History of Anime

Catalog description

Japanese animation is at the nexus of an international multimedia industry worth over $6.5 billion a year, linked to everything from manga to computer games, Pokemon and plushies. In this comprehensive course, students chronicle the production and reception history of the entire medium, from a handful of hobbyists in the 1910s to contemporary examples. Explores the past century's cultural and technological developments, addresses historiography issues with Japanese academic discourse, and covers previously neglected topics such as wartime instructional animation and work-for-hire for American clients. Founded on the testimonies of industry professionals and drawing on a myriad of Japanese-language documents, memoirs and books, the subjects of inquiry illuminate the anime business from the inside--investigating its innovators, unsung heroes and controversies.