| 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. Shojo Beat is a shōjo manga magazine published in North America by Viz Media. Released in June 2005 as a sister magazine for Shonen Jump, the magazine features serialized chapters from six manga series as well as articles on Japanese culture, manga, anime, fashion and beauty. Since its initial launch, the magazine has undergone two redesigns, becoming the first English anthology to use the two-color tone pages common in Japanese manga anthologies. Viz launched related "Shojo Beat" imprints in its manga, light novel, and anime divisions to coordinate with the magazine's contents. Targeted at women ages 16–18, the first issue of Shojo Beat launched with a circulation of 20,000 copies. By 2007, average circulation was approximately 38,000 copies. Half of its circulation comes from subscriptions rather than store sales. Sailor Jupiter (セーラージュピター, Sērā Jupitā?) is one of the central characters in the Sailor Moon metaseries. Her real name is Makoto Kino (木野 まこと, Kino Makoto?, or Lita in the English versions), a strong schoolgirl who can transform into one of the series' specialized heroines, the Sailor Senshi. Sailor Jupiter is the third member of the Sailor Team to be discovered by Sailor Moon, and serves as the "muscles" of the group.[1] In addition to being physically tough, she is able to manipulate electricity and uses some plant-based powers. Her friends rarely use her full given name, normally shortening it to Mako-chan. Aside from the main body of the Sailor Moon series, Makoto features in her own manga short story, Mako's Depression. A number of image songs featuring her character have been released as well, including the contents of three different CD singles.[2] This is a list of episodes of the Japanese animated television series Rental Magica (レンタルマギカ, Rentaru Magika?). The episodes are directed by Itsuro Kawasaki and produced by the Japanese animation studio ZEXCS and Victor Entertainment. ZEXCS produced the animation and Victor Entertainment was responsible for developing the music.[3] They are based on the light novel series Rental Magica by Makoto Sando and illustrated by pako, and adapt the source material over twenty-four episodes. The plot of the episodes follows Itsuki Iba, the newly appointed president of Astral, a company that dispatches magicians to perform jobs involving supernatural phenomena, and his interactions with his employees and Astral's competitors. |
