| The Anime and Manga Portal
Anime (アニメ?) refers to the animation style originated in Japan. It is characterized by distinctive characters and backgrounds (hand-drawn or computer-generated) that visually and thematically set it apart from other forms of animation. Storylines may include a variety of fictional or historical characters, events, and settings. Anime is aimed at a broad range of audiences and consequently, a given series may have aspects of a range of genres. Anime is most frequently broadcast on television or sold on DVDs either after their broadcast run or directly as original video animation (OVA). Console and computer games sometimes also feature segments or scenes that can be considered anime. Manga (漫画?) is Japanese for "Comics" or "Whimsical images". Manga developed from a mixture of ukiyo-e and Western styles of drawing, and took its current form shortly after World War II. Manga, apart from covers, is usually published in black and white but it is common to find introductions to chapters to be in color and is read from right to left. Financially, manga represented in 2005 a market of ¥24 billion in Japan and one of $180 million in the United States.[1] Manga was the fastest growing segment of books in the United States in 2005. Anime and manga share many characteristics, including: "exaggerated physical features such as large eyes, big hair and elongated limbs... and dramatically shaped speech bubbles, speed lines and onomatopoeic, exclamatory typography."[2] Some manga, a small amount of the total output, is adapted into anime, often with the collaboration of the original author. Computer games can also give rise to anime. In such cases, the stories are often compressed and modified to fit the format and appeal to a wider market.[3] Popular anime franchises sometimes include full-length feature films, and some have been adapted into live-action films and television programs. .hack//Sign (trademarked as .hack//SIGN) is an anime television series directed by Kōichi Mashimo and produced by studio Bee Train and Bandai Visual, that makes up one of the four original storylines of the .hack franchise. Twenty six original episodes aired on TV and three additional bonus episodes ( Intermezzo, Unison, and Gift) were released on DVD as OVAs. [1] The series features character design by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, known for his work on Evangelion, [2] and screenplay by Kazunori Ito, who penned Ghost in the Shell. [3] The score was composed by Yuki Kajiura, marking her second collaboration with Kōichi Mashimo. [4] .hack//Sign is influenced by psychological and sociological subjects such as anxiety, escapism, and interpersonal relationships.[5][6] The series focuses on a Wavemaster (magic user) named Tsukasa, a player character of a virtual-reality massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) called The World. Tsukasa wakes up to find himself in a dungeon in The World, but he has no recent recollections as he wonders where he is and how he got there. The situation gets worse when he discovers he is not able to log out and is trapped in the game. From then on, along with other players Tsukasa embarks on a quest to figure out the truth behind his abnormal situation. Rukia Kuchiki (朽木 ルキア, Kuchiki Rukia?) is a fictional character and protagonist in the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo. In the anime and manga, Rukia is a Soul Reaper in the 13th Division under Jūshirō Ukitake. Shortly after meeting the main protagonist of the series, Ichigo Kurosaki, who can see supernatural phenomena such as Soul Reapers, she is forced to give him her powers in order to fulfill her duties as a Soul Reaper. Rukia has appeared in several other pieces of Bleach media, including the two featured films in the series, the two original video animations, and several video games. Numerous anime and manga publications have praised and criticized Rukia's character. She has been noted for her differences from stereotypical shōnen heroines due to the loss of powers and dependence on Ichigo; Anime News Network commented on how it was "a great source of both drama and comedy in the show."[7] Her personality has been praised, with Active Anime celebrating her "enjoyably evil sense of humor."[8] Rukia usually ranks second in popularity polls, making her one of the series' most popular characters as well as the most popular female character.[9] Several pieces of merchandise have been released in Rukia's likeness, including a plush doll and a figurine.[10][11] This is a list of episodes of the YuYu Hakusho anime, covering the first season of the series, known as the Spirit Detective Saga. The episodes are directed by Akiyuki Arafusa and Noriyuki Abe and produced by Fuji Television, Yomiko Advertising and Studio Pierrot.[12] The episodes were released in North America by FUNimation.[12] They are based on the YuYu Hakusho manga series by Yoshihiro Togashi, and adapt the first through sixth volumes of its source material over twenty-five episodes. The episodes follow the story of Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage boy who dies in an accident, and is resurrected as a Spirit Detective, Spirit World's protector of the Living World against demons and other supernatural threats. The episodes aired from October 1992 to April 1993 on Fuji Television in Japan.[13] The English episodes aired from February 2002 to April 2003.[13] The first twenty-one episodes were shown on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block, with re-runs playing after July 2006.[14][12] New episodes began airing in April 2003, when the episodes began showing on Cartoon Network's Toonami programming block.[15] |
