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Sakura Con - Saturday - Dr. Antonia
Levi
 Anime may
be influenced by American popular art, but it's Asian at heart. So said
Dr. Antonia Levi, history professor at Portland State University. The ambiguity
that anime stories often contain is part of Asian philosophy and religion,
and that confuses some Americans - but it draws others to the art form,
especially youth. |
 Some people
look at the Pokemon movie and the currently-hot Gundam Wing series and
see a contradiction, because those shows both feature and condemn fighting
at the same time. Levi said it's a Shinto way to looking at life, and many
don't understand that. "I think there is going to be a clash and it's going
to be more than the fundamentalist stuff. They're not saying it's neo-witchcraft
and paganism, they're saying you can't have two competing opinions at the
same time," said Levi. |
 Fans - including
Levi - look at anime and see good storytelling. "I think character development
is critical," she said. "We love to find what makes each other tick - that's
where anime excels." And anime takes youth to worlds beyond themselves,
which is one of the reason Levi feels youth are attracted to this art form.
"The freer attitude toward differing beliefs is important. No matter what
their parents believe, these kids are growing up in a society where they
have to deal with different beliefs." |
 Even though
anime creators say they're influenced by American movies and art, is anime
that American? Levi said no. "My feeling is when they try to portray Americans,
they fail. They're looking at themselves." |
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