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Understanding Manga and Anime
Teens love it. Parents hate it. Librarians are confused by it; and patrons are demanding it. Libraries have begun purchasing both manga and anime, particularly for their teen collections. But the sheer number of titles available can be overwhelming, not to mention the diversity and quirky cultural conventions. In order to build a collection, it is important to understand the media and its cultural nuances. Many librarians have been left adrift, struggling to understand this unique medium while trying to meet patron demands as well as protests. This book gives the novice background information necessary to feel confident in selecting, working with, and advocating for manga and anime collections; and it offers more experienced librarians some fresh insights and ideas for programming and collections.--Teens love it. Parents hate it. Librarians are confused by it; and patrons are demanding it. Libraries have begun purchasing both manga and anime, particularly for their teen collections. But the sheer number of titles available can be overwhelming, not to mention the diversity and quirky cultural conventions. In order to build a collection, it is important to understand the media and its cultural nuances. Many librarians have been left adrift, struggling to understand this unique medium while trying to meet patron demands as well as protests. This book gives the novice background information necessary to feel confident in selecting, working with, and advocating for manga and anime collections; and it offers more experienced librarians some fresh insights and ideas for programming and collections.--In 2003 the manga (Japanese comics) market was the fastest growing area of pop culture, with 75-100% growth to an estimated market size of $100 million retail. The growth has continued with a 40-50% sales increase in bookstores in recent years. Teens especially love this highly visual, emotionally charged and action-packed media imported from Japan, and its sister media, anime (Japanese animation); and libraries have begun purchasing both. Chock full of checklists and sidebars highlighting key points, this book includes: a brief history of anime and manga in Japan and in the West; a guide to visual styles and cues; a discussion of common themes and genres unique to manga and anime; their intended audiences; cultural differences in format and content; multicultural trends that manga and anime readers embrace and represent; and programming and event ideas. It also includes genre breakdowns and annotated lists of recommended titles, with a focus on the best titles in print and readily available, particularly those appropriate to preteen and teen readers. Classic and benchmark titles are also mentioned as appropriate. A glossary and a list of frequently asked questions complete the volume.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 30, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 18, 2020
3.5 stars, rounded down for some issues described at the end of the review.
This is a great introductory book aimed at librarians. I went in knowing essentially nothing about manga (I’ve read a little, maybe 10 volumes tops), and this was super helpful. I especially appreciated all the stuff I probably wouldn’t have gotten just from reading manga, like the history, notes on the different age range categories, advice about how to collect, and lots of trivia about what certain visual/verbal shorthand means (like why characters would ever say their blood type — apparently it’s seen a bit like their astrological sign!). It’s all written in a very easy-to-read conversational tone that still manages to take manga and its readers seriously.
I mostly focused on the introductory chapters and the parts about Collection Development and programming, only skimming the middle chapters about specific genres, but I may go back and read them more closely later. I actually ended up reading more than I intended of the book, because it was so interesting.
The obvious drawbacks are that it was written in 2007, by a (presumably) middle-aged white woman, so it’s definitely from a certain viewpoint, and it definitely emphasizes the cultural differences, and will often say “the Japanese do/feel x” as a totally overarching statement. And there is a least one time when talking about “taboo subjects” that manga explores, when she groups together pedophilia, incest, & “homosexuality.” If you’re able to get past all that, I do recommend it.
This is a great introductory book aimed at librarians. I went in knowing essentially nothing about manga (I’ve read a little, maybe 10 volumes tops), and this was super helpful. I especially appreciated all the stuff I probably wouldn’t have gotten just from reading manga, like the history, notes on the different age range categories, advice about how to collect, and lots of trivia about what certain visual/verbal shorthand means (like why characters would ever say their blood type — apparently it’s seen a bit like their astrological sign!). It’s all written in a very easy-to-read conversational tone that still manages to take manga and its readers seriously.
I mostly focused on the introductory chapters and the parts about Collection Development and programming, only skimming the middle chapters about specific genres, but I may go back and read them more closely later. I actually ended up reading more than I intended of the book, because it was so interesting.
