The Associated Press writes, "The popularity of animé, that uniquely Japanese form of
animation, can be traced directly to the growth of video games, especially the Final Fantasy series and other
role-playing epics like Dragon Warrior."
The relationship between the two media is more complicated than that. First of all, anime has been around for nearly 100 years, so it's far more likely that anime has had greater influence on games than the other way around.
Second, the relationship is more symbiotic than the article implies. Fans of the two entertainment forms tend to appreciate many of the same techniques, plot devices, and tropes. It's difficult to imagine either form of entertainment evolving to the state that each is in today without the other. Anime is constantly referencing video games and games anime.
The AP's list is a bit weak, though. Joystiq readers can do better than that AP reporter. What are your favorite anime-game pairings? Chalk one vote for cell shading technology.
