Ever notice that anime intros tend to be anywhere from 30-45 seconds longer then.....

[I.R Joey]

animated shows in America. I find this rather interesting and I'm trying to wrap my mind around why this tends to be. I mean there are some exceptions in the U.S, but on average our intros tend to be shorter then theres. Any theory's?

[kiddiesunshine]

1) the japs take pride in their work
2) they also realize that an intro can make or break a show
3) u.s. toons are just either marketing tools or made for children who could care less about an intro. the chars. sell, not the toon itself.

[Lachesis]

The shows themselves will also range from 2 to 5 minutes longer than in the U.S. Plus, most also have an ending theme sequence that's more than just a logo with the credits running over it.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Anime shows run 2-3 minutes longer than Western cartoons. A typical anime episode is about 23 minutes. A typical American cartoon is about 19-20 minutes an episode.

Opening themes are also more popular in Japan. TV stations and magazines often run fan polls asking people what their favourite opening sequence is.