Influence of traditional art<\/a> \/ <\/em>Manga and Anime<\/a> \/ Osamu Tezuka<\/a> \/ Anime themes and iconography<\/a> \/ Toei Animation<\/a> \/ Studio Ghibli<\/a> \u00a0\/ Anime and Western audiences<\/a><\/em><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\/ <\/span>Assignment<\/span><\/em><\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We can see in traditional Japanese art many of the themes explored in anime and in manga. From the 10th century on, illustrated scrolls telling many different types of stories were created in Japan. Some had religious themes, some were depictions of historical events, many types of stories were told. These scrolls combined words and images and can be seen as predecessors to manga. A deep reverence for the natural world is demonstrated in these works.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n Woodblock prints were first seen primarily with Buddhist texts starting in the 8th century. Woodblock prints were used to make books with Buddhist images and texts around the 11th century. These works were expensive to produce and therefore rare. During the Edo period (1603-1867) woodblock prints were mass produced. Ukiyo-e prints, translated as “pictures of the floating world”, were popular from the 17th to 19th century. These prints have a wide range of subject matter, including actors from the Kabuki theater, sumo wrestlers, folktales, nature, history, erotica and more.<\/p>\r\n “Continuing from other longstanding Japanese art traditions, nature became a prominent theme in\u00a0ukiyo-e<\/em> prints in the 19th century. Mountains, forests, fields, oceans abound; artists peer closely at the details of moonlight through cedar leaves, cherry blossoms in bloom, a snow-covered bridge. Woodblock prints were circulated as tourist images \u2013 the 19th century equivalent of travel magazines or scrolling through Instagram. For many common people who couldn\u2019t afford to travel, they were a form of vicarious tourism, presenting famous sights, cities, and landmarks. But the prints balanced beauty and authenticity, with many artists seeking to capture the realities of nature and everyday life, like a tree bent by the wind or a lonely figure getting caught in a rainstorm. The sharp perspective paired with a heightened level of sensory detail that can still prompt visceral feelings \u2013 and a desire to travel – today.” (from “Five Views of Ukiyo-e” Japan House https:\/\/www.japanhousela.com\/articles\/five-views-of-ukiyoe\/<\/a> Retrieved June 2021)<\/em><\/p>\r\n We saw that there is a relationship in the early history of animation between comics and animation. In Japan, there is a relationship between Japanese comics, or manga and Japanese animation, or anime. Many artists have worked in both genres, and a lot of anime content first appeared in print in manga series.<\/p>\r\n “Of all the unique art forms Japan has given to global pop culture, perhaps the most instantly recognizable is manga, and its \u201cmoving image\u201d counterpart, anime. Characters like Astro Boy, Speed Racer, and Sailor Moon have become as ubiquitous as Mickey Mouse, adorning backpacks, toys, and lunchboxes worldwide. The pioneering cyberpunk visions of \u201cAkira\u201d and \u201cGhost in the Shell\u201d shaped global science fiction, and past Academy Awards for anime director Hayao Miyazaki show that \u201ccartoons\u201d can be embraced as \u201chigh art\u201d. JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles hosted “This is Manga”,\u00a0the first North American exhibition of the influential manga artist Naoki Urasawa, which drew wide audiences and fans from students to major Hollywood directors. So how did manga evolve into an international phenomenon?<\/p>\r\n To clarify terms, \u201cmanga\u201d is the umbrella term for comics, cartoons, and animation. It\u2019s comprised of two kanji: (\u6f2b) \u201cman\u201d for \u201cwhimsical or impromptu\u201d and (\u753b) \u201cga\u201d for \u201cpictures\u201d. But today and especially outside of Japan, \u201cmanga\u201d is used specifically for printed comic books, while \u201canime\u201d refers to animated motion pictures \u2013 be those film, TV, or web videos. Often, popular manga are adapted into anime or launched in parallel as a comprehensive franchise, so the terms are sometimes used interchangeably.