Anime is a form of animation that basically is made in Japan. The word anime is the Japanese take on the word animation. Initially stylized following manga, which are Japanese graphic novels. Shows like Dragon Ball Z, Pokemon, and Ruroni Kenshin are all examples of anime,

Anime characters are usually drawn with bold features, more so than American animated characters. This is because Japanese animators like the more bold features of people in the western world. Anime also tends to be more realistic in art than American animation. The also deal with more mature themes often.

Some anime fans would like to argue that anime's are not cartoons, which they are, and the word animation has nothing to do with anime, when anime is actually a take on the word animation. Anime is the word commonly used in America for Japanese cartoons, and in actuality if it's animated and comes from Japan it is an anime, no matter if it fits the popular conception of anime or not. In Japan something like Rugrats would be considered anime due to the fact that it is in fact an animated cartoon. Anime is only a word to describe animation, used by the Japanese.