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