Samurai from Outer Space: Understanding Japanese Animation

by Antonia Levi

Samurai from Outer Space is the first book-length discussion of the suddenly popular genre of Japanese animation. Japanese animation, also known as anime (pronounced AH-nee-may), is gaining devoted fans of all ages and nationalities. A few years ago anime was something of an oddity. Now it is poised to become the biggest cultural import since PBS discovered the BBC. There are anime fan clubs on college campuses across the country, as well as anime fan magazines and anime sections in video stores.

"Besides examining the psychological reasons for the cartoons' appeal, (Levi) compares anime to American cartoon animation, traces its connections to Japanese art and theater, and demonstrates that many anime plots are based in Japanese religion. A valuable addition to film, popular-culture, and Asian studies". -- Booklist

"In this fascinating and illuminating volume, Antonia Levi provides all the cultural and historical background necessary for anyone to appreciate the allusion-rich art form of anime. A wonderful guide for beginners and otaku alike". -- Vaughan Simmons Founder & Publisher of Mangajin

Genres: Nonfiction, Anime, Japan

169 pages, Paperback

First published December 30, 1998

Reviews

[Aaron Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually still an interesting read nearly thirty years after the fact. All the anime mentioned were ones that I recognized from back in the day so it was fun walking down memory lane. Due to the limited amount of anime we had access to at the time the subjects in the book overlapped often so there is a bit of repetitiveness but still enjoyable. It is still nice to read a book about that period from that period there is still a freshness to the perspective.

[Jared Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

over all good but was not what i thought it was going to be a was very repetitive

[Michael Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was originally purchased for a college course which was subsequently dropped. It has since been hanging around my house for 10+ years, I figured I may as well read it. Despite the fact that I can't remember the last time I watched an anime, this wasn't all that bad. There were some fun anachronisms, like advice to check your local Blockbuster Video for anime videotapes. Also the majority of the anime referenced I have never heard of, or seen. Despite all that, the basic concepts still seem fairly relevant. The book explores things like the differences between the American and the Japanese ideal hero. Women's role in manga and anime, and what the deal is with mecha. Who knows, maybe I would have enjoyed that class.

[Christina]

I wanted to read this to get a better understanding of Japanese culture, specifically of manga. This book is about anime, but there's often crossover between anime and manga. The main issue is it was published almost 15 years ago, but it deals with pop culture which leaves it feeling dated. All the anime series and movies I've seen came out after this book was published. The author does explain a lot about the culture in the context of anime. But ultimately, reading an entire book about movies I've never seen and don't intend to see didn't make sense for me.

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good overview of anime, its influence on Japan and its reach into the Western world!