BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- A considerable amount of human-cast animation will disappear from Chinese TV, as the genre will no longer be regarded as bona fide animation and will be banned from animation TV channels in China.

    A notice released by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television Monday, said broadcast licences of animation to those with human cast will end, thus drawing a distinct line between the two genres.

    It also ordered "specialized animation TV channels, special periods and programs" be free from human-cast animation.

    "Most of the so-called 'human-cast animation' in China's TV channels is not animation in a strict sense," said an official with the administration. "They are just ordinary human-cast TV drama with a few special effects and techniques."

    But the official didn't say whether the ratio of special effects in a TV drama is the gauge to distinguish animation from human-cast TV drama. She said the distinction depends on experts.

    In the notice, the administration explained its act by saying that this so-called "animation" will " jeopardize the broadcasting order of home-made animation and mislead their development."

    But much of the Japanese animation favored by Chinese young audiences has human casts, and Beijing TV's animation channel is currently broadcasting a human-cast animation TV series and hasn't yet received an official order to cease. Enditem