Anime Programming for the

non-otaku librarian

you’re gonna be kingof the li b rary ! ! ! ! ! ! !

presented @NYLA 2007

byKen Petr i l li

Teen Serv ices L ibrar ianNew Roche l le Pub li c L ibrary

Monkey D. Luffy of “One Piece”

What is Anime?Boy , i s that a loaded quest i on . . . .

Quite honestly, we could sit here all day and I still wouldn’t have finished explaining exactly what anime is and isn’t. For our purposes, let’s go with the following:

Anime is a Japanese abbreviation of the word ‘animation.’ In Japan, ‘anime’ refers to anything animated, but in the west, it refers to animation from Japan. The Japanese were experimenting with animation as early as 1905, and went through a long developmental period that ran through the war years, with most animators being heavily influenced by Disney and other American animation.

1948: ‘modern’ anime comes onto the scene in the form of Toei Studios, who begin producing successful films such as Hakujaden.

1962: Creation of Mushi Studios in 1962 by Osamu Tezuka. Often called “The Father of Manga,” Tezuka was already a highly successful mangaka (comic book artist). Mushi’s first TV series Tetsuwan Atomu (‘Mighty Atom’) became a huge hit and opened the door for many more successful anime series to be produced, including Tetsujin-28-Go and Mach Go-Go-Go.

1970’s: A slow period for anime, notable mainly for the development of several science fiction space operas which brought anime into a more complex storytelling arena. Among these were Kagaku Ninja tai Gatchaman and Kidō Senshi Gandamu. With the worldwide success of Star Wars in 1977, the shift towards science fiction became pronounced, and this, along with the development of the otaku (super-fan) subculture, led to the anime boom of the 1980’s.

1980’s: First ‘boom’ period. Massive success of such anime as Urusei Yatsura and Chō Jikū Yōsai Makurosu. Studio Ghibli is formed by Hayao Miyazaki after the enormous success of Kaze no tani no Naushika in 1984. Otaku subculture gains more influence over the anime world. Home video leads to the OVA revolution. The late 80’s sees a large number of big budget experimental films such as Ōritsu Uchūgun - Oneamisu no Tsubasa and Akira. By the end of the decade, overspending and commercial flops have led to a doldrums period which will last until the mid 1990’s.

1990’s: In 1995, Hideaki Anno’s Shin Seiki Evangerion reenergizes the anime industry and leads to a new ‘boom’ period.

100,000 Horsepower and a heart of gold! It’s

Atom Boy!

Princess Nausicaa and Teto

The worldwide success of Poketto Monsutā, Bishōjo Senshi Sērā Mūn, and Doragon Bōru Zetto bring anime to a new level of success in the USA.

And here we are. Anime now has a foothold in american pop culture, and is therefore something we need to know about and learn to take advantage of. A few other things to keep in mind:

Anime is not American, it’s Japanese. It is an art form being created by a culture that is very, very different from our own, and will often present scenes, themes, elements and ideas that will leave you scratching your head.

American animation has always been considered something only for children. Not so in Japan, where anime and manga are produced for all age groups. They often contain violence, language, sexuality and dramatic elements not appropriate for younger kids.

While it has never been as popular as now, anime has been coming over to the US since the 1960’s, often heavily edited and redrawn. Didn’t know that? Take another look at the anime I’ve already mentioned and see how many you recognize:

Hakujaden - Tale of the White Serpent, In the US: Panda and the White SerpentTetsuwan Atomu - Mighty Atom, In the US: Atom BoyTetsujin-28-Go - Iron Man #28, In the US: GigantorMach Go-Go-Go - Speed RacerKagaku Ninja tai Gatchaman - Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, In the US: Battle of the PlanetsKidō Senshi Gandamu - Mobile Suit GundamUrusei Yatsura - Those Obnoxious Aliens!Chō Jikū Yōsai Makurosu - Super Dimension Fortress Macross, In the US: Became the first part of RobotechKaze no tani no Naushika - Nausicaa of the Valley of the WindŌritsu Uchūgun - Oneamisu no Tsubasa - Royal Space Force: Wings of HonneamiseAkira - Akira was the first feature length anime to gain a wide release in the USShin Seiki Evangerion - Neon Genesis Evangelion, or simply ‘Eva.’Poketto Monsutā - Pocket Monsters, or as it is better known: PokemonBishōjo Senshi Sērā Mūn - Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon, in the west simply Sailor MoonDoragon Bōru Zetto - DragonBall Z

Asuka Langley Soryu of Neon Genesis Evangelion

Why is anime so popular?

Lots of reasons:

It’s there. With the success of DragonBall Z and Pokemon in the late 90’s, programmers began bringing more and more anime over to show on TV. As the Pokemon kids have grown up, the imports have grown with them.

Unlike most American animation, anime focuses on story and character. Any young teen can easily identify with Naruto

Uzumaki (Naruto) or Kagome Higurashi (InuYasha), and the serialized stories will easily keep anyone coming back.

Anime is supported by an enor-mous (and often obsessive) fan community, often referred to as Otaku. In the online age this is an easily accessible world, one full of people, clubs, conventions, and fun. And anime is more than film - it is music, art, food, literature, video games, technology and more.

Japanese popular culture is quite unlike anything in America and is a highly attractive curiosity.

It will make your parents say “What in the heck are you watching/doing!!!????”

Why do anime related programming?

Lots of reasons:

As we’ve already seen, anime & manga have become part of the modern teen culture, which means it is something our patrons are looking for.

