Manga and Anime Lecture
On Thursday, September 18th, the Embassy of Japan, in collaboration with the Ottawa International Animation Festival, hosted a lecture entitled “Cultural Alchemy: Historical Dynamics of Modern Day Manga and Anime” at the Ottawa Arts Court. It was a full house, with an enthusiastic audience of both long-time manga and anime fans, as well as newcomers to the genre.
Speaking at the lecture were Dr. Thomas Kierstead, Chair of the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Toronto and Mr. Roland Kelts, writer, university lecturer and the author of the book Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture has invaded the US. Acting as moderator for the evening was Dr. Nhu-Hoa Nguyen from the University of Quebec in Outaouais.
In his opening remarks, Minister Hiroshi Karube commented on the worldwide following which manga and anime have gained over the last decade.
During the lecture, Dr. Kierstead discussed the rich historical context that has influenced modern day manga and anime, from medieval pictures scrolls to woodblock prints, while Mr. Kelts examined the post-war origins of contemporary manga and how Japanese and North American entertainment genres are influencing each other in an infinite loop.
Following the lecture, there was a lively discussion among the panellists on topics such as examples of Japanese and American pop culture influencing each other. The audience also had the opportunity to ask the panellists questions and contribute to the discussion. |
