Tenjo Tenge Manga

Image via Wikipedia

Tenjo Tenge is a Japanese Anime and Manga series written by Ogure Ito, also referred to as "Oh Great!", "The Creator" or "Air Gear".
Tenjo Tenge in the story of Souichiro Nagi and Bob Makihara as they enroll in the Todo Academy, a martial arts school where Mitsoumi Takayanagi is the president, with the aim of taking it over. When they realize that the school houses some powerful fighters and cannot be taken over, they join the Juukenbu club, captained by Maya Natsume.
The Tenjou Tenge series focuses on the battle between the Juukenbo club and Mitsoumi Takayanagi, who had murdered Maya Natsume's older brother, Shin Natsume, three years previously.
The Story of Shin Natsume
The story of Shin Natsume, Maya's brother, is told as a flashback over 6 episodes as Maya attempts to explain the history to the newcomers. This is to ensure that viewers and readers have a back story to reference to, as both the Anime and Manga frequently refer to the past.
The anime series continues until just before the "Imperial Arts Tournament", which is hosted by the Todo Academy and where also decide who will be the "President" of the school. The manga series however, continues on well after this.
The manga series show how Mitsoumi recognizes the threat of Souichiro Nagi's power, the ability to take over someone's power during battle, and he then sends fighters against Souichiri. It is only during one of these fights that Souichiro discovers he actually has this special power but that he cannot control it. Souichiro ends up in hospital after the fight with temporary loss of control of his left leg.
The Natsume Sisters
Aya, Maya's sister, falls in love with Souichiro during the first episode, and uses her power, the ability to see into the past or future or see things hundreds of miles away, by spying on him. In the 5th episode, her power is shown for the first time, and it is reavealed that she is probably the strongest fighter of them all, though the only reason she fights is because she wants to become stronger for Souichiro.
The Story in Short
In Tenjo Tenge the main characters such as Maya and Souichiro, have "special" powers, which generally differ from fighter to fighter. It is discovered later in the series, however, that Souichiro has the ability to "take" someone's power after fighting them, and he actually is supposed to become a "demon" in order to defeat them.
After the Imperial Arts tournament, the Manga also follows Souhaku, Souichiro's father, who had discovered a way to live forever, and has been alive since the feudal ages. Souichiro is kidnapped by Souhaka, and forced to fight ever stronger warriors in order to become a monster.
Tenjo Tenge, also known as Tenjou Tenge or Tenjou Tenghe, is a truly fascinating and entertaining series that plays off in modern day Japan.
Japanese Anime and Manga is also one of the fastest growing entertainment forms in the World and is available both in print and online.

Also visit my blog at http://tenjo-tenge-manga.blogspot.com Werner van der Heyde Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Werner_Van_Der_Heyde

Animation Mania

Image via Wikipedia

I have been a great fan of animation movies and cartoons for as long as I can remember. I am told that, as a kid, I never used to have lunch without the daily dose of Tom & Jerry Cartoons which used to air on Delhi Doordarshan!
I have my share of favourites of which Pixar movies top the list. Be it the toys that talk in 'Toy Story' or the monsters that power their own city by scaring people; or the quest of a clown fish to find his son in 'Finding Nemo'; or the story of anthropomorphic cars in 'Cars'; or the tale of a gifted rat that aspired to be a chef in 'Ratatouille'; or more recently, the academy award winning movie about a Waste allocation Robot, 'Wall-E'; or the grumpy old man who sets out to live his dream in 'Up', Pixar always comes up with something new and innovative. As Steve Jobs puts it "Pixar is the most technically advanced creative company; Apple is the most creatively advanced technical company."
There's also Dreamworks studios, a brainchild of one of my favourite directors of all time, Steven Speilberg, that has made many good animation movies like 'The Prince of Egypt', 'Spirit: The stallion of Cimarron', 'Madagascar', 'Bee Movie ' and the comical 'Kung Fu Panda'. But Pixar is a tad above Dreamworks when it comes to quality and innovation. As a result, they have more Oscars to their credit.
Away from these two giants and the Japanese Anime monopoly, comes Persepolis, a touching story about a young Iranian girl set in the times of the Islamic Revolution. The movie opens with the protagonist, a young woman Marjane, waiting at the Paris airport to board a flight to Teheran. This is followed by a black and white account of her past: her childhood and teenage years. The movie shows Marjane growing up from an innocent, inquisitive girl to a matured woman; with the Iranian political oppression as the background. One of the things that makes this movie unique is that a lot of it is told from the point of view of a child that does not really understand the politics of what is going on around her.
The tone of almost the entire movie is dark and this helps in emphasizing the injustice that the women were subjected to during the conflict in the 70s-80s. The simple animation that we haven't seen for a long time, thrusts the viewer into her shoes. I don't want to let out any spoilers. There are many moments in the film which can make us feel lucky that we are living in a democracy. There are also many hilarious moments in the film which were accentuated with the simple animation.
Post her break up with her boyfriend, Marjane relives the moments with him where he is shown to be a freak! And at the beginning a flashback shows the British government's role in manipulating Iranian politics for its selfish motives. This scene is depicted as a puppet show, providing a new, fresh, and very apt angle. Detailed animation may have killed those moments. A character which is definitely worth a mention is Marjane's grandmother. She provides complete moral support to Marjane and shows her the few rights from the many wrongs.
As for the name Persepolis, it was coined by the Greeks to denote the ancient Persian capital, which in contemporary world is in ruins. The movie Persepolis works because it handles an uncomfortable subject with grace, using a simple and effective storytelling technique. Animation is no longer just for kids. This is a mature film which just happens to be animated in form!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ashwin_S