The obvious drawbacks are that it was written in 2007, by a (presumably) middle-aged white woman, so it’s definitely from a certain viewpoint, and it definitely emphasizes the cultural differences, and will often say “the Japanese do/feel x” as a totally overarching statement. And there is a least one time when talking about “taboo subjects” that manga explores, when she groups together pedophilia, incest, & “homosexuality.” If you’re able to get past all that, I do recommend it.
November 18, 2023
I thought this was a pretty good nonfiction introduction to manga and anime geared toward librarians who are thinking about including them in their collections. I liked the chapters on vocabulary and culture clash especially because they spelled out things that I've seen repeatedly in manga such as large round eyes = 'good' character while narrow squinty eyes = 'bad'; sudden appearance of dog tail and ears = begging; nosebleeds = arousal; the pacing of manga being due to their basis on cinema rather than comics; fan service, and why manga will suddenly break into ridiculous art to show a humorous moment. All of this continues in manga so it was more useful than the title summations which were written in 2007.
I added five manga to my TBR (XXXholic, Her Majesty's Dog, Descendants of Darkness, Tarot Cafe, and Antique Bakery).
I added five manga to my TBR (XXXholic, Her Majesty's Dog, Descendants of Darkness, Tarot Cafe, and Antique Bakery).
November 19, 2012
This was a really great, and refreshingly well-written, primer on what librarians, parents, basically anyone who doesn't take instantly to manga, needs to know about the plots, visual shorthand, series styles, social conventions, and so forth needed to understand the enormously, often scarily, popular medium. I was both surprised by how much I had gleaned from just reading lots of Tezuka, and how much I still didn't know about the stuff that's popular today. Includes tons of succinct series summaries (e.g. This book is about a teenage girl who accidentally becomes a member of her high school's Host Club and all the girls fall in love with her! What will she do!... Stuff like that) for things I'd heard of a thousand times but had no idea what they were about. Mentioned Love Roma. The only semi-contemporary manga I've actually read. Good. Yay! Now I know what otaku and dojinshi mean and who CLAMP are, and what Yotsuba&! is about, if not why there is an ampersand in the title (somethings must remain a mystery), and I am a better person for it.
December 4, 2016
Liked, didn't love this, though it does have some good information on how different manga genres operate, what the conventions are and how manga and anime (though mostly manga) differs from Western comics. As opposed to the two other books I've read on manga, this one is specifically geared towards librarians, which was helpful. On the one hand, it's helpful to bring up some of the same series in different sections (the book is a resource or reference guide so different people will approach it differently) and to help you remember titles and authors. On the other hand, if you already have some familiarity with certain titles, the repetition can be a little annoying. Another problem, that is hard to avoid is technology and its perpetual state of change and evolution. Sites and internet resources that were new and novel when the book was written are passe or effectively defunct as of my reading. Still, good basic ideas for how to build and develop a manga & anime collection for librarians and designing programming (primarily for teens).
July 30, 2008
This book serves as a good introduction to anime and manga for librarians and teachers. I found the programming ideas and title lists particularly useful. Despite its thick size, it is an easy read and it is organized in such a way that a reader doesn't have to wade through the whole volume if they are just looking for, say, insights on shounen action manga. There is a little more coverage of manga than anime, but much of what you learn in this book holds true for both formats as the two are inter-related. I do feel compelled to point out, as a cosplayer, that the captions on the cosplay photo page are mixed up. Other than that, a good read even for librarians who have some knowledge of manga and anime.
August 28, 2008
A pretty good primer for librarians who know little about manga and anime. Unfortunately, there were a few editing mistakes (titles/annotations repeated twice; wrong annotation for a title) and a few times when the annotation of a manga series does not include the anime adaptation info (or vice versa). Additionally, even though this was released mid 2007, some of the information is already dated, especially with all the recent shakeups in the anime/manga industry. I also preferred the annotations in Jason Thompson's Manga: The Complete Guide more.
As I wrote above though, a good introduction, but if you want to keep up on the latest news you'll have to subscribe to a mailing list like GN-LIB or keep up on the numerous comics industry blogs and websites.
As I wrote above though, a good introduction, but if you want to keep up on the latest news you'll have to subscribe to a mailing list like GN-LIB or keep up on the numerous comics industry blogs and websites.
