Anime and Manga
Anime (アニメ) is an abbreviation of the English word "animation", originating in Japan through the roots of manga (Japanese comics that are read from right to left). Although the term is used in Japan to refer to animation in general, in English usage the term most popularly refers to material originating from Japan, a subset of animation.
Anime is traditionally hand drawn, but computer assisted techniques have become quite common in recent years. It is used in television series, films, video, video games, and internet-based releases, and represents all genres of fiction.
Anime is commonly referred as an art form. As a visual medium, it naturally places a large emphasis towards visual styles. The styles can vary from artist to artist or by studio to studio.
While different titles and different artists have their own artistic styles, many stylistic elements have become so common such that they are described as being definitive of anime in general. However, this does not mean that all modern anime share one strict, common art style. Many anime have a very different art style from what would commonly be called "anime style", yet fans still use the word "anime" to refer to these titles. Generally, the most common form of anime drawings are "exaggerated physical features such as large eyes, big hair and elongated limbs... and dramatically shaped speech bubbles, speed lines and onomatopoeic, exclamatory typography."
Another stylistic element is that of the use of lines. In anime the lines are often influenced more from a stylistic look from brush work, rather than that of the calligrapher's pen. This may be due to the fact that Japanese was traditionally written with a brush and has had a large influence on Japanese art, thus how the lines are treated tend to be different from the Western art. Western lettering was done with a calligrapher's pen. The influences of these things can most influentially be seen in the amount of tapering and thickness of the lines involved.
Anime also tends to borrow many elements from manga including text in the background, and borrowing panel layouts from the manga as well. For example, an opening may employ manga panels to tell the story, or to dramatize a point for humorous effect.
Exert from Wikipedia.org
Popular Anime/Manga works include:
Sailor Moon
Full Metal Alchemist
Bleach
Naruto
Tenchi Muyo