JAPAN

Studies in Japanese Popular Media: Manga and Anime

Program

Courses

Faculty

Housing

Cost

Calendar

Eligibility

Application Deadline

PROGRAM

Studies in Japanese Popular Media: Manga and Anime is a six-week, six-credit program based at Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ). Designed for undergraduates, the program explores manga and anime, and their relation to Japanese and global culture. In addition to lectures and class discussions, the program also includes field trips to art and anime exhibitions, and to studios to see how anime and manga are made at their site of production.

Students also have the opportunity to participate in university-organized field trips and excursions that are of general interest to students of Japanese culture.

TUJ is home to the Institute of Contemporary Japanese Studies (ICJS), which sponsors special programs devoted to Japanese contemporary culture and language, as well as a lecture series. Guest lecturers have included Ian Condry, Associate Professor at M.I.T. specializing in media, popular culture, and globalization; and Frederik Schodt, author of Manga, Manga, Manga and Dreamland Japan.

COURSES

Undergraduate students enroll in two Asian Studies Special Topics courses for a total of six credits.

Asian Studies 2000: Special Topics in Asian Studies I: Japanese Popular Culture: Manga (3 cr)

This interdisciplinary course offers a thematic study of manga as texts of Japanese pop culture, drawing from the fields of history, art history, anthropology, sociology, literature, and film. During each class, a new issue from within the history of manga is examined to give valuable insight into key aspects of Japanese culture.

Topics include the art historical origins of manga; the variety of manga characters, genres and their relation to social and technological development; the comics and rebellion of the 1950s and 1960s, and the birth of the otaku subculture; the relation of manga to computer games; and their adaptation in contemporary Japanese TV and cinema.

The course considers works by Osamu Tezuka, Shigeru Mizuki, Hayao Miyasaki and Taiyo Matsumoto, among others.

Asian Studies 3000: Special Topics in Asian Studies II: Comparative Studies in Japanese Anime (3 cr)
The rich and varied world of Japanese anime has produced some of the most important cultural products to appear in Japan in the post war period, and has established itself as a part of global popular culture. The course includes analyses of works by Hayao Miyazaki, Katsuhiro Otomo, Mamoru Oshii and Reiji Matsumoto. Each class is based on close readings of specific anime, supported by texts, lectures, interviews with directors, and background documentaries.

As part of the course, students also visit exhibitions and production studios at various sites including the Studio Ghibli Museum, Mitaka; the Toei Animation Gallery, Tokyo; and the Tokyo Anime Center.

These courses include an optional practical element where participating students are encouraged to create and produce a manga cartoon strip or a short animated film or moving image sequence based on a theme or topic relevant to their time spent in Tokyo.

Faculty

The program is directed by Mr. Andrew Thomas. Mr. Thomas was born in Manchester, England and has been living in Tokyo since 1996. He holds a BA (Hons) in Theatre & Media Studies from Liverpool University. Mr. Thomas has worked in broadcasting as a graphic designer, animator and creative director for international and Japanese television channels. He established hybrid creative studio for animation, film, publishing and design production in 2001, working with a broad range of international clients and partners including Coca Cola, Adidas, Microsoft Xbox, Cartoon Network and MTV. He has previously directed and produced the Japan launch events for international digital film festivals including Resfest and onedotzero, and has also worked as a programmer of Japanese film, documentary and music videos for the Edinburgh and Rotterdam International Film Festivals.

HOUSING

Students may choose to take advantage of housing arranged by Temple University or to make their own housing arrangements. More detailed housing information describing the housing facilities and amenities is provided to all accepted students.

2009 Costs

Notes:

All Non-Billable Item costs are estimates and should be used as a guideline only.

*The Program Fee includes orientation activities.

In addition to the items above, students should budget money for health insurance, local travel in and around Tokyo, any personal travel outside of Tokyo, and any additional personal expenses.

We recommend that students follow the exchange rate prior to and during their summer abroad, either through the newspaper or a currency exchange web site (such as www.oanda.com).

2009 CALENDAR (Summer I)

Dates are tentative and subject to change

ELIGIBILITY & APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Please see General Summer Information for program eligibility and application requirements that apply to all programs.

In addition, for the Manga/Anime program, the following is required:

• Students are required to submit a one-to-two page typed statement describing your expectations and interests regarding the program, and specifying what you ultimately hope to gain from the study abroad experience.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 15

Announcement: For summer 2009 study, applications will be accepted through February 20.

For more information, contact Temple University International Programs, 200 Tuttleman Learning Center, 1809 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122; Phone: 215-204-0720; Fax: 215-204-0729; E-mail: study.abroad@temple.edu.