Updated October 18, 2022 by Ernie
When we think of anime, we think of the usual style; big eyes, slender body, somehow unproportionate body figure, crazy hair, and two-Dimensional. We have grown and love the hand drawn art style anime offers. There are also anime that challenge the norm and go with their own style, like Panty and Stockings with Garterbelt and Tatami Galaxy!
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And because of the changing times and improvement of technology, this style has been translated to 3D animation giving us Land of the Lustrous, Knights of Sidonia, a couple of Pretty Cure All Stars movies, and infamously, Berserk.
This kind of style has been adapted by Western animation and the Japanese anime style is evident in series shows like the Avatar series, RWBY, and She-Ra to name a few.
Now this begs the question, what constitutes an anime? Is it an anime because it was made in Japan? Or is it an anime because of its style? And most importantly, is Miraculous Ladybug, a French animated series, an anime?
Also read: Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir (FILLER LIST)
MIRACULOUS LADYBUG: ANIME OR NOT?
What is Miraculous Ladybug?
As mentioned, Miraculous Ladybug, also called, Miraculous: The Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, is a French animated series. It is set in Paris, France, focusing on the exploits of Marinette Dupain–Cheng and Adrien Agreste, as they live a double life. They pose as normal high school students but when an akuma sent by Hawk Moth arrives, they instantly transform using their Miraculous to Ladybug and Cat Noir respectively! Using their powers and wits they beat evil, stop Hawk Moth from his tracks, and save Paris yet again!
It has run from 2015 with 5 seasons and 2 two movies, video games, and a manga adaptation. Its seasons 6 and 7 are now confirmed to be in the works. Looks like we won’t be short of Miraculous content anytime soon!
Is Miraculous Ladybug an Anime?
There is no denying that Miraculous Ladybug has taken influence from Japanese anime.
Similar to Sailor Moon and other magical girl anime, they face a monster of the day type of enemy and save the city from destruction! They thwart the big bad from his plan as it slowly builds up to a grander scheme! Not only that, but the transformation sequences of each Miraculous holder seem to take influence from the aforementioned genre. So sparkly, quite flashy, very colorful, and very much reminiscent of the early magical genre pre-Madoka. Their style, with the big eyes, crazy hair, and somehow unproportionate body figure is undeniably anime-esque. Even if it is in CGI, there are a lot of anime in CGI! With that considered, is it enough to be called an anime?
If we are going to be technical with anime and narrow its definition to animated media produced in Japan then the answer is no… but stemming from its history, from its influences and from its pitching phase… it was supposed to be.
You see, the creation of Miraculous Ladybug will not be possible without the help of Toei animations. The animation studio behind Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball, One Piece, Digimon and more! They originally pitched the show to be in 2D style, all similar to an anime style show. There were character designs, transformation sequences, and even a short trailer available online. Think of Powerpuff Girls Z but based on an original idea.
Also read: 25+ Best Magical Girl Anime! (Recommendations)
However in order to appeal to Western audiences they scrapped the designs and other characters. They started from scratch and chose a CGI medium and a more human proportion. It will also be easier to animate and maintain the quality if done in 3D rendering rather than the hand drawn animation. Saving them both time and money.
There was a total change of designs, Adrien had more personality than his aloof beta design, and Ladybug lost the long ribbons in her costume. There were new characters included like Chloe and Ayla, and some villains were reworked.
It might have undergone a lot of changes, but it still stays true to its roots. It presented itself as a modern day superhero-magical girl fusion all in CGI animation. Even with the scrapping of 2D animation, TOEI still helped co-produce the show. Currently, some parts are being animated in France and in Korea, both working hard to serve us Miraculous Ladybug episodes! Can’t wait!
What is Miraculous Ladybug then?
With this, we can say that Miraculous Ladybug is not an anime in the Japanese sense but anime-influenced. It falls under the umbrella of animation, and unfortunately, unlike Korea who have Aeni or China with Donghua, there is no term for French animation… dessin animé? I am not sure…
But, it was able to capture the hearts of the young and the young adults and the young at heart and garnering a following. This made it become one of the most popular animated series not just in France, but in America, as well. No wonder its story is still ongoing, meaning there will be more Miraculous content in the future!
Should I check out Miraculous Ladybug?
As mentioned it takes influence from the magical girl genre, but it takes a dash of superhero twist in it. It is also not short of a little bit of school life, as they are just students. So if both genres float your boat, and you don’t mind a slow paced story, go check it out!
The story is good, the character development is outstanding! It can be cheesy sometimes, but it is because the show is geared towards a younger audience. Even so, it is not short of action-packed sequences! What really makes it stand out is how Marinette takes on the responsibility of being a Miraculous Holder and being the Guardian of the Miraculouses. She carries the burden of such a heavy task along with being a student and a daughter. This gives a more realistic touch and forms a connection to the audience more.
Conclusion
Animation may be a broad spectrum but Japanese anime has this certain spice that cannot be captured by Western media! The same goes for Western media! Needless to say, they have their niche yet everyone around the world can enjoy it!
Regardless of whether a show is an anime or not, anime is a part of Japan’s entertainment culture- a culture they are willing to share with the world. It will not make a show less of a show if it is not an anime or if it is an anime, nevertheless it should be celebrated! This, in a way, is a means of uniting and celebrating two different cultures.
Aside from that, from the perspective of a fan, it’s a good show! With its ongoing status, it has more to offer and more twists to look forward to! So hold on to your seats as this will be a bumpy ride! If this got you hooked and is curious whether you should skip an episode or not, we’ve got a filler list just for you!
As Ladybug and Cat Noir would say, POUND IT!
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