<\/p>\r\n Many scholars trace manga\u2019s roots back through Japanese art history, such as 12th century scroll painting (\u201cemaki\u201d), which told stories in a right-to-left sequential tableau, and 18th century \u201cukiyo-e\u201d woodblock prints, which were mass-produced for the public and combined illustration and text for dynamic effect. The book \u201cShiji no Yukikai (Four Seasons)\u201d, published in 1798, was the first to use the term manga, and by the late 1800s, there were several comic magazines in circulation. A major turning point came with the US Army\u2019s occupation of Japan starting in 1945, which introduced American comics and cartoons. Japan\u2019s post-War youth generation absorbed and adapted these influences, among them Osamu Tezuka, now known as the \u201cgodfather\u201d of manga, who premiered his character \u201cAstro Boy\u201d in 1951. Often compared to Walt Disney, Tezuka helped to shape the industry through his prolific output and stylistic innovations that soon became standard, like wide-eyed characters and cinematic visual techniques. Early on, he directly adapted the Disney animated films \u201cBambi\u201d (1951) and \u201cPinocchio\u201d (1952) to manga form. Later, in manga and anime, he created everything from light-hearted children\u2019s fare to treatments of more adult, ambitious themes, such as his 14-volume life of the Buddha (\u201cBuddha\u201d, serialized from 1972-1983). “(from \u201cDrawn to Inspire | The Impact of Manga and Anime\u201d Japan House https:\/\/www.japanhousela.com\/articles\/the-impact-of-manga-and-anime\/<\/a> Retrieved June 2021)<\/em><\/p>\r\n Anime and manga have a common visual language with many characteristics that express the mood and the emotion of the character. Here are a few commonly used icons and symbols and what they represent.<\/p>\r\n Speed lines<\/strong><\/p>\r\n Speed lines<\/strong> are lines that appear in the background or over a character to denote speed. Speed lines are more common in older anime than in modern anime. Speed lines are used to keep the feel of reading a manga or simply keep the animation budget down. In modern anime, where action is expected to be crisply animated, speed lines are used for comedic effect or to accent an intense action sequence.Speed lines are common in American comics as well. They are simply a good way to convey motion in a motionless media.<\/p>\r\n Abstract Background Patterns<\/strong><\/p>\r\n Sometimes in scenes the background abruptly switches to an abstract background<\/strong>. This swap is used to emphasize what the character is feeling. Often the background is composed of symbols from our list above. Swirls are used when a character is confused or overwhelmed. Speed lines are used to show the character\u2019s energetic mood. Backgrounds vary based on context. Most of the time, they are easily understandable.<\/p>\r\n Sometimes these backgrounds are animated to further show what the characters are thinking or feeling. Fast animations or twirling spirals show how quickly the character\u2019s mind is working, much like gears in a clock. Wavy lines show irritation or upset emotions. Colors such as bright red are used for anger. Darker colors like purples or blues are used to show the characters are feeling sick, upset, or depressed. Background swaps are usually abrupt.<\/p>\r\n Eye Symbols<\/strong><\/p>\r\n The eyes<\/strong> in manga and anime are used to convey a wide range of thoughts and emotions. Eyes have gotten larger since the 80\u2019s and allow artists to show emotions clearly\u2026if you know the icongraphy. Most tend to be obvious from reality. People\u2019s eyes lift up into arcs when they are happy and fall downward when sad. Pupils constrict and eyes widen when we are scared. In anime these subtle queues are exaggerated. The slight upward or downward arc becomes a complete arc. Constricted pupils and widened eyes become enormous eyes with tiny dots for pupils. Some symbols are not so obvious, however. X\u2019ed eyes or spiral eyes are used to show dread, illness, and confusion. Sometimes the eyes completely disappear when a character bows their head in sadness or depression. The eyes are replaced with vertical lines and blue or purple colors to show depression or sadness. Eyes with sparkles and white dots are cute. Often they are flashed to help a character get their way. Think Puss-in-Boots from Shrek. (from Kincaid, Chris. “Anime’s Visual Language” Japan Powered. https:\/\/www.japanpowered.com\/japan-culture\/animes-visual-language<\/a> Feb. 12, 2011. Retrieved July 2021)<\/em><\/p>\r\n Sparking a Rivalry<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\n Why do characters shoot laser beams from their eyes at each other? In English, we have an idiom\u2014sparking a rivalry\u2014that anime takes literally. Characters\u2019\u00a0<\/span>aren\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0actually shooting lasers, except in some comedies. Rather, this represents their animosity for each other. Their gazes fight with each other<\/span>. This image makes sense.\u00a0<\/span>We\u2019ve<\/span>\u00a0seen people stare daggers at each other (another idiom) when they dislike each other.<\/span><\/p>\r\n Popping Vein<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\n Perhaps one of the m<\/span>ost seen visual\u00a0<\/span>symbol<\/span>\u00a0in anime, t<\/span>he Popping Vein is a series of four U-shapes combined to create a cruciform. They appear over hair, foreheads, and sometimes hands. The Popping Vein has only one emotion: anger. It comes from how some people have veins that pop out in their temples when they are angry or\u00a0<\/span>their blood pressure rises.