Japanese Manga/Anime and Globalization

Life@UCF SpringDr. Kimiko AkitaFebruary 12, 2013

Manga/Anime I grew up with in 1960s

Boys Manga/Anime I grew up with

Girls Manga/Anime I grew up with

Oldest manga in Japanese history12th-13th century: frog, rabbit, monkey

1862 “Japan Punch”:

First English magazine

published in Japan

Postwar Japan: Occupation (1945-52)• For Japanese, Occupation = more personal;

“burned fields” = starting point,liberation, revolution

• American culture: Banned during war, but encouraged, emulated, in postwar

• Democracy & “Economic Miracle” after late ’50s

Osamu Tezuka (1928-1989)

“God of manga”“Japanese Walt Disney”

•Student in Osaka factoryduring WWII

•Survived bombing; witnessed death, devastation

•Left medicine careerto become manga artist

Superhero MAGUMA Tezuka’sbeliefs

• world peace• intelligence and potential of

robots• idea that children may be

real heroes of imagination• Maguma superhero stands

test of time

(“Born”: 1965)

Superpower Heroine Manga/Anime in 1960-70s Japan

• Witch Sally (1966), influenced by American TV show Bewitched (1964-69)

• Akko-chan’s secret (1969-70)• Witch Mako-chan (1970-71)

Aerial Fantasies for Girls• 1960s: Japan achieved

“income-doubling plan.”• Early 1960s: Diffusion of TV • 1964: Tokyo Olympics(bullet train)• 1970: World Expo near Osaka• 1970: Attention Please

(based on a manga)• 1983-84: Stewardess Monogatari

(A Stewardess’ Story)

Meitantei Holmes (Sherlock Hound) (1984)

Holmes and Watson are hounds.Mrs. Hudson is a young, pretty, adventurous widow!

• 1993: Power Rangers• 1995: Masked Rider, Dragonball Z, Sailor Moon.

Before this, U.S. kids’ entertainment: action for boys, fashion/romance/friendship for girls.

Manga/Anime came to U.S. in 1990s

Sailor Moon: Superhero as schoolgirl• Usagi: a reincarnated princess, once married;

has romance, good family life now and in the past; a cool fighter, a princess, an ordinary kid

• An ordinary girl transformed into a superstar = a new template for female idols in 1990s.

• Power Ranger girls lose their girliness when they morph to action heroes. Power Rangers mask their gender in battle mode.

• Sailor Moon fight in a frilly, girly fashion.

Cultural Values & Influences

• Shintoism• Buddhism• Confucianism• Environment• Samurai culture• Court culture• Chinese Imports• Western Imports

(Europe/U.S.)

Rose of Versailles

IkkyusanSuzunosuke

My Neighbor Totoro

Spirited Away: Hayao Miyazaki2003 Academy Award: Best Animated Feature Film

• Supernatural realm where Chihiro’s parents are turned into pigs.

• Through various challenges and pitfalls, Chihiro finds friendship and a way to help her family, and she finds herself.

• In 2000’s: Why did manga/anime become popular globally? Worldliness, borderless, cool, compact, portable, convenient, fun, soothing, controllable

• 1999: Pokemon jet by All Nippon Airways (ANA) = a flying theme park, offered recreation, but also intimacy, warmth; submergence in Poke-mania, bodily consumption of food and fun.

Manga/Anime and Globalization

Manga/Anime: Global Entertainment

• Perform — Cosplay • Fashionable display of

multiple identities. • “Play” Manga characters

COM 3930H/ LIT 3930H: UCF Burnett Honors College

Special Topics SeminarManga, Anime and Gender:

Cross-Cultural Texts & Communication

Fall 2012

Dr. Anna Jones, English Dept.Dr. Kimiko Akita, Communication

14 of UCF Honors studentsfrom various majors