better plot/more emotion (japanese people are generally more creative then everyone else also asian cultures influence>>>>>>>>...)
cartoons are good as well
American cartoons are full of fart jokes and voiced by random 14 year olds they find on the streets. Anime is much more of a sophisticated production (even Otaku catering trashy shows). Just look at all that dumb **** on Cartoon Network and it should be apparent.
It's sad too because there's such an obvious demand for animated shows with a complex and mature story lines but animation studios have no respect for their audience. The Legend of Korra proved this.
They're about equal, actually. I mean, Steven Universe, Rick and Morty, and Gravity Falls alone end long-stays like Bleach, One Piece, and Naruto instantly! However, not many Western cartoons match the intensity of anime like Higurashi, Case Closed, and Red Garden!
Many cartoons here are comedic and don't have strong storylines. There are exceptions though, like Rick and Morty (comedic+strong plot), Steven Universe (strong plot) and Avatar the Last Airbender (strong plot).
Anime shows tend to put more effort into their storytelling and take it more seriously.