Over the past few years, Netflix has greatly increased its anime library. This includes slightly older series like Death Note as well as newer ones like One-Punch Man, and many of them were popular before coming to Netflix. But there are also Netflix Original anime, which are licensed by and exclusive to the streaming platform. Recent hits include Aggretsuko and Devilman Crybaby, and the catalog continues to grow.Traditional anime fans are often sticklers when it comes to what can be called `anime.` This is especially true with shows like Netflix`s Castlevania and the upcoming Cannon Busters, which aren`t made entirely by Japanese creators and, to some fans, fall into a hard-to-define gray area. During Anime Expo 2018, we spoke to several Netflix anime creators about what qualifies as anime, how anime is evolving, and more.Featured in this interview are Castlevania producer Adi Shankar, Cannon Busters showrunner and longtime animator LeSean Thomas (whose previous work includes The Boondocks and The Legend of Korra), renowned Japanese director Shinji Higuchi (whose new series, Dragon Pilot, is coming to Netflix on September 21), and director of anime at Netflix John Derderian. Be sure to read our roundup of Netflix`s latest anime announcements for more details on the upcoming series. The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.I want to start off with something you [LeSean Thomas] said on Twitter very recently about defining anime. I think anime fans are very big on defining what is and what is not anime, and with series like Castlevania and Cannon Busters, that`s something certain people get testy about. What does `anime` mean to you as a creator and with Netflix in particular?LeSean Thomas: I mean I think that`s a fascinating question, and it`s almost always the case with Americans or Westerners asking other Americans or Westerners what anime is and what it isn`t. I have yet to see, at all, anyone asking a Japanese animation director or creat ...
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