Akita-2 - LIFE at UCF

Japanese Manga/Anime
and Globalization
Life@UCF Spring
Dr. Kimiko Akita
February 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 history
12th-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 factory
during WWII
•Survived bombing;
witnessed death,
devastation
•Left medicine career
to become manga artist
Superhero
MAGUMA
(“Born”: 1965)
Tezuka’s
beliefs
• world peace
• intelligence and potential of
robots
• idea that children may be
real heroes of imagination
• Maguma superhero stands
test of time
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!
Manga/Anime came to U.S. in 1990s
• 1993: Power Rangers
• 1995: Masked Rider, Dragonball Z, Sailor Moon.
Before this, U.S. kids’ entertainment: action for
boys, fashion/romance/friendship for girls.
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
My Neighbor Totoro
Suzunosuke
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Shintoism
Buddhism
Confucianism
Environment
Samurai culture
Court culture
Chinese Imports
Western Imports
(Europe/U.S.)
Rose of Versailles
Ikkyusan
Spirited Away: Hayao Miyazaki
2003 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.
Manga/Anime and Globalization
• 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:
Global Entertainment
• Perform — Cosplay
• Fashionable display of
multiple identities.
• “Play” Manga characters
COM 3930H/ LIT 3930H:
UCF Burnett Honors College
Special Topics Seminar
Manga, Anime and Gender:
Cross-Cultural
Texts & Communication
Fall 2012
Dr. Anna Jones, English Dept.
Dr. Kimiko Akita, Communication
14 of UCF Honors students
from various majors