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It spiralled from there...At the time, I couldn't come up with a good enough argument that there is a HUGE difference, whether they are the same in definition or not...And, as you do, later on, I thought of the PERFECT argument. However, it was too late then. I was going to make a post on Tumblr about it, but I thought....Why not turn it into a debate like it was originally supposed to be.
A debate. NOT full on: "OMGZ U R SO RONG! I AM RIGHT BECUZ I HAVE MOAR SMARTZ THAN U!" Even though, admittedly, that IS funny to read.
Anyway anyway...I will start. I ask people to please not flame me for my personal opinion. Because it is just that. Tell me why you think I am wrong if you like, in a sensible, debate-type way.
My friend told me that people who like anime will only say it is different to cartoons to make it seem special...I completely disagree. I see it from the other way. People think they are exactly the same because they haven't given anime a chance, and only see the fact that it is animated...The fact that the only animes shown on TV in England are the ones for children, dubbed horribly in a way that makes them seem really cheesy...probably contributes as well.
-.-U I will stop rambling now and get to the 'proof':
Violence:
In a cartoon, violence is mostly used for comedy reasons, and the characters recover miraculously from being splatted against walls, impaled, chopped into millions of tiny pieces etc. etc. etc. It is funny to watch, and never once do you worry about the character's well being. You know they'll be back to normal in a couple of seconds/minutes/next episode.
In most animes I have watched, the characters have a...more realistic reaction to violence. (Not always completely realistic. But they can only take so much.) It brings in the whole: "OMG WATCH OUT!" factor. You begin to worry about the character and wonder how/if they will make it out alive...Sometimes. I'm guessing some just watch to see blood and gore. *Guilty of that sometimes.*
Depth:
I am NOT saying ALL animes are deep and emotional and have intricate, deep plots that must have taken so much work and effort to create. And I'm not saying ALL cartoons are just: "LULZ LOOK AT THE FUNNY ANIMAL CHASING THE OTHER FUNNY ANIMAL!"
But, most of the animes I have seen have depth, lessons to be learned, well thought out plots, beautiful animation, characters you can relate to, who are believable and not just one dimensional...I like the characters that seem like one thing on the surface, and have many hidden secrets/dark sides/etc. They have to be watched in a certain order because they're a series, the continuity is good and makes sense.
In most of the cartoons I have seen, they have episodes that could stand alone without anyone getting confused, sometimes with poor continuity, unrealistic animation, characters that are mostly about the: "LOL" with only one side to them.
To me, that is what separates a 'cartoon' from a 'series'.
Portrayal:
I've noticed in a lot of cartoons, some things that should be tragic are portrayed in a funny way, almost to the point of it being insulting.
In anime, these issues such as death stop the whole show, bring in a whole scene/episode of emotional stuff that can bring the audience to tears. That takes skill...Well, I guess it does. I NEVER cry, but some animes have made me sad.
Cheese:
I don't know if it is partly due to bias, or the fact that I watch a lot of animes subbed because either they aren't dubbed, or I dislike the dub, but the ones I like to watch have little to no cheesyness...I have seen some with it. I am not saying: "ZOMG! ANIME CAN'T POSSIBLY EVER BE CHEESY BECUZ IT'S ANIME!"
However, all the cartoons I have seen have little to a lot of cheesyness. One liners, etc. That kind of humour just really doesn't do it for me.
Before you point out the obvious:
I know those examples cross over.
There are a lot of cartoons that follow a plot...But, hypocritically, I don't give those a chance. They're usually the superhero ones, and I'm not really into superheroes. I don't watch animes about superheroes, and I haven't really given the mecha genre a chance yet...I know maybe I shouldn't, but I do the thing that people who don't give anime a chance do...I associate superheroes and mecha with cheese. That goes for animations made by any country.
And, of course, there are things like South Park. That is special. It does everything. It has believable characters, doesn't pretend you can be chopped up and still be alive...Well, Kenny can, but he's immortal, and he does die from the things that get thrown at him. It tackles real life issues, makes it amusing, but at the same time has some seriousness lying underneath. And, it basically shows how stupid humans actually are sometimes, and points out the simplicities of it that only a child can see, when all the adults are just fighting for power, etc.
And, actually, I have seen a lot of animes where the characters die and come back to life. Higurashi, Umineko, Dokuro-chan, etc.
Then of course, there are animated movies, which I see as something completely different all together. No matter what country they are from, they have the ability to pull emotions from the audience. I do prefer the Japanese ones, but that is just me. I would not be so arrogant to say: "THIS MOVIE IS BETTER BECAUSE IT WAS MADE IN JAPAN!" (Note, even though I personally like anime better than cartoons...although I still watch and enjoy cartoons occasionally, I am NOT trying to say they are better. Just what I LIKE better about them, in a possibly biased way.)
And, of course, there are cartoons that most people will always love. Spongebob, Looney Tunes, Simpsons, Family Guy, etc. etc. etc. (I didn't mention South Park because it's already been mentioned. But that's an obvious one too.)
But, you have to admit, there is no depth to Spongebob whatsoever. (No pun intended. ^w^) I'll continue to watch it until every TV in the world explodes, but I will never get the same amount of enjoyment from it as I do from animes that have layers and layers of depth and characters with loads of different sides to them.
Like, I just recently found Papuwa. I find that hysterical. But I doubt I'll ever love it as much as South Park.
In conclusion:
I have decided that most of the animes I watch and enjoy...the list of which is FAR too long to write down. Otherwise I would have given many examples...have earned the title 'series', and can be compared more accurately to something like Misfits, than Spongebob. Which is why I, personally, feel insulted when someone goes: XD "Is just a cartoon."
It is not just because I am a fangirl, otaku, weeabo...Although I admit to all three.
<<<<<<That whole argument was worded much better in my head.
So, I hope it makes sense the way I was able to write it down. I'm guessing I have missed out half of the points I wanted to make. But hopefully that is enough to make a valid, non-flamable point, whether it is agreed with, or not. (Note, I'm only using the examples of the animes I have watched. If you can find an anime that is like Spongebob, feel free to use it. I just haven't come across any yet. ^w^) Now it is your turn. ^w^
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