Manga: Sixty Years of Japanese Comics, written by freelance journalist Paul Gravett, is an illustrated guide to the manga artform. Featuring sections on the life and career of Osamu Tezuka, manga for girls and women, and censorship, it offers a well-rounded view of what makes manga so different from western comics.
Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga, written by Japanese culture expert Frederik L. Schodt, is a collection of essays related to the history and subject of manga. From the magazines that manga were published in to the artists who defined them, this book provides an overview of what makes manga so weird and wonderful.
Manga Crash Course, written by YouTube artist Mina "Mistiqarts" Petrović, is a basic how-to-draw book for manga art. It places most of its emphasis on the facial features of classic manga and anime, such as large eyes and subtle smiles, with additional sections on paneling, shading, and general character design.
Anime from Akira to Howl's Moving Castle, written by Professor Susan J. Napier, is a book about the rapidly growing popularity of anime in North America. Pulling from such works as Ranma 1/2 and Princess Mononoke, she examines the elements that make anime so unique, so unusual, and so provocative compared to western works.
Japanese Visual Culture: Explorations in the World of Manga and Anime, edited by Mark. W. MacWilliams, is a compilation of essays on various subjects related to manga and anime. From discussions on the effects of the Russo-Japanese War and World War II on Japanese culture, to explorations of the Shojo demographic, this ebook makes for a great place to begin your studies.
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Asian Comics, written by John A. Lent, is an ebook about the various kinds of comics made by Asians outside of Japan. While not manga in the usual sense, these comics are influenced by (and in turn, influence) manga themselves, sharing similar philosophies, subjects, and in some cases, audiences.
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Manga may be similar in format to western comic books, but it didn't take long for audiences to realize just how different they really are from each other. In this video, YouTube storytelling critic Literature Devil explores some of these differences, from guiding philosophies and cultural expectations, to eastern writing techniques like "kishōtenketsu".
Manga can be much more than just entertainment. It can also be educational, with some of the most critically acclaimed works borrowing from real world history and cultures. In this video, professional librarians working with the Manga in Libraries YouTube channel come together in Zoom to discuss how to use manga when teaching.
TvTropes is a wiki dedicated to cataloging "tropes" (or "reoccurring story elements") as they appear in various forms of media. It allows users to read summaries of each trope, compare and contrast them with similar tropes, and even seen which tropes the community has identify within specific works or franchises.
Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that covers a wide range of subjects, from sciences like biology or physics, to works that are significant in pop-culture. While it can offer a decent overview of a particular work or subject, when using it for academic purposes, be sure to review any cited sources to make sure that it is accurate and up-to-date.
Manga is a massive industry with numerous publishers, distributers, and licensees. In this article from Publishing Research Quarterly, Hadi Akbar Dahlan shares some insight into how the industry functions, featuring graphs, charts, and images. It also touches upon "doujinshi", and the community of fans that support it.
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Manga is a popular format for all kinds of stories. However, there is perhaps no genre more suited to the format than horror. In this article from Humanities, Paolo La Marca explores how horror manga has evolved over the years, describing some of the subgenres and conventions that make it so fascinating.
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Manga's demographics ("shonen", "shojo", etc.) are typically broader than the ones used in America. For that reason, it can sometimes be difficult to find series for an exact age group. In this article from the School Library Journal, Brigid Alverson discusses some of the difficulties in finding manga translated for younger readers.
About ProQuest: ProQuest is a Traveler Database, which means that it's funded through the Arkansas State Library System. For this reason, the site will automatically check your IP Address to confirm that you're using it within Arkansas. If you aren't able to access this article because your IP Address is out of state, try using another internet connection.