March 17, 2013
I loved this book. I needed to understand and enjoy manga ASAP for my new job since they were putting me in charge of Collection Development of the graphic novels/manga. This book was insanely helpful. The first key was, obviously, reading them in the correct direction. That helped a lot, lol. A lot of the cultural humor and use of symbolism was going over my head until I read this, and it also has some handy collection development resources. Now I'm whipping through series, and I even like quite a few of them. This feels like a testimonial, but honestly, probably the most useful nonfiction I've read in the last five years.
April 11, 2013
This was an excellent guide to understanding manga (and anime, though the guide concentrates on manga): I wasn't too familiar with the form before, and I now feel like I really understand that appeal and know a lot of good starting points. Brenner includes a lot of annotated recommendation lists, and I'll absolutely be copying down some titles for further exploration! This book is mainly aimed at teachers and librarians, with a particular interest in cultivating a collection of teen-audience manga and developing a manga/anime club, but I think lay readers uninterested in librarianship would still find his a great starting point for understanding the medium.
January 20, 2020
A great reference for someone like me who is new to the genre. However, this is more for librarians who want to setup a manga\anime section as it is full of advice and starting points.
I was slightly disappointed when reading the chapter on anime reaching the Americas and Battle Of The Planets didn't get a nod, it was my favourite as a child. However, I completely understand because I am starting to see the vastness of this genre and it would be impossible to mention everything.
Overall, I am glad I read it. It has giving me some suggestions for future reads and a better understanding of certain aspects.
I was slightly disappointed when reading the chapter on anime reaching the Americas and Battle Of The Planets didn't get a nod, it was my favourite as a child. However, I completely understand because I am starting to see the vastness of this genre and it would be impossible to mention everything.
Overall, I am glad I read it. It has giving me some suggestions for future reads and a better understanding of certain aspects.
November 13, 2008
This is a great resource for librarians or anyone interested in learning more about manga and anime. I would have like Brenner to spend more time on the visual symbols used in manga, but overall I felt I learned a lot from this book. It's definitely aimed more at public librarians than school librarians and I feel some of her age recommendations might be a little too loose for a school library.
May 25, 2009
While not the most fun book to read, this is a truly solid introduction to the world of manga for the average librarian. I'm a pretty big comics fan but I just haven't been able to crack the manga barrier and find anything I really connect with, so this book was great for making lists for my library in the future (and gave me leads on a few titles that I might, finally, be able to get into myself). Thanks for the recommendation, Jen!
March 30, 2010
Intended for librarians, so it's written primarily from the standpoint of someone seeking to provide a collection to a community. It has a lot of useful information on decoding manga symbolism, but it's slow reading. The latter half, particularly, is almost purely librarian-specific, recommending titles and series for different demographics and exploring some ways librarians could expand awareness of manga works.
December 29, 2012
This is an excellent resource on manga and anime. It is well written and thorough, well organized and easy to read. It opens up the wold of manga to non-readers, and helps them understand the symbols, nuances, an cultural differences present in the material. It also includes information on fans of mana and anime and how to set up a club and develop a collection. This is a staple in any Teen Librarian's library.
May 4, 2012
This easy-to-follow resource provides expansive coverage into manga (Japanese comics) and anime (Japanese animated films). It provides insights into topics relevant specifically to librarians, such as programming, collection development, challenges and marketing, and I found some of the ideas very useful, such as the "How to Draw Manga and Anime Program at Your Library!"
June 4, 2008
Written by a non-fan librarian for other new-to-manga-and-anime librarians, this has a history of anime and manga, booklists, programming ideas, explanations of cultural differences and tips for dealing with challenges.
May 21, 2009
This is a pretty good professional development resource if you aren't a manga fan. I found that having some of the historical and artistic context for manga gave me more appreciation for it. The book provides good ideas for programming and resources for collection development.
October 4, 2016
It has a lot of information, especially for librarians. So I took what interested me and read that. Manga and anime history, manga art, manga genres and stories... I also took some manga recommendations from here. I am happy to be a proud otaku now. Cheers!
August 11, 2009
Very helpful primer for understanding the basics about manga and anime.
Want to read
July 28, 2009stopped on page 77 due to need to read MSBA books
November 18, 2013
Very astute intro to manga and anime. Directed more toward librarians who wish to know more about anime and manga in order to build up their libraries' collections.
March 12, 2015
Very informative.
August 13, 2008
Full of info - just couldn't finish it
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews