The Fiction Books Club will be meeting every Wednesday, 2:30-3:30 PM, in Study Room #2. See the reading schedule tab for more information. For the best experience (and to avoid spoilers), please read the designated chapters before attending each week. We look forward to seeing you then!
Howl's Moving Castle is a fantasy, adventure novel written by Diana Wynne Jones. It tells the story of Sophie Hatter, the eldest of three sisters living in the fictional land of Ingary. Though surrounded by magic and sorcery, Sophie is resigned to a mundane life at her mother's hat shop until the wicked Witch of the Waste casts a curse on her, turning her into an old woman. With her youth taken away from her, Sophie sets out to seek her fortune, eventually forming a strange bond with the wizard Howl, who is said to devour women's hearts.
In 2004, the novel was adapted into an animated film by the award-winning Studio Ghibli. Though the film follows the broad strokes of the plot, it makes huge changes to the setting, character motivations, and twists. Fans of the film will be delighted to experience the story in a whole new way. They may also be delighted to learn that the story continues, as the novel got two sequels: Castle in the Air & House of Many Ways.
In a world that often neglects or denigrates the future of its youth, Howl's Moving Castle offers a story of hope, healing, and determination in the face of an uncertain future.
The Fiction Books Club will be meeting every Wednesday, 2:30-3:30 PM, in Study Room #2. See the reading schedule tab for more information. For the best experience (and to avoid spoilers), please read the designated chapters before attending each week. We look forward to seeing you then!
Jan 29, 2025: Ch. 1
Feb 05, 2025: Ch. 2 & 3
Feb 12, 2025: Ch. 4 & 5
Feb 19, 2025: Ch. 6 & 7
Feb 26, 2025: Ch. 8 & 9
Mar 05, 2025: Ch. 10 & 11
Mar 12, 2025: Ch. 12 & 13
Mar 19, 2025: Ch. 14 & 15
Mar 26, 2025: Ch. 16 & 17
Apr 02, 2025: Ch. 18 & 19
Apr 09, 2025: Ch. 20 & 21
Howl's Moving Castle's main theme, "Merry-Go-Round of Life", was composed by Joe Hisashi and performed by the New Japan Philharmonic. It is a orchestral piece that captures the magic and wonder that can be found in mundane life. The visuals of this video also depict the kind of landscapes that feature in both the film and original novel.
"Manga" as defined by Wikipedia, "are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan". They are usually published in weekly or monthly magazines aimed at specific demographics. Of these demographics, "shonen" manga tend to be the most popular here in America, though series for all demographics get published in modern day (see FAQs below for more info).
In magazines, most manga are published chapter by chapter along with other series. If a series is popular enough, it will have those chapters compiled into "tankÅbon" (or "volumes") and sold separately. These volumes tend to consist of four or five chapters at a time, though the number varies depending on the series and publisher.
Though they are similar to western comics, manga have their own flavor and appeal. They are usually printed in black and white, and read from right to life, top to bottom. They are typically written for eastern sensibilities and, as such, are able to depict ideas and subject matter that most western creatives would consider alienating or off-limits.
While more manga get published every year in America, some series are still only available in Japan. For this reason, some manga fans will acquire untranslated volumes from websites like cd.japan and use translation apps to read them. These translations are rarely as good as a human's, but may be necessary if you want to read more obscure series.
If you want to learn more about manga, the FAQs below are a great place to start. If you want to find resources about the manga industry as a whole or a specific series, please navigate to the corresponding page. Each page features books, videos, and websites you can use to familiarize yourself with its subject matter, while furthering your college studies. Have fun and enjoy!
Words like "shonen" or "seinen" indicate the intended demographic for a manga, which are usually determined by which magazine a series is published in. These demographics, however, aren't strictly defined. Manga made for a "shonen" ("young male") audience can still star a female protagonist or contain some mature content. The most common manga demographics are...
Unlike English, Japanese is written from right to left. For this reason, events in a manga (including word bubbles) also flow from right to left. Some older translations tried to avoid this by flipping the artwork horizontally, but this is no longer as common today due to the story issues it can cause (characters favoring the wrong hand, locations being in the wrong place, etc.).
As a manga increases in popularity, it becomes more and more likely that it will receive an anime adaptation. These adaptations often have clear advantages, such as sound, color, and animation. However, that doesn't always make them an "upgrade" over the original. In fact, the manga format has its own advantages that readers should consider. These advantages include...
With the sheer amount of reading that some students have to do, it's easy to wonder why anyone would want to add to it. However, reading manga actually has a lot of benefits... some of which you can't get anywhere else. These are some of the reasons why you should add a manga or two to your college experience:
These suffixes, known as honorifics, allow Japanese speakers to address others with respect or familiarity depending on the context. They incorporate elements of both gender and social status, and can lead to awkward situations if misused. Using someone's name without honorifics is usually reserved for close friends or lovers. Common honorifics in manga include...
"Light Novels" are works of Japanese literature, typically aimed at a "shonen" or "shojo" demographic. They tend to be shorter than your average novel (about 50k words) and often feature manga-styled illustrations as a bonus feature. While they have a reputation for being pulpy and disposable, some light novels have gone on to achieve mass popularity, such as...
"Doujinshi" are self-published media, like manga or video games, that are often produced by amateur creators. They can tell original stories, but are usually fan works (or pornography) of already existing properties. They exist in a gray area in Japanese law, as their limited distribution (often at one-day-only conventions) isn't considered to harm the official release. Notable doujinshi include...
"OVA" or "Original Video Animation" are anime series, specials, or films not created for tv or theater distribution. For this reason, they tend to be free from the content and budgetary restrictions of your typical anime. OVAs can be used to continue an anime that stopped airing on tv or as a bonus feature for a dvd or bluray release. Some notable examples include:
"OEL" stands for "Original English-Language". The label is used by publishers to describe western comics made with the style and sensibilities of manga, while originating outside of Japan. Other labels used to express the same idea include "international manga", "manga-influenced comics", and "world" or "global manga". Some notable examples include:
