Ask John: Is IGPX Anime?

Question:
Is IGPX Immortal Grand prix considered an anime?

Answer:
At this point, I honestly don’t know if IGPX will be, or should be considered anime. Furthermore, I don’t want to be held responsible as being the person to distinctly label the show one way or the other. Clearly Immortal Grand Prix looks like anime, and it’s created by Production IG, a reputable anime production studio. But it’s not officially mentioned on either the English language or Japanese language Production IG homepages, nor does it appear to be scheduled for Japanese release. With these circumstances, it would usually be assumed that the show in question was an American title animated in Japan by commission. That alone would not constitute anime. However, that doesn’t appear to be the case with Immortal Grand Prix. IGPX appears to be an original Japanese concept made for American release. If that is the case, based on the fact that the animation was fully created and animated by Japanese animators, it could be called Japanese animation. But technical origins alone aren’t necessarily enough to determine whether a title exhibits all of the technical attributes associated with anime, and particularly anime’s prioritizing of intelligent storytelling responsible foremost to itself above condescending its integrity to market demands. It will probably be impossible to really tell if IGPX is not only created and produced in Japan but also contains the aspects of content and style unique to anime until it actually premiers in America and fans are able to see it in full.