\u00a0<\/span>Man<\/span>g<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0uses the four-U<\/span>\u00a0shapes as minimal shorthand for this biological effect.<\/span><\/p>\r\n Sweat Drops<\/strong><\/p>\r\n Another common symbol in anime, the sweat drop\u2014a large droplet of blue over a character\u2019s hair or face\u2014shows\u00a0<\/span>embarrassment or anxiety<\/span>\u00a0or confusion. Context determines which of the three. Sweat drops co<\/span>mbine with blush lines (lines of<\/span>\u00a0red color below the eyes) and with popping veins to help clarify the character\u2019s feelings.\u00a0<\/span>Sweat drops and popping veins show anxious or confused anger. However, most of the time, e<\/span>mbarrassment and anxiety\u00a0<\/span>combine<\/span>. The size and number of sweat drops shows the level of the feeling. Large drops mean the feeling is overwhelming.<\/span><\/p>\r\n Cat Mouth<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\n Usually\u00a0<\/span>you\u2019ll<\/span>\u00a0see this with female characters. It is a visual play on the idiom \u2018She\u2019s being catty today.\u2019\u00a0<\/span>Catty<\/span>\u00a0characters are feeling\u00a0<\/span>mischievous<\/span>. The cat mouth usually combines with dialogue or\u00a0<\/span>actions that invoke<\/span>\u00a0a sweat drop or some other anxious reaction in another character.\u00a0<\/span>Sometimes the cat mouth will appear when a female character is feeling sexually aroused and is acting catty about it, much to the distress of others.<\/span><\/p>\r\n Nose\u00a0Bubble<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\n Japanese anime are frequently using nose bubbles when a character has fallen asleep. They are the equivalent of the\u00a0<\/span>ZZzzZZ<\/span>\u00a0sleep symbol. It\u2019s not an exclusively Japanese sign, and the trope is found in many western animations as well. While a character sleeps, the nose bubble\u00a0will\u00a0<\/span>bob, and it will bust when the character wakes.\u00a0<\/span>I\u2019m<\/span>\u00a0not sure I\u2019d like to see the real-life inspiration for this one.<\/span><\/p>\r\n The Nose Bleed<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\n The Nose Bleed is the most notorious and confusing symbol. Anime characters seem to spout blood at random<\/span>, but\u00a0<\/span>their spurts are far from random. T<\/span>hey represent sexual arousal. As blood rushes to\u2026certain\u00a0<\/span>body<\/span>\u00a0parts\u2026potential censorship ensured that a way had to be found to\u00a0<\/span>represent this arousal in a way that is not directly related to sexual images<\/span>. Anime focuses on the face, so the idea of rising blood pressure combined with this to create the nosebleed.\u00a0<\/span>Manga<\/span>\u00a0writers used the effect for comedy\u2014giant fountains<\/span>\u00a0of blood erupt from horny\u00a0<\/span>guys<\/span>\u00a0while g<\/span>irls suffer the embarrassment of trying to hide theirs. Embarrassment underpins much of\u00a0<\/span>anime\u2019s<\/span> humor.” (from Kincaid, Chris. “Explaining Anime\u2019s Common Visual Symbols and their Meanings”. https:\/\/manga.tokyo\/columns\/explaining-animes-common-visual-symbols-and-their-meanings\/<\/a> Retrieved July 2021)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\r\n There are many forms in anime, each aimed at a particular audience. The audiences for manga are generally defined with the same terms.While these genres are defined, it’s important to remember that there is a lot of blurring of the content in these themes. Other popular themes in anime and manga, include horror, sports, magic, fantasy, slice of life and science fiction. There are also many sub-genres, such as magical girl.Here are a few of the most common genres, this is a short overview.<\/p>\r\n Shonen:<\/strong> aimed at boys, up to high school age. Well known examples are Dragon Ball<\/em> and Naruto<\/em>. Often with a young boy protagonist, sometimes involves fighting.<\/p>\r\n Shojo: <\/strong>translated as young girl. Usually has a female lead character and often focus on interpersonal relationships, examples include Sailor Moon.<\/em><\/p>\r\n Kodomo<\/strong>: anime for young children, sometimes with an educational purpose. Doraemon <\/i>is an example.<\/p>\r\n Josei:\u00a0<\/strong>aimed at young women. Often focusses on relationships, with a female protagonist. \u00a0Paradise Kiss <\/em>is an example.<\/p>\r\n Seinen:\u00a0<\/strong>anime for young men, post high school. Often focuses on action\/adventure. Ghost in the Shell<\/em> and One Punch Man<\/em> are considered examples of seinen.<\/p>\r\n Mecha:\u00a0<\/strong>giant robots. Neon Genesis Evangelion,<\/em><\/p>\r\n Osamu Tezuka (1928-1989) was a Japanese manga artist and animator. His book Shin Takarajima<\/i>\u00a0(New Treasure Island<\/i>), published in 1946, is credited with starting the golden age of manga in Japan. He created Astro Boy<\/em> as a manga series, the story of a robot child with human emotions, which was adapted into an animated series for television in 1963.