Why is there so much antimosity between extre fans of Anime and Western toon fans?

[I.R Joey]

I just don't get this, I've seen this before and I think we've even talked about it on several cases. I know most of us consider ourselves fans of both because we love animation in it's entirety. But there just seems to be a consensus on both sides examples...

"Anime is just Porn, Violence and vulgarity." some people might say, but then they'd have no problem watching many of the live action shows and movies now which totally outclass most anime in these things. Then completly disgarding alot of the thought provoking stuff that has hardly even been touched in Western animation, and cinema in genreal.

then on the fluip side extreme Otakus saying .

" "All" America cartoons are shallow, unsophisticated 22 minute toy commercials."

Then forgetting the shows like Gargoyles, Batman (and all shows in that continuim) or Exo-squad which where all extremly well put together. They so soon forget that the early anime artists, coming out of a post WW2 Japan which was very western influenced even in animation. I mean can nobody see the connection between shows like Bettie Boop, and Early disney eyes and the way the Jappanesse draw eyes?

Anyway just my ponderings. To quote Vash the Stampede "Love and Peace" Animation fans.

[Evil Dr. Reef]

I can't speak for everyone, but I don't feel too much violent tension between the anime & cartoon fans. But then again, I like Batman: TAS, Gargoyles, etc. just as much as I like Cowboy Bebop, and Evangelion. It's really the "taget audience" that seperates the two genres. Many American cartoons are aimed at a younger audience, while many anime shows are aimed at an older audience. Of course, their are exceptions (South Park, Space Ghost, and others on our side of the planet, and Pokemon, Digimon, and Dragonball Z on the Japanese side), but it shouldn't be enough to make a person choose one over the other. I've sees as many wonderful American cartoons as I've seen horrible Anime shows, and vice versa. Do yourself a favor, and don't choose one and shun the other. You'll be missing a lot of great stuff on either side.

[Psycho Fox]

Well American cartoons have the problem that the average American has this stupid idea the cartoons are just for kids while every other animation industry on the planet does not have this handycap since they see it as just a medium to do with as they see fit. Take a look at Red Wall on PBS and you can see that even though it was aimed at kids effort went into making it so adults could enjoy it too. There are American cartoons that also does this but suits always seems to ruin it.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

There used to be some animosity, but it's settled down a bit now that more variety has been available.

I honestly haven't seen much Western toon bashing from anime fans...most of them at least have a handful of homegrown shows they like.

[oranthal]

like i said before, i hate both. :) just kidding. both have good and bad and i think that sometimes when a person likes one style of animation, they feel too proud to admit that it might actually be good. if there is an animated show that i like, i will watch it.

[DaphHime]

I really don't see why anime fans and western animation fans are going at it like cats and dogs. I think that they are pretty smiliar in fact and that we can learn alot from each other. No two is different than the other. In fact in Japan anime just means anything animated. A western cartoon can be called a anime and no body would blink an eye. Both have their kidde fair and both have there adult fair. I like both and I really don't see the big deal, though I lean toward anime more but I've grown up on western animation. Both are very dear to me.

"Can't we all just get along!!!"

[RogueMartian]

I don't see a lot of animosity between anime and cartoon fans, there is some, i'm sure, but its calmer now. And the animosity that does exist is primarily because of what someone earlier said, they are targeted at different groups. Cartoons in the U.S., while they may occasionally be enjoyable to the older crowd, are primarily aimed at a younger crowd. Anime can be for older or younger. The only problem I have with animation for the older crowd in the U.S. is that its pretty cheaply done. South Park, Space Ghost, etc. Neither of these cartoons offer any beautiful animation or design that goes into anime and many cartoons for kids. It makes me a bit jealous of kids entertainment and prefer anime slightly more than western cartoons, but I don't get in fights over it or anything like that.