Interested in anime, but ya just don't know the goods? Here's some basic knowledge for you so that you don't make yourself look the fool in front of other otaku. ^_^
ANIME: Japanese cartoons. More specifically, animated cartoons (TV, movies, etc.), but it’s a term often used for all Japanese cartoons in general.
OTAKU: An anime fanatic. Facts 4 U: “Otaku” is literally a rare, formal way of saying “you” or “your house” in Japanese, and it has been adopted as a name for obsessive hobbyists of all sorts. If someone is called an otaku, it means he or she would rather stay home with his or her hobbies than have a social life. In Japan, otaku can be obsessed with anything; in America, the obsession is primarily with anime, or anything else of Japanese pop culture. (Note: don’t assume otaku are sad and lonely; they’re actually quite happy in their own little fantasy worlds, as well as with other otaku.)
MANGA: Japanese comics. Facts 4 U: Sometimes anime TV series/movies are based on a manga series; sometimes it’s the other way around. Manga is actually much more popular than anime in Japan, because there’s so much more selection to choose from and it sells to an older audience. In Japan text is read from right to left, so the same goes with manga. The pages have to be flipped when it’s translated into English, unless it’s a special edition where they keep the pages unflipped and you get to read in English from right to left. Kinda fun, actually. But only certain translated series offer special editions, such as Dragonball or Evangelion.
HENTAI: anime pornography. Yeah I know, this is gross, but you need to know what it is so you don’t look the fool in front of other otaku. Facts 4 U: Hentai also means “pervert,” a common word that girls scream out loud in series such as Ranma ½ and Love Hina. Don’t worry…when it comes to perverts in anime, they usually don’t get very far with the ladies; they’re just there for comic relief (in other words, they are the punching bag for all the angry girl characters).
YAOI: gay hentai. Facts 4 U: Yaoi is a very interesting subject, mainly because of the style. Men in yaoi are typically very emotional and fragile creatures, and I’m talking soap-opera emotional here; you would probably never find a real man who behaves like yaoi boys do. They are very feminine (or at least one member of the couple is) not only in personality but in physical appearance as well; expect to see long hair, eyelashes, baby faces, and thinness of the body in general. Considering these types of characters, it’s not all that surprising that yaoi is actually intended for a female audience. Strange as this idea seems, it actually makes sense (in a very weird way); some men enjoy watching lesbian porn, some women enjoy watching gay porn. Ya know how women are always looking for a “sensitive man?” This is because women want someone who understands and shares their emotional needs; and who would understand better than a feminine guy? Yes, this seems stupid…after all, he is gay. But he’s also a cartoon character. So deal with it. ^_^
SHOUNEN-AI: literally “boy love.” Also spelled “shonen-ai” (see The Battle of “O” and “OU” below). Facts 4 U: Shounen-ai is the innocent, puppy love form of yaoi. Two young boys, usually around 14 or something, get a crush on each other and don’t quite know how to handle it. This usually leads to long, forlorn glances and wet puppy dog eyes. Normally there is no sex involved at all; just a cute or angsty romance story. Maybe smooching, maybe cuddling, but no sex.
YURI: lesbian hentai. I honestly have nothing else to say.
SEIYUU: voice actor/actress for an anime. Facts 4 U: Seiyuu have got it made in Japan; they are famous for their voice alone. Just as famous actors have long lists of movies they have starred in, so do seiyuu have long lists of anime characters they have supplied voices for. Seiyuu have fans just like movie stars and singers, and some are even big enough to have merchandise (I’m talking trading cards, here!) Usually seiyuu sing the opening/ending theme song for whatever anime they are starring in; some of the more well-known seiyuu go on to have singing careers, often making it on the charts. A perfect example of a renowned seiyuu is Hayashibara Megumi, a cutie who supplied voices for some of the most famous female anime characters ever: Ayanami Rei in Neon Genesis Evangelion, girl-type Ranma in Ranma ½, Faye Valentine in Cowboy Bebop, Tira Misu in Bakuretsu Hunters, Lina Inverse in Slayers, and Lime in Saber Marionette J, as well as DeeDee Kong and Hello Kitty herself! Megumi-san has sung theme songs for and endless number of anime series, and often has hit songs in the Japanese Top 40. Let’s just face it…she’s the greatest thing since square watermelons. ^_^
THE BATTLE OF “O” AND “OU”: Many of you have probably noticed this piece of annoyancy…why do some people spell an anime character’s name with “o” and others with “ou”??? After almost two years of being a confused otaku, I finally know…and it’s all thanks to Foxhead and her Japanese class!! Facts 4 U: When the Japanese want to emphasize the “oh” sound in a word, they put a silent letter “u” after the letter “o.” So basically, either spelling is correct, as long as you never pronounce a Japanese “ou” as “oo.” Example: Ranma ½’s Ryoga or Ryouga. His name is pronounced ree-OH-gah, with emphasis on the “oh” sound, so a “u” was added in Japanese. Ryouga fans who are true to the original Japanese form of his name will spell it this way, but the VIZ company didn’t want to confuse unknowing fans into thinking his name was pronounced ree-OO-gah, so they dropped the “u.” In an attempt to make up for the lost “u,” VIZ is now using the “ô” symbol to emphasize a long “oh” sound. This can be seen in Inu-Yasha in names such as Sesshômaru and Shippô. (I’m still confused as to why they didn’t do it with Kikyou’s name…they just say “Kikyo.” Maybe because “Kikyô” looks funny.)
Soon to come…LEMON FANFICS, COSPLAY, DOUJINSHI, ROLE-PLAYING GAMES, TANKOUBONS, DUBBING VS. SUBTITLING, SHOUNEN VS. SHOUJO ANIME/MANGA
Another reason why some women like yaoi is because they wish they were men, but are still attracted to men. I know you think I’m nuts, but I’ve read about this. Some of the first women who created yaoi were interviewed, and many of them claimed this is why they like it. Then of course there’s always the voyeuristic aspect of it that women enjoy.
Another piece of info: much of the yaoi out there is in doujinshi form; in other words, yaoi is mosty created by fans of existing series. They’ll take two male characters from a series and pair them together just for fun. (Just imagine the possibilities with Gundam Wing…so many cute boys! Ay caramba!) There are yaoi movies/series out there, but the number is very small compared to that of normal hentai.
Oh yeah, one last note: “uke” means you’re on the receiving end, and “seme” means you’re performing. I AM NOT GETTING ANY MORE DESCRIPTIVE.
Thanks to Kitsuneko Foxhead…you’re the greatest!!!