What Makes Animé Different from Cartoons?


Ok, this is a big update to this article. After talking more with my friend Ptilol (A1ways a Woman) on the topic, I realized that I needed to update this page.

Ok, now I had been thinking that the artwork in the shows was the number one contributor to what makes the difference between an animé and a cartoon.

But after talking with her, I realize that anyone can draw artwork in a particular artwork style.

That the number one reason for animé being different from cartoons is the plots and storylines within the shows.

When I realized that this was what her top basis was for classifying animation, I then agreed with her because almost all shows that would be classified as animé have a clearly more seriousness of plot and most animé build upon each other episode after episode whereas cartoons are usually a lot less serious in plots and usually do not continue from episode to episode.

Here, read this conversation I had with Ptilol on AIM (December 22nd, 2003) to see what you think about all this new information we have to present to you:


SmUrFy Sail0r (11:54:55 PM): so what I had been thinking
A1ways a Woman (11:55:04 PM): mhm
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:55:10 PM): was that the art was what was making up the animation for the mostpart
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:55:25 PM): so that was why I had the three categories
A1ways a Woman (11:55:30 PM): yeah
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:55:40 PM): Cuz the artwork seems to me to be 3 distinct styles
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:55:56 PM): but when you were talkking about storylines and plots, etc.
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:56:00 PM): *talking
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:56:18 PM): so you are saying that it is the stories that make up the animation?
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:56:32 PM): that make the difference between cartoon and animé?
A1ways a Woman (11:56:45 PM): it sorta goes one way
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:56:52 PM): cuz like you talked about how anyone can imitate art and stuff
A1ways a Woman (11:56:56 PM): like the square/rectangle rule
A1ways a Woman (11:57:10 PM): u can tell by the story that a cartoon isn't an anime
A1ways a Woman (11:57:19 PM): but u can't tell by the story that an anime isn't a cartoon
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:57:25 PM): I was thinking about how you said that
A1ways a Woman (11:57:29 PM): cuz anime has more than 1 genre
A1ways a Woman (11:57:38 PM): whereas cartoons only have one (aimed towards kids)
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:57:39 PM): and with a few exceptions I agree with you on that
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:57:58 PM): animé and cartoons have major differences in story, etc.
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:58:04 PM): or the seriousness, etc.
A1ways a Woman (11:58:12 PM): i'm sure within the next decade or so disney or some other american company os will start drawing anime-ish stuff
A1ways a Woman (11:58:19 PM): or like final fantasy, i bet
A1ways a Woman (11:58:22 PM): to compete w/ anime
A1ways a Woman (11:58:33 PM): but the stories will be the same american types
A1ways a Woman (11:58:35 PM): aimed towards kids
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:58:38 PM): in which case I would also consider Korean Cartoons to be in the class of cartoon if it is based on story
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:59:06 PM): because the stories in most of the Korean cartoons are very American
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:59:24 PM): It was the artwork that I was making the main distinction on from American cartoons
SmUrFy Sail0r (11:59:45 PM): If we are going by story
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:00:04 AM): American cartoons and Korean cartoons are both definitely cartoons
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:00:22 AM): and Japanese animé in its own animé genre
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:00:34 AM): with a few exceptions
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:00:41 AM): including South Park and Hello Kitty
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:00:55 AM): since those seem American in plots in many ways
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:01:04 AM): :-\
A1ways a Woman (12:01:21 AM): does south park have jap in the credits os?
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:01:32 AM): Tis made by both Japanese and Americans
A1ways a Woman (12:01:47 AM): but .... where was it made
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:02:03 AM): At one point they had a commercial showing the Japanese animators working with the American animators
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:02:21 AM): thats a good question
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:02:33 AM): however I still feel that origin is irrelevant
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:03:02 AM): Can't the exceptions of South Park and Hello Kitty be classified as cartoons?
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:03:27 AM): :-\
A1ways a Woman (12:03:27 AM): south park i consider a cartoon
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:03:35 AM): so then your answer is yes
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:03:49 AM): origin is so irrelevant
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:04:13 AM): But it so happens that basically all animé is originated in Japan, yes
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:04:34 AM): And it also happens that basically all cartoons are not made in Japan, yes
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:04:55 AM): :-\
A1ways a Woman (12:05:16 AM): yesss
A1ways a Woman (12:05:23 AM): :-D
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:05:37 AM): :-D
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:05:40 AM): YAAAAAY!
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:05:47 AM): I think we both agree on this
A1ways a Woman (12:05:47 AM): yes, yay
A1ways a Woman (12:05:53 AM): hehe YAY
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:05:55 AM): WooT wOOt!!!
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:06:16 AM): and we both thought it never would happen, lol
A1ways a Woman (12:06:25 AM): lol yeah
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:06:35 AM): Booya!
