Description
Book SynopsisJapanese animation, video games, and manga have attracted fans around the world. The characters, the stories, and the sensibilities that come out of these cultural products are together called Japan Cool. This is not a sudden fad, but is rooted in mangaJapanese comicswhich since the mid-1940s have developed in an exponential way. In spite of a gradual decline in readership, manga still commands over a third of the publishing output. The volume of manga works that is being produced and has been through history is enormous. There are manga publications that attract readers of all ages and genders. The diversity in content attracts readers well into adulthood. Surveys on reading practices have found that almost all Japanese people read manga or have done so at some point in their lives. The skills of reading manga are learned by readers themselves, but learned in the context of other readers and in tandem with school learning. Manga reading practices are sustained by the practices of ot
Trade ReviewReading Japan Cool offers a rich, yet accessible discussion of manga in their social, cultural, and intermedia context. Drawing on an innovative blend of textual analysis and literacy research, this book takes us from the origins and semiotics of manga to the literacy practices and reading strategies of its young and adult readers. Lucidly written and well documented, this is likely to become a standard reference in the new field of academic manga research. -- Jannis Androutsopoulos, King's College London
In North America, few people today remember, or know, how popular and influential comics once were. Nor are they aware how a once-thriving industry came to be stigmatized, marginalized, and nearly destroyed. To see what happens when comics become a truly mainstream media today, we have to look to Japan. In their new book, John Ingulsrud and Kate Allen meticulously and dispassionately analyze patterns of comics literacy in Japan. In the process they not only drive a few stakes in some old American myths about comics, but also shed light on an increasingly important aspect of modern Japanese society. Kudos to them for a very important and fascinating book! -- Frederik L. Schodt, author of Manga! Manga!, Dreamland Japan, and The Astro Boy Essays
Table of ContentsPart 1 Chapter 1. Manga in the Discourse of Japan Cool Chapter 2 Becoming Manga-Literate Chapter 3 Structural Features of Manga Chapter 4 Basic Categories of Manga–Age and Gender Chapter 5 Scope of the Book Part 6 Chapter 2. The Nature of Manga Discourse Chapter 7 Distinctiveness of Manga Chapter 8 Origins of Manga Chapter 9 The Study of Manga Chapter 10 Summary Part 11 Chapter 3. Manga in the History of Literacy Chapter 12 Literacy in Japan Chapter 13 Learning to Read Chapter 14 Summary Part 15 Chapter 4. The Literacy Practices of Reading Manga Chapter 16 Becoming a Manga Reader Chapter 17 Communities of Readers Chapter 18 Readers as Manga Collectors Chapter 19 Readers as Manga Creators Chapter 20 Summary Part 21 Chapter 5. Strategies for Comprehending Manga Chapter 22 Strategies Used to Read Manga Chapter 23 Coping with Difficulties Chapter 24 Summary Part 25 Chapter 6. Reasons for Reading Manga Chapter 26 Reading Manga for Pleasure and Unintentional Learning Chapter 27 Reading Manga for Relaxation Chapter 28 Shifting Preferences of Manga Readers Chapter 29 Gendered Preferences of Manga Readers Chapter 30 Summary Part 31 Chapter 7. The Effects of Literacy Chapter 32 Too Little Effect–The Discourse of Literacy Crisis Chapter 33 Too Much Effect–The Discourse of Media Control Chapter 34 Mitigating the Effects–Engaging the Communities of Practice
