Anime Explosion!

The What? Why? and Wow! of Japanese Animation, Revised and Updated Edition

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by Patrick Drazen

Type: Stories
Subject: Genre > Animation
Keywords: animation, Japan
Publishing date: 2014
Publisher: Stone Bridge Press
Language: English

Relative size

Physical desc.

Paperback • 388 pages
6 x 9 inches (15 x 23 cm)

ISBN

978-1-61172-013-6

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Book Presentation:
A fascinating guide to themes and films in the expanding Japanese megaverse.

For fans, culture watchers, and perplexed outsiders, this expanded edition offers an engaging tour of the anime megaverse, from older artistic traditions to the works of modern creators like Hayao Miyazaki, Katsuhiro Otomo, Satoshi Kon, and CLAMP.

Examined are all of anime's major themes, styles, and conventions, plus the familiar tropes of giant robots, samurai, furry beasts, high school heroines, and gay/girl/fanboy love. Concluding are fifteen essays on favorite anime, including Evangelion, Escaflowne, Sailor Moon, Patlabor, and Fullmetal Alchemist.

About the Author:
Patrick Drazen has presented at the 2004 Schoolgirls and Mobilesuits, at Yaoi-Con in 2002, at the 2006 Cherry Blossom Festival Anime Marathon at the Freer Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution, and for several years at Anime Central in Chicago. He's been at anime conventions in Columbus, Indianapolis, and Peoria, and gave a talk on anime based on western literature at his alma mater Illinois Wesleyan University for Homecoming 2012. He also gave talks about anime at Mayor Daley's Book Club, an annual literacy festival for local authors. He's written articles on anime for Animation magazine and the British magazine SFX, on manga for Time Out New York, sits on the Editorial Board for Mechademia journal, and participated in a panel discussion in 2006 with Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino as part of the Chicago International Film Festival. Drazen has an extensive anime collection, from Betamax to DVD, and his presentations have touched on Japanese folklore in modern anime, same-sex relationships, and the fluid nature of heroes and villains in anime.

Press Reviews:
"An excellent reference work on the subject."
—Library Journal (starred review)

"Mr. Drazen, like others of the Stone Bridge Press club, does his homework in spades."
—Akadot.com

"The ideal gift for the fan who thinks he knows it all, or perhaps the parent who knows nothing. The world of Japanese animation is laden with so-called beginner's guides, but in my opinion, this is the first that has been truly worth picking up."
—UK Sci-Fi Channel

"An essential reference for understanding the landmarks, themes, and history contained in this intriguing form of popular culture."
—John F. Barber, School of Arts and Humanities, The University of Texas at Dallas, Leonardo Journal

"A popular study of the Japanese genre of anime teaches a great deal about the art form and about Japanese culture in general—and how cultural themes reverberate through popular media."
—Anthropology Review Database

"The perfect introduction for any new to the idea of anime..."
—The Midwest Book Review (D. Donovan, Editor & Senior Reviewer, California Bookwatch)

"This book is useful not only as a reference to Anime, but also as a rewarding guide to some aspects of contemporary Japanese culture."
—University Library: Monthly Book Spotlight, June 2003

"A good resource and guide to the foundation, historical development and overall themes in Japanese animation and serves as an excellent reference source whether you are an established fan or a person who wants to learn about the cultural aspects of this specific and increasingly popular genre."
—Active Anime