For many decades, manga and anime had simple, static definitions. Manga was Japanese comic books read in panels from right to left, and anime was Japanese animation - all produced in Japan by Japanese creators. Similar to the dynamic of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, commercially successful manga were adapted into anime series or films. This era brought us sci-fi thrillers such as Akira and Ghost in the Shell, legendary directors like Satoshi Kon and Hayao Miyazaki, and huge franchises, including Dragonball and Naruta to name a few.