Mangatopia: Essays on Manga and Anime in the Modern World

Fascinating insights on what manga and anime mean to artists, audiences, and fans in the United States and elsewhere, covering topics that range from fantasy to sex to politics. Within the last decade, anime and manga have become extremely popular in the United States. Mangatopia: Essays on Manga and Anime in the Modern World provides a sophisticated anthology of varied commentary from authors well versed in both formats. These essays provide insights unavailable on the Internet, giving the interested general reader in-depth information well beyond the basic, Japanese Comics 101 level, and providing those who teach and write about manga and anime valuable knowledge to further expand their expertise. The topics addressed range widely across various artists and art styles, media methodology and theory, reception of manga and anime in different cultural markets, and fan behavior. Specific subjects covered include sexually explicit manga drawn and read by women; the roots of manga in and world film; the complexity of fan activities, including cosplay, fan-drawn manga, and fans' highly specific predilections; right-wing manga; and manga about Hiroshima and despair following World War II. The book closes with an examination of the international appeal of manga and anime. * Contributions from knowledgeable commentators about manga and anime from the United States, Canada, and Europe * Photographs and illustrations * Reference lists within the individual chapters and the introduction * Two glossaries define terms specific to manga genres