Manga

When and How to Go Graphic Comics and graphic novels are more popular than ever. Every comic convention that I exhibit Flutter, my graphic series, I meet more people who are exploring the world of comics for the first time. The response to Flutter has been wonderful by comic fans new and old. Currently, I’m doing a Kickstarter for the upcoming release of Flutter Vol. 2, and the response to that has been amazing. I’m often asked why I decided to write Flutter as a graphic novel. Like many…

10. Paranoia Agent (2004) Satoshi Kon was so content with his cooperation with Madhouse that immediately after the end of producing Tokyo Godfathers, he proposed to shoot a TV anime series. The script would be based upon a few of his concepts, which he had not used before, as much as upon newspapers' headlines, particularly their crime and social ones. The leadership of the company accepted, thus initiating the creation of the 13 episodes of Paranoia Agent. A series of attacks occur in Tokyo,…

People like to believe they have control over their own decisions; however, all decisions and all actions are taken under a system of laws and moral and cultural codes ingrain into everyone since childhood. In Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s The Social Contract, he notes that state of nature is where everyone is free and at peace, but as population grows and people’s needs changes, humans starts to group themselves together, loosing that freedom. Socially, one must lose their individual freedom for…

“Anime,” or japanese animation as it’s referred to, is a form of animation made in Japan that is broadcasted on television or streamed through dedicated streaming websites and services. Although highly popular throughout the world, it is gaining popularity throughout the U.S. While traditional American television is the staple among viewers in the U.S, it can be strongly argued that anime is better than traditional American TV. One particular reason why anime is better than traditional American…

When it comes to creating characters and story, Alexander-Tanner explained that his biggest incentive is real life situations and scenarios. “I like talking to people, a lot. Like getting really connected. Making comics is very solitary work which I don’t like”, Alexander-Tanner states. “I’m not a type of person who wants to just sit in a room and not interact with anyone for hundreds of hours. It just goes against my nature which has been a big struggle in this work. So I really like the parts…

Now i thinks it's time for the world to acknowledge something that makes the world better. Something that has prevented suicide, changed people's lives for the better, and may have turned them into what people they are today. Ladies and gentleman! I'm talking about ANIME! Anime is able to help people with depression, anxiety, or other “Mental issues” as people would call it. I , being one of these victims back in my kiddy years went through a lot of depression until i found anime, because of how…

Chris Ware works wonders when it comes to his graphic novel “Unmasked.” He tells this story about how one woman does not accept the fact that her husband may be cheating on her. This graphic novel seems difficult to comprehend at first, but with different literary elements and devices, Ware makes comprehension possible. Ware uses his unique color scheme, panel transitions, the use of the five senses, and the attitude of the characters to tell how a woman is made aware of her father and her…

Jiri G. Ruzicka’s “American Superheroes and the Politics of Good and Evil,” poses the statement, “The United States of America is the promised land for comics” (Ruzicka 46). Comic books have been around for a very long time — almost dating back to the late 1800’s. Many see these books as merely a form of entertainment; however, they are more significant than that. Comics and graphic novels reflect the American societal values of the time through their main characters, the character’s struggles…

Is Japan immune to social change? An essay on similarities and differences in the: society, culture and economy of the home islands, across Doctor Akagi and Akira. In this essay I will compare and contrast the Doctor Akagi and Akira. These two films, produced respectively 1988 (Akira) and 1998 (Doctor Akagi), show Japan in a time of crises, with destruction on the horizon. Throughout both the plot each film ventures in all aspects of society, from neo-slums to tech villas in Akira; to country…

Hayao Miyazaki, an influential Japanese film director who has produced animated films that still remain popular both in Japan and worldwide. Throughout this essay, one of his most famous animated films “My Neighbor Totoro” will be discussed, exploring the religious elements used in the film, based on a comparison of Shinto and Buddhism. This should help us understand how Miyazaki delivers the message that nature is sacred. To understand the religious elements of the film, we should discuss the…