ANIME

            This series of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their characters’ dialog “authentic.” Some are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians hate “clams” (sour notes) for example. Others are basic terms. To a sailor a hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler a hold is the bet percentage held back by the casino.

            To many (if not most) Americans “anime” brings to mind noisy Japanese cartoons with headache-inducing limited animation starring doe-eyed characters with spiky hair. But anime is far more. It can be subtle and profound, sorrowful and joyful. The largest animation industry in the world, it is enjoyed by fans of every age on every continent.

            So whether your character prefers shojo to shonen, is a otaku or full-blown weeao, they might sprinkle their conversation with a few of the following words.         

ANIME:

anime:          in the United States: Japanese style animation; in Japan: any animated film.

hentai:          erotic anime.

manga:         Japanese style comic books or graphic novels.

mecha-anime: anime with plots revolving around advanced technology, robots, etc.

OAV:             direct to DVD anime without theater or television showing.

otaku:            devoted fan, sometimes to the point of obsession.

seinen:          anime/manga produced/written to appeal to male audience/readership.

shojo:            anime/manga produced/written to appeal to female audience/readership.

shonen:         anime/manga produced/written to appeal to a boy’s audience/readership.

weeao:          fan of not only anime or manga but everything Japanese.