Synopses & Reviews
This comprehensive history of Japanese animation draws on Japanese primary sources and testimony from industry professionals to explore the production and reception of anime, from its early faltering steps, to the international successes of Spirited Away and Pokémon.
Synopsis
Anime: A History is a comprehensive new guide to the story of Japanese animation, tracing its development from the work of a handful of hobbyists in the 1910s to the Oscar-winning Spirited Away and beyond. Jonathan Clements explores the production and reception history of the genre, taking into consideration cultural and technological developments of the past century. He addresses issues of historiography within Japanese academic discourse and covers previously neglected topics such as wartime instructional animation and work-for-hire for American clients. Drawing on the testimonies of industry professionals and Japanese-language documents, memoirs and books, Anime: A History illuminates the anime business from the inside investigating its innovators, its unsung heroes and its controversies."
About the Author
Jonathan Clements is an anime historian. He is co-author of The Anime Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese Animation Since 1917, former editor of Manga Max magazine, and has been a translator, voice director or voice actor on over 70 anime productions.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction: What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Anime?
1. Kid Deko's New Picture Book: Early Cartoons in Japan 1912-21
2. The Film Factories: Animation Technique and Technology 1921-37
3. The Shadow Staff: Japanese Animation at War 1931-48
4. The Seeds of Anime: Japanese Animation Industries 1946-62
5. Dreams of Export: Toei Doga and MOM Production 1953-67
6. Warrior Business: Tezuka's Anime Revolution in Context 1961-67
7. The Brown Screen: Trended Change in Japanese Animation 1966-83
8. The Third Medium: The Transformation of Ownership and Access 1977-96
9. The Pokemon Shock: Anime Goes Global 1984-97, 1997-2006
10. The Digital Engine: New Technologies in Animation 1983-2012
Epilogue: The End of Anime's First Century
Bibliography
Index