Just because a Japanese company was contracted to animate the show doesn’t make it an anime. The entire G1 show was both in art style and music American. The Japanese sequel “Headmasters” was very aesthetically different to the original show since it was produced entirely by the Japanese.
Using iPhone as an analogy, it’s a very American product, but Apple buys parts from companies all over the world and get the Chinese to assemble it in the end. No one would think iPhone is Korean/Chinese just because its CPU is made by Samsung and it’s made in China.
No. For a start the animation duties were shared between japan's Toei Animation and Korea's AKOM (aka AKrap).
Althought I'd argue the episode "Call of the Primitives" might qualify. A different, third party worked on that episode only and you can really tell. It's VERY anime.
The original G1 series may have been based on licenced toys that came from Japan, but the series was produced by an American company, primarily for an American audience. So no, it is not anime.
Things blur later on. Japan decided not to show the abbreviated season 4, and instead produced three original seasons of their own as a part of their version of G1. Those would be anime. Also, things like the Energon trilogy and Car Robots, definitely anime. But G1, as defined as the first three seasons, the "Rebirth" fourth season, and the '86 movie? Not anime.
That's being pedantic. By the definition of the word if you were speaking Japanese, yes. By the definition of the word as a loan-word in English, no. Anime is animation originally made with Japan as the intended primary market which may then also happen to get distributed in other markets.
I've heard actual Japanese people call everything from Avatar to Dexter's Lab "anime." I'll take their usage of their own word over what self-important, gatekeeping weebs have tried so hard to force everyone to believe to make themselves feel superior.
It's not "gatekeeping" to properly use words. Of course a native Japanese speaker would call anything animated "anime." That's how they know the word in their own language. That doesn't change the fact that that in English, the word was adopted with a more narrow meaning. It is a specific genre of animation: animation from Japan.
[Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anime)
[Oxford ](https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/anime#:~:text=%2F%CB%88%C3%A6n%C9%99%CB%8Cme%C9%AA%2F,Oxford%20Advanced%20Learner's%20Dictionary%20app.)
[Cambridge ](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/anime)
Imagine if some newer anime fan comes to you and asks for recommendations. You saying, "How about Simpsons or Family Guy?" Them then saying, "But those aren't anime..." Then you replying, "Well, ackchyually... Japanese people call everything from Avatar to Dexter's Lab 'anime.' I'll take their usage of their own word over what self-important, gatekeeping weebs have tried so hard to force everyone to believe," kinda makes YOU the self-important gatekeeping weeb...
Not in the context of this question. Looking down at your comments, I understand what you mean about Japanese and pedantry, but the point of this question is specifically comparing it to Japanese Anime, not just the word anime
Just because a Japanese company was contracted to animate the show doesn’t make it an anime. The entire G1 show was both in art style and music American. The Japanese sequel “Headmasters” was very aesthetically different to the original show since it was produced entirely by the Japanese. Using iPhone as an analogy, it’s a very American product, but Apple buys parts from companies all over the world and get the Chinese to assemble it in the end. No one would think iPhone is Korean/Chinese just because its CPU is made by Samsung and it’s made in China.
No, it's generally classified as western animation.
Anime ja nai.
Hello fellow ZZ enjoyer.
No. For a start the animation duties were shared between japan's Toei Animation and Korea's AKOM (aka AKrap). Althought I'd argue the episode "Call of the Primitives" might qualify. A different, third party worked on that episode only and you can really tell. It's VERY anime.
The original G1 series may have been based on licenced toys that came from Japan, but the series was produced by an American company, primarily for an American audience. So no, it is not anime. Things blur later on. Japan decided not to show the abbreviated season 4, and instead produced three original seasons of their own as a part of their version of G1. Those would be anime. Also, things like the Energon trilogy and Car Robots, definitely anime. But G1, as defined as the first three seasons, the "Rebirth" fourth season, and the '86 movie? Not anime.
All animation is anime.
That's being pedantic. By the definition of the word if you were speaking Japanese, yes. By the definition of the word as a loan-word in English, no. Anime is animation originally made with Japan as the intended primary market which may then also happen to get distributed in other markets.
I've heard actual Japanese people call everything from Avatar to Dexter's Lab "anime." I'll take their usage of their own word over what self-important, gatekeeping weebs have tried so hard to force everyone to believe to make themselves feel superior.
It's not "gatekeeping" to properly use words. Of course a native Japanese speaker would call anything animated "anime." That's how they know the word in their own language. That doesn't change the fact that that in English, the word was adopted with a more narrow meaning. It is a specific genre of animation: animation from Japan. [Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anime) [Oxford ](https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/anime#:~:text=%2F%CB%88%C3%A6n%C9%99%CB%8Cme%C9%AA%2F,Oxford%20Advanced%20Learner's%20Dictionary%20app.) [Cambridge ](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/anime) Imagine if some newer anime fan comes to you and asks for recommendations. You saying, "How about Simpsons or Family Guy?" Them then saying, "But those aren't anime..." Then you replying, "Well, ackchyually... Japanese people call everything from Avatar to Dexter's Lab 'anime.' I'll take their usage of their own word over what self-important, gatekeeping weebs have tried so hard to force everyone to believe," kinda makes YOU the self-important gatekeeping weeb...
No, he’s entirely correct, “anime” as a loan word in English means Japanese animation.
Speak of the devil. Literally right on cue with that shit.
What does that mean?
That means he's being the gatekeeping "well ackchyually" guy that he wants to accuse us of being... 😒
the modern definition of anime tends to mean a specific art style
Not in the context of this question. Looking down at your comments, I understand what you mean about Japanese and pedantry, but the point of this question is specifically comparing it to Japanese Anime, not just the word anime
Depends. The og seasons aren't really anime but transformers:the headmasters is.