Nasty Battles #3 - Cartoons Vs Animé

Here in India we're stuck between the West and the Far East. Both the USA as well as Japan are masters at the art of telling amazing stories in pictorial and animated forms. Inevitably, a vicious conflict has emerged between supporters of American comics and cartoons VS Japan's otakus (anime and manga obsessed people)

Cantankerous Cartoons: Let's face it. Cartoons are for kids. Think about it, no sane adult would find channel names such as "Baby TV" and "Cbeebies" even remotely attractive. As viewers grow older and are exposed to all the other shows TV has to offer, they abandon cartoons just the way Jerry abandoned Tom every time they got into trouble. Cartoons are such pathetic wannabes when it comes to attracting mature audiences, that they have to turn to their Kings - Marvel and DC. And what do they do? They make mature scripts, hire real-life actors and launch a Hollywood film. And the cartoon element ceases to exist here. A tiny percent of the population is lunatic enough to retain its obsession with cartoons even as they grow up, but when they're spotted watching cartoons, they have to face the scathing mockery from friends and family -  "You're such a kid, Joe. Grow up some day." And they're absolutely right - cartoons are pointless. Even the excuses that our politicians give have better storylines than most cartoons. Cartoon channels are so desperate to increase their viewer ratings (naturally, because nobody watches them) that they often borrow anime and broadcast them instead! At least kids in the 1990s had some decent cartoons to watch. Not anymore. Bottom line - sorry cartoons, but we've grown up now and we don't care about you anymore.

Arrogant Anime : What's the difference between alcohol and anime? Nothing much, they're both harmfully addictive. Even names of anime sound like alcohol brands. Would you like a glass of "Black Bird" or "Soul Eater"?  Or maybe you're in the mood for some "Bleach" and "Death Note"? Anime cater to all age-groups, so unlike cartoon-viewers, anime and manga fans don't hide their addictions from anyone. In fact, they pride in being an "otaku" so much that they blindly denounce all other things in life and dedicate their entire existence to living up to the title of "otaku". They start speaking Japanese more fluently than their own mother tongue! The diversity of anime can be deadly when a kid has internet access. A 6-year old finds out that Shinchan and Pokémon are kinds of anime, searches for other anime, stumbles upon the several 18+ anime - that was how disaster struck and killed innocence. Surely there must be parents willing to put prize bounties on the heads of manga artists and anime directors responsible for murdering the rest of their children's hobbies. The verdict- one must cross a bridge to achieve his life goals, but if that bridge breaks, you fall into the river of anime from which you can never escape.

Gazing into the future of this conflict, I can even imagine a new World War over superiority of animated shows - it's the USA vs Japan all over again! Will the cartoons manage to grab more audience? Will anime reign superior in Mirai (Japanese for future)? For all you know, India will jump into the fray with Chhotta Bheem leading the way!

- Rtr Aman Vasavada

Rotaract Club of NM College