The Popularity Of The Inuyasha Anime And Manga Series

Image via Wikipedia

InuYasha? Or is it Inuyasha? Either way, this feudal fairy tale is the one of the most popular Japanese anime out currently. And it all started with a comic book series (known better as a "manga series") written by Rumiko Takahashi. But what makes this anime series so popular and why do over 130,000 people a month search for Inuyasha on the Internet search engines?
InuYasha is Japanese for "dog spirit" and you will discover this is fitting for a title. The story is about a time-traveling student, Kagome Higurashi and Inuyasha who, with other exciting anime characters, fight to protect the Jewel of Four Souls. This jewel gives hugely increased powers to anyone who has it and will mean catastrophe if it falls into the wrong hands.
Of course, there are certainly wrong hands for it to fall into! Evil Naraku is one they must defeat. And all the characters -- a demon slayer, a fox demon, a monk and more -- must do everything possible to find the jewel, which was stolen and later shattered into many shards.
So the story is exciting, yes. And it pulls you along with all the adventures you can imagine. The anime came from the popular Japanese manga series, which was adapted into 167 anime episodes directed by two different directors. It first aired on Yomiuri TV in Japan in 2000 and ran through to close to the end of 2004. There was no conclusion, and in order to continue with the series, you must read the manga that is still being released.
The manga itself began in Shonen Sunday, a weekly publication in Japan, as early as November of 1996 and carried on through to 485 chapters published as of 2006 and is still going. If you are collecting these issues, you can collect every 10 or so chapters in a bound volume. There are no signs that Inuyasha will stop and you can continue reading the manga to your heart's content as long as Takahashi continues to create the story.
If there weren't tons of people enjoying the series, it wouldn't have continued and it would have been a dismal failure. And the author wouldn't now be one of the richest women in Japan. The demand for the story to continue comes from the readers and viewers of the manga and anime, and this demand has spread across the world.
The English version, published by Viz Media, had to be changed in format because, of course, in Japanese a person reads from right to left where in the U.S. and many other countries, the reading goes from left to right. The English comics were published starting in 1998 and continue being issued, but they are still a few years away from catching up to Japan publications of the story.
Inuyasha was first broadcast as anime on satellite television by Animax, and in the U. S. on the Cartoon Network. It is also running on the Latin American Cartoon Network and is dubbed in Spanish. You can even see it on some cruise ships, if you care to spend a cruise watching anime. Well, many do! And this just verifies the huge popularity of the series and the incredible and fascinating tale of Inuyasha and the Jewel of Four Souls.

The author is the Admin of the Anime Friends Network site AnimeMine where you can meet new friends and discuss your favorite anime and manga subjects. This article can also be found at our free article directory Smarticlesmart. For more anime information please go to AnimeMine.com today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Wills

Japanese Animation

Image via Wikipedia

Usually, we look for various things to get us out of our bored state. One of the best things to do is to watch cartoons, but ordinary cartoons have lost their taste and we are now turning to new forms of animated cartoons which are drawing more people all the time. Japanese Animations are these kinds of cartoons that are getting great interest.
Though most of these Japanese Animation are hand drawn you will find that nowadays they are more of computer generated or animated as well. Most of these animations are a mixture of fantasy, fiction and some facts. You will find that they can involve characters like those of old stories, such as fairies and elves but they are more in the modern times with cars being involved as well as cellular phones.
You will find that Japanese Animation include several historical backgrounds of the Japanese with samurai's being headline features in many of the cartoons that are featured on the internet or on television. The storyline will probably not be dated such as the cartoon Naruto, which is not dated but the setting is clearly of olden times in Japan, however they use modern instruments sometimes and most of the characters do not look like Japanese at all.
Many of these Japanese animations are really cool to watch because even though they are not all in English but in Japanese, they captivate us with ever series and episode that you do not want to stop watching. Though when the anime is in English, it kinda spoils the plot of the show because it loses its originality and plot.

Peter Gitundu Creates Interesting And Thought Provoking Content on Animes. For More Information, Read More Of His Articles Here ANIME ACTION FIGURES If You Enjoyed This Article, Make Sure You SUBSCRIBE TO MY RSS FEED!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Gitundu

Japanese Animation Art

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Japanese animation has become the big thing in the cartoon industry. Many people are turning to animes as favorite cartoon series more and more each day. There are very little boundaries put on these kinds of cartoons. This is because the creators have broad minds and fantasy, fiction, facts, sci fi and much more is in their grasp.
Dated as far back as 1917, Japanese animation has grown to become a world wide sensation. It has gotten thousands of fans world wide and it is still growing. Known as anime now, form of animation brings to life creativity that had never been seen before. The anime selling point is that the cartoon series characters usually look like westerners but they speak in Japanese and the subtitles are in English, however you will find that there are some anime cartoons that are purely in spoken English.
The storyline of these Japanese animations are also another feature that has drawn thousands. Many of them are usually based in early Japan, when the country had villages and wars were fought. You will however find that the time might be during the olden times but you will find that modern things come in to play such as sunglasses, mobile phones and watches.
These animations are filled with vibrant colors and most of them you will find are a lot like fantasy. You will find that fantasy plays a big role in many of these cartoon animations because most of the characters will either have some sort of power or look like some sort of animal. They might have a human body but their heads will either look like for elves and maybe they will have teeth like for animals and a tail as well. Get these animations and enjoy the fantasy!

Peter Gitundu Creates Interesting And Thought Provoking Content on Animes. For More Information, Read More Of His Articles Here ANIME ACTION FIGURES If You Enjoyed This Article, Make Sure You SUBSCRIBE TO MY RSS FEED!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Gitundu

