Speech Story

Anime and manga are playing a central role in Japan’s rebranding campaign, said Lucy Craft, CBS Japan correspondent in a presentation at WSU Friday.

Craft’s lecture focused on the economic ramifications of the popularity of anime and manga both in Japan and around the world as well as the history of the phenomenon.  

Anime is the name for a specific style of Japanese animation, characterized by its unique artistic design.  Manga is the Japanese word for “comics” and is descendent from Japanese woodblock prints, said Craft.

Both art forms, in their modern structure, originated after World War II and were influenced by Western animation and art.  During this time Osamu Tezuka immerged as the father of manga and anime.  Later Hayao Miyazaki rose to prominence and is responsible for much of the anime known in the Western world.  

Anime and manga have won fans from around the world.  Vincent van Gogh, the famed Dutch painter, was even a fan of early manga, said Craft.

“I was really surprised that van Gogh like manga so much,” said Kassandra Zwick, an Asian Studies major.

The epicenter for modern manga and anime is Akihabara, Japan, after its transformation from consumer electronics to cater to all things anime and manga.

“The city has become a nerd paradise,” said Craft.  “With the cosplay and manga shops and maid cafes, it has become a geek playground.”

For many of the students in attendance, Japan and Akihabara are must-see destinations.

“I’ve already planned on going to Japan,” said Kerri Simpkins, an Asian Studies major. “But now I have a destination in mind, I want to go to Akihabara. Japan or bust!”

Japan is hoping that the popularity of anime and manga in the west will continue to grow and spur their economy, especially through tourism.  Japan has become a cultural superpower, said Craft, and the effort to export its culture overseas is in full swing.

“Japan is involved in a ‘cool Japan’ promotion strategy,” said Craft. “Cool Japan will be the project for fixing the Japanese economy.”

Japan is currently budgeted to spend $200 million on the project in hopes that the concept will increase the number of tourists, students and businesses coming into Japan.  Manga is already sold in over 150 countries in many different languages, said Craft.

The project is inspired by Joseph Nye’s argument for soft political power, wherein countries use diplomacy and friendly relations to achieve political progress.  Additionally, Douglas McGray’s article entitled Japan’s Gross National Cool arguing for Japan’s cool factor as being a largely underestimated asset furthered governmental thought into the matter.

Additionally, it is seen as a way to save the Japanese economy as it is being outpaced by South Korea and Taiwan in consumer electronics production.  

While the government of Japan has gotten behind the movement, with many government agencies even adopting manga-styled mascots, many of Japan’s intellectuals are concerned about the movement.

Many Japanese scholars see the “cutification” that comes with anime and manga as a soulless void which arose out of the collapse of true Japanese culture after World War II, said Craft

.

Craft believes that the Japanese government has much more important things to consider than the world view of Japan as a cool nation because of anime and manga.

“Focusing on slashing greenhouse gasses, immigration reform and agriculture,” said Craft, “now that would be cool.”