Now, one of the first things someone mentions when they realize I love anime is "Oh, those cartoons, right?". That's if the term anime lights a bulb in their head at all. For the most part, I've realized that a lot of people don't even realize they enjoy anime - because they've seen it on tv and just thought it was cartoons on tv. So when the discussion starts, I do my best to describe what it is I have such an obsession for.

Japanese Animation is a style of animated movie or series, with distinctive artwork.

Pet peeve #1: It's not just a cartoon.

Japanese Animation doesn't just have funny, light themes. Some series are very serious, dealing with very deep themes and sometimes disturbing plot lines. Other series can be exceedingly violent or contain very explicit sexual content. Anime can be incredibly enjoyable for the depth of the story portrayed and the beauty of the artwork. And most definitely, parents should realize that it's not just a cartoon.

Pet peeve #2: Original Uncut Japanese version vs. US release

The US producers may heavily cut a series to make it "appropriate" for the target viewers. Series such as Card Captor Sakura and Sailor Moon have been heavily cut, dialogues changed in English dubbing, story lines seriously altered and episodes shown in a different order. While this is still enjoyable for the target audience, the depth of the story and many side plots are sometimes lost. I prefer the original uncut Japanese version, the way the original Japanese team meant for it to be presented.

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