It’s a multicultural experience, introducing a whole new world to American kids.

It’s a multi-educational experience, combining film, literature, art, music, technology and social and cultural studies.

IT”S FUN!!!!!!!!!!!

Naruto Uzumaki and fellow Hidden Leaf Shinobi

Otaku in full cosplay mode

Where Do I Start?With an anime club, of course:

1. As with most programming, your teens are your best resource. If they’re asking for anime programming, you’re already halfway there; otherwise, seek them out! If you have a manga collection that circulates well, that’s your first point of contact:

Put feeler flyers out by the graphic novel collection.

Stick small flyers inside the manga.

Put flyers out asking for contact information, with a box to drop them in.

2. Once you’ve got some names, you’re ready to go. Keep the following in mind:

BE PATIENT; it took three months before I had more than two people coming. Persistence will pay off.

Check to see if there are other anime clubs in the area. The High School will often have one as an offshoot of the Japanese or Asian Culture Club. Schedule a different day and try to communicate with them; most otaku will readily come to any and all clubs.

3. So now you’ve got your club, what do you do?

Watch anime, of course! There are several ways to do this; have the kids bring in their favorites and vote, watch on a laptop, or watch the DVD’s provided by one of the many anime club sponsors. Several of the major liscensing companies now have anime clubs you can join, and they’ll send you newslet-ters, DVD’s and other stuff.

Play video games. If you can swing it, set up a game system; anime and gaming go hand in hand.

Have manga available to read, circulate, swap, whatever. Most of the kids will bring their own, so you should too.

Drawing supplies are always fun to have on hand for your budding mangaka.

DDR is mega-popular with anime fans!

FOOD! And it should be Japanese. Pocky, Lotte Koala March, Kasugai milk candy, Mini Jellycups, Ramune soda, Ramen noodles, and more! The Japanese are VERY good at creating snack food.

So now what?

There’s more:

Once you’ve got a club up and running, there are plenty of other program opportunities to explore:

Anime Festivals: Like the club, only bigger and more structured. This is where you can show feature films, screen multiple episodes and more. Set up a manga cafe to go with it and you’re in business! This will take some planning, and a lot of promotion. Just make sure to get your screening permissions early - some of the licensing companies can be notoriously slow.

Cosplay: ‘costume play’ is a big part of the anime world. If you have any cosplayers, set up a tournament.

Art & writing programs: If you can find someone to teach manga style art, or maybe kanji drawing, and combine it with creative writing.

Cultural programs: There’s more to Japanese culture than just anime; history, art, film...and of course, food! if you can find a hibachi or sushi chef willing to teach some technique, it could be a lot of fun!

Well, that’s about it. Just remember to follow the lead of your teen Otaku, and have fun. Your anime programming will then be a sure success!

It’s Japanese, It’s Yummy, It’s totally addictive: Pocky!

Sushi, anyone?!

Resources and other stuff

Informational Anime sites:

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com

http://www.theotaku.com

http://www.animeonline.net

http://www.anime.com

http://animenfo.com

Licensing companies: (these are the big guys - there are many more!)

http://www.advfilms.com

http://www.viz.com

http://www.funimation.com

http://www.manga.com

http://www.geneonanimation.com

Licensed Anime Club sites:

http://advocates.advfilms.com (ADV Films)

http://www.bandai-ent.com/fans (Bandai USA)

http://www.operationanime.com (Funimation)

The enigmatic Saber of ‘Fate/Stay Night’

Haruka of ‘Noein’

Online Stores:

http://www.animenation.com

http://www.animegamersusa.com

http://www.animecastle.com (located in Mineola, L.I., warehouse open to the public)

http://www.animepavilion.com

Misc. Japanese culture and food:

http://www.j-fan.com

http://www.jlist.com

http://www.jpopmusic.com

http://www.asianmunchies.com

http://www.asiafoods.com

Online Video Sites: There are a ton of these sites out there, and your kids will know most of them...

(provided for informational purposes. I leave the copyright issues to your individual discretion...)

http://www.youtube.com

http://www.veoh.com

http://www.crunchyroll.com

Haruhi Suzimaya says: Go do some anime program-ming!!!!

She’s cute, she’s sweet, she’s a vampire! Miss Hazuki of ‘Moon Phase’

Books:

Clements, Jonathan - The Anime Encyclopedia : A Guide to Japanese Animation Since 1917 (Rev. & expanded ed.)

Levi, Antonia - Samurai From Outer Space : Understanding Japanese Animation

Poitras, Gilles - The Anime Companion : What's Japanese in Japanese Animation?

Poitras, Gilles - The Anime Companion 2 : More...What's Japanese in Japanese Animation?

Drazen, Patrick - Anime explosion! : The What? Why? & Wow! of Japanese Animation

Poitras, Gilles - Anime Essentials : Everything a Fan Needs to Know

Patten, Fred - Watching Anime, Reading Manga: 25 Years of Essays and Reviews

Macias, Patrick and Tomohiro Machiyama - Cruising the Anime City: An Otaku Guide to Neo Tokyo

Ken Petrilli is the Teen Services Librarian at the New Rochelle Public Library. In addition to being a musician, sci-fi nerd and all-around pop-culture junkie, he has been a rabid anime fan since the age of twelve. (His anime club, however, will just tell you that he’s old...) you can contact him @ planetfire@hotmail.com

Now go do some anime programming...or else!!!!Abel Nightroad of ‘Trinity Blood’