A1ways a Woman (12:06:37 AM): did u just agree to prove me wrong about how we'd never agree?
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:06:43 AM): no
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:06:48 AM): lol
A1ways a Woman (12:06:50 AM): heh
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:07:15 AM): But I think there are 3 main animation artstyles though
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:07:35 AM): The anime and American Cartoons and Korean Cartoons
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:07:53 AM): they have 3 distinct different ART styles in the animations
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:03 AM): in general
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:06 AM): note
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:20 AM): but as for storylines and plots
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:23 AM): etc.
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:25 AM): genres
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:27 AM): etc.
A1ways a Woman (12:08:30 AM): got booted
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:31 AM): 2 categories
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:37 AM): cartoon and anime
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:39 AM): oh
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:41 AM): wb
A1ways a Woman (12:08:45 AM): ty
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:59 AM):
A1ways a Woman (12:06:50 AM): heh
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:07:15 AM): But I think there are 3 main animation artstyles though
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:07:35 AM): The anime and American Cartoons and Korean Cartoons
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:09:30 AM): mUrFy Sail0r (12:07:53 AM): they have 3 distinct different ART styles in the animations
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:03 AM): in general
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:06 AM): note
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:20 AM): but as for storylines and plots
A1ways a Woman (12:09:32 AM): i dunt think artstyle can be classified really, cuz there are too many dif kinds
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:09:48 AM):
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:23 AM): etc.
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:25 AM): genres
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:27 AM): etc.
A1ways a Woman (12:08:30 AM): got booted
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:09:57 AM):
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:31 AM): 2 categories
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:37 AM): cartoon and anime
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:39 AM): oh
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:08:41 AM): wb
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:10:19 AM): Well i think there are 3 MAIN artstyles
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:10:32 AM): and in each of those can be subcategories
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:10:59 AM): and further subcategories until each show has its own unique position
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:11:10 AM): on the chart
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:11:12 AM): heh
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:11:50 AM): yeah, thats why we were having such a disagreement on this topic
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:12:09 AM): I was thinking more of the artwork making up much of the animations
A1ways a Woman (12:12:15 AM): yeah
A1ways a Woman (12:12:19 AM): *.*
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:12:25 AM): while you were thinking more along the storylines and stuff
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:12:28 AM): heh
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:12:46 AM): But do you agree about the different artstyles?
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:13:13 AM): I mean much anime u can tell is anime by looking at it, ne?
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:13:34 AM): same for cartoons
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:13:40 AM): and the 2 main cartoon styles
A1ways a Woman (12:13:48 AM): the main reason why i like anime so much is cuz of the stories. i do like art too, but some of the shows i like like trigun and dbz and lain aren't very pretty, but i like their story, and that's all that matters to me.
A1ways a Woman (12:13:58 AM): there are dif artstyles
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:14:11 AM): many, ne?
A1ways a Woman (12:14:15 AM): i still dunt see how korean looks any dif than american tho
A1ways a Woman (12:14:21 AM): i couldn't tell at all w/ cartoon cartoons
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:14:29 AM): but all of them could fit in subcategories under the 3 main ones, ne?
A1ways a Woman (12:14:54 AM): and there could be more groups
A1ways a Woman (12:14:58 AM): like what about german animation
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:15:00 AM): the background is very distinct in Korean animation compared to American cartoons
A1ways a Woman (12:15:03 AM): i haven't seen what theirs looks like
A1ways a Woman (12:15:09 AM): or russian
A1ways a Woman (12:15:13 AM): or british
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:15:16 AM): Often times the backgrounds are speckled
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:15:27 AM): it looks really cool that way
A1ways a Woman (12:15:41 AM): i never noticed
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:15:54 AM): And like buildings and stuff in the backgrouond are drawn way differently than in American made cartoons
A1ways a Woman (12:15:56 AM): i notice the shakey lines in ed edd and eddy
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:15:58 AM): in general
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:16:04 AM): yes
A1ways a Woman (12:16:07 AM): the shakey lines are also in another cartoon
A1ways a Woman (12:16:10 AM): but i forgot which
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:16:14 AM): that is a subcategory for Korean animation
A1ways a Woman (12:16:26 AM): but ppg isn't shakey
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:16:33 AM): distinguished by the shaky lines
A1ways a Woman (12:16:34 AM): just like 2 that i've seen
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:16:47 AM): yes, that would fit in another subcategory of Korean animation
