Manga: A Critical Guide

by Shige (CJ) Suzuki, Ronald Stewart, Chris Gavaler (Series Editor)

A wide-ranging introductory guide for readers making their first steps into the world of manga, this book helps readers explore the full range of Japanese comic styles, forms and traditions from its earliest texts to the internationally popular comics of the 21st century.

In an accessible and easy-to-navigate format, the book
· The history of Japanese comics, from influences in early visual culture to the global 'Manga Boom' of the 1990s to the present
· Case studies of texts reflecting the range of themes, genres, forms and creators, including Osamu Tezuka, Machiko Hasegawa and Katsuhiro Otomo
· Key themes and contexts – from gender and sexuality, to history and censorship
· Critical approaches to manga, including definitions, biography and reception and global publishing contexts

The book includes a bibliography of essential critical writing on manga, discussion questions for classroom use and a glossary of key critical terms.

280 pages, Paperback

First published September 22, 2022

Reviews

[Diz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to manga studies. There are four sections. The first section provides a historical overview of manga. This is by far the best section. I learned a lot about the development of manga that I had not known before. The second section covers the social and cultural impact of manga. This section will be of great interest to those who are interested in Japanese culture. The next section covers methods for researching manga. This section is the weakest. It raises a lot of questions that researchers could follow, but methodology isn't really covered, so you would need to find other sources for that or work with an experienced researcher that could teach you proper methodology. The final section covers key texts. The texts selected would work perfectly as reading for a course. However, you might want to arrange for your school's library to acquire these texts. Asking students to even buy one series might put a serious financial strain on them.

Overall, it's a good read.

[Glen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suitable for both the scholar and the novice, this book is exhaustively referenced and serves as a stepping stone into the multiple angles of criticism one can take with comics. There's a history of the term "manga" and how it changed over time and place; an overview of the various genres and targeted demographics of the Japanese comics industry; a guide to the technical terms of comics structure; and a section outlining some of the most influential comics authors and works of 20th-century Japan.

Highly recommended for those who wish to understand how comics became popular in Japan, and the complex ways in which the global market shaped the culture and vocabulary.

[DNß]

Excellent in historical reconstruction, more restrained than I would like in the formalistic and methodological sessions in the application of critical analysis.

But well, we need to know to know more. Tiring stuff.