Anime Collage
Manga and Anime are an art and animation; which have a Japanese origin. The Japanese animation tradition; which is unique in the way it’s developed has recently grown so popular and spread fast in the American soil where it’s experiencing much popularity. Anime may have derived popularity; due to the fact that it is watched by all age-sets in Japan unlike cartoon. For ages, that has been perceived as meant for the young generation. Especially school kids.
In the creation of anime; both on comics and in videos, the target audience comprises of all ages; which suggest why it is popular in Japan. Consequently, finding massive market in US and around the globe as well. There is much history about the origin and evolution of this tradition; which is said to stem after the aftermath of World War II; whereby several comic writers sprung up in Japan. Along with their work anime and manga was said to have been born.
Previously this site used to possess a collection of anime and manga wallpapers for PCs. As well as game wallpapers. The site was short-lived, though. The reason is because, according to the information that I collected from the wayback machine; the site might have been in operation for only one year; the year 2002.
I’ve decided to re-purpose the site
I, however, will be adding content relating to anime and manga; a subject. This has for long interested me since my high school days when I programmed the Talking Moose; which after recent modification has also generated into a 3D animated character.
I’ve already published some articles that I gathered from friends who are too anime and manga enthusiast. You can access them below by clicking on the topics. I desire to continue reviving the site as well as adding more interesting content. So make sure that you visit the site again for more updated content.
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A Rare Opportunity to Realize the Importance of Anime in Our Lives
Attending an exhibition or expo about anime and manga is one of the best ways to understand more about this ancient Japanese art; which has grown very popular in the west culture especially with the recent major adoptions of the art bin comic books, animated movies and video games. I may attest to this because I had the opportunity to attend such a fair during the 2008 Tokyo International fair of Anime.
In the year of 2008
I had visited Japan for business reasons but the warmth and hospitality of the Japanese made me extend my stay for two weeks; which I considered part of my holiday. During that extended stay I got the chance to attend the anime fair held in Tokyo big sight, Tokyo, and I learnt amazing facts and history about anime and manga that I never knew; which made me become interested in anime.
The international fair brings together hundreds, probably thousands of anime creators and other comic writes from all over the world and thousands of attendees who are attracted by the magnitude of the symbolic anime fair whose aim it to promote manga and anime.
During the visit to the fair, I went in the company of a local resident who I had previously met and helped me in interpretations where necessary. It would be an insult to term the fair as a mere promotion of tourism because of the immense knowledge that attendees benefit from the expo. This is especially so for would-be comic writers and anime creators, even those who undertake anime creation just as a hobby. I really learnt a lot during the expo, and I’d like to share with you some of the insights of the fair.
Anime Expo Promotes Creativity
Foremost, the exhibition promotes creativity. This can be depicted even by the mere dressing code of most of the visitors who donned clothes in line with the theme of the whole expo. Basically, the attendees appeared creative in selecting their attires; which in some sense seemed as though ‘animated’, just like what it happens.
Actually, it reminded me of- during Halloween back here at home. The way people come up with crazy, though creative ideas of celebrating Halloween is in congruence; which what was happening in Tokyo during that day.
Yet still, the aspect of each and every exhibitor trying his/her best to come up with unique and artistic ideas for the expo, obviously in a bid to be recognized as the best, depicts the extent of creativity and innovativeness that one will input in the creation of manga and anime.
Promotion of Culture
When I talked about Halloween, I was talking about a tradition; which is celebrated every year by hordes of Americans as a means of promoting a tradition very few know about. But there is always something unique in sharing a common tradition in the fact that such sharing usually leads to better cohesion and integration of everyone in the society thus promoting a peaceful coexistence.
This is the same thing that I witnessed in Tokyo, and I believe that why they locals there were more hospitable and welcoming to strangers like me – because they are at a position to accommodate everyone in the society and ready to live together harmoniously.
Getting Inspired at the Exhibition
Most important, promoting the art and tradition of culture enables and create room for future anime creators and comic writers. It is common knowledge that the tradition is just about celebrating or living a hobbyist life while practicing it, but far much it has been commercialized. Take for example anime comics like Batman or Spiderman; which have been adapted to major blockbusters that have raked millions of dollars as motion pictures.