Great Gift Ideas For The Anime Fan

Image via Wikipedia

Whether you need a gift for Christmas, a birthday or other occasion, anime fans can be hard to buy for, especially if you know little about the world known as "anime". First, let me explain a little about it. Anime is a type of animation that started in Japan. Basically, you can call it a Japanese version of cartoons. However, it has some big differences. Where American animation tends to be geared primarily towards children, there are actually many types of anime, geared for many ages and interests. For instance, there are series targeted squarely at young boys, young girls, young women and so on. There are also adult series, with more adult themes and content. There are also many different thematic styles of anime, including those centered around robots (called mecha), romantic series, fighting series, school life series and so on.
In order for you to choose a fantastic gift for the Japanese animation fan in your life, you first need an idea of what anime series or at least what kind of theme they enjoy. Find out by perusing their DVD collection or checking what they watch on TV. Once you know the series they like, here are some suggestions for surefire gifts for any anime fan:
Manga
Manga is simply the Japanese version of comic books or graphic novels. Many anime series are based on a manga series. Any anime fan would love the original manga their favorite series is based on. For original Japanese manga, you can usually find some on eBay and at Japanese importers like JustManga and Manga.com. For the most popular series, like Inuyasha, you can find English translated manga books at many major bookstores.
Live Action and Japanese Drama DVD's
Some anime and manga series have a live action version, like Sailor Moon, that a Sailor Moon fan would likely be interested in. If they seem interested in Japanese culture, then consider getting them some Japanese TV drama series. There are many Japanese drama series aimed at tweens and teens that usually take place in school or high school. Check out Nodame Cantabile, Hana Yori Dango and Gokusen, each was based on anime or manga series or both. Look for these series at places like YesAsia and on eBay. Make sure to get the English subtitled versions.
Toys
Some anime series, like Gundam, Neon Genesis Evangelion and others, have many toys available. If you really want to get a special gift, try to get some of the toys that are imported from Japan. Toys available include action figures, vehicles, stuffed toys, models and dolls. You can find toys for the most popular series at major toy stores, but for not so popular series, try eBay, YesAsia and other import websites.
Video Games
Many of the most popular anime series like Naruto, Inuyasha and Bleach also have video games based on them. This is a great gift idea since what fan wouldn't want to play a game as their favorite character? Make sure to find out what game system they have so you can get a game for their particular console or handheld.
Music
Many anime fans become interested in Japanese culture through anime, especially since popular Japanese artists and bands are used on the soundtracks to the majority of series. You can get them the soundtrack to the series or even a few JPOP or JROCK CD's. JPOP and JROCK is the abbreviation of Japanese pop and Japanese rock music. Find many artists at both YesAsia and eBay. Popular Japanese music artists include Ayumi Hamasaki (pop), Utada Hikaru (pop/R&B), Arashi (pop boy band), L'Arc-en-Ciel (rock band), Morning Musume (pop girl band) and many more.
Collectibles & Decorative Items
There are also many collectibles and decorative items available for some series. Consider animation cells, limited edition toys, photo albums, calendars, posters and more. Find these at YesAsia and eBay.
Clothing & Apparel
Some anime fans enjoy dressing up as their favorite character, this is called "cosplay". Try to find out who their favorite character is and get them a costume or accessories. For instance, an Inuyasha fan would love a necklace like the one Inuyasha wears or a play sword like he uses. Or go all out and get them a full costume just like their favorite character. One place to check out is CosplayMagic.com.
Language Books or Software
If your anime fan has a serious interest in Japanese culture, then consider getting them a book or audio learning set to help them learn, read and write Japanese. This is an excellent gift option if you're having a hard time finding gifts from their favorite anime series. This is also a gift you can feel good about, since learning a new language is a very valuable skill for their future.
Food
From sushi to Pocky, if they have an interest in Japanese culture, they might like to try some of the food they have seen consumed in animes and dramas. Some suggestions include a sushi making kit, Japanese candy and gum, Pocky (a pretzel covered with chocolate), strange flavored Japanese versions of candy bars like KitKat and more. You can find many types of Japanese candy at AsianFoodGrocer and other Japanese food import sites.

Charley Lawrence writes for AnimeOwl, where you can watch anime online for free. Find the best anime series at AnimeOwl. Visit us at: http://www.animeowl.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charley_Lawrence

Shojo Anime - Magical Girls, Romance, Butlers and Ducks!

At the most basic level, shojo anime is Japanese animation that is specifically intended for young girls. It can cover a wide variety of topics, ranging from idealized romantic relationships to girls who fight crime and monsters with their magical powers. The animation style that is typically used in shojo anime is very pretty, and many shojo anime tend to use the "big eyes, small mouth" convention of art. The truth is that even though shojo anime is aimed at young girls between the ages of eight and thirteen, it is actually a genre that can be enjoyed by fans of any ages. For instance, Sailor Moon was one of the very first anime imported and widely distributed in America, and it has a cult following that covers fans of every type!
When looking at shojo anime, you may be a little bit surprised at the diversity of topics. For instance, one common type of shojo anime is the magical girl story, where a young girl realizes that she has magical powers and must use them to fight evil and to save the world. Sailor Moon is one anime that falls neatly into this type, though there are certainly others. Another common theme that you might see is a more realistic story about a young girl who deals with romance and friendship in a familiar setting like a junior high school. One example of this type of anime includes Hana Yori Dango, also known as Boys Over Flowers, where Makino Tsukushi, a working class girl, attends an elite academy and must deal with both bullying and her first real relationship.
Interestingly, some anime do not deal with girls as main characters at all, and are merely directed at young girls. One example of this would be Kuroshitsuji, or Black Butler, which is set in Victorian England and features the adventures of a young boy named Ciel, who investigates crimes for the queen and is assisted by his demonic butler.
Though each anime is different, and though there are exceptions to every rule, shojo anime tends to be focused more on emotions and feelings over action. There is special emphasis on how the characters behave and what they think, and though all of the series listed above have action sequences, there is a fair amount of time spent on what those actions mean and what the consequences might be.
One terrific example of a great shojo anime is Princess Tutu, which tackles love, relationships, responsibility and fairy tales! In this anime, a small duck called Ahiru is granted her wish to become a girl and to dance with the "prince," a beautiful silent boy named Mytho. She realizes that his heart has literally been shattered and that she must restore it, which can she can do by touching an amulet and becoming Princess Tutu. The story takes place at a ballet school, and Ahiru slowly learns that nothing is as it seems, and that the ones she originally believed were enemies are nothing of the sort.
Shojo anime is a wonderful genre to explore and if you have ever wanted a great story with plenty of drama and lots of great artwork, search the shojo anime titles out there and see what your options might be!

