SSP-100 (024) Japanese Animation

Masako Inamoto, Lecturer in Japanese

What is anime and what are its origins? Why does it appeal to audiences beyond Japanese cultural boundaries? In this seminar, students will explore the world of Japanese animation, one of the
most important and popular cultural products in contemporary Japan. After examining the origins of anime and its relationship to the traditional picto-centric culture in Japan, students will study some of the prevailing themes and genres of anime (i.e., apocalypse, gender and sexuality, and metamorphosis) in their cultural and historical contexts. Through this exploration, students will learn about some of the most important Japanese social and historical conventions that inform anime.