Free Choice: Anime and Manga

Pokemon Center Tokyo, a store that specializes in Pokemon paraphernalia.

Perhaps one of the more popular Japanese exports, alongside sushi, j-pop, and small cell phones, is anime and manga. Numerous countries have translated this Japanese form of media into their native languages in order to share and distribute it. There are also plenty of fan groups who are up to date in scanlating (scanning and translating manga) and subbing (adding subtitles to anime) for online communities. Nowadays, anime and manga have become a global phenomenon.

Of course there are differences between anime and manga versions of various countries. Many countries whose language reads left to right will often mirror the manga pages so that it reads like that country’s normal comic layout. Similarly, what Japanese considers appropriate for a certain age group, in particular for younger children, may not be the same as other countries’ censorship. For example, some companies will not only dub an anime but will also edit it to fit the desired audience for that country.

The explosive popularity of anime is partly due to the fact that many series appeal to a wide range of audiences. Whereas many cartoons in America are considered specifically for either children or adults, many anime series attract a range of audience age groups.

One example of a type of anime that appeals to numerous audiences is the shounen genre. Shounen, which can be translated as “young boy,” is aimed at male youths. These shows are usually action and/or adventure stories which follow a male character with whom the audience can sympathize and connect. While this may sound like simply another children’s cartoon, there is also an adult fan base for shounen anime, usually older women.

A store in Den Den Town, the anime and electronics center in Osaka.

The reason for this popularity with older women would be because of doujinshi, or fan comics. Many doujinshi are BL, or Boys Love, which depicts heterosexually portrayed male characters in anime and manga as participating in homosexual relationships. Many doujinshi are independent of the original manga creator. They are simply a way that fans can express their love for the works and to artistically show their desires of what would never actually happen in the series.