Journalism of Courage
Japanese Anime embraces multiple genres,has a unique art style and some dynamic music. But for the Indian Anime fanatics,the storylines keeps them hooked
In an exhibition that will run till January 2012,The Art and Exhibition Hall in Bonn,Germany,is pondering over a rather intriguing topic – Anime! High Art-Pop Culture. Born in Japan,the phenomenon of Anime has built and grown more entrenched around the world in the decades following the 1960s,though Anime seemed to have entered common parlance in India with the dawn of Animax India in 2004.
I believe Anime is popular in India because it is so different from other forms of Western animation,or what we call cartoons. Anime is less episodic and has a more defined starts and ends. Cartoons usually are about superheroes,or parodies about superheroes,but Anime offers a wider variety,from slices of life to action or romance or college life. I love it because I can relate to the characters so easily,it helps me acquire a different perspective, says 21-year-old Sudipta Mondal,a member of the Delhi Anime Club.
There is a distinct whiff of cultism about the followers of Anime. Tarun Kumar,a Chennai-based gaming industry professional,says: “I started following it six years ago,initially thinking it to be just another form of animation. But I got addicted to the intense storylines,the music,the art and the picturisation. Once you start,you would want to keep on watching. You regret if you miss any segment.
It is a surprising trend in a country where Manga comics and non-Animax Anime visual material is scarce. But Anime clubs have thrived here in the recent past,social media is flooded with discussions and posts,and there is an incipient movement to encourage those who want to create their own versions of Anime. Manga India is running a contest called “The Indian Manga Project” to steer this talent.
Manga comics,on which most Anime is based,is hailed as much for its tight imagination and wide swathe of topics,as for its slick illustrations. There is so much information in it – about relationships,people and life in general. Unlike cartoons,which are mostly for fun,Anime guarantees full-fledged entertainment. It has the power to make you laugh and cry. I believe you evolve from cartoons to Anime. It’s like a big step in evolution, laughs Hari Haran,another Chennai-based Anime fanatic.
Anime original soundtracks too make for swashbuckling downloads,often combining minimalist folk influences with guitar power chords. Anime finds fans among artists basically,and of course a wide fan-base among gaming professionals, says 27-year-old Sudarshan Ranganathan from Bengaluru. He admits India saw a slow growth initially,but has now caught up as far as viewership goes. But we are low on merchandise. I usually order online for Anime products; the commercial side hasn’t developed much here.
‘Perspective’ is another hot word in the scheme of Anime followers. If they show that blue hair is cool,we would start believing that too. Because Anime make you look at things from the creators’ perspective. Some think watching Anime is childish,but what’s wrong in being a child? asks Hari Haran.
