Anime (アニメ) refers to the animation style originating in Japan. It is characterized by distinctive characters and backgrounds (hand-drawn or computer-generated) that visually and thematically set it apart from other forms of animation. Storylines may include a variety of fictional or historical characters, events, and settings. Anime is aimed at a broad range of audiences; consequently, a given series may have aspects of a range of genres. Anime is most frequently distributed by streaming services, broadcast on television, or sold on DVDs and other media, either after their broadcast run or directly as original video animation (OVA). Console and computer games sometimes also feature segments or scenes that can be considered anime.
Manga (漫画) is Japanese for "comics" or "whimsical images". Manga developed from a mixture of ukiyo-e and Western styles of drawing, and took its current form shortly after World War II. Manga, apart from covers, is usually published in black and white but it is common to find introductions to chapters to be in color and read from top to bottom and then right to left, similar to the layout of a Japanese plain text. Financially, manga represented 2005 a market of ¥24 billion in Japan and $180 million in the United States. Manga was the fastest-growing segment of books in the United States in 2005. In 2020, Japan's manga industry hit a value of ¥612.6 billion due to the fast growth of the digital manga market, while manga sales in North America reached an all-time high at almost $250 million.
Anime and manga share many characteristics, including exaggerating (in terms of scale) of physical features, to which the reader presumably should pay most attention (best known being "large eyes"), "dramatically shaped speech bubbles, speed lines and onomatopoeic, exclamatory typography..." Some manga (a small percentage) are adapted into anime, often with the collaboration of the original author. Computer games can also be adapted into anime. In such cases, the work's original story is often compressed or modified to fit the new format and appeal to a wider demographic. Popular anime franchises sometimes include full-length feature films. Some anime franchises have been adapted into live-action films and television programs.
An anime television adaptation titled Azumanga Daioh: The Animation was produced by J.C.Staff and aired in Japan between April and September 2002, consisting of 130 four-minute segments compiled into 26 episodes. The compiled episodes were released on DVD and Universal Media Discs (UMDs) by Starchild Records, and an English-language version was produced by ADV Films. Before the series, a theatrical short and an original net animation were also produced. Several soundtrack albums were released, as well as three Azumanga Daioh video games. (Full article...)
Popotan is a Japanese visual novel by Petit Ferret originally released in 2002 that was adapted into an anime by Shaft and a radio drama broadcast on Osaka Radio. Three soundtracks based on the visual novel have been released. The first is a maxi single titled "Popotan", published by Petite Ferret. It was a limited print run released with the visual novel. The single contains vocal and instrumental songs of the opening theme, "Popotan"; the closing theme "Answer"; and "Magical Girl Mii"'s theme, "Magical Girl Mii's Pong". All three songs were sung by Under17. The vocals were later re-released as part of their Best complications. The songs "Answer" and "Popotan" were also sung during their live tour. A limited promotional DVD for the anime was accompanied by a CD containing the unabridged songs by Under17 from the visual novel, and the song "Poporaji", which was later used for a radio drama by the same name. The last visual novel soundtrack was released with the Popotan's fan disc, Popotan Fan Disc together with A·SO·BO, and contains tracks for the background music.
Three soundtracks based on the anime have been released. PopoTime, an anime soundtrack containing a TV cuts of the opening and closing themes by Under17 and Funta, respectively. An extended play (EP) entitled Popotan e.p. was released jointly by Under17 and Funta. It contains the unabridged opening and closings of the anime as well as a new jointly produced theme song, "Gemstone" by both bands. An image CD, It's a PopoTime! was later released and contains character songs performed by the seiyū for the series's three sisters: Ai; Mai; and Mii. The opening theme song for Poporaji is also placed on the CD. The opening theme was re-released as part of Under17's Best complications and performed during their live tour. Poporaji was later released separately on two CDs. The opening theme song "Popotan Kiss" was later re-released as part of Under17's second Best complication and performed during their live tour. (Full list...)
