Anime, hand-drawn or computer-animated Japanese cartoons, appears in television series, films, video, video games, and commercials, and represents most genres of fiction. This critical study explores anime’s relationship with art from a twofold perspective. Drawing from categories as varied as romance, comedy, slice of life drama, science fiction, bildungsroman, and school drama, it examines anime’s representation of characters pursuing diverse artistic activities and related aesthetic visions, focusing closely on the concepts of creativity, talent, expressivity and experimentation. Additionally, the analysis engages with anime’s own artistry, proposing that those characters’ endeavors provide metaphors for the aims and objectives pursued by anime itself as an evolving art form. The cross-cultural resonance of this work makes it relevant not only to anime fans and scholars, but also to those interested in the phenomenon of image-making.

Dani Cavallaro has written widely about literature, cultural theory, and anime. She lives in London.

Dani Cavallaro
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 242
Bibliographic Info: filmography, appendix, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2012
pISBN: 978-0-7864-6561-3
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8949-7
Imprint: McFarland

Preface      1

1. Cultural Perspectives      5

2. The Search for a Language      58

3. Mythopoeia      110

4. Performance and Visuality      156

Filmography      217

Appendix: Japanese Art Periods Timeline      224

Bibliography      225

Index      231

“highly recommended…meticulous”—The Midwest Book Review; “recommended”—Choice.