Robin's favorite country is Japan and her favorite pastime is watching Japanese animation, anime. Discover fun things to do while visiting Japan at VisitJapanNow.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_Mae

Introduction to Naruto

There are literally hundreds upon hundreds of Japanese anime to be watched, all across different genres and hence catering to different tastes. Anime is appreciated by all sorts of people from various cultural backgrounds in the world. However, there are a select few that become so popular that they end up being translated into English (either subbed, dubbed or both) and released in English speaking countries.
The one particular anime I wish to discuss in this article is Naruto. If you are relatively new to the anime scene, you may have heard of Naruto but not know much about it. It's likely that you have already been exposed to anime and don't realize it. Other long running and classic series include Dragonball, Dragonball Z, Dragonball GT, Pokemon and Bakugan. These other anime series are designed more for younger audience, boys primarily. Naruto on the other hand, I believe, is richer and has a deeper theme allowing it to be appreciated by a wider range of audience whilst still appealing to young boys.
Like pretty much all other anime, Naruto started as a manga. The story concept was conceived by Masashi Kishimoto. He also wrote and illustrated the art in the manga. The Naruto manga was published in 1999, which was then turned into anime and released to the Japanese public in 2002. It proved to be so popular that the series was translated into English and aired in the US (2005), Canada (2005), UK (2006) and Australia (2007). Naruto is still an ongoing series. The original series has completed with 220 episodes. The current second running series is called Naruto Shippuden.
Similar to other anime, the Naruto plot line is structured into arcs of stories where each arc often spans across several episodes. The arcs are separated by "filler" stand-alone episodes which have little or no consequential impact on the overall plot or character development. This approach is different to having purely stand-alone episodes where every episode is unrelated and inconsequential on the next episode. The idea of using arcs definitely has its advantages as you get to see deeper and more meaningful plots. Rather than experiencing short spurts of climax and plot resolutions, you get longer and grander climatic endings.
Basically, the story revolves around a boy with the title name Naruto Uzumaki who dreams of becoming a Hokage in his local village of Konohagakure. In the original series, Naruto is 12 years old. A Hokage is highest level achievable amongst ninja ranks and the individual at this level has the added responsibility of leading the village. The English translation for Konohagakure is Village Hidden in the Leaves and this is the primary geographical location for the stories.

That is basic premise behind Naruto Episode 1. The huge following of this animated series is not just due to the intricate plot lines and deep characters, but also the incredible music. To learn more about it, check out this hub on Naruto Music.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Baddy_Swing

Anime Art

We all grew up with aspirations to want to be some kind of artist. Whether we were drawing cars or even painting scenery as children we always wanted to keep drawing and playing with our colors. We also loved and still do love to look at real art as well as beautiful art that touches us when we look at it. One such art that you can love to look at would be anime art.
Though in comparison Japanese anime art is not really the kind you find in art museums we love to look at them and probably put them up on our computers wallpaper and screen savers. If you are looking for this art you will probably find them through the numerous online websites that have anime cartoons.
Many of these anime art is of three dimensional also known as 3D and two dimensional also known as 2D and many will be still pictures. They will probably be of famous anime cartoon characters that you already know and some of who you don't. The art might be confusing at first because you know that they are Japanese and strangely they look more of western than Asian. With their blue eyes and yellow or orange hair the cartoons and pictures resemble more of the western look than those of the Japanese.
What always gets me however is the clothes they wear and the surroundings visualized in the cartoons. They are usually of the early days of Japanese history with Ninja's and Samurai's being key figures in the cartoon series and the manga comics as well. You will also find the manga comics and the anime cartoons play important key roles in the art of anime.

Peter Gitundu Creates Interesting And Thought Provoking Content on Animes. For More Information, Read More Of His Articles Here ANIME ACTION FIGURES If You Enjoyed This Article, Make Sure You SUBSCRIBE TO MY RSS FEED!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Gitundu