This means that the expo may be able to inspire someone to be the next millionaire by taking advantage of the industry; which is yet to be exploited to the fullest. I’m talking about even the employment opportunities; which could be opened; you can bet that the production motion picture has tons and the capacity of employing thousand. I don’t need to say more.
My Inspiration; which was Derived from Anime Murals
When I was a kid in elementary, I love the school because of the anime wallpapers and murals; which featured on the walls of the classes. I remember vividly how as a kid I’d argue with my fellow classmates about a particular anime picture; which depicted a boy dreaming of becoming a pilot. I shared that dream that one day I would too be an aviator. The dream never came to be. However, the inspiration of becoming an anime developer may have stemmed from the numerous images on the classroom’s walls.
Barely at the age of 10, I found myself obsessed by drawing crazy images. At first the sketches were horrible and didn’t impress many, but back at home, dad always found them funny. There are days in the evening when he would ask for my latest painting and would take his time to go through them as he chuckled when I explained on each painting what really inspired me. Mum had different thoughts altogether.
She believed that I was wasting much precious time instead of concentrating in school or my homework. But that was not the case because I did my homework on time and found some time to schedule for my drawing. Moreover, I was an average student in school and my teachers usually commended me for my work.
Sharpening My Skills in Painting made me Validate my Dreams
By the time I joined college, I was so good at drawing and painting that some of my work was used in the college’s magazine. This soon motivated me to work more on my paintings. During that time, I also got introduced to PCs and with time I became proficient in using them for my drawing work. And true, this greatly improved my end results and made me feel good about myself.
My breakthrough came when I was in the third year in college. A local daily allowed me to create some cartoons and animations for them for a fee. This was a major boost to my ambitions. But in a way, it made me feel that the teaching career that I was studying in college was never my right choice. But again, it was quite late for me to have a change of career so I had to stick to teaching as I did my paintings on a part-time basis.
An Animated Gift; Which offered me an Opportunity to be Competitive in Market
One day on that same year, the head of municipality happened to visit the college to preside over a fundraising function. During the event, various students had come up with some ideas of raising cash during the function and I too took the opportunity to paint a stunning 2D image of the municipality head.
During the function; as others sold what they had prepared; I too came with my painting. It really made the municipal head so happy that it became the highest sold piece of art with some other guests contributing to the sale by donating some cash though I had initially planned to sell it solely to the municipal head himself.
That was the same day that I met a lady who later came to be my first employer while still in college. She was so pleased with the painting that she offered me part-time work at her design company. I gladly accepted and worked with her for the next four years even after finishing college.
Were it not for my decision to start my own company I would still be with her. I still don’t believe that even though I graduated with a Degree in Education Arts, I’ve never been employed as a teacher. But I’m ever glad that I followed my passion and today my company is very successful with a total of 36 employees.
Benefits of Anime Today
For ages, animated characters in our PCs, TVs and game console have continued to enjoy enormous growth as more and more people becoming attracted to them. When I look back at my childhood days, I can’t fail to realize the growth and developments that have all seen the popularity of anime.
I talking about this because my mum used to prefer animated material more than she did to toys; what I’m trying to say is that she advocated them more than she would do to toys unlike other parents – whom I albeit envied their kids because of their collection of toys – and thus my siblings and I found ourselves surrounded by different animated material ranging from comics books, anime videos, games et al.
How Does Anime Influence Our Lives
But when I look back several years down the line, I realize that not were anime just popular to her, but she preferred them to mere toys and video games because of the benefits that she knew would be ingrained in us as we grew up; a statement that she always claimed but I vehemently refuted back then. But why did she prefer them to other playthings? What was so special about animated material that she failed to see in toys? Okay, my reasoning, a fact I always tried to argue about then, was that even Remote controlled toys; as well as PC games all fell in the family of anime.
However today, I have a different perspective altogether as why she may have preferred them to mere toys. You may call it a personal opinion; which of course you don’t have to subscribe to. But from experience I will claim that there are numerous benefits that a kid; and any person for that matter; can get from anime today, as well as back then.
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The Aspect of Humor in Animated Characters
Of course humor is essential in making our lives better and psychologically ensuring that our health doesn’t deteriorate when we fell lonely. That apart there is the aspect of social interactions that we benefit from anime by becoming more interesting and funny; as we learn the jokes and funny punch lines involved in their making.
Though this may be subconscious in a way, when we reflect about the effect of anime in our lives, then one can easily conclude that they work towards enriching our lifestyles.
