Anime and manga are highly influential because of the variety of genres it offers, along with the remarkable graphics. A universal practice seen in these is how characters initially announce their attacks. Had there always been a reason for this? 

Characters yelled their attacks in the manga to prevent confusion in the action-packed manga panels, which continued to be included in the anime adaptations.

The Brief History of Anime

The influence of anime and manga is worldwide, surpassing the barriers of language and culture. It caters to different age groups and comes with a variety of genres that can pique the interest of anyone, but it hasn’t always been like this.

Spreading Anti-American propaganda was the initial goal of anime in the 1910s. A few decades after, Japan turned into one of the largest producers of anime worldwide. The biggest animation producer at that time was the United States of America, influencing the Japanese profoundly.

Astro Boy established the famous career of the Father of Modern Manga, Osamu Tezuka, and became so successful it had an anime adaptation in the early 1960s. (Source: Go! Go! Nihon) 

The 1960s had more notable anime such as Sally the Witch, GeGeGe no Kitarō, and Sazae-San. Sazae-San currently holds the Guinness World Record, the longest-running broadcast, releasing more than seven thousand episodes since 1969. (Source: Film Web) 

In the 1980s, anime’s international recognition grew with Hayao Miyazaki, the founder of Studio Ghibli. Many of his animated movies received both national and international awards, one of those awards was the Oscar for Best Animated Film given to Spirited Away in 2003.

A decade later, during the 1990s, the production of many anime that continue to influence people of all ages established the tremendous potential anime had. Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball, Neon Genesis Evangelion, One Piece, and Card Captor Sakura are a few internationally acclaimed anime that inspired millions of people worldwide. (Source: Go! Go! Nihon)

The Familiar Anime Character Yell

Most anime fanatics do not mind how anime characters yell their attacks before doing it, but for newbies, it might come off as a surprise. The overall layout and limitations of manga and samurai introductions are the main reasons why anime characters introduce their attacks to their rivals.

Many mangas, a Japanese form of a comic book, have birthed anime adaptations. But since manga is an art medium that is incapable of moving, many limitations come with it. Manga tends to confuse a reader when too much action is happening at a single panel, and since most mangas aren’t colored, some characters are more prone to looking alike.

Mangaka, or manga creators, tackle these limitations by making their characters introduce themselves and by naming & announcing their attacks before they strike. These methods directly mend the restrictions of manga, but they also improve it by providing a smooth flow of events.

Although unnecessary, the anime adaptation also shows these methods. It provides further clarification to the audience if a finishing move is about to happen in fights.

Characters in shōnen or action and adventure-packed genres place a great significance in introducing themselves to each other before a fight, reflecting the Japanese military tradition of choosing to fight conflicts of honor instead of inflicting pain carelessly. The early Japanese samurai would fight each other in proper duels instead of fighting as foes.

Samurais would announce their parentage and achievements to the enemies to fight a worthy opponent. This introductory routine in the battlefield extended to its inclusion in different forms of Japanese literature, including manga. (Source: Japan Powered)