The history of anime begins at
the start of the 20th century,
when Japanese filmmakers expe-
rimented with the animation t-
echniques that were being exp-
lored in the West. During the
1970s, anime developed furthe-
r, sepsarating itself from it-
s Western roots, and developing unique genres such as
mecha. Notable shows in this period include Lupin III
and Mazinger Z. During this period several filmmakers
became famous, especially Hayao Miyazaki and Mamoru
Oshii.

Unlike America, where live-action shows and movies
have generous budgets, the live-action industry in
Japan is a small market and suffered from budgeting
and location restrictions. The varied use of
animation allowed artists to create settings that did
not look Japanese at all.

In the 1980s, anime was accepted in the mainstream in
Japan, and experienced a boom in production. The rise
of the Gundam and Macross franchises and the
beginnings of Rumiko Takahashi's career began in this
decade. Akira set records in 1988 for the production
costs of an anime film and went on to become a cult
success worldwide (later in 2004, the same creators
produced Steamboy, the most expensive anime film).
The Super Dimension Fortress Macross also became a
worldwide success after being adapted as part of
Robotech, and Megazone 23 also gained recognition in
the West after it was adapted as Robotech: The Movie.

In the 1990s and 2000s, anime series such as Dragon
Ball Z, Pokemon and Sailor Moon became worldwide
successes, while other anime series such as Gundam,
Macross, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop
were popular in Japan and attracted attention from
the West. A number of anime-influenced animations
have been produced in the West, and the growth of the
internet also led to the rise of fansubbed anime.
Spirited Away shared the first prize at the 2002
Berlin Film Festival and won the Academy Award for
Best Animated Feature in 2003, while Innocence: Ghost
in the Shell was featured at the 2004 Cannes Film
Festival.