Japanese Anime/Manga A Division of Gender Culture: The Shojo and the Sh-nen Countless arguments have risen about the dividing line of Japanese animation and comics marketing, especially regarding the age and gender groups. When looking at a specific comic or animation on a shelf, one usually examines it and decided then and there whether it is a work specifically geared to girls (shojo) or one targeting an audience of boys (sh-nen). Sometimes

While not a nostalgic or positive portrayal of nature, Miyazaki appears to strip away all civilized and male-dominated pretences towards what appears to be, and portrays to the Japanese people a vision of what lies beneath the pretence and the civilizing influence of traditionalism. Perhaps this is why his film was the highest-grossing ever in Japan at the time. Another possible reason is the sense of cultural loss that Japan

Vincent Van Gogh, Frank Lloyd Wright and Madeleine Vionnet. What did this 19th century artist, architect, and fashion designer share in common? Very simply: They all incorporated Japanese techniques into their works of genius. When Commodore Perry opened the doors to this Eastern country in 1853, an abundance of unique and influential styles of art rushed out and captured the imaginations of artists throughout the Western world. As author Emile

Superheroes as Positive Psychological Role Models One of the universal appeals of animation and manga is their ability to blend reality and fantasy. While each story takes place in a fantastical realm populated by mythical creatures and superheroes with superpowers, there is always a metaphor for the human dimension. Superheroes might have superpowers, but they also have weaknesses that can be exploited by the enemy. Superpowers are, moreover, often depicted as

Cellular phones and video games did not exist in the past due to the absence of technology back then. The Japanese video game industry has revolutionized the world with its innovative games from giants such as Nintendo, Sega and Sony. The role-playing games genre has been a big contribution by the Japanese and a large part of their culture. They did not have video games back then but they

Japanese Music from Anime and Video Games on American Culture Music found in Japanese anime and video games has found its' way into American culture, as the popularity of these mediums has provides a route through which Japanese artists and creative works may extend beyond the Asian region (Shahriari 179). The cross cultural nature of music can be seen in the development of today's Japanese popular music; known as J-Pop,