It's hard to like and respect a cat with panties on his head....but I can't help myself. I ambivalent the heck out of this thread. Always entertaining Pyro
Just because Simpsons isn't Japanese, it still is technically an anime. Anime is just an abbreviated pronunciation of Animation.
The main difference between anime and cartoons is that Anime has a story line and plot throughout the series and the character visuals are alot more realistic and advanced whereas most cartoons are just episodes following no plot and the characters are made to look more appealing to children.
Still it isn't; Anime generally denotes eastern animations, while western animationsa re usually called cartoons, afaik.
So, the difference between anime and cartoon is that they are really similar and both focused on kids but if it comes from asia you'll say that it has a deep plot to feel better about yourself looking at it, good. Instead of doing that elitist *****ing, just assume that you enjoy what you enjoy (kid's tv shows) and don't try to be "cool" about it.
Its mostly about the art style. If you compare how an anime is drawn and how a cartoon is drawn you will notice vast differences. The quality is entirely individual; you can't say Animes > Cartoons or Cartoons > Animes.