\u00a0 The show was extremely popular in Japan and an English language version was distributed in the US on NBC Enterprises. It was the first Japanese anime to be shown on American television (see week 10<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\r\n Tezuka was enormously prolific, creating many characters, with different types of stories and themes and producing over 700 volumes of manga. After working for Toei Animation, he started a production company, Mushi Productions, which produced Astro Boy and many other television series and specials, as well as a number of experimental films and features. Tezuka’s work often has themes of reverence towards the\u00a0 natural world\u00a0 and against war. He is credited with initiating the\u00a0 “large eyes” style of characters in anime, which he based on American animated characters such as Betty Boop and Mickey Mouse.<\/p>\r\n “Always arrayed in a beret, thick-rimmed glasses, and a smile, Tezuka was an artistic genius who created more than 700 manga titles \u2014 comprising 150,000 pages of hand-drawn art \u2014 and more than 60 anime in his lifetime, making him one of the most prolific Japanese manga creators in history.<\/p>\r\n The impact of Tezuka\u2019s career on Japanese culture far exceeds his actual artistry, though his artistry is incredibly influential. But of equal importance is his role in creating the longstanding industry around taking Japanese comics, or manga, developing them into animated Japanese TV series, or anime, and exporting them around the globe.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n Tezuka began this work in the late 1960s with his iconic manga\u00a0Astro Boy<\/em>, which he adapted into a wildly successful anime. This process of close adaptation, along with the many animation techniques Tezuka pioneered in Japan to speed up the adaptation process, started an industrial tradition that continues into the present; the manga\/anime industry, with its distinctive Japanese artistic style and identity, has profoundly shaped Japanese culture.”(from Romano, Aja Vox “Osamu Tezuka was the \u201cWalt Disney of Japan.” His beautiful manga biography shows why”https:\/\/www.vox.com\/2016\/8\/2\/12244368\/osamu-tezuka-story-explained<\/a> Retrieved June 2021)<\/em><\/p>\r\n<\/a>Influence of traditional Japanese art<\/h2>\r\n
![\"Japanese](\"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/mes-160-1300-f2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/608\/2021\/06\/japanese-scroll.png\")
![\"Tsunami](\"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/mes-160-1300-f2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/608\/2021\/06\/Tsunami_by_hokusai_19th_century.jpg\")
<\/a>Manga and Anime<\/h2>\r\n
<\/a>Anime themes and iconography<\/h2>\r\n
Visual Symbols<\/h3>\r\n
![\"Speed](\"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/mes-160-1300-f2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1868\/2021\/12\/Scan-100216-0001.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"Abstract](\"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/mes-160-1300-f2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1868\/2021\/12\/jup20.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"Angry](\"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/mes-160-1300-f2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/608\/2021\/07\/AngryWikipe-tan.png\")
![\"Popping](\"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/mes-160-1300-f2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1868\/2021\/12\/3525819_1400295230003.66res_420_315.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"Sweat](\"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/mes-160-1300-f2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1868\/2021\/12\/rsz_1rsz_hayate_no_gotoku_2nd_season_-_19_-_large_13_2137.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"cat](\"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/mes-160-1300-f2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1868\/2021\/12\/3ae5fd6390606f1eded3db265a989595.png\")
<\/a>![\"nose](\"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/mes-160-1300-f2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1868\/2021\/12\/snot-bubble-miyauchi-kazuho-non-non-biyori-ep02.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"nose](\"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/mes-160-1300-f2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1868\/2021\/12\/nosebleed-nike-mahoujin-guru-guru-ep06.jpg\")
<\/a>Anime Genres<\/h3>\r\n
<\/a>Osamu Tezuka<\/h2>\r\n
![\"Osamu](\"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/mes-160-1300-f2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/608\/2021\/06\/Osamu_Tezuka_1951_Scan10008-2.jpeg\")