What is Anime anyways?
Anime vs. Manga
OVAs, TV Series & Movies
Genres of Anime

OVAs, TV series & movies

OVAs/OAVs - Original Video Animation
These are released directly to video only. They originate from anime series or from the mangas. Sometimes the storyline might change, depending on the original story or be an independent plot. Also, some OVA's have been turned into TV series.

TV Series
Anime series are the most popular format we see. Due to the technology of the internet and file-sharing programs, anime episodes from tv series can be downloaded from fellow anime watchers. These can be dubbed (voice-over) or subbed (subtitles). On TV though, series are screened for a specific amount of time from the beginning to the end of the week. It usually takes around 1 year + for anime series from Japan to reach english speaking people. Some examples of that are Dragonball Z episodes and Sailormoon. These animes actually started in the 80's &90's and have taken a while to be translated into english or even been sold commercially on video.

Movies
Anime movies usually take place after the end of a series or a new plot. They can be released to videos or go to cinema as well. An example of that is the movie Princess Mononoke which was released about 3-4 years ago in theatres. Just this year a movie called Spirited Away was released to theaters, about a 10-year old girl who was moving to the suburbs and ends up wandering into a mysterious town.