Introduction to Anime and Manga Studies

MIKHAIL KOULIKOVKATHRYN HEMMANN

LISA LACKNEY

AUGUST 8, 2014

“Anime/manga studies”

Exploration of the historical, cultural, sociological and religious dimensions of Japanese animation and comics, their production, and global reception

“Anime and manga are a key part of contemporary Japanese visual culture

“Anime and manga play an increasingly important role in the global mediscape…that is shaping the collective imaginations, experiences and feelings of people throughout the world.”

“Anime and manga studies”

What do we mean by “studies” “The idea, practice and process of critical

thinking” Asking questions Looking for / finding answers Participating in a conversation

What anime/manga studies is NOT

Anime/manga studies is not a “formal” subject area or academic disciplineNo such thing as

BA, anime studies “department of anime studies” “professor of anime studies”

What anime/manga studies IS

‘Emerging field’ ‘Community of interest’ ‘Way of asking questions’ Interdisciplinary OR multidisciplinary OR

pluridisciplinary practice Why does this matter?

“What is anime” / “What is manga” ?

Asking the question implies certain answersAnime = Japanese animation?

‘Anime’, ‘anime-shon’, ‘manga fuirumu’, several other terms

Manga = Japanese comics?Comics = sequential narratives, strips, editorial cartoons?

Establishing the ‘knowledge base’ (1)

Anime is a subset of film/animation Anime is a form of Japanese culture? Manga is a form (type, genre) of

sequential art, comics, literature Anime companies’ activities are forms of? Anime fans’ practices are forms of?

Establishing the ‘knowledge base’ (2) Historical contexts

Knowledge concerning the historical period portrayed in the work, as well as any historical allusions. This is also relevant for works set in the contemporary world or in the future!

Sociopolitical contexts Knowledge concerning how the work in question engages with the social, political, and legal

contexts in which it was created.

Economic contexts Knowledge concerning issues such as who financed the production of a work, financial

success (or lack thereof) in domestic and international markets, franchising, advertising, and so on.

Cultural contexts Knowledge concerning aspects of a work that arise from its engagement with “Japanese” or

“foreign” culture, which include literary allusions, religious traditions, attitudes towards gender, etc.

Where do anime/manga scholars “live”?

Related to the ‘knowledge base’ questionAsian Studies / Languages / CulturesHistoryAnthropologyEnglish / Comparative LiteratureCinema Studies Media Studies

Do you need to be an academic to participate?

Major trends and directions

Representations of gender(s) and gender-related issues

The place of anime/manga in presenting a picture of current Japanese society and Japan’s history

Global impact and reception of anime/manga Fan activities and practices: Cosplay, fanfiction,

AMVs Commentary on prior work – establishing a

dialogue

Shortcomings and criticism

Thomas Lamarre – too much focus on anime as text, not enough on the “animated-ness” of anime (uses of particular animation techniques to carry and present content)

Mitsuyo Wada-Marciano – over-emphasis on anime’s perceived “Japaneseness;” connection to film studies marginalizes discussions of anime on television

Jacqueline Berndt – “Blind spots” Tendency to treat the work of Hayao Miyazaki as “typical of anime as a

whole” Ignorance of the deep connections between manga, anime, and other

components of Japan’s media mix Limited to non-existent familiarity with Japanese writing on

anime/manga

Things to keep in mind

Not everything that is published is “academic research” Anime Explosion: The What? Why? & Wow of Japanese Animation Anime and Philosophy / Manga and Philosophy ANYTHING by Dani Cavallaro

Problems Biases and outdated ways of thinking Lack of peer review Lack of engagement with current scholarship

Scholarship vs. fan activity

Scholarship is defined by Style Rigor – any claim is backed up by evidence Context – awareness of and connection to prior

research on related topics Format – talks/lectures, presentations, publications BUT: Scholars can be fans – fans can be scholars Anime/manga studies is what we do, NOT “who we

are”

“I wanna do anime studies!” (1) Look at examples

Single books From Impressionism to Anime: Japan as Fantasy and Fan Culture in

the Eyes of the West Straight from the Heart: Gender, Intimacy, and the Cultural

Production of Shōjo Manga The Anime Machine: A Media Theory of Animation

Essay collections Cinema Anime: Critical Engagements with Japanese Animation Japanese Visual Culture: Explorations in the World of Manga and

Anime Robot Ghosts and Wired Dreams: Japanese Science Fiction from

Origins to Anime Journal articles

“I wanna do anime studies!” (2)

Locate your knowledge bases – what are you actually looking atType of approach (historical, cultural,

sociopolitical, economic)Narrow your focus

Specific titles Specific individuals Specific activities/practices

“I wanna do anime studies!” (3) Locate your linguistic bases

English Most international scholarship on anime and manga is published in

English.

Japanese Not being able to read Japanese is like only looking at the tip of the

iceberg in terms of what’s out there.

Other European languages Useful for understanding international fan cultures and

licensing/translation markets, not to mention magazines, exhibition catalogs, online reviews, and cinema theory.

