For as long as they have existed there has been a debate about whether or not anime and cartoons are the same thing. Are they truly as similar as people believe, or are there key differences that separate them into two distinct categories?
Yes, anime and cartoons are the same thing
Anything that is animated is a cartoon. Cartoons known as anime are cartoons that originate from Japan. Anime is simply a different form or genre of cartoon from what westerners traditionally see as cartoons.
Anime and cartoons are only different forms of animation
Despite the title, animation is not automatically anime. Both cartoons and anime utilize animation to create them. The only true difference between them is the art style used.
While cartoons may refer to many forms of media, they are 'animated'
Art styles might make it hard to keep track of but art that's been put together to give the illusion of movement is animation. Cartoons come in many forms but the ones given movement are animated.
Anime is much more than mere cartoons; they are complex storytelling mediums with their own distinct styles and tropes, which are separate from the styles and tropes of traditional cartoons.
Cartoons, while a broad media term, do not include anime as it is its own category
In America, most forms of animation are grouped together with cartoons and target younger age groups. Despite this, anime still manages to separate itself from cartoons into a category of its own.
Anime is a term coined in Japan, shortened from the word 'animation' and specifically used for their animation style. While anime is sometimes referred to as a cartoon its main difference is its origins.
