In recent years, manga and anime have attracted increasing scholarly interest beyond the realm of Japanese studies. This Companion takes a unique approach, committed to exploring both the similarities and differences between these two distinct but interrelated media forms. Firmly based in Japanese sources, this volume offers a lively and accessible introduction, exploring the local contexts of manga and anime production, distribution, and reception in Japan, as well as the global influence and impact of these versatile media. Chapters explore common characteristics such as visuals, voice, serial narrative and characters, whilst also highlighting distinct challenges and histories. The volume provides both a basis for further research in this burgeoning field and a source of inspiration for those new to the topic.
Introduction: two media forms in correlation Jaqueline Berndt; Part I. Claimed Origins and Overlooked Traditions: 1. Premodern roots of story-manga? Jaqueline Berndt; 2. Newspaper comic strips: laughs in four panels Ronald Stewart; 3. Astro Boy and the 'weaponized' children of wartime Japan Joon Yang Kim; Part II. Drawing and Movement: 4. Graphic style in anime and manga Olga Kopylova; 5. Motion and emotion in anime Sheuo Hui Gan; Part III. Sound: 6. Hearing manga Blanche Delaborde; 7. Voice acting for anime Minori Ishida; Part IV. Narrative: 8. Reading story-manga Kōichi Morimoto; 9. Incalculable: anime narratives and 3D CG aesthetics Selen Çalık Bedir; Part V. Characters: 10. Characters in the media mix: beyond narratives Lukas R. A. Wilde; 11. Character acting in anime Stevie Suan; Part VI. Genres: 12. Manga genres: demographics and themes Deborah Shamoon; 13. Genre networks and anime studios Bryan Hikari Hartzheim; Part VII. Forms of Production: 14. Manga editors and their artists Bon Won Koo; 15. Anime production, decentralized Renato Rivera Rusca; Part VIII. Forms of Distribution: 16. Manga media from analog to digital Dalma Kálovics; 17. Media mix as licensed distribution Dario Lolli; Part IX. Forms of Use: 18. Manga readerships, imaginative agency, and the 'erotic barrier' Patrick W. Galbraith; 19. Anime fandom in Japan and beyond Akiko Sugawa-Shimada.
Jaqueline Berndt is Professor in Japanese culture at Stockholm University. She previously taught Comics Theory at Kyoto Seika University, Japan. Her main academic work is in manga studies and anime research, approached from the perspective of media aesthetics. She has also directed exhibitions on manga in art-historical contexts.
