Each storytelling method and cultural influence is tailored to a certain audience. Donghua brings the presence of their culture in their art forms, as opposed to the original anime from Japan, which would provide the art needed to be an anime. We will highlight the differences between Japanese and Donghua anime as we contrast and compare them.
Chinese Anime vs Japanese Anime
1. Origin
- Chinese animation created or produced in China is called donghua, which in English means “animated”.
- On the other hand, Anime is the term used to describe the same animation if it is produced in Japan.
Industry Chinese Anime and Japanese Anime both began in the early 20th century with various visual styles and plots.
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2. Art
- The mixture of Eastern and Western art is a prominent feature of Chinese animation.
- The large instantly recognizable eyes, colorful hair, and cat-like characters in Japanese anime often follow classic anime visual style conventions.
3. Culture
- The Chinese anime industry pays more attention to traditional Chinese mythology, history, and culture.
- Japanese animation, on the other hand, often depicts their own culture, traditions, and values.
4. References
- Chinese animation is often adapted from Chinese online comics and novels.
- Japanese animation often draws inspiration from the original anime, manga, and light novels.
5. Industry
The anime industry in China and Japan has a rich history and a large international fan base, which has a major impact on the environmental business.
- Chinese animation has become more industrial in its outlook.
- However, despite having a sizable fan base, Japanese animation continues to strive to increase both its popularity and the quality of its production.
6. Voice acting
- Chinese anime usually focuses on Chinese dub action with Japanese and English dubbing.
- Japanese animation uses voice actors from Japan with English subtitles.
7. Storytelling
- Chinese anime often use heroic and historical themes with themes of courage and martial arts.
- Japanese animation covers many different genres, such as romance, science fiction, fantasy, and slice of life.
8. Market Access
- Especially in Southeast Asia, Chinese anime is gaining popularity both domestically and internationally.
- A diverse fan base spanning all ages is what keeps the Japanese animation market alive globally.
9. Animation quality
- The animation quality of Chinese anime has improved significantly throughout its development, although there may be some limitations when compared to its Japanese equivalent.
- Japanese anime often benefit from higher production costs, which helps to produce better quality animation and more complex visuals.
10. Characters
- Traditional Chinese characters are preferred in Chinese anime character design, which is also inspired by Chinese aesthetics and art.
- Japanese anime features well-known and recognizable character designs. The majority of Japanese cartoon characters are said to have cat-like looks and faces.
12. Unique
- Chinese animation is developing a unique look and story to distinguish it from Japanese animation.
- A series of unique Japanese animation works continue to attract audiences.
13. Censorship
- Due to the country’s media policy, the Chinese animation sector may be subject to tighter controls.
- In international situations, Japanese anime often receive relatively lower levels of censorship.
14. Factory
- Several animation companies in China produce Chinese cartoons.
- Many famous studios in Japan produce Japanese animation.
15. Variety of genres
- The two most popular anime genres in China are fantasy heroes and martial arts.
- However, Japanese anime attracts many viewers and falls under many genres. They cover a variety of genres, such as casual fantasy, spooky horror, and scary behavior.
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Chief Chinese Anime and Japanese Anime all have unique characteristics and attractions that effectively appeal to the wide range of interests and hobbies of anime enthusiasts around the world. The animation industry of both countries is continuously growing and developing, making a significant contribution to the global animation industry.