5 Top Anime Figures

Today, a lot of people know at least something about the phenomenon called 'Anime'. Some people would refer to it as 'Japanese Animation', while others would say that they are the better cartoons than the American ones. And in fact it is true if you would ask the majority of Anime fans out there.
Anime has been around and blossoming all over the world for a long time. Now, anime I not limited to Manga, Video Games and other media forms, it is expanding online also.
In the early 1990s, Anime approached its fans slowly across the web. A number of sites were launched to display different Anime series with a variety of content. Soon people started searching for their favorite Anime series online very frequently. The fans would search for images and screenshots related to the specific shows they watched and liked.
The fans of Japanese Animation were verily into drawing own Anime pictures. And when the trend got hugely popular, the fans started to submit their Anime fan art online to show off their creativity. And this was only a starting point.
Today, there are many Anime characters that are loved by millions of people worldwide.
And there are Anime action figures manufactured after them and sold in a large number.
It was not possible to talk about all them in this article, so we listed the top 5 Anime Figures -
1. Queen's Blade -- The title does not refer to any single figure, actually this is a series of action figures based on visual combat book series published by 'Hobby Japan',
These Anime characters are licensed from 'Lost Worlds'. It features only female characters. These characters were created by these artists -- Hirokazu Hisayuki, Kazuhiro Takamura and Katsuzo Hirata.
Currently, Kaiyodo, a toy manufacturer produces these anime figures.
Characters -- Leina/Reina, Airi, Risty/Listy, Nanael, Melona, Irma, Nowa, Tomoe, Echidna, Menace, Elina and more
2. Final Fantasy Anime Figures -- Final Fantasy is a media franchise owned by 'Square Enix'. It centers on a series of science-fantasy console role-playing games and it is also available as anime, motion pictures, printed media and other media forms. In the mid 1980s, it entered the Japanese video game industry with simple racing games, RPGs and plat-formers for Nintendo's Famicom Disk System.
Characters -- Cid, Biggs, Wedge, Chocobos and Moogles
3. Neon Genesis Evangelion Anime Figures -- This is a commercially critically successful and also influential Japanese anime began in October 1995. This series has won several major animation awards. It was created by Gainax, written by Hideaki Anno, and co-produced by TV Tokyo and Nihon Ad Systems.
Evangelion is an apocalyptic mecha action series revolving around the efforts of a paramilitary organization 'Nerv' fighting monstrous 'Angels' using giant mecha 'Evangelions'. This anime has different forms -- TV, Movies and Games.
Characters -- Rei Ayanami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Shinji Ikari, Toji Suzuhara, Kaworu Nagisa, Gendo Ikari and Misato Katsuragi
4. Ikki Tousen -- Ikki Tousen is a lone rider with the strength to withstand a thousand. It is a Manga created by 'Yuji Shiozaki' based on 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' the classic Chinese novel. This Anime series features a very large cast of attractive young girls fighting in short skirts that get constantly ripped off and other ecchi situations like numerous rape scenes.
This Anime TV series ran from July 30, 2003 to October 22, 2003. The Manga of this series was released in English by 'TOKYOPOP'.
Characters - Inabaya, Hajime Iijima, Gakushu, Erica Shaffer, Amy Treadwell, Josh Phillips, Stephanie Sheh, Stephanie Sheh and many more.
5. Death Note -- Death Note is a Japanese Manga series Death Note was created by writer 'Tsugumi Ohba' and artist 'Takeshi Obata'. This Anime series revolves around Light Yagami, a student who discovers a supernatural notebook, 'Death Note' that is dropped on Earth by a dead God, 'Ryuk'. The notebook grants its user an ability to kill anyone they see just by writing the name of the person in the notebook. The story focuses on Light's attempt to fight crime and male clean world using the notebook and the conflicts between him and his opponents. It also involves a mysterious detective known as 'L'.
This anime is available in these media forms - Manga, Live-action films, Light novels and Video games
Characters -- Light Yagami, L, Misa Amane, Near, Mello and Shinigami
The popularity of Anime is growing very fast. It is liked by people of all age groups.

Get cheap anime action figures from 9000+ anime figures collection. Get from manga, ikki to pokemon animes with free shipping offers on http://www.actionfigurestoysgallery.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shankey_Ku_Joshi

Intro to Japanese Anime

Are you currently planning a stay in the wonderful country of Japan? Perhaps you are studying Japanese culture for a class in school or are possibly just enthralled by the wonderful world of modern Japanese pop culture. In any case, there is one aspect of Japanese pop culture, in particular, that is popular throughout the world. It is the style of Japanese animation popularly known as anime? If you haven't already fallen in love with Anime, you likely just haven't seen a good title yet. Today, there is likely an Anime series for just about anyone as it is certainly not only for children to enjoy.
While Anime is popular in Japan, its popularity abroad sometimes appears even stronger. There are very few Anime programs airing daily on regular television in Japan, in comparison to the abundance of titles airing daily in some western cities. Lately, it also seems like more and more classic Japanese animation titles are being made into blockbuster Hollywood movies. The futuristic "speed Racer"and the classic Japanese favorite "Astro Boy"are a couple of the highlights recently gracing silver screens around the world. Not to mention the highly successful "Transformers" movie franchise, based on a Japanese import from the 1980's. This and many other Anime titles have been popular in countries beyond Japan from the 70's through today. Many parents in western society today grew up enjoying such classic Japanese animation as "Robotech" and "Voltron". From the more modern and cuddly pokemon to the cinematic cyberpunk of "kira" the range is amazing and its influence on modern western media and younger generations across the world is increasingly evident. Not only have western animation companies adopted Japanese styles over the last decade or more, even pop culture and fashion itself has adopted some of the aesthetics of Japanese animation.
Historically the phenomenon known as Anime had its humble beginnings around 1917 with the oldest known anime first being screened in Japan. It was, poignantly enough, an animation of a Samurai testing a new sword. The first Anime with audible speech was produced in 1933 and again presented much more of an adult theme than its western counterparts. Japanese animation, influenced by Walt Disney and other early pioneers, was like a new pen in the creative arsenal of Japan. This particular pen would ultimately prove mightier than the sword at influencing the world abroad.
The archetypal style of Japanese animation being refined from the 1940's through the 1970's was largely based on a desire to produce Disney level product on a tighter budget. This style, pioneered primarily by the legendary artist and animator known as Osamu Tezuka and his team, is occasionally criticized as overly simple animation since it often involves most of the frame remaining still while a character's mouth would speak. Regardless, it was a breakthrough that allowed the animators to produce at the budget they had available. Although it was invented out of necessity, it later became a desirable aesthetic style of animation which is popular around the world today.

Learn more about Japanese culture at http://www.travel-to-japan.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Waalker_Tudener

How To Get Top-Quality Japanese Anime DVD Downloads

Presently, there is a constant rise in demand for Japanese Anime DVD downloads. Anime enthusiasts are on the height of searching the superior quality videos from various sites. Download sites therefore also increase. Due to this, the search for the best download site becomes a little bit tricky.
Japan is where the Anime fad started. Actually, it is developed from Manga, a Japanese style of drawing. Anime is a Japanese disambiguation for the animation of Manga. Today, Anime are manipulated with the aid of computers. However, it was traditionally done manually by the hands.
The World Wide Web serves as the home for a lot of Japanese Anime DVD downloads that claim of holding the best deal. However, you should not immediately believe their propositions. In fact, there are only a small amount of sites that can give you the best downloads of superior quality.
There are some guidelines that you need to ponder upon before you position your pointer over a link. The first decision to make is your choice between a pay site and a free site. Always remember that a site without fee can only hold a very limited number of titles. You may also experience a higher risk of getting your computer infected by spyware and adware when you choose to settle for a free site.
Real Japanese Anime fans will definitely settle for pay sites. Only pay sites can offer you the superior quality of downloads that you are constantly searching for. Do not be afraid that it could not fit your budget because several sites holding Japanese Anime DVD downloads come in reasonable prices. Another thing, files are usually safe and clean from pay sites because they always filter their contents.
When you finally made up your mind and decided that a pay site is the right choice for Japanese Anime DVD downloads, you should then decide if you will prefer a pay once over a paid movie download site. If you are planning to start a collection and to satisfy the avid fan in you, pay once site is the right choice. Paid movie sites are only good for one time viewers.
Pay once download sites are perfect for the real serious Anime lovers. It is the most economical choice if you are really planning to start a treasured collection. Pay sites can allow you to download Anime DVDs until you drop.
Although it can really be tricky, do not allow yourself to fall into the bait of free download sites. Weight first the advantages and disadvantages of free sites against pay sites then you will realize that pay sites are the best deals after all. Basing from my and my colleagues' experiences, the best deal of Japanese Anime DVD downloads are mostly in pay once sites.

