10 fun facts about Anime | Where to watch anime movies | How to draw an anime girl

Anime girl is a female animation character with Japanese art origins, here we explore Funimation, Studio Ghibli, how to draw anime eyes, aesthetics, popular anime movies and more.

The world of art is so diverse and interestingly so. The limitlessness of imagination and expression available to artists makes for an indescribably wide range of creativity and artform. What is even more intriguing is that there is always an audience for whatever form of art known to man.

To talk about the subject of this article, we first need to talk about Anime as an art. An art form so unique yet so popular and loved.

If you have ever been in the company of anime lovers, you will understand how much it means to them and how crazy they are about the art form. The enthusiasm with which they talk about it in thorough detail makes for an interesting sight. In fact, it gets a layman curious enough to want to see for themselves what the hype is all about.

“What exactly is anime?” you might ask. Simply put, anime is a name given to hand-drawn or computer animation that originates from Japan. While the etymology is not quite straightforward, the term anime comes from the English word animation. In other words, in Japan, anime is any sort of animation or animated art, regardless of the origin or the style. Whereas outside Japan, it simply refers to animation that originates from Japan, or simply put, Japanese animation. It gets even funnier; any animation made outside Japan but done in Japanese style animation is called anime-influenced animation.

You will be surprised to know that “anime” is not a genre in itself. It is an art form that cuts across and employs concepts from all other art genres. We are about to dive into the world of anime and anime girls, but before we proceed, here are ten fun facts anime lovers will enjoy.

10 anime facts you probably never knew

1. The anime character Eucliwood Hellscythe from “Kore wa Zombie Desu ka” was voiced by 22 different voice actors. The character hardly ever spoke and preferred writing down her thoughts, there were moments throughout the show where she briefly spoke, and a different actor voiced it each time.
2. The longest-running anime “Sazae-san” has over 7500 episodes, and it started airing in 1969 and is still airing today. That is over 50 years!
3. Some major anime is banned in China as they are deemed to have socially unacceptable behaviour and promote public immorality. A few examples are “Death Note”, “Sword Art Online”, and “Black Butler”.
4. Anime is the king of the animation world, with over 60% of the world’s animated content being anime.
5. Producing one is unbelievably expensive, and it usually costs about $100,000 to $200,000 to create a single episode.
6. The space adventure anime “Space Brothers” was the first-ever anime to have a person voice act from outer space. They practically had a real-life astronaut record his part from space.
7. In 2015, there was a poll to choose the best ringtone, and Armin Arlert’s scream from the “Attack on Titan” was voted as the best ringtone ever!
8. Comiket, the anime version of comic-con, is bigger than comic-con, and it is held biannually in Tokyo with an attendance that surpasses that of comic-con, according to Quartz.
9. “Spirited Away” is the first anime to win an Academy Award, and it shocked the usual winners such as Pixar and Disney movies, winning the Oscars for Best Animated Feature in 2003.
10. The legendary Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli was named after a WWII-era aircraft; an Italian WWII-era scouting aircraft called the Ca. 309 Ghibli.

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Anime girl

The urban use of the term anime girl has almost eroded its actual meaning and may cause a little confusion for those who aren’t conversant with anime. An anime girl originally means a female anime character. In today’s world, the term is mostly used as slang to refer to a staunch female fan of anime. So, anyone called an anime girl has earned the name because of their addiction or obsession with anime.

Here is a list of the most famous anime girl (characters) and the shows they are known for:

• Rias Gremory (High School DxD)
• Akeno Himejima (High School DxD)
• Nezuko (Demon Slayer)
• Asuna (Sword Art Online)
• Mirajane Strauss (Fairy Tail)
• Akame (Akame ga Kill)
• Elizabeth Liones (The Seven Deadly Sins)
• Miku Nakano (The Quintessential Quintuplets)
• Tohka Yatogami (Date A Live)
• Hinata Hyuga (Naruto)

There are countless others, all known for different qualities and reasons. Some of these features are their facial beauty, intelligence, cool hair, fighting skills and killer instincts, infectious emotions and so on. Every anime fan has their favourite. It will be interesting to learn a few hidden details about some of the famous fan favourites.

1. Anime girl Yuno Gasai of “Future Diary” was inspired by Roman mythology. Her first name Yuno is a modification of that of the Roman Goddess, Juno. Juno was Jupiter’s wife, famous for violent bouts of jealousy towards anyone who came close to Jupiter.
2. The conically deaf Shouko Nishimiya in “A Silent Voice” was played by a deaf voice actress Lexi Marman-Cowden. She was cast in the role in order to accurately portray how a deaf person speaks.
3. Saber from “Fate” wasn’t even originally girl. The author wrote the character as a boy, but the illustrator later persuaded the writer to make Saber a girl.
4. Just like many others in the series, the characters Kaguya & Chika of “Kaguya-sama: Love Is War” are based on characters from the Japanese folklore “The Tale of The Bamboo Cutter”.
5. Rias Gremory of “High School DxD” wasn’t meant to be so busty. Novelist Ichiei Ishibumi intended to make her a little more endowed than the average girl, but illustrator Miyama-Zero depicted her with huge br__sts, and the author liked it enough to sanction it.

