What does (OVA) and (OAV) mean?

Answer 1

Original Video Animation(OVA)
Original Animation Video(OAV)
they are basically the same meaning shows that were never shown on tv put right to video

the site below gives you all the details

Answer 2

OVA (Original Video Animation )

OAV (Original Animated Video)

OVA is a term used for anime titles which are released without prior showings on TV. Sometimes they explain the twists in plot, sometimes state a whole different story far from the original plot.
OAV is the same thing which was used before, but due to its similarity with some other abbreviation OVA became widely used by all.

Answer 3

Original Video Animation OVA Original Animation Video OVA

the reason why there are two different names is because in Japan adult videos are abbreviated as AV so in order to not cause confusion OVA is used instead of OAV. In other words they don't want anime confused with Adult entertainment.

if going by content

OVA can either be an side-story to an anime (ie Gundm 0079 and the OVA Gundam 0080).

Or something like a filler or extra material, (FMA OVA and Bleach OVA). Kind of like a break in the story.

They are usually direct to Video/TV.

In short it a lot like a Direct To TV movie in America.

Answer 4

hi there... :)

OVA = Original Video Animation, animes that are released directly to video

OAV = Original Animation Video which is of course pretty much the same meaning as OVA

taken from WIKIPEDIA:
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Original Video Animation abbreviated OVA is a term used for anime titles that are released direct-to-video, without prior showings on TV or in theaters. OVA titles were originally available on VHS, though they later became available on other media such as Laserdisc and DVD. OVA is sometimes used, perhaps inappropriately, to refer to any extremely short anime series or special regardless of its release format.

Originally, OAV (which stands for “Original Animation Video”) was commonly used in place of OVA, and the meaning is generally accepted to be the same. According to source[1] the abbreviation OAV was too similar to AV ("Adult Video"), causing OAV to be misinterpreted as original adult video, resulting in a shift towards the OVA abbreviation. As of 2006, the expression OAV is rarely used in Japan

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to know more about OAV and OVA... you could check it out at Wikipedia

the url : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_Video_Animation

:)

Answer 5

OVA:
1) Plural form of Ovum (the female eggs)
2) Original Video Animation

OAV:
Original Animation Video

AMV:
Anime Music Video

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_Video_Animation