Davion is crazy about Anime. Join thousands of Anime fans as they download anime videos of all genre at the most popular anime downloading site. Also, read another of his popular article on where to download anime videos instantly.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Davion_Wong

The World of Naruto Uzumaki

The whole manga series is based on the ninja world. It takes place in a virtual world consisting of five great nations and two-three other nations that are not so important. The main character Uzumaki Naruto resides in the hidden leaf village located in the Land of fire also know as the Konohagakure which is lead by the Hokage. The people of hidden leaf village are said to follow the will of fire. It is featured mainly during the series and most of the happenings take place there in the series.
The other Nations are:
Land of Wind - It hosts the Hidden village of sand lead by Kazekage.The ninjas of this village specialize in wind based Justus however it has been seen in the series that they also use puppets for fighting.The Current Kazekage.The Garra is a very good friend of Naruto.
Land of Water - It hosts the Village Hidden in Mist also known as the Bloody mist as it used the brutal methods such as killing own comrades for graduation for training. It is also home to the seven swordsmen who can wield heavy swords and have massive amount of chakra.
Land of Lightning -- It hosts the Village Hidden in the Clouds lead by the Raikage. The ninjas of this village specialize in lighting based Justus.
Land of Earth -- It hosts the Hidden village of earth lead by Tsuchikage. The ninjas of this village specialize in Earth based Justus.
The other villages that had been featured in the manga but are not that much important:-
Land of Waves - It is shown in the very beginning of the manga and the Naruto gets his real combat experience there only where his team fights one of the seven swordsman namely Zabuza. It does not have any of the hidden village.
Land of Rice - It hosts the hidden village of sound that was lead by Orochimaru. The ninjas of this village specialize in the Sound based Justus but the main purpose of this village was to act as a safe house for the Orochimaru to conduct his experiments.
Land of Star -- It hosts the hidden village of star. It was shown in the anime series not as a part of the original manga series.

Aleem Asghar has multiple interests and he enjoys talking about them. As a fan of Anime, he likes watching and listen to Naruto MP3 at the best Naruto site with the newest Naruto out first.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aleem_Asghar

How To Get Top-Quality Japanese Anime DVD Downloads

Presently, there is a constant rise in demand for Japanese Anime DVD downloads. Anime enthusiasts are on the height of searching the superior quality videos from various sites. Download sites therefore also increase. Due to this, the search for the best download site becomes a little bit tricky.
Japan is where the Anime fad started. Actually, it is developed from Manga, a Japanese style of drawing. Anime is a Japanese disambiguation for the animation of Manga. Today, Anime are manipulated with the aid of computers. However, it was traditionally done manually by the hands.
The World Wide Web serves as the home for a lot of Japanese Anime DVD downloads that claim of holding the best deal. However, you should not immediately believe their propositions. In fact, there are only a small amount of sites that can give you the best downloads of superior quality.
There are some guidelines that you need to ponder upon before you position your pointer over a link. The first decision to make is your choice between a pay site and a free site. Always remember that a site without fee can only hold a very limited number of titles. You may also experience a higher risk of getting your computer infected by spyware and adware when you choose to settle for a free site.
Real Japanese Anime fans will definitely settle for pay sites. Only pay sites can offer you the superior quality of downloads that you are constantly searching for. Do not be afraid that it could not fit your budget because several sites holding Japanese Anime DVD downloads come in reasonable prices. Another thing, files are usually safe and clean from pay sites because they always filter their contents.
When you finally made up your mind and decided that a pay site is the right choice for Japanese Anime DVD downloads, you should then decide if you will prefer a pay once over a paid movie download site. If you are planning to start a collection and to satisfy the avid fan in you, pay once site is the right choice. Paid movie sites are only good for one time viewers.
Pay once download sites are perfect for the real serious Anime lovers. It is the most economical choice if you are really planning to start a treasured collection. Pay sites can allow you to download Anime DVDs until you drop.
Although it can really be tricky, do not allow yourself to fall into the bait of free download sites. Weight first the advantages and disadvantages of free sites against pay sites then you will realize that pay sites are the best deals after all. Basing from my and my colleagues' experiences, the best deal of Japanese Anime DVD downloads are mostly in pay once sites.

Davion is crazy about Anime. Join thousands of Anime fans as they download anime videos of all genre at the most popular anime downloading site. Also, read another of his popular article on where to download anime videos instantly.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Davion_Wong

Create an Anime Website

Do you love watching anime? Enough to create anime websites? Anime is a very popular, a form of Japanese animation. Anime, of course, is the most popular in Japan and makes American Anime fans fewer to find in your local area. A lot of American Anime fans are forced to converse about their favorite Anime shows on the internet with people on message boards with similar interests.
This is great when you finally find a website that shares your views and enjoys the same shows as you do, but even once you find one of these websites there is always SOME sort of problem. There are too many advertisements, you have to sign-up for this and that to become a member of the website, they spam your email inbox, some websites won't let you post messages until you've been a member for so long.. the list goes on and on. Have you ever considered creating your very own anime website?
This may sound like a challenging task for the less tech savvy people out there, but it is MUCH easier than you think. Today you can make websites without any prior knowledge to web programming codes such as HTML, CSS, PHP or any other web language. You don't even have know how to make the graphics for your website! All you have to do is have a passion for Anime!
There are many perks to having your own Anime website. First and foremost you're the webmaster and moderator! You know everyone that joins your site and you can choose who to ban and what not. You make the message board topics what you want them to be and have full control over everything. Also, anime websites can make big bucks! Even if you just mess with your website in your spare time you can earn extra cash for something you enjoy doing. Stop going through all the drama of everyone else's anime website, make your own anime website today!

