Anime artists have spent decades fine-tuning the genre, especially when it comes to visual style,
fantastical themes and the art of storytelling. So it comes as no surprise that these animators
have inspired Western cartoonists for almost as long as anime has existed.
These are ten of our favorite Western cartoons that were inspired or heavily influenced by anime.
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Now let’s get started...
Samurai Jack. After his success with
‘Dexter’s Laboratory’, creator Genndy Tartakovsky produced another hit on Cartoon Network called
‘Samurai Jack’ which aired from 2001 to 2007. This show was quite different, though, as Genndy
aimed to include a lot more action and prominent influences from the martial arts drama ‘Kung Fu’.
As the name indicates, ‘Samurai Jack’ is definitely more inspired by samurai culture,
but there’s no denying that the cartoon does contain many anime-inspired settings
and fight scenes. The show focuses on a Katana-wielding samurai named Jack who
must cross the boundaries of time in order to undo the evil wrongdoings of the shape-shifting wizard,
Aku, and defeat him. The theme also explores strange and futuristic worlds, especially
since Jack is sent to a dystopian future… Making ‘Samurai Jack’ similar to the anime movie ‘Akira’.
Teen Titans. Popular Cartoon Network series ‘Teen
Titans’ which is based on the DC Comics team of the same name, aired from 2003 to 2006. While it’s
aimed at a much younger audience, the cartoon is somewhat similar to ‘The Venture Bros’ which was
also influenced by anime. If you notice the colorful, detailed animation and the “chibi
moments'’ throughout Teen Titan’s five-season run, you’ll notice how reminiscent it is of
classic anime. In fact, the series is often called “Americanime'', mainly due to the fact that tons
of references from ‘Battle of the Planets’ and ‘FLCL’ have been injected into the show.
Thanks to its incredible fusion of adventure and zany humor, Teen Titans became a staple of daytime
programming on Cartoon Network, before receiving numerous accolades and several spin-offs.
Avatar: The Last Airbender.
It’s hard to find an American cartoon with as many obvious anime styles as
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’. For starters, the characters are almost lookalikes of those often
seen in anime, with their large eyes and big mouths that produce highly exaggerated facial
expressions. Moreover, every fantasy nation in the show was heavily influenced by Asian culture, not
to mention countless references to Asian schools of thought, particularly Shinto and Buddhism.
Also notice how the concept of reincarnation played a huge role in the overall plot,
which is another factor that inclines the series more towards anime than typical western cartoons.
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ was undoubtedly a massive Nickelodeon hit, spawning a film
adaptation... (which we won’t talk about…). The entire premise of Avatar is truly captivating
as it centers around the adventures of a young boy, Aang, who’s gifted with the power
to manipulate the four natural elements- fire, earth, water and air- which are represented by
four themed kingdoms. As Aang uses his mystical abilities to save the world from destruction,
he along with his friends take the viewers on quite an exceptional journey.
Adventure Time. Adventure Time clearly
isn’t shy about making obvious anime references in its fantasy-laced adventure theme that’s
also loaded with comedy. The award-winning Cartoon Network show is reportedly hand-drawn,
sharing a major similarity with classic Japanese animation. But more than that, it has
made attempts to adopt anime-like features into its setting and characters in several episodes.
In fact, Adventure Time’s creators have dedicated entire episodes to celebrate their love for anime.
For instance, the season six episode seven titled “Food Chain” represents the work of an anime
director, and it shows in the animation details as well as the episode’s creative theme song.
The Powerpuff Girls. An anime theme may not
be front and center in Cartoon Network’s immensely popular ‘The Powerpuff Girls’
but the show has definitely taken inspiration from Japanese animation numerous times.
Despite the fact that the anime references in the series are quite subtle, they are still worth
mentioning. In the season three episode, “Child Fearing”, the Mayor of Townsville is shown playing
a video game which is a parody of the Nintendo classic ‘The legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.’
Also, let’s not forget the anime-inspired almost “chibi” style adopted in the cartoon,
which is obvious with the Girls’ huge bug-eyes and a head larger than their body.
