Manga and Anime (Level 6)

• Credit value: 30 credits at Level 6
• Convenor: Dr Michael Tsang
• Assessment: a 2000-word essay (30%) and 3000-word essay (70%)

Manga and anime are extremely popular media in Japan. In this module we explore a wide spectrum of social, political, economic and cultural issues through these media and explore their cultural production and how they have been represented in Japanese as well as global discourse. We will also look at medium-specific aesthetics.

Indicative syllabus

• History of manga and anime
• Japanese animation and Japanese culture
• Animating the city: Tōkyō capital of postmodernity
• War memory
• Representation of Otaku, Hikikomori and the Lost Decade
• The field of production
• The media mix: transmediality and Japanese entertainment
• Race in anime
• Gender and sexuality in girls' manga

By the end of this module, you will have built on the skills and knowledge gained through Level 4 and 5 modules, and further developed your critical and analytical thinking skills.