What is the difference between anime and cartoons?

[blackmenthol]

This is the question that has been lingering in my mind the first time I watched anime...how can you differentiate or tell apart what an anime is from a cartoon!?

'Cause I'm still having trouble telling the two apart...

so please don't hesitate...answer all you want! :)

[zevlag21]

anime is something with more interesting story and more mature while cartoons are kids stuff... the animation quality is so much different from each other...

[OVirus53]

They both fall under the same art medium since both are animated, but the large differences are displayed in content.

Cartoons are usually aimed towards children, primarily relying on stupid antics to make kids laugh (and it works, since kids find stuff like that funny), and usually have no underlying plotline other than the basic story that started created the situation the characters are in. Cartoons almost never seem to have an ultimate storyline goal.

Anime focuses moreso on plot, deeper characters, and situations that adults would find more engaging (Death Note vs. Sponge Bob).

Animation styles also vary greatly between the two.

[jzero99]

I like anime's animation better than cartoons + most cartoons dun have story

[OVirus53]

he's right...well cartoons aren't half bad I actually watch spongebob

Does this look unsure to u ?

Most new cartoons are rubbish in my opinion, but I do enjoy the humor of Spongebob, since I'm a bit childish at heart. Cartoons were really great back in the days of Looney Tunes, Mickey Mouse, and Donald Duck.

[pidodido]

Cartoon has created only for children, but Anime can be rated as G, 12a PG or R18 and made by Japanese
Also Anime has Story line to follow and the graphics, drawing are a lot more good than Cartoons.

Tom n Jerry and Donald Duck are the only Cartoon I like up until now.

[mlcdl]

Well to tell the truth or not to believe me.....
Anime and cartoon are same but becoming differ from the country which came.
Animes are product from Japan while Cartoon is from English country especially America(according to what I recall)
It just seem they are different because of the story or the flow of the episode

[Kanami]

I don't know, but no really big difference. Anime are kinda like Japenese cartoon. Cartoons are mostly made for little kids to make them laugh and stuff. Anime, well, some are mostly made for bigger kids, like the ones with more blood. *-* I still watch spongebob and some other cartoons, just for remembering memories. x3

[ZenNaari]

CALLING ANIME A CARTOON IS UNFORGIVABLE!

Sure there are nice cartoons out there, but guess what, we're being tricked. Look at the credits for designing and animation for some cartoons, you'll see maybe 20-150 asian (probably chinese or japanese) names.

Simply put:

Cartoons - 2d animation made in any country except China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia and Singapore.

Anime - 2d animation made in China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia and Singapore. (mostly Japan)

btw, Vietnam and Philippines haven't made anime yet, they only made good games, mostly MMORPG's, but I would disagree that their drawings would be considered as anime unless they are otaku's...

anyway, related to the subject, CALLING MANGA A COMIC IS UNFORGIVABLE

[bobobear]

hmm. don't remember posting here before.. but oh well..
Best that I can remember on the technical side is that Cartoons follow the walt disney formula of 24 frames per second of film and anime has 15 frames per second. This was before like with astroboy and voltes V as example. That's why they use lots of freeze frame images since this is cheaper to produce. But the style evolved into what you see today.. also animes have big eyes

[ladymichaela]

Hmm.. Just a thought. Cartoons are mostly US animations. (e.g. Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, etc.) and Animes are mostly made by Japanese artists.

[ZenNaari]

Cartoons are gross unless the designer is Asian or European... in other words, American Cartoons suck unless taken in with the help of OTHER nations

Anime is good whatever kind...

[visualcandyk]

Kira will write spongebob squarepants on his death note hehe

I think that would be awesome!
Um, I think anime tends to be more mature.

Spoiler for Ha ha: 

[solidoxygen]

If you want the diction of the term anime, then you should listen to the people who are telling you that anime means Japanese animation. It has a rather unique art style despite some rather large variances within the styles themselves.

If you are looking for a more personal difference, there are a huge number of different reasons people might give you. Anime isn't anime because it is "more mature" or "has a plot." As much as I like watching anime, there are many titles out there that are just as low in maturity or plot as any American cartoon.

Maturity or plot is definitely not the distinguishing point.

Consider Avatar: The Last Airbender; it greatly resembles many animes that you'll see out there however it is still a cartoon according to my previously mentioned observations.

[coldfire01]

Hmm if you guys can't decide the difference,

Let them fight then.

Who will win in a fight?

anime or cartoons.


I vote for Johnny Bravo.
Even if Son Gokou throws a genki dama in super saiyajin 4 form, Johnny will just stand up and brush his hair back lol.

Kira (Light Yagami) will write Johnny bravo in death note and he will stand up again.
Still brushing his hair and doing the poses.

Lelouch Vi Britannia will try to cast geass on Johnny Bravo, Johnny is phased out.
He stops and he still continue the dance.
Brushes his hair afterwards.
Lelouch cannot believe that his geass does not work.

[Pattehfilipino]

Sure connotation wise, Anime is generally more mature. But definition wise, Anime is just a cartoon. Even in japan they call american cartoons "Anime". With that in mind, Manga is just a japanese comic for me. I don't see how calling it a comic is unforgiveable...
For me, the definition for anime is strictly a Japanese made animation. Anything else drawn, I call it an animation. "Cartoon" has too many things attached to it for people, I can see how some people may even take offense when used to describe a high caliber animation.

[s3cr3tb0y12]

Anime is long and have stories,Cartoons have just different stories not continuing each episode :) I think..

[eliemusica]

i guess anime refers to animation from Japan. thus, shorten the word becomes anime. anime usually have more depth to it, in terms of storyline and characters' personalities. example like everything in our beloved OS library(^^)v..

and cartoons refers to animation from non-Japan i guess. usually, it is more entertaining for smaller bunch of kids, cause the story is easier to understand, and more comedy-oriented. like spongebob. but there are also exception like ironman or batman, the storyline are awesome but still are considered as cartoons.

[elle713]

anime is more refined than cartoons!!! I don't get it why people would confuse anime with cartoons... cartoons would be like---ben ten, or powerpuff girls, dexter's lab, and others with unrealistic body proportions and very---cheesy drawings...

anime is a whole lot better than cartoons. more complex, better animation, more realistic, and more awesome!!!

[Max Magnus]

Cartoons = America's specialty
Anime = Japan's specialty

Generally it's better they be made by their respective countries, anything else usually turns out bad. Though cartoons are more about the laughs then serious plot or anything. I love anime, but it's always funny to see how many ways the Coyote can fail @ getting the Road Runner in Bugs Bunnies... xD

Animes have it down when it comes to serious plot and fighting though.