Steven Universe It’s almost impossible
to talk about anime-inspired western cartoons without mentioning Steven Universe. The American
animated series is famously reminiscent of a long list of anime, including Captain Harlock,
Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion, to name a few. For this reason, almost every anime fan
thoroughly enjoys watching Steven Universe. In some of her interviews, the show creator,
Rebecca Sugar has talked about her love for anime which clearly runs through the series.
She even revealed that she spent a great deal of her childhood watching various kinds of anime,
such as Detective Conan, One Piece and especially ‘Revolutionary Girl Utena’, many aspects of which
have been adopted in Steven Universe. Utena has been referenced in the show by several angles,
fights and in the way Steven draws Rose’s sword out of the Lions’ head.
The western animated series also nods at Dragon Ball Z when Ruby makes the classic
Yamcha pose. Also, in Steven Universe season three episode ““Kiki's Pizza Delivery Service”,
the scene where Steven and Kiki are having pizza by the beach is an obvious recreation
of End of Evangelion’s ending which features Asuka and Shinji in a similar-looking setting.
The Boondocks. ‘The Boondocks’ is an
American adult comedy sitcom created for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim that premiered in 2005.
At first sight, you’ll notice how the show’s visual style bears clear resemblance to anime.
Secondly, the creator behind this cartoon, Aaron McGruder is known for using both anime
and manga as inspiration for his work. Much like any typical Japanese animated series,
The Boondocks features a rich aesthetic alongside dynamic characters and deeply complex topics
such as race relations and social injustice. Furthermore, the show
also includes several references to the 2005 Japanese animated series ‘Samurai Champloo’,
some of which can be spotted during the first season’s opening credits.
She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power.
With its sky-high review scores and a passionate fandom,
it’s safe to say that this 2018 Netflix animated show has had incredible success.
‘She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power’ is a reboot of the 1980s series and narrates the tale of an
orphan named Adora, who leaves behind her past life in the evil Horde after discovering a
magic sword that transforms her into the warrior She-Ra. Whether it's the characters’ large eyes,
big mouth or She-Ra’s long flowing hair, the visuals are evidently inspired by anime. It’s
also worth noting that a majority of the show’s crew was strongly influenced by anime featuring
magical girls, and we see this especially during the ‘Adora to She-Ra’ transformation sequence.
Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi. It’s quite easy to mistake this western animated
series as an anime from Japan, mainly because it features fictionalized and animated versions
of the Japanese pop rock group ‘ Puffy AmiYumi’. Associated with Cartoon Network and ‘TV Tokyo’,
the American cartoon aired for four seasons from 2004 to 2006. It follows the adventures of two
popstars, Ami and Yumi, who have major differences in style and personalities.
It comes as no surprise that the animated series has adopted an anime-like visual style,
with its characters having big mouths, huge eyes, colorful hair and exaggerated expressions.
Castlevania.
There are few Western-made cartoons that so authentically mimic anime visuals
quite like this adult-themed animated series. For starters, it features incredibly dark themes
and styles that you’ll often find in anime. But more importantly, this Netflix show is based on
the similarly grim video game series by Konami that already has anime-like character designs.
Not to mention Castlevania’s majestic motifs and other anime-like visuals that prove the
creators’ fondness for Japanese animation. With nearly two dozen gripping episodes,
this dark medieval fantasy tells the story of Trevor, the last surviving member of the Belmont
clan, as he attempts to save Eastern Europe from extinction at the hands of Vlad Dracula Tepes.
Needless to say, Castlevania is a must-watch for every anime fan out there.
But what do you think? Let us know in the comment section which American cartoons are the most
influenced by Anime. And if you’re a huge fan of Japanese animation, make sure you subscribe to our
new anime channel OtakuBinge. We’ll be creating WickedBinge formatted videos over there for anime.
Good to Evil, Gruesome to Most Gruesome and more. So make sure to subscribe.
But mostly importantly, stay wicked!