Funimation

Funimation is a website that majors in publishing East Asian content, especially Japanese animation. It is under the Funination Global Group LLC, an American company that specialises in dubbing and distributing anime. The company, based in Flower Mound, Texas, was founded by Gen Fukunaga and his wife Cindy, with funding from Daniel Cocanougher and his family, who became investors in the company. They are one of the leading distributors of anime in North America, and have licensed famous shows like “Dragon Ball”, “One Piece”, “Yu Yu Hakusho”, “My Hero Academia”, “Attack on Titan”, and many more.

The company has seen its ownership change hands a couple of times in recent years. It is now run by Sony Pictures Entertainment, which now owns the largest shares in the company. Without a doubt, Funimation is a site every anime lover should be signed on to.

It provides an expansive catalogue of classic, old, and new anime for as low as $5.99 monthly. The platform has other subscription plans for people who can afford them, with each one presenting its benefits. Also, there is a free option, but with limited access and, of course, intermittent Ads and relatively lower video quality. To cap it all, the site offers a 14-day free trial period within which you can decide if you want to keep using the platform or not.

Here is detailed information about the three subscription plans available on Funimation.

Premium

The premium plan is the cheapest payment option. It costs $5.99 per month and $59.99 yearly. This plan allows you to save almost $12 if you go for the yearly plan. The premium plan buys you full access to all contents on Funimation without incessant Ads. It also allows you to stream on two screens at the same time.

Premium Plus

The Premium Plus plan costs $7.99 per month and $79.99 per year. In addition to everything you’ll get on the Premium plan, this option offers offline viewing on mobile devices. You get early access to the special Funimation Shop sales, and free shipping on all orders above $20. You also enjoy access to exclusive members-only events and offers. You can stream simultaneously on five screens.

Premium Plus Ultra

This plan only offers an annual subscription plan that goes for $99.99. In addition to everything available on the Premium Plus plan, you get two free rentals per year. Shipping is free on all orders without any minimum purchase value. Lastly, you get an annual anniversary gift.

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The Funimation Now mobile app and website are currently only available in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

However, using a VPN, you can get access to both of them from anywhere in the world. Funimation is available on Android and iOS devices. It is also available on Smart TVs like Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung smart TV, and LG smart TV. You can also use Funimation on PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox 360, and Xbox One game consoles.

Selected anime shows available on Funimation

My Hero Academia

“My Hero Academia” is a popular action-adventure series. It follows the story of Izuku, who was born completely normal in a world where more than 80% of the population has some kind of superpower. He, however, still enrols in a hero academy, and one day, his idol changes his life for the better.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

It follows the story of two disfigured brothers, Edward and Alphonse, as they experiment with forbidden magic, uncover sinister plots, and hunt down the Philosopher’s Stone. The series first premiered back in 2009 and enjoyed a 64-episode run. This show is intended for more mature audiences.

Dragon Ball

“Dragon Ball” follows the story of Goku and his friends and family on their journey to becoming the strongest Saiyans in the world. Funimation has the entire Dragon Ball collection, including the regular “Dragon Ball, Z” and “Super”.

Attack on Titan

“Attack on Titan” is another very popular anime series. It’s set in a world where people live behind walls and are afraid of the man-eating Titans that live beyond. The story follows a man who vows revenge after the giant humanoids destroy his hometown and hurt his family. It makes for an interesting, and even addictive watch.

Studio Ghibli movies

Directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki, founded Studio Ghibli, a Japanese animation film studio, on 15 June 1985. It is best known for its animated feature films. However, it has also produced several short films, television commercials, and one television film.

The studio’s most recognisable symbol is Totoro, a giant cat-like spirit character from the 1988 film “My Neighbor Totoro”. Some of Studio Ghibli’s highest-grossing films include “Spirited Away”, which was the first anime to win an Academy Award, “Ponyo” (2008), and “Howl’s Moving Castle” (2004).

Princess Mononoke

Produced in 1997, this work of art is deemed by many as Hayao and Studio Ghibli’s masterpiece. It is set in the late Muromachi period of Japan and follows the story of a young prince named Ashitaka, and his involvement in a struggle between the gods of a forest and the humans who consume its resources. It was written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

My Neighbour Totoro

This 1988 anime beauty is up there among the most loved offering from Studio Ghibli. It tells the story of young Satsuki and Mei, who move to the countryside with their father to be closer to their ailing mother. They take delight in their new rural surroundings, especially after they meet Totoro, a cuddly creature who might well be a forest spirit, a unique breed of animal, or just an imaginary friend.

