The Anime Companion: What's Japanese in Japanese Animation (Paperback)

by Gilles Poitras (Author) "Japan has one of the fastest aging populations in the world..." (more)
Key Phrases: sailor fuku, kashiwa mochi, anime version, Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkoku, Blue Seed (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"For both the seasoned anime fan and the newly-minted otaku alike- it's absolutely oozing with good stuff to know, and comes recommended to the hilt." -Anime Guide, About.com -- Review

Product Description
Japanese animation began as home-grown entertainment. Today it's a red-hot, multimillion-dollar international cult phenomenon poised to enter the American mainstream. Thousands of anime otaku (dedicated fans) attend conventions and screenings around the country. But since anime was born in Japan, it's filled with all sorts of cultural details that are downright perplexing... unless you're Japanese or unless you've got the Anime Companion. With more that 500 glossary-style entries, this book is a complete guide to anime's distictive visual style. Included are illustrations, film citations, and numerous references to the related art of manga(Japanese comics), plus the opinionated author's rants on fandom, food, anime babes, large eyes, and sex and bloody noses.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Stone Bridge Press (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1880656329
• ISBN-13: 978-1880656327
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #554,404 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars "What's Japanese in Japanese Animation?" uh, huh...garsh, January 7, 2000

By	Danielle (Fitchburg, MA) - See all my reviews

I can't help but feel that the author is either yet another typical self-proclaimed otaku or that they _had_ a good idea but their publisher suggested they dumb it down a little to broaden the audience. The intro "This Ain't No Speed Racer!" is ... oh god I really don't know where to begin. The rest of the book is just an alphabetized collection of abridged info on things found in only a handful of anime. I think a better title for this book would have been "Everything I Know I Learned From Ranma 1/2 and Urusei Yatsura". The anime images are screenshots so they're not very clear. And of course, the book would not be complete without the author's little Rant Sections that fill the empty spaces. If your reason for getting this book is to learn more about Japan through anime or vice versa, then I suggest the books "Japan Edge" which is very well-written and has sections on anime and manga, or "Dreamland Japan" which is on manga, but still very culturally insightful for anime fans.

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good start for those needing more information on anime. ., June 14, 2000

By	"l_conover" (Chelmsford, MA USA) - See all my reviews

The world of Japanese animation is a very different one than American animation fans are used to - this book helps to take away some of the foreign-ness and provide a basic introduction to manga/anime and Japanese culture.

While the organization (alphabetical) is a poor choice, since many will not know the Japanese vocabulary for looking up a reference. Despite this, the book is a good value. It's best used by a simple flip-through, reading entries at random.

Purists may find the book mildly offensive as it does deal with the blatant sexism often presented in mainstream anime. This is not to say it does anime a disservice, however - it places the animation squarely in the context of the society that has created it. Americans and Japanese people have a very different concept of what crosses the line from stereotype into outright sexism, and I feel this book has done a fairly good job in illustrating some of the commonly seen genres and images within anime exported to the United States.

This book does Japanese animation a great service, as well, by making sure that a new anime fan does not think that all anime is so violent/sexual in nature - it allows the reader to see anime for what it is: a type of film genre with tons of variety, and stories for people of every taste.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice book on anime..., September 27, 2002

By	Michael Valdivielso (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

163 pages of pictures and entries on animation and Japanese culture. Quizzes and information on food, sex, gender, art, religion, humor, historical figures and events, bloody noses and even architecture. Gilles Poitras uses humor and knowledge on anime to write a book for anybody who wants to learn about some of the things that happen that non-Japanese might miss. Lot of the information is based on such mainstream cartoons as Ranma 1/2 and Tenchi Muyo!, but there is also a small list of books in the back that were also used WHICH allows the reader to find more books on the issues he or she may wish to focus on. Remember, the book also deals with the fact that the Japanese seem to be interested in age difference between males and females in relationships, women with guns and, yes, big breasts. IT is not that the author is not being serious, but in fact VERY serious and open minded. If one is going to explore anime one has to explore ALL parts of it and not just one side.

In fact, I would also suggest 'The Erotic Anime Movie Guide' by Helen McCarthy and Jonathan Clements.