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Anime
108-002 | CCN: 15496
Hannah Airriess
4 Units
T/W/TH 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM, Dwinelle 188; Screening T/W 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Dwinelle 188 ///
In this course we will examine Japanese anime, from early experiments in animation at the turn of the 20th century to its contemporary status as a globally popular art form and industry. This course will cover the history of anime, emphasizing the specific political, economic, and cultural contexts of its production and reception. Students will learn to engage critically with the historical, narrative, and formal dimensions of the medium. This will include (but is not limited to) inquiries into national identity and history, global political economy, gender and sexuality, fan cultures, and genre, amongst other topics. We will also use anime to consider the position of animation in the broader discipline of film and media, asking how the specific technical and aesthetic conditions of anime complicate issues such as realism, indexicality, and medium-specificity. Readings will provide a wide range of methodologies for examining anime, presenting theoretical perspectives on the form as well as historical and cultural contextualization. Films and series will include Akira, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Spirited Away, Paprika, Attack on Titan, Your Name, and others.