Other Asian languages

“I wanna do anime studies!” (4)

Locate your research bases Original texts Critical theory: Ways of asking questions Western-language scholarship Japanese scholarship Primary materials (interviews/surveys) Quantitative materials / data Business materials (company annual reports) Legal materials (court decisions)

“I wanna do anime studies!” (5)

Knowledge of Japanese? Beneficial but not absolutely required Expands available resources

Untranslated anime/manga Comparative approaches Japanese scholars and scholarship

Need to consider Status of anime/manga scholarship in Japan Differences in patterns of scholarly communication

What are my options? (1) Undergraduate

3-5 years Semester/year abroad Senior thesis Access to a range of “foundational” classes: Japanese history,

Japanese literature, Japanese film, film studies, gender studies, etc. Many possible major/minor options Outcome: Employment in publishing, cultural institutions, anime/manga

industry OR NEXT STEP MA program

1-3 years Summer abroad Thesis Outcome: Salaried position

ORNecessary prerequisite to further graduate study

What are my options? (2)

PhD programs 6-10 years 1-2 years abroad Expectations of publishing and teaching Job outcome: Teaching at the university level (Hopefully!) Japanese animation/Japanese comics as a specialty

Other academic programs JD, MBA, MLS

Cost considerations Can I afford this? Will I be able to afford my life after this?

Factors to Consider (1) Location

Cultural resources: museums, cinemas, bookstores Ease of travel to conferences and abroad

Available programs and classes History in welcoming Anime and Manga Studies professors

As tenure-track faculty As invited guest speakers

Access to specialized resources Centers for Asian Studies Other specialized institutes (for Gender Studies, new media, etc.) Libraries and special collections

Funding prospects

Factors to Consider (2)

As an applicant to an undergraduate program Do they have an Asian Studies department? Are they affiliated with any study abroad programs in Japan? Do they offer funding for undergraduate research projects?

As an applicant to an MA program Is there someone who can serve as your advisor and mentor? Will they be able to help support you financially? Will they expect you to act as a teaching assistant?

As an applicant to a PhD program Are there at least two associate professors who can advise you? Will they be able to fully support you financially? How conservative is the department?

Program Examples:

WARNING: CONSIDER EACH PROGRAM INDIVIDUALLY University of Florida

Dep’t of English, MA or PhD “Comics and Visual Rhetoric” track

Georgia State University Moving Image Studies (PhD)

Concordia University (Canada) Film Studies (MA) / Film and Moving Image Studies (PhD)

Other major centers: Duke University Ohio State University University of Southern California

I’m an anime scholar, yay! Now what do I do?!? (1)

The end goal of scholarly activity is knowledge-sharingConferences:

Mechademia: Conference on Asian Popular Cultures

PCA/ACA Annual Conference AX Anime and Manga Studies Symposium Regional and discipline-specific conferences

I’m an anime scholar, yay! Now what do I do?!? (2)

Publications ‘Knowledge Base’ approach

Anime as animation / manga as comics Animation Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal Animation Practice, Process and Production ImageTexT: Interdisciplinary Comics Studies Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics

Anime/manga as culture-specific products Japan Forum Japanese Studies U.S.-Japan Women’s Journal Intersections: Gender, History & Critique in the Asian Context Journal of Japanese and Korean Cinema

I’m an anime scholar, yay! Now what do I do?!? (3)

Anime/manga as science fiction Intensities: The Journal of Cult Media Science Fiction Film and Television Science Fiction Studies

Anime/manga fan activities Journal of Fandom Studies Journal of Popular Culture Transformative Works and Cultures

Essay Collections Monographs / Single-author books

I’m an anime scholar, yay! What does it pay?

It does not Anime/manga studies is what we do, NOT “who we are” Journal articles/book chapters - no payment to author Editor of essay collection - 10-15% of sales Author of monograph - $2K and/or % of sales Sales: several hundred copies at $30-50 / copy You need to have a separate source of income –

academic or professional

Anime/Manga Studies Resources

Anime and Manga Studies Blog Anime and Manga Research Circle AMRC-L mailing list H-Net Network on Japanese History and

Culture The CFP List – www.cfplist.com CFP.English.UPenn.edu

Anime and Manga Studies: Recent Examples

Did manga conquer America? Implications for the cultural policy of 'Cool Japan‘ International Journal of Cultural Policy

Layers of the ethereal: A cultural investigation of beauty, girlhood, and ballet in Japanese shojo manga.

Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture

Magic, shojo, and metamorphisis: Magical girl anime and the challenges of changing gender identities in Japanese society.

Journal of Asian Studies

The comfort and disquiet of transmedia horror in Higurashi: When They Cry (Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni)

Refractory: A Journal of Entertainment Media

The heroic villain: Anime in moral education and English language learning Language Arts in Asia 2: English and Chinese Through Literature, Drama and Popular

Culture

The hysterical subject of shojo: The dark, twisted heroines in Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Heroines of Film and Television: Portrayals in Popular Culture