Anime has grown in popularity over the past few decades, that’s why on 15th of April became National Anime Day, it is celebrated as an annual event. Despite the fact that the anime style originated in Japan, it soon captured the imagination of audiences both in the East and West, resulting in the creation of fan clubs, and other cultural merchandise. This day gives these people an opportunity to meet and share their anime experiences. It is also a great time to unite the brief but fascinating history of anime in various parts of the world while exploring unexplored opportunities for introducing anime in film and social media.
History
In the past few decades, Japan’s pop culture has earned enormous popularity. The term “Anime” refers to Japanese animations and cartoons. Anime characters are less mobile, and more attention is given to zooming and panning to create a more dramatic effect unlike the American style of animation. Another distinctive feature of Japanese anime is the large eyes of the characters.
More than 400 production companies are included in today’s Japanese anime industry. In the 1960s when Mushi Productions was set up by Osamu Tezuka, that was the years when Japanese anime became popular. He was a professional animator and “Manga” artist. He brought several changes to the traditional style of Japanese animation. Nowadays, he is popularly known as the Father of “Manga”. In the 90s, Japanese anime developed a massive fan base when different T.V. series, comics, and video games, became popular among children and teens in Japan.
Anime fans worldwide celebrate National Anime Day. The day was first celebrated in 1975, in Tokyo. Over 700 anime fans took part in the event. Today, different conventions are set up for Japanese anime fans in Asia, the UK, and the US. People wear costumes of popular anime characters. At these conventions, upcoming cartoons, “Manga” comics, and video games are also released. In recent years, virtual conventions have gained huge popularity. Anime fans celebrate this day on different social media platforms. They change their avatars into popular anime ones and post pictures of iconic anime characters.
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Timeline of National Anime Day
1945 (A Full-Length Anime Film) – “Momotaro” becomes Japan’s first full-length animated movie.
1961 (The First Anime Series for Television) – “Instant History” becomes the first anime series to run on television.
1961 (Mushi Production) – Osamu Tezuka opens an anime production company.
1988 (An International Fan Base) – The Japanese cyberpunk movie “Akira” becomes an international success.
FAQs about National Anime Day
1) What is National Anime Day, and why is it celebrated?
It is celebrated to honor the history of anime, this day brings people together to enjoy their favorite anime shows and characters. The holiday has its own tradition, held in many centers all over the United States in cities such as Nashville, Orlando, Carolina, and Atlanta.
2) Is “Days” a good anime to watch?
This anime was probably created as a means to compete with the other sports anime greats. It follows the story of Tsukamoto, who is a clumsy, geeky, and strange character.
3) What is the most popular anime series of all time?
These are some of the very popular animes:
- “Steins Gate”
- “Cowboy Bebop”
- “Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal”
- “Baccano!”
- “Berserk”
Activities on National Anime Day
– Dress up as your favored anime character – It doesn’t matter if you are attending an anime con or not. You can still dress up as your favored anime character and publish your pictures online on your social media accounts. You can either make yourself a favorite anime character’s outfit or buy one from an online store. Try experimenting with different props and accessories to make your costume appear more realistic and stunning.
– Read some old-fashioned “Manga” books – If you are a true Japanese anime fan, then you will surely enjoy reading some old-school “Manga” books. You can either try getting them from your local library or bookstore or read them online. Try choosing those books that were published before the 21st century. You will definitely notice the difference in the illustrations, as many of the classic books came with hand-drawn pictures.
– Watch an anime movie – Today, numerous movie websites offer dubbed anime movies. Many movies on these sites are free to watch. Some demand a nominal registration fee. You can pick a classic anime show or opt for a cult anime movie. Many contents on these sites are available with English subtitles.
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5 Interesting Facts about National Anime Day
- “Manga” in Japanese – The literal meaning of “manga” in Japanese is “comics”.
- Comic craze – On average, a Japanese person spends $30 on anime comic books every year.
- A magazine for kids – “Shônen Magazine” was Japan’s first magazine for kids.
- Girl power – In the late 1960s, female artists started working in the anime comic book industry.
- Comic cafés – Japan has “Manga cafés” where customers enjoy comics with tea.
Why do we love National Anime Day?
We learn about the Japanese language and pop culture – Owing to the growing popularity of Japanese anime, tourism in Japan has grown significantly in recent years. If you are an authentic fan of Japanese comics and cartoons, then you won’t find it hard to pick up common phrases of the Japanese language. Besides, you get familiar with those Japanese pop culture references and jokes that are hard to understand otherwise.
The works of senior Japanese artists get recognized – Every country is blessed with talented artists that are appreciated both locally and internationally. People of other nations get an opportunity, through Japanese anime, to learn about the works of those Japanese illustrators and artists who have contributed to the success of the Japanese art and entertainment industry.
You can meet and become friends with anime fans who share similar interests – By celebrating National Anime Day, you get a chance to meet and interact with other anime fans who are also obsessed with Japanese comics and cartoons. By attending various types of conventions, where people are dressed up as their famous anime characters, people can easily befriend “Manga” fans with similar interests.