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Getting Us Close to Culture
Although anime can attribute much of its culture to the Japanese; something which is foreign to many people, the culture still has a positive effect to many fans of anime because it teaches them to appreciate and uphold one’s traditions and culture. It may even induce one to love and consequently learn the Japanese culture,; which is not a bad thing to do.
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Appreciation of Arts
I must agree that this is the vital benefit that I personally derived by staying close to anime material. Simply, I became artistic. However, I came to love drawing and painting and to some extent pottery.
Out there, you are more likely to find people who love arts and have pursued it successfully as an income-generating career due to the influence that they gained from anime.
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Anime Can Help One Become Creative
For anime to be funny and humorous; then a lot of creative efforts must be engaged so that the production of a piece of anime can be a masterpiece. When something is made creatively it also helps nurture the creative aspect of the users who also yearn to have a stake of the creativity and ingenuity; which goes to make it a masterpiece hence making them more creative and innovative as they try to match or beat the creativity involved.
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Learning Life Lessons
Some life lessons such as being selfless or putting others before you may not be a subject; which might be incorporated in the school curriculum that many students pass through. However, these aspects of life can be passed down and learnt successfully through piece of arts; such as anime.
As much as there is a hero in anime, there must be something about the hero; which a user of the anime will learn because heroes are supposed to be protagonists hence positive and supportive to the society. Therefore like I did you can too choose to appreciate anime and i bet you will never regret the decision, be it you, friends or family.
From a Graphic Designer to a Game Developer
My names are Gabriel Duke and I’m a cartoonist as well as a graphic designer. Currently I am working on a video game after a period of time learning about game development and I hope that soon I will release a video game; which will appeal to the hearts of PC and video games fans. The project is underway and maybe I will be through with it in the next five or so months.
After graduating with a degree in Computer Engineering; then I got employed as a system administrator with a local NGO. The working conditions were good but the pay was not that attractive. Thus I ended up seeking freelancing gigs online. Most the best gigs; which were well paying happened to be those of web development and design. However, I sought to become more skilled in that field; so that I could satisfy my clients. I increased my chances of landing more jobs online.
This was something that I did for almost two years. All that while I was still working with the NGO; which had earlier employed me. One day, I happened to land a client who wanted me to create a website for him so that he could host as well as display anime wallpapers. Because my description as a freelancer read that I was so proficient at graphics too; something; which my rating from previous clients; whom I had worked for too suggested. He expected that I would help him in creating the animated characters.
How Undertaking a Challenging Gig of Anime Development Made me Become Interested in the Field
Nonetheless, this was one field that I was not familiar with. Thus, didn’t know how to approach the whole project of anime. I offered to design the website only for him. However, I let him find someone to work on the anime creation; but he was reluctant. Moreover, the payment that he was giving for the whole project was so attractive that I didn’t feel to let all that go. Especially given the financial position that I was at then. Therefore, I decided to accept the task. Then find someone to work on the anime.
I guessed that if I could find some to that at a cheaper price. Then at the end, I would still be at an advantageous position. But in order to reduce any chances of failure; I negotiated a longer period of time just to be on the safe side.
I knew that it would be hard for me to find someone to work on the animated characters
As a matter of fact, I would have forgone the project altogether. And that was what actually happened. I couldn’t locate someone to do the anime project. However, this posed some challenge. According to the TOS of the freelancing site that I was a member; therefore, I was the one to lose. This is because I stood a chance of risking my freelancing account; as well as the funds therein. This was because of not working on a project that I had successfully bid on.
Even if I later would get my account back; I knew that I would have a bad rating from my client as well; as it would take time to find a solution for any dispute forthcoming hence unnecessary delay to the cash in my account; something which I was not ready for given my urgent need of cash then.
Developing Interest in Anime Creation Opened New Doors in My Career
Being good at computers; I decided to take time and research on how to create anime. It took me two more weeks or research and trial and error before I accomplished the entire project. Although my client was disappointed with my delay; he was happy about the work that I had done. He gave me good rating before extending some more work to me to handle.
That’s when I realize how lucrative the creation of anime was. Within no time, I got interested in anime development. I found myself creating anime for comic books; and altogether deciding to develop a video game featuring anime characters. I hope it will become an instant hit after completion given my efforts; as well as inputs; into the entire project.
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