: Re: What makes something "anime"? I read the following question on WorldBuilding.SE last week: What early middle ages weapons would suit an extremely strong child? I thought the premise was interesting,

@Phylliss352

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We need to define what counts as Anime. I am going to discard the literal definition of "animated motion picture from Japan" in favor of a cultural one.

Some scholars suggest defining anime as specifically or quintessentially Japanese may be related to a new form of Orientalism. [...]
Anime is a diverse art form with distinctive production methods and techniques that have been adapted over time in response to emergent technologies. It combines graphic art, characterization, cinematography, and other forms of imaginative and individualistic techniques. [ref]

Therefore, as an art style and cultural manifestation with dozens of sub-genres, we have the following points that can be considered as "anime" in the context of the references you supplied:

Larger-than-life combat prowess (from shonen): The weapons, combatants, and techniques used are over-the-top and disregard physics. This keys with the oriental mysticism surrounding martial arts (as seen in the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). Example: DragonBall Goku's Kamehameha or the Genki-Dama.

It fits perfectly with the premise of the linked question:

[...]what dark age weapon would suit best for a 7 year old girl, which has the strength of a dozen strong men?

The imagery in the question also ties in with another popular anime trope, the badass little girl. [ref 1]- [ref 2].

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