Anime and Manga

Anime, (pronounced ah-nee-meh) is a distinctive type of film animation originating in Japan that has recently become commercially profitable in other countries, particularly in the adult oriented science fiction and fantasy stories produced with it. Anime, is used in all kinds of genres: comedy, kids’ entertainment, historical, romance, action, drama, and even pornography (called hentai).

Manga, like anime, originated in Japan. It is not animation, but books. They can be books on a variety of things but are usually Japanese novels in black and white cartoon pictures.

The word manga means "comics" or "whimsical image,” but unlike in the United States where comics are for kids, in Japan manga is for everyone. You'll find manga on every topic of interest and they are rated, like video games. You will find the ratings on the back cover. E or A is generally suitable for all audiences, Y is for youth to ten years old, T is teen rated, OT is for older teens, 16 and up, and "M" identifies the material to be for mature people over 18, which means they will have adult situations, language, sexuality, and graphic violence.