Anime: A History

(Paperback, 2nd edition)

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Description

Japanese animation is at the nexus of an international multimedia industry worth over $6.5 billion a year, linked to everything from manga to computer games, Pokemon and plushies. In this comprehensive, critically-acclaimed history, Jonathan Clements traces the production and reception history of anime, from a handful of hobbyists in the early 20th century to the Oscar-winning Spirited Away and up to the present day, with anime established as a global medium. Exploring the cultural and technological developments of the past century, Clements addresses topics such as wartime instructional animation and work-for-hire for American clients. Drawing on the testimonies of industry professionals, a myriad of Japanese-language documents, memoirs and books, Anime: A History illuminates the anime business from the inside, investigating its innovators, its unsung heroes and its controversies. This new edition has been revised and updated throughout, with full colour illustrations and new chapters addressing the rising economic power of otaku subcultures, the development of anime in China, and the transformation of distribution and exhibition accompanying the dominance of Netflix and other globalised streaming platforms.

Reviews

This study is authoritative and detailed, and will be essential reading for anime fans and scholars alike. -- PD Smith * The Guardian *
Historian Jonathan Clements traces the evolution of anime by exploring the history of its production and reception over the past 100 years, identifying periods in which cultural and technological developments ushered in new ways of thinking about the basic concept of 'moving pictures.' * The Japan Times *
a fascinating read. * The New York Times *
Anime: A History questions the stories we think we know of anime's rises and falls, its heroes and breakthroughs. * Manga UK *
One of the most important and comprehensive books on anime ever written for the western market. * Neo Magazine *
Scrupulously researched and critically clear sighted, Clements authoritative book provides much needed historical clarity in an area where enthusiastic (but less scrupulous) English language internet commentators have often muddied the critical waters. -- Adam Whybray, University of Suffolk, UK

Author Bio

Jonathan Clements is an anime historian. He is co-author of The Anime Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese Animation Since 1917, former editor of Manga Max magazine, and has been a translator, voice director or voice actor on over 70 anime productions. He lives in Finland.