Gary Taylors has been making anime websites for years! Find out the secrets to doing it yourself at http://knowyouranime.blogspot.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Taylors

Japanese Animation - What Makes it So Unique and Popular?

If you are an animation lover, you should certainly not miss the anime series from Japan. These exciting animated movies are well known for their strong plot lines, complex stories, and some very famous saucer-eyed characters. They are popular with kids and adults from both the genders across different nations around the globe. The popularity is evident from the huge number of visitors that visit the 'Anaheim's Anime Expo', the largest annual trade show of anime and Manga in the US.
What is the reason behind this popularity and massive appeal? What makes Japanese animation so unique? The answer is simple. American animations usually target small kids and are based on short, one-episode stories. On the other hand, Japanese anime series target both kids and adults and are usually a complete serial with various episodes. Moreover, the characters in the latter are comparatively more beautiful and attractive, and the story lines are based on varied topics, ranging from politics to violent battles to personal relationships. This makes them popular with both males and females.
Needless to say, anime has become a part and parcel of American culture. From 'Spirited Away', the Oscar-winning fantasy flick by Hayao Maiyazaki, to the violent 'Ghost in the Shell' series, the and popular 'Pokeman' for kids to TV shows, such as Adult Swim, and games like 'Final Fantasy', Japanese animation has spread its roots everywhere. In fact, it was the popular Shojo anime that encouraged women to involve in video-gaming and take interest in animation, which was otherwise thought to be meant only for guys. Anime and Manga are now also known for the major change in their stylistic approach.
In short, unlike other animated series, Japanese animation has crossed its cultural barriers and has found a much larger audience worldwide.

Also, view sexy pictures of Hot Japanese Actresses and famous Sexy Japanese Actors and know all about them.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eshwarya_Patel

Rising Anime Popularity in The Western World

The word Anime is an abbreviation of animation. In English, the dictionary defines it as a style developed in Japan. Since, anime describes all types of animation; Japanimation is applied to differentiate the Japanese work from the rest of the world. In the past few years, anime was recognized as manga in European countries. In Japan manga is considered both comics and animation (though use manga as animation is usually restricted to non- fans).
Anime usually takes influence from light novels, manga and other traditions and culture. Anime can be transmit on TV and is usually distributed through any type of media presentations such as video, DVD and internet. Anime is sometimes considered as Japanimation, but this term is not used now. When it comes to the countries except Japan, this word is referred to the animation that began in Japan.
Anime attract everyone from children to adults and deals with various themes in sports, science fiction, horror and romance. Unlike animation, anime also include few elements of realism like emotions, suffering and death which raises both its pedagogical and content value. Anime popularity is increasing both in terms of range and audience. The children's craze for the Pokémon movies including Pokémon products like different video games shows its wide appeal. One old argument in anime fandom was watching anime movies being redubbed in English.
Today, with the increase in popularity of CDs, most DVD disks include both subtitled and redub track. The rapidly increasing popularity of anime resulted in a large number of clubs, colleges, public libraries and high schools. Different meetings and convention are taking place in many western countries. Anime is taking great fans and sales than ever observed before.
Walt Disney production of Japanese movie "Spirited Away" which even beat "Titanic" in Japan was a great success in the western world. Director of this anime movie Hayao Miyazaki is being praised by the movie fans, for providing attention to the details of minutes relating crafts and arts in the film. Anime programs and movies in the western countries like Fox TV network and Walt Disney added a $2 billion annual profit in the anime film industry. Few years back, there were only few anime series and TV shows, but now every child is associated with Japanese movies and cartoons and is increasing in popularity among teenagers.
A Japanese anime and toy company, Bandai entertainment said that they released 75 different anime movies and TV shows last year in the US, which shows a great increase in demand of anime films as compared to the movies released during the previous years.
Nowadays, anime is the fastest growing industry in DVD and video marketing. A D Vision was the first company developed in US in 1992, now there are more than 20 similar industries. Anime films or movies are comparatively cheap and low cost budget movies. If you think the overall cost of making movie in today's high risk industry then anime is affordable and cheap for example Titanic cost $100 million. Animation success in the west countries is gradual. The first turning point was the facility of internet during 1980's.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Faizan_Rana

