Animé refers to Japanese animated films and TV series; Manga are comic books or graphic novels. Many non-anime fans have a very narrow view of what 'cartoons' are like, but the range and quality of animation produced in Japan is simply on a different level to anywhere else.

I got interested in 1997 while at Warwick University, and since then I've gone to a number of to conventions and I'm a regular at the London Anime Club (LAC) and Oxford Anime Vision.

If you're wondering what anime is worth watching please have a look at my reviews. Also the population of the newsgroup uk.media.animation.anime have compiled guides to the best UK releases and US releases.