The "Suikoden" of the title refers to a famous work of classic Chinese literature, "The Water Margin." Written in the 16th century, it tells the tale of a heroic bandit (loosely based on a historical figure) who gathers a group of 108 outlaws imbued with 108 spirits.

In modern times, it has been adapted into a number of martial arts films, both Japanese and Chinese TV series, and several video games--both the early Koei title for the NES and several computer systems, Bandit Kings of Ancient China, and the long-running fantasy-themed Gensou Suikoden series from Konami for the PlayStation and PS2.

Note that the Suikoden III manga series by Aki Shimizu (available in English from Tokyopop) is directly based on the game of the same title.

The Japanese Animation

Japanese animation, known as anime, blossomed after World War II (1939-1945) and today is immensely popular both within Japan and worldwide. Some of the first animation produced in Japan includes the short film Kachikachi Yama (The Hare Gets Revenge Over the Raccoon, 1939) and the puppet film Musume Dojoji (The Girl at Dojo's Temple, 1946), both directed by Kon Ichikawa, who later also made live-action films. The most important historical figure in Japanese animation, Osamu Tezuka, created the first animated television series in Japan, Tetsuwan Atom (Astro Boy) in 1963. Tezuka also made a number of shorts, among them Onboro Film (Broken Down Film, 1985), which parodies American silent motion pictures.

More recently, the success of such animated feature films as Akira (1988), directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, has earned Japanese anime an international following. One of the most famous Japanese animators is Hayao Miyazaki, whose acclaimed films include Castle in the Sky (1986), Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke, 1997), and Sen To Chihiro Kamikakushi (Spirited Away, 2001), which won an Academy Award for best animated feature. The Japanese animated television series Cowboy Bebop (1998), by director Shinichiro Watanabe, is another landmark of the genre. Other important Japanese animators include Yoji Kuri, Kihachiro Kawamoto, Renzo Kinoshita, Taku Furukawa, Isao Takahata, Mamoru Oshii, and Shinichi Suzuki. The Toei studio, one of Japan's largest producers of live-action films, has also played a significant role in animation history with a number of feature films and made-for-television series.

~is it informative,I only want some people to know what is the real origin of japanese anime,its history and some abouts.just for Illumination.

~sorry it should be "were" not "was"