Spring 2007 - Undergraduate Course Description

DESCRIPTION OF COURSE:

Spring 2007 Prof. Pamela Gossin and Dr. Marc Hairston

LIT 3311: Fantasy and Science Fiction:
Art/Science of Anime/Manga
W 5:30 - 8:15 pm JO 4.614

In this course we will present an overview of Japanese comics (manga) and Japanese animation (anime) and their rising stature in American pop culture, focusing on various forms of fantasy and science fiction. Since at least classical times, many human cultures have used such narratives as modes of philosophical speculation and exploration, as well as popular forms of entertainment Anime and manga represent new manifestations of this ancient quest and present interesting challenges to us as readers (interpreters) and consumers of culture as well as creative contributors to it.

Some of the questions we will examine include: How did anime and manga develop as art forms? What status do they have within Japanese and global cultures? How do these forms of story-telling build on traditional narrative forms? Differ from them? How do themes of the human imagination of possible futures appear in these stories? How do these narratives display critical perspectives on humanity’s relationship to the natural world and our increasingly technological reality? How does reading / seeing a story from outside mainstream US culture affect our perceptions of its effectiveness and meaning? To what extent do our expectations about style and content limit our ability to analyse and interpret creative works from another culture? Are there “universal” (pancultural) elements of “good” art and literature that transcend such barriers? If so, what counts as “good” anime and manga and how do such qualities matter?

The course format will be primarily discussion (utilizing literary analysis and interpretation) with descriptive or informative lectures providing historical and cultural background explaining the growth and development of anime and manga in both the US and Japan. Most class periods will include some viewing of anime films and television series (some selections, some full-length features) such as: Millenium Actress, Nausicaa Utena, Ranma 1/2 and Kashimashi, Gundam Wing, Pani Poni Dash, Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, Ghost in the Shell, Haibane-Renmei, Kino’s Journey, Welcome to the NHK. Required reading will include a variety of manga and Japanese novels, as well as some scholarly critiques of animation and graphic arts from artistic, cultural and literary-critical perspectives

* NOTE: Special Guest Speaker: Jeremy Ross, Director of New Product Development, TOKYOPOP

* This course counts toward ATEC and Medical and Scientific Humanities (MaSH) *

COURSE REQUIREMENTS/EVALUATION CRITERIA:

COURSE REQUIREMENTS / GRADING
- Midterm and Final exams: combination of essay and objective, averaged to = 2/3rd of grade
- Attendance/Participation (quizzes, in-class writing/comments, online discussion) = 1/3rd grade
* Optional extra credit/enrichment opportunities: TBA

REQUIRED TEXTS:

REQUIRED BOOKS: 1) XEROX PACKET: Selections of readings from scholars and critics
(Tenative list) 2) Napier, Susan, Anime: From Akira to Howl’s Moving Castle
3) McCloud, Scott, Understanding Comics
4) Murakami, Haruki, Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
5) Miyazaki, Hayao, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (graphic novel),
vols 1 and 7
6) Kino no Tabi vol. 1
7) Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Adolescence of Utena
8) Ranma 1/2 vol 1
9) Kashimashi vol. 1
10) Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi vol 1
11) Welcome to NHK vol 1