning of the word "manga" to refer to comic books and animation from Japan (as is defined in the Macquarie English Dictionary's entry for 'manga'). The definition of the word 'manga' needs to be updated because I think that the meaning is shifting to referring specifically to Japanese comic books, and obviously the word "animé" will need to be added to the English lexicon too (it was considered for entry back in 1998/1999 when they put 'manga' in, but ultimately didn't make the final cut - the words "otaku" and "otakunisation" were also considered but rejected).

 

Secondly, as I have said many times in the Transformers collection count polls, classification is by nature very arbitrary. We've seen how arbitrary it can be when we tried to classify what Transformer toys should and shouldn't count. It's no different with what people think should and shouldn't count as animé...

 

As for Transformers, in reality it's a hybrid. Scripted by Sunbow and animated by Toei (I believe all of G1 was animated by Toei - the later seasons had reduced quality because they had much smaller budgets - hence the use of outsourced Korean animation, but it would've been outsourced by Toei to Sunbow - Toei also animated the later Japanese exclusive G1 series too, for Sunbow to contract another animation studio to animate seasons 3 and 4 may have violated contractual obligations with Toei - they're pretty tight with that kind of thing, which is also the reason why they didn't have the original voice actor for Priss in Bubblegum Crash, but I digress).

 

I would personally classify it as animé. After all, the Ghost In The Shell movie was co-produced by an English company (Manga Video) and that's considered to be Japanese animé.

I've allways thought of "Anime" (in english) as a style. Not an origin. That stuff in kill bill was "anime" in style even though it was written/directed by Quentin Tarantino. (I don't know who animated it)

 

Watch a 1st-3rd season episode, and then watch a Headmaster episode. Two screenshots may look alike but in motion the style is completely different.