How to Draw Japanese Manga Anime

Japanese Manga is no longer considered a pop culture. It has established a foothold in the mainstream entertainment media. You can find such evidence in media outlets such as movies, television and books. Today Japanese Manga is not lumped together in the same category such as cartoons and kid's shows. You have American cutesy cartoons such as Tom and Jerry and then there are adventure packed, often bloody animations such as Akira. Japanese Manga can be graphic and violent. And it can be cute and non violent. If you've watched enough Manga and have become a true fan than maybe you've felt that urge in your hands to pick up a pencil and draw. If that has happened then you are not alone. Japanese Manga has excited and thrilled a new generation of young talented artist and potential Manga masters.
Japanese Manga has many different styles just like traditional paintings. Certain Manga characteristics have exaggerated physical proportions such as large heads, short legs and arms with a squat torso to bring everything together. This Manga drawing style is called "Chibi". You can find examples of Chibi drawings from the popular animated series "Naruto". And some are perfectly proportioned as if they were actual human beings.
Then there are the more upscale Manga animations such as the popular movie "Appleseed". In this animation you will find the characters are drawn more realisticly with a certain Manga flair. After all if we'd want to watch actual humans we would watch a live film. Though the movie "Akira" was done through Computer Generated Imagery (CGI), the underlying details are all still filled with Manga style and essence.
Here are the physical attributes that Manga characters possess:
Hair - The hair is usually suped up like a lot of gel has been applied. One big tip about drawing hair is to shape the character's skull first. Many first timers draw the hair without first sketching out the foundation of the skull. By working from the skull up you can have a better idea of how the hair should look and fall into place.
Eyes - The eyes are the windows of the soul. It is possible to draw the eyes to show more emotions than the face. Manga characters have larger than life eyes. You will also notice that the eyes are more animated so that emotions can be revealed. Though Manga characters are in general Asian, they do not possess Asian features.
Arms, Legs and Body - Again Manga characters can come in all shapes and sizes. If you watch the Manga series like "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" you will see how exaggerated the character's body frame is. Usually the action genre of Manga will have characters with outrageous muscles bulging from everywhere possible. But many times Manga character's physical attributes belie their true powers and abilities. This gives Manga series tension and drama. Nothing is better to watch then an under dog hero defeat a much more powerful opponent.
Costume and Clothes - Some people may consider what a Manga character wears is useless detail but I strongly disagree. What a character wears defines who the character is. Much like a live film. Costumes give heroes their coolness factor. We all know most super heroes may have muscles underneath, but without a costume there is just nothing else to extend about the Manga character's origin and personality.
Which ever types of Manga you want to draw, the best things to do is to learn from watching or reading your favorite Manga series. Try to emulate your favorite Manga artist's characters. Those are the best places to start on your drawing journey. Practice drawing Manga and reading more is the best way to learn how to draw Japanese Manga.

To watch videos on how to draw Japanese Manga Anime and find more information on Manga products check out; How to Draw Japanese Manga Anime. © Edwin M. Clark Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Edwin_M_Clark

Japanese Anime Cartoon

When we, as Japanese hear the term, Japanese Anime Cartoon, we get this funny feeling. Perhaps, it is the cartoon part that is not wrapping the anime part in the right way. Since we only used the terms like Manga and Anime, perhaps the new term, Cartoon, is not something we are used to.However, there are so many factors as to why this term give us this special feelings.
I know that this is just an expression that is different, not the subject itself, but when you say Japanese Cartoon, it sounds less animated in the sense, which I have to apologize if that offend someone. On the contrary, if you say Japanese Animation, that could mean, it is created in a rich form of art. That is probably not an impression that more of Americans or Europeans are getting toward Japanese Animation Cartoons.
By definitions, the difference between Anime and Cartoon are as follows. The anime, coming from animation, points out to all the Japanese animations as oppose to Cartoon being the topical satire comics.
Therefore, there are still Cartoons out there that are also Japanese Anime, and I suppose we call them Japanese Anime Cartoons. So, I should not even make any difference in that matter, but that is just a definition. The real feeling towards those words in terminology is somewhat different from Japanese perspective.
Anime and Cartoon are two separate things. I know this sounds a little strange for some people who are not used to the cultural differences. But, the little difference like this could make a huge difference in the large picture.
I am sure there are terms in English that are so close but they are in slightly in different meanings. So for instance, if Dragon Ball is playing on Cartoon Network, it looks and sounds kind of funny. However, something like PowerPuffGirls being Cartoon is more suitable from our perspective.
Japan’s anime like Inuyasha or Bleach are the great unleashed animation cartoons. This is due to the fact that they are not only good and fun to read comics, but sometimes, they can represent our Japanese culture in further degree and can be an animation after all.
I know some people in the states do not understand what I am talking about, but those of you who are getting what I mean, please keep in mind that next time you are getting pictures, images, or wallpapers of characters from galleries, Japanese seldom refer them to as Japanese Anime Cartoon. We prefer to use the term, Japanese Anime, Manga, or Animations. Think of the term Cartoon only applies to the animation made by non-Japanese creators. Well, at the end, what we call them does not really matter, but the quality of the Anime or Cartoon is what counts.

Erika Ishikawa owns and operates http://www.ultimateanimesource.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erika_Ishikawa

The Reasons Behind Japanese Anime DVD Downloads' Fame

What are Japanese anime DVD downloads and why are they so popular? Why not go to a DVD store and get the anime movies you want or, maybe, take them on rent? Read on and you will get the answers to your questions as well as many facts and details you might not have been aware of before.
Japanese cartoon style called anime entered western market more than two decades ago, yet past few years saw a drastic boost in its popularity among younger people. Much of this popularity raise can be attributed to Internet downloads, which became available to a large number of people across the world and spread the popularity of anime movies like a virus.
Japanese anime DVD downloads today seem to be more popular than conventional anime DVD purchase. Probably, this is because the majority of anime viewers are teenagers and people in early twenties, who are more comfortable with downloading off the Internet than going to a DVD shop (read wasting time and money).
Buying DVDs with anime movies may also be not affordable for young people, especially if they rely only on their own money. Since most anime videos come in a form of a serial, it is a costly pleasure to have all episodes in your DVD collection. Japanese anime DVD downloads easily solve this problem.
Downloading off the Net has proven to be the fastest and cheapest way to get anime movies nowadays. Even if you choose to pay per download, that is, for each episode or movie, it is going to be cheaper than the same episodes on a store-bought DVD. However, paying for each download is not the wisest decision, given some far more advantageous options available today.
What is really worth attention in terms of quality and cheap Japanese anime DVD downloads are the websites, operating on a subscription or membership basis. This eliminates the need to pay for each download, opening unrestricted access to video files at the low price of membership.
You can choose monthly or yearly subscription if you feel like (by the way, the price will not differ too much). The best deal, however, is to buy a lifetime membership as it allows saving the most in the long run. It can be said that you get all your downloads practically free as the membership fee is under $50 in most instances.
So, what are you waiting for? Get all your Japanese anime DVD downloads right now on my blog!

Join thousands of Anime fans as they download anime videos of all genre at the most popular anime downloading site. Also, read another popular article on where to download anime videos instantly.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Davion_Wong