I'm pretty sure you've all heard of Anime. The best is Kids' Anime. If you've been to my first website, I have a blog post 1/2 way dedicated to my latest obsession: Princess Tutu.
As I have noticed, the roots of Anime are Manga. I've come to realize that most (if not all) anime shows are based on manga books, which came first.
My favorite "anime" (besides Tutu) is the works of Hayao Miyasaki. Miyasaki Sama has directed many films by Studio Ghibli, such as Castle in the Sky, Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo, and The Secret World of Arrietti. According to Wikipedia, Miyasaki didn't care for true Japanese Anime, and settled for the more friendly American version. His works are admired in both countries.