Japanese Anime and Manga

Manga Manga are Japanese style comic books. In Japan, people of all ages read Manga. The kanji that are used to write the word manga in Japanese can be translated as "whimsical drawings" or "impromptu sketches."

Manga The medium includes works in a broad range of genres: from action- adventure to romance, comedy, science fiction and even business topics. The industry is valued at over $5 billion dollars with sales in the U.S. over $250 million.

Anime Japanese animation style often characterized by colorful graphics, vibrant characters and fantastic themes. Major producers are like Studio Ghibli, Gainax and Toei Animation. 

Historically, Manga has influences from ancient Japanese culture and U Historically, Manga has influences from ancient Japanese culture and U.S. comic book culture, in particular Disney. Astro Boy was the first major work of Manga and one of the most popular. Created in 1952 by Osamu Tezuka.

Osamu Tezuka Lived 1928-1989. Considered the “father of anime.” Influenced by Walt Disney.

Most Famous Tezuka Characters

Hayao Miyazaki Born 1941, famous films include film, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984, Princess Mononoke (1997), Howl’s Moving Castle (2004). His film Spirited Away (2001) was the first Anime to win an American Academy Award.

Miyazaki Themes and Characters Recurrent themes: humanity's relationship with nature and technology, feminism, and the difficulty of maintaining a pacifist ethic. The protagonists of his films are often strong, independent girls or young women.

Important Styles Television: Transformers (1980s) Mobile Suit Gundam (80s) Macross (80s) Fist of the North Star (80s) Dragonball (80s) Notable films: Akira (80s) My Neighbor Totoro (80s) Ghost in the Shell (90s) Princess Mononoke (90s) Armitage (90s) Spirited Away (90s)

Important Styles Trigun Inuyasha Rurouni Kenshin Spice and Wolf Bleach Mushi Shi (Japanese mythology) Castlevania (anime adapted from a video game) Robot anime, fighting, anime, fantasy anime, cyberpunk anime