Anime (アニメ) in Western countries refers to specifically Japanese animation, but in Japan, it encompasses all animation. Anime series and movies are often based on popular manga series, and sometimes also on novels or games. Anime has a distinct art style where, especially in series targeted at young audiences, character emotions are emphasized using various techniques such as large eyes and strong expressions. The same applies to manga. Anime voice actors are well-known public figures especially in Japan, and the theme songs of different series are frequently created by popular artists.
Although anime has been around since the early 1900s, it wasn’t until the 2000s that it began to be marketed properly outside Japan. Modern anime is said to have started in the 1960s with Osamu Tezuka’s works, the most famous being Astro Boy (1963–1966), based on Tezuka’s manga of the same name. Tezuka sold his series at a low price and had to develop many innovative animation techniques that sped up the work of animators and reduced the production costs of episodes. Producing anime movies and series requires a large workforce and many work hours. The working methods and techniques developed by Tezuka can be seen as the birth of the modern anime industry, where new series can be produced cost-effectively and on a fast schedule. In addition to television, series have been produced directly for home sales, and nowadays streaming services play a significant role. Although anime, as it is known today, has been made since the 1960s, it began to spread more rapidly outside Japan only in the 2000s. Animation is the third-largest industry in Japan.
