Chicago Sun-Times 

November 10, 1999, WEDNESDAY, Late Sports Final Edition 

SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 55 

LENGTH: 204 words 

HEADLINE: More than a cartoon, anime spans genres 

BYLINE: Kevin M. Williams 

BODY: 
      To describe it as succinctly as possible, anime means big, pupil-less 
eyes, spectacular imagery and frequently, adult themes. 

Anime (ah-nee-MAY, Japanese for "animation") decidedly is not just mere 
cartoons. 

The only real difference between anime and live-action cinema is that the former 
is animated. But anime does not take the traditionally light, often shallow 
approach of American cartoons. A good way to think of anime would be to imagine 
a film in which the director chose animation to create a field of view that 
would be impossible with live actors and scenery. 

Anime spans a gamut of genres such as sci-fi, horror or drama. The quality of 
anime is usually very high, giving characters and settings an expressiveness not 
seen in cartoons or movies. Most experts regard "Astro Boy" (1963) as the first 
imported anime feature. Other popular offerings were "Gigantor" and the TV 
series "Speed Racer." 

More recent anime hits include "Akira," a post-apocalyptic action drama, and 
"Ghost in the Shell," a fabulous "Blade Runner"-like sci-fi thriller. 

Anime also has been produced on these shores -- for instance, Todd McFarlane's 
"Spawn," the fantastic adult animated series that airs on cable's HBO. 

GRAPHIC: See also related story.