Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any questions for the Head Otaku, contact him at rochecon@rochecon.com

What is Anime?
Anime is an American name for the style of art and animation developed by the Japanese. The word "Anime" is just the Japanese word for animation (of any kind), and it is pronounced "Annie-May" (both like the English names). Other commonly used words for Japanese animation are Japanimation, Japanime, and Manga (which is the Japanese word for comic books and animation in general).

Is this stuff ok for my kids to watch?
It depends. Some movies, yes (for example Kiki's Delivery Service), others, definitely not. Check out the "So, How Bad is It?" section of the reviews here to get detailed information about what to expect, and the box will usually have a mention of the content in the small print on the back somewhere. In any case, always keep an eye on what your kids watch, especially when it comes to anime.

I hear anime is violent and sexually explicit. Is this true?
Anime is a medium, not a genre. Anime, much like live-action movies here in the States, can be of many and any genre. Just because some movies are violent or sexually explicit doesn't mean all movies are violent and sexually explicit. The same applies to anime though, until about midway through the 1990's, most of the anime that made it to the US were the strange, the cultish, and the pornographic-- but that is but a tiny slice of all that anime is in Japan.

Do all anime characters have huge eyes?
Most anime characters have big eyes, but not all of them do. It's simply a style a lot of anime artists use.

Why do anime characters have impossible hair colors?
Artistic license. Although hair colors are, to some extent, supposed to denote character traits. For instance, most feisty characters have red hair, wise characters white hair and foreign or alien characters blond hair. In anime, a character's eyes, hair, body type and dress are important clues to his personality and character. Different hair colors and styles also serve the purpose of helping the viewer to distinguish one character from another easily.

What about those droplets on their head? Sweat?
Not literally. A character gets a "sweat drop" when he's embarrassed, nervous or indignant.

Do the Japanese have a fetish for girls wearing sailor uniforms?
Many schools in Japan require students to wear uniforms. And many uniforms for girls are roughly based on the "sailor" design. However, skirt length—or the lack of it—is greatly exaggerated in anime.

Is all anime based on manga?
No. Some anime are based on manga, some on video games, some on novels and some are entirely original stories made as anime first.