The Debate over the Definition of “Anime”

According to Suncoast Motion Picture Company, where we got many of our anime VHS tapes back in the day, if it was animated and sexy or violent, it was anime. That's why you could see Æon Flux, a Western animation created by a person of Korean descent, in the anime section.

Personally, I think in order to be anime, it has to be Japanese animation in the Japanese style. This is still very broad, but it rules out things like ThunderCats, which was animated in Japan for a Western studio using Western character designs and animation tropes. It also rules out "amerime", which is Western animation done in the anime style (so like Teen Titans, or Totally Spies which isn't even American (it's French I think)).

I recall that before the word ‘anime’ became common usage in the US, you’d hear the term ‘Japanimation.’ I’d guess anime is better than that.

I like to use the term anime only for Japanese animation, but not for some kind of purism. The word anime does mean animation and is meant to all types of animation. But I use like it's the name of the genre.