Britney Spears Animated Music Video: "Break the Ice"

Britney Spears was born for the tabloids. Attractive, irrational, and a trial of the American dream. America simply cares about her every move. Even the people who denounce her and the lifestyle she stands for can't seem to ignore her. It's not just her persona as a cute southern girl that people follow; it's her gradual evolution from straightforward teenager to complex pop icon. So when she makes an animated music video, people ask questions: How does this fit into the big Britney picture?

The first and most common reaction to the "Break the Ice" music video seems to be, "What a smart move... Britney doesn't have to get in shape or look half presentable for an animated music video." But there's more to this. Generally, animation is often taken as a genre for youth, so this video could be seen as an appeal to the youth. However, this video shares enough stylistic similarities to be placed in the more specific "anime" category of animation. According to dictionary.com, anime is, "a Japanese style of motion-picture animation, characterized by highly stylized, colorful art, futuristic settings, violence, and sexuality."

If you watch the video Break the Ice, you'll notice that colorful art, futuristic settings, violence, and sexuality reign supreme. Britney Spears is a futuristic heroine, clearly borrowing from the classic anime movie Ghost in the Shell. She has come here to kick ass and chew bubblegum - and she's all out of bubblegum. Such subject matter is often used in anime for coming of age or realization of hidden potential stories. Perhaps that's what Britney's new video is all about; she is trying to realize a hidden potential and reinvent herself once again through a new medium. Her video claims that she still has what it takes, as she reaches out to a new hip audience.

Unfortunately, the video itself is uninspired. The animation is nothing praise worthy and it utilizes cost saving measures such as panning and zooming across still images. Additionally, the simplistic story does not add much to the genre or medium. The only really notable facet of the video is that it came from Britney Spears; it expresses her iconic status.

It's unclear what the long term effects of the video will be. Is she starting a new trend for herself? Will animated music videos experience a rise in popularity? Some anime fans may be disgruntled that Britney made this video, "We have a hard enough time as it is trying to convince the general populace that there's something substantial and worthwhile to anime." Others may delight at their interests turning more mainstream. In the end, as Britney Spears knows all too well, there is a value and a cost when you appeal to the mainstream's attention.