Spirited Away

A commercial and critical success, “Spirited Away” may well be Studio Ghibli’s most famous product yet. It tells the story of Chihiro Ogino (Hiiragi), a 10-year-old girl, who while moving to a new neighbourhood enters the world of Kami (spirits of Japanese Shinto folklore). After her parents are turned into pigs by the witch Yubaba (Natsuki), Chihiro takes a job working in Yubaba’s bathhouse to find a way to free herself and her parents and return to the human world. The anime won several awards, including the Academy Award for best-animated feature at the 75th Academy Awards.

Grave of The Fireflies

“Grave of the Fireflies” centres on young children who think they’re going on a magical adventure — but they are unfortunately travelling in the real world, without any helpful spirits to protect them. It is an emotional ride of a film and is bound to make you shed a few tears.

The list of Studio Ghibli’s films is long and rich. Their contribution to the success and popularity of anime cannot be overstated or dismissed. Unfortunately, many of the founding and early runners of the studio are now either too old or deceased. The studio was once on a hiatus but is back in action now, even though not much is being produced. Likely, it will resume production when an efficient team takes over its affairs.

Anime List

Anime List is a site that provides its users with a list-like system to organize and score anime and manga. It facilitates finding users who share similar tastes and provides a large database on anime and manga. As of 2008, the site claimed to have 4.4 million anime and 775,000 manga entries.

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How to draw anime girl

Anime girl is an integral part of any and every anime offering. Whether in form of a femme fatale, the beautiful damsel, the sexy/hot girl, the warrior and so on. While each type of anime girl has her peculiar features, certain attributes overlap. Here is a brief basic outline of how to draw one.

1. Draw the centre guideline and the top of the head. This step requires a simple vertical line through the centre of your canvass. It helps make sure that both halves of the head/neck/shoulders are of relatively even width.
2. Draw the bottom of the head. Do this by drawing two lines from the lower part of the circle downwards and angled towards the centre line.
3. Draw the neck and shoulders. The neck is always a bit long and thin in relation to the head creating a subtle beauty for the anime girl.
4. Place the eyes horizontally by dividing the head into two halves and placing the eyes slightly below the halfway line.
5. Draw eyebrows. Place them a bit high above the eyes.
6. Draw the nose. Place it slightly above the halfway point between the horizontal line for the middle of the head and the bottom of the chin.
7. Position and draw the mouth. Make the mouth fairly small with a very slight downwards curve.
8. Draw the ears. Place them with their tops slightly below the top of the eyes and their bottoms slightly below the bottom of the nose.
9. The sides of the hair. Make two fairly long strands that begin from around the top of the head and end with a pair of splits slightly below the shoulders.
10. Draw the front of the hair. Make this split down the middle and tucked under the sides.
11. Draw the top of the hair and ensure it splits down the middle. Let it curve away from the head towards the middle/bottom of the head.

Anime eyes

To draw perfect anime girl eyes, first, draw the outer shape of the eyes, followed by the shape of the iris, then the pupils. Indicate a dark area above the iris, and then draw the primary reflection. The reflection area is from the main light source, such as an indoor light bulb, a fire, or the sun. This will be followed by the secondary reflection which usually comes from the light of the main light source bouncing off of a surface and will be smaller than the primary reflection. You can then shade the parts of the eyes. Shade the eyelids and pupils black. You can shade the iris in whatever colour you wish. If you wish, you can add the top and bottom eyelashes.

Hot anime girl films

1. The testament of sister new devil (Action, fantasy. 2 seasons, 24 episodes)
2. Shomin sample (Comedy, romance. 12 episodes)
3. Freezing (Action, military. 24 episodes)
4. Kill a kill (Action, comedy. 24 episodes)
5. High School DxD (Comedy, harem, demons. 4 seasons, 48 episodes)
6. Keijo (Action, sports. 12 Episodes)
7. High school of the dead (Action, horror, supernatural. 12 episodes)
8. To-Love-Ru (Comedy, romance. 4 seasons, 62 episodes)
9. Prison school (Comedy, romance. 12 episodes)
10. Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks? (Adventure, fantasy. 12 episodes)

Conclusion

Anime is more popular than one might readily realise or give it credit for. Also, contrary to premeditated perception that it is just for kids, it offers deep and mature content that speak to everyday human existence just like any other artform. What’s more, the high cost of production goes to show how serious an artform it is. If you haven’t already, dive into the amazing world of anime and enjoy the quality it has to offer. You can start from the list of contents provided in this article. You will be a fan in no time, I’m sure.

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