Japanamerica - by Roland Kelts (Paperback)

About the Book

Anime, or Japanese animation, is Asia's equivalent of the Harry Potter phenomenon--an overseas export that has unexpectedly taken America by storm. While Hollywood struggles to fill seats, Japanese anime releases are increasingly outpacing American movies in sheer numbers and, more importantly, in the devotion they inspire in their fans. But just as Harry Potter is both "universal" and very English, anime is also deeply Japanese, making its popularity in the United States surprising. "Animation Attacks "is the first book that directly addresses the American experience with anime--from Hayao Miyazaki's epics to the burgeoning world of "hentai," or violent pornographic anime. With expert insight from both nations, this book highlights the shared conflicts both America and Japan face as anime becomes a global form of entertainment, tracing its roots and transformations via technology, and highlighting the changes it is making in both cultures.

Book Synopsis

Japanamerica is the first book that directly addresses the American experience with the Japanese pop culture craze--including anime from Hayao Miyazaki's epics to the burgeoning world of hentai, or violent pornographic anime to Haruki Murakami's fiction. Including interviews with the inventor of Pac-man and executives from TokyoPop, GDH, and other major Japanese and American production companies, this book highlights the shared conflicts both countries face as anime and manga become a global form of entertainment and change both the United States and Japan in the process.

Review Quotes

"[This] tells the incredible story of the way...Japanese entertainment and popular art...continue to grow and draw two very different worlds together." --Pete Townshend, The Who

"Embrace the world of otaku in Roland Kelts' comprehensive study of how Japanese pop culture enchanted the West, from Speed Racer and Pokémon to cosplay and hentai manga." --Wired

"If you wish to understand the nuances of otaku-dom, or are just hentai-curious, Japanamerica is a broad primer" --The Village Voice

About the Author

Roland Kelts is a Lecturer at the University of Tokyo and a co-editor of the New York-based literary journal, A Public Space. His articles, essays, and stories have been published in Zoetrope, Playboy, Salon, The Village Voice, Cosmopolitan, and Vogue, among others. He currently splits his time between New York and Tokyo.