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I used to be a stupid anime fan, the kind of stupid teenager who thinks anime is somehow superior to American animation. I've changed my ways since then, but I still like anime. But I also have learned how to appreciate other mediums. For example, since then I've purchased the Batman Animated Series, and Star Trek, and the X-Files on DVD (I think I need more 80's cartoons.) Maybe it's a bad thing, maybe not, but my own drawing style is heavily anime-inspired.

I'd definetly say alot of anime is aimed at teens. Hell, I love One Piece and it's basically a children's cartoon! The only good anime aimed at adults I've seen, off the top of my hat, are Monster and Maison Ikkaku. Make of that what you will.

I wouldn't say all anime/manga artists have identical styles. Akira Toriyama, although a lot of his human characters look same-y, has a recognizable style, and his monster designs are interesting. Tite Kubo, author of Bleach, can't write worth shit but he can draw pretty well. I'd say he has a unique, if still strictly anime-based, style. Alot of it does look the same, and I think it mostly has to do with the fact that several animators will work on one show, and too many hands spoil the broth. Individual styles are more appearent in manga form, where it's just one artist (although often the artist will have a few assitants who fill in shading and backgrounds..) Even then, differences in styles are usually subtle. But, don't you think Japanese people think the same of some western animation?

The most unique anime artist, I can honestly say, is Yoshitaka Amano. He started out designing "meh" character designs for, I think, the Vampire Hunter D series. After a while, he took a break to travel abroad. He studied classical art in Europe, and the Modern movement in America. When he got back to Japan, he combined these styles, including the anime, as well as traditional Japanese folk art. What he developed is a very unique style, to say the least. You all probably know him best as the guy who did concept art and character designs for the early Final Fantasy games.

One thing that bugs me about anime now, is the fact that the majority of it is based off of manga. Popular manga, obviously, and that means that they make anime just to make money. It's a commericial product. And, if it's based on preexisting source material, it's not even an original creative expression! How then, can it be high art? If you call Dragon Ball Z or Sailor Moon high art, you might as well be calling shovel-ware video games "art," too.

Don't get me wrong, even something based on another work can be unique, and a work of art in its own right. For example, Stanley Kubrick's films A Clockwork Orange, 2001: A Space Odysee, and the Shining are all based on novels, but are considered classics and deviate quite boldly from their sources. Not once have I seen an anime that does this.