A1ways a Woman (12:16:49 AM): beevis and butthead mighta been the other one
A1ways a Woman (12:17:05 AM): or maybe it was a sunday adult swim show
A1ways a Woman (12:17:13 AM): the one w/ the guy with the weird hair pushed back
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:17:44 AM): what colour hair?
A1ways a Woman (12:17:51 AM): orange i think
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:18:14 AM): what was the show about?
A1ways a Woman (12:18:18 AM): i dunno
A1ways a Woman (12:18:23 AM): i wasn't really watching it
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:18:24 AM): oh
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:18:26 AM): lol
A1ways a Woman (12:18:33 AM): it mighta not been that show at all
A1ways a Woman (12:18:36 AM): i can't remember
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:18:44 AM): lol
A1ways a Woman (12:18:48 AM): i thought the shakey lines were a mistake
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:18:54 AM): no
A1ways a Woman (12:18:58 AM): and the cartoonists were just too lazy to trace propperly
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:19:02 AM): no
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:19:09 AM): they like to make cartoons unique
A1ways a Woman (12:19:23 AM): i hate the shakey lines
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:19:26 AM): lol
A1ways a Woman (12:19:32 AM): it's like they were drunk
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:19:37 AM): LOL
A1ways a Woman (12:19:44 AM): and also in ed edd and eddy they have green tounges and stuff
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:19:50 AM): yeah
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:19:55 AM): kinda gross, ne?
A1ways a Woman (12:20:04 AM): not gross
A1ways a Woman (12:20:07 AM): just not realistic
A1ways a Woman (12:20:11 AM): i dunt like it
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:20:13 AM): powerpuff girls are like the opposite of Ed, edd n eddy
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:20:44 AM): well if you ate what kinds of things they eat your tongue might turn green too, NOTE
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:20:55 AM): :-J
A1ways a Woman (12:21:05 AM): =]
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:21:57 AM): I think there is something about each show that makes it unique and different from other shows
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:22:09 AM): it could be something big
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:22:17 AM): but could be something small too
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:22:51 AM): One thing that makes PPG unique from other animations is their smiles
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:23:12 AM): I don't know any other cartoon that has the characters have such huge smiles as the PPGs do
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:23:18 AM): or anime, note
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:23:42 AM): another thing is I think they have the biggest eyes of any other cartoon or anime
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:24:00 AM): those are distinctions of PPG from other shows
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:24:16 AM): there can be multiple distinctions between a show and every other show...
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:24:24 AM): some distinctions are obvious
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:24:32 AM): while others aren't so obvious
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:24:38 AM): :-\
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:24:50 AM): u there?
A1ways a Woman (12:24:58 AM): yes
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:25:06 AM): agree?
A1ways a Woman (12:25:20 AM): yea
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:25:25 AM): kool
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:25:55 AM): If there weren't distinctions between one show and another then how could you tell them apart? lol
A1ways a Woman (12:26:02 AM): yeah
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:26:08 AM): :-)
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:26:26 AM): That is so cool that we agree on this now
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:26:35 AM): I think I should publish our convos on this
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:26:38 AM): u?
A1ways a Woman (12:26:38 AM): yea
A1ways a Woman (12:26:39 AM): hehe
A1ways a Woman (12:26:41 AM): i saved it already
A1ways a Woman (12:26:49 AM): just incase u decide to go
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:26:51 AM): we have made some serious breakthroughs on the topic
A1ways a Woman (12:26:53 AM): WOOSH and change ur mind
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:27:02 AM): lolz
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:27:07 AM): change my mind?
A1ways a Woman (12:27:10 AM): yeah
A1ways a Woman (12:27:12 AM): just like the next day
A1ways a Woman (12:27:19 AM): and then u'd be like, "i said that?"
A1ways a Woman (12:27:29 AM): and start arguing all over again
A1ways a Woman (12:27:35 AM): so then i could whip out my saved convo
A1ways a Woman (12:27:39 AM): and show u the proof
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:28:07 AM): well why we were disagreeing like I said was because you were basing differences between storylines, plots, seriousness, etc. while I was basing the differences much more on the artwork content of the shows
A1ways a Woman (12:28:20 AM): yeah
A1ways a Woman (12:28:25 AM): all along i was saying that art doesn't matter
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:28:29 AM): yes
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:28:35 AM): I realized that
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:28:45 AM): and understood why it was we were disagreeing
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:28:52 AM): and now we agree
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:28:56 AM): and that is cool
SmUrFy Sail0r (12:29:01 AM): 8-)


Well there you have it. Please feel free to share your comments on this updated article on the page ahead. :-)

Thank you for reading. Have good day. :-)

And if you haven't read the original articles on this topic please do read those and see how my point of view has changed and stuff.

Click here to proceed on to the next page and to head towards your chance to comment on the articles and on the topic of discussion.

Click to compare different styles of artwork in animation.

What do I mean by "speckled" backgrounds?