What is Anime? Anime (pronounced AH-nee-may) is very hard to describe in only a few words. If you don't know what anime is, here are a few words that might help you get started. Anime is Japanese animation. The word anime is a transliteration of the English word animation. Related to anime is manga. Manga is what comics are called in Japan. The word manga was coined by the artist Hokusai in 1815, usually translated to mean "irresponsible pictures."
Anime and manga are significantly different from their counterparts in America. For the most part, cartoons and comic books in America are thought of as geared toward youngsters. Cartoons and comics books in Japan are geared towards all ages. While there is a large amount of American animation and comics which are intended for older, more mature readers without the need for bulging superheroes, they are seen as something separate from the conventional line of comic books (hence DC Comic's Vertigo label as a separate entity from its normal titles). Millions of subway riders in America pass their time reading novels on the train. In Japan, you're just as likely to see someone reading a comic book.
While well thought out, "adult" animation is something of a rarity in America there are pleanty of tv shows, movies and direct to video (called Original Video Animations or OVAs in Japan) examples of anime. Look for high quality animation, real vocal acting (voice actors and actresses are big stars in Japan who hold concerts and have magazines and "data books" devoted to them), music everywhere, real drama like people dying and falling in love (sometimes at the same time!), and even the occasional English phrase thrown in for no apparent reason.
Clearly the above doesn't apply to all anime. There are good shows and movies just with any sort of entertainment. But the only way you'll know for sure how right I am in my description is to watch it for yourself. ;)
What is DIVX? Taken from http://www.divx.com/support/what.php DivX™ video compression is a patent-pending software technology that compresses digital video so it can be downloaded over DSL or cable modems in a relatively short time with no reduced visual quality. What does this mean for you? It means that now, for the first time, you can download full-screen, full-motion videos from the Internet that actually look and sound like what you get from your television or DVD player, and are not the size of postage stamps. With DivX™ compression technology, you can download and watch high-quality video on your television set or other convergence devices. For more detailed information about the detailed meaning of DivX™, visit http://www.divx.com/support/what.php.
