The American Presidency

Appendix

A Brief Overview of the History and Genre of Manga

Before embarking upon teaching and using a manga text in the classroom, it is crucial for the educator to understand some basic tenets about the genre and its history. Without the underpinning one runs the risk of being called–out by students who are much savvier about the genre than we could possibly imagine. For them, it is not merely an extension of comics but rather a form of entertainment in its own right and any student born post–1990 will be familiar with it in some fashion in form. As there is nothing that undermines the authority of a teacher more than not knowing or misspeaking on a subject, this exploration is very pertinent.

In the simplest form, manga means Japanese comics. However, to stop at this whittled down definition would be a disservice to the genre and one's own knowledge. Manga is not just comics, and particularly not at all like the comics we have come to know in America. Superheroes do exist but are not the primary focus. There are sub–genres for men and women. There are instructional manuals as well as histories and recipe books. One scholar explains, "Early–learning and school textbooks are available in manga form, as are study and revision guides for college students. You can learn about almost anything via manga". ²⁵ In Japan, manga frequently outsells and is more culturally persuasive then television and films. Books are produced "weekly, bi–weekly or at least monthly with print runs up to 6 million each". ²⁶ The prices are kept very low as to allow readers to buy and leave behind the books/magazines after purchase, tailoring to the compact home lives of Japanese citizens. Additionally, subscription "cafes" abound in which one pays a membership fee to enter and read their share of a variety of titles offered; a lending library of sorts. ²⁷

The proliferation of these texts extends far back into the cultural memory of the Island Nation. Pre–manga stretches back as early as the 12th–century with "drawings painted onto paper scrolls as much as 20 feet in length and place din sequence to tell of legends, battles and events from daily life" . ²⁸ The Japanese Ministry of Culture and Education supplies teachers with "a three–page illustrated history to help the covering the uninterrupted continuity between historic picture scrolls and prints and manga". ²⁹ This connection, perhaps, lends a history to the medium that makes room for the involvement of grown adults as easily as it appeals to younger adolescents.

When American comics were first introduced overseas in the 1950s, they gained popularity and then began to morph into the cultural phenomenon that is now manga. In a sense, manga is the Japanese response and reappropriation of American comics into a unique format that is truly their own.

For many decades, Japanese studies scholar Frederick L. Schodt's Manga! Manga! was the only comprehensive study on the form, deemed (albeit unverified) the "Bible of Manga". In reality, it was the only book available that provided more than an article length treatment on the subject. Originally, published in 1983, Schodt was the first to delve into the complex, varied world of manga. Up to this point, manga was largely un–translated, giving rise to a primary issue of basic understanding. Additionally, Japanese manga books are read back to front, up and down, then left to right, to mimic the way the Japanese language is read and written, which creates a second disjuncture in understanding. While Schodt does an acceptable job at substantiating the genre, there are many areas of blindness and also some incongruities of fact. As with all realms of knowledge, one runs a great risk when relying on one source as the be–all end–all of explanation.

Enter Paul Gravett. Seeing some of the misunderstandings and short–sights of Schodt, Gravett sets out to provide a more comprehensive and nuanced approach to this Japanese phenomenon. Gravett also has the luxury of writing in an era when manga has crossed the ocean and become much more prolific in the United States. Children have devoured many of the crazes from overseas and in doing so have created a mass–market for the books, fueling translations, adaptations and spin–offs. As the world becomes more global and the popularity of the genre has exploded into a legitimate source of culture and entertainment for populations across the world, it seems that Gravett's text is more comprehensive and infused with a wider understanding of the genre on an international level, not just as a singular occurrence.