Anime Vs Cartoons

Although anime and cartoons share many similarities there are many more notable differences. For the sake of this argument I will be referencing Cartoons as there are animated.

Cartoons are generally rough or goofy looking animations that display a variety of slapstick humor and are meant to entertain mostly children

Anime however is more of a sophisticated art form that has deeper plot meanings and is geared toward more of a teenage or adult crowd.

Although some say that there is absolutely no difference between Anime and Cartoon there are some undeniable and notable facts that separate the two. Here is a quick guide of of a few common characteristics that will help you differentiate between the two.

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The first and most noticeable difference between Anime and Cartoons is art style.

Most Anime are drawn with a hyper-distortion in mind. Notable features of Anime characters are Big eyes, small mouths, and hair that seems to defy gravity and is always in motion. Many people recognize the above description as the "Anime Look." Characters such as Saber(Fate Stay Night), Haruhi(The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya), and Haruko(FLCL) are great characters at portraying the Anime look.

Most cartoons are drawn with more conservative artistic element that refrain from going into too much detail. Cartoons usually try to portray things in such a way that they are easily duplicated for quick production. Cartoons that have the "toon look" are Tom and Jerry, Bugs Bunny, and Daffy Duck.

Another noticeable feature is that cartoons tend to have very still frames in a moment of no action whereas in Anime there is always something moving.