An Introduction to Anime

In its most basic form, anime refers to animation. Interestingly enough, the name itself isn’t an abbreviation of the English word animation. Instead, it’s how you say “animated cartoon” (written アニメ) in Japanese. To a Japanese viewer, anime is any cartoon, whether it’s made in Japan or not. Outside of Japan, however, the term anime has come to mean “animation made in Japan,” or more broadly, any animated show or movie that uses signature aspects of Japanese-style animation, like vibrant colors, dramatic panning, and characteristic facial expressions.

Anime comes in two formats: Dubbed and subbed. Subbed plays the original Japanese vocal track for the show or movie you’re watching with English (or whatever language you’re watching in) subtitles. Anime Dubbed, on the other hand, features an English-speaking cast of voice-over actors working from a translated script. There are advantages to both formats

Subtitled anime, when done right, gives you the most accurate version of the original version, down to the vocal inflection of the Japanese-speaking actors. Dubbed titles offer more of a mixed bag, especially with other series and films. American dubs in the ’80s and ’90s were often laughably wrong, due to cheap production budgets. Most modern titles have fixed this issue, but you’re more likely to see voiceovers that don’t sync with the characters’ mouths in dubbed versions.

Just because it’s animated doesn’t mean it’s for kids, as any parent might learn while watching movies like Vampire Hunter D with theirs. Like any form of art or entertainment, it’s up to parents to deem what’s appropriate for their children. Modern streaming services like Netflix require ratings for all the anime titles it carries. Almost make sure you’re watching the right version of the series. Some favorite hits like the original Dragon Ball were edited in America initially, but the uncut, original version appears on streaming services today.

If you’re worried about the anime content your children are watching, check its rating and look out for specific terminology. For instance, the term “fan service,” when referring to a “fanservice cut” of a particular feature. Fanservice shows often feature gratuitous titillation, nudity, or peek-a-boo underwear shots. Most of the time, these titles are no more graphic than a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, but it’s always good to be aware. 

In the U.S., most anime is classified as a niche form of entertainment, especially for adults. It’s looped in alongside other fandoms and often left to the wayside of mainstream entertainment. In Japan, however, anime is a culturally accepted and fairly basic form of entertainment for adults. This difference means that Hentai Haven contains multitudes, with content produced for a wide range of viewers. Your first mental image of anime might be a spiky-haired magician or a sci-fi robot, but the genre contains multitudes. From drama, action, and romance to historical fiction, horror, comedy, and more—there’s an series to match any taste.