Anime & Manga
Tokyo
Published
in Lonely Planet - Tokyo, 2006
Despite
a half-century of denial by Japanese cultural officialdom,
manga (comics) and anime (animation) are among the
most recognised signs of Japan to the West. Twenty
years ago, many would offer bonsai, kimonos and tea
ceremonies as emblems of Japan. Now it's garage kits,
character costumes and fan conventions.
Symbolised
by the otaku social phenomenon (a reviled yet resounding 'fan/nerd' subculture),
manga and anime are prime entertainment industries and major cultural forces.
Japanese pop culture is possibly the most potent globally due to its saturation,
range and extremities. Of course Japan is a lot more than manga and anime. But
the manga and anime that proliferates is of a monumental scale.
Manga
sales in 2004 accounted for 37% of all publications
sold. Shonen Jump - the
most popular of the giant weekly compendiums of manga - notches a circulation
of 3 million copies. Weekly. Back in 1995 it did 6 million weekly. The overall
downturn is largely attributed to the spread of second-hand manga stores, libraries
and cafes - which means that the popularity of the medium is undiluted.
Gradually,
the West is realising that manga/anime is of a more
complex nature than that established by Western superhero
comics and series. Japan's most revered
animator Hayao Miyazaki enjoyed international respect by winning the 2003 Oscar
for Best Animated Feature for Spirited Away - the most successful Japanese movie
of all time in Japan. Like all Miyazaki's films, it's noticeably devoid of the
paternal patronising which characterises Western children's fare. By extension,
the culture of manga/anime in Japan can decimate your assumptions about something
as 'crass' as cartoony images.
Encountering
this culture in Japan is not only easy - it's inescapable. Cute
cartoon characters are everywhere and in the most unlikely places. Many Japanese
treat this iconography as indifferently as we might treat Helvetica lettering
on freeway signs.
To
gauge the economic might of manga/anime, you could
attend the Tokyo International Animation Fair (March
at Tokyo Big Site). It's a one stop hit for proving exactly
how big anime is in Japan. Some estimates have it that nearly 5,000 titles of
anime are currently produced annually (covering features, TV episodes and OVAs - direct
sale DVDs). The number of booths, companies and buyers at Tokyo International
Animation Fair supports these estimates.
Less
corporate in its orientation is Comiket (short for 'Comic Market) held twice
yearly in Tokyo (August and December, also at Tokyo Big Site). This is the massive
gathering of fan-produced amateur manga known as doujinshi. To the untrained
eye, doujinshi looks like 'official' manga, but most are parodies of famous manga
characters. Complete sub-genres exist here, ranging from gag-strips to sexual
re-imaginings of popular titles. Unlike the copyright-neurotic West, the Japanese
manga/anime industries support the doujinshi networks. The last decade witnessed
many a famous manga artist emerge from this sprawling subculture. Also at Comiket
one can experience the kosupre phenomenon: 'costume play' where fans dress up
in their favourite character's attire. It's a bit nerdy, but the Japanese kids
take it to another level. Your scepticism may melt into admiration.
Branching
out from these events into the everyday, there are
hundreds of anime/manga stores throughout Tokyo.
Current districts to explore include Koenji and Nakano
where many second-hand collectors' stores have sprouted. A major chain is Mandarake
whose super-store in Nakano will require many hours of your time. It houses thousands
or rare and affordable merchandise of every kind. Don't be dismissive of what
appears like a teenage overload: the age demographic of those who shop here will
surprise you. And they're not just men.
But
if you want to dive in and truly get lost, head to
Akihabara. Many guides still tag Akihabara's "Electric Town" as the electronics district. True, that
sector survives there, but a closer look reveals a massive increase in manga/anime
stores lining the strip. Notably, the upper floors of these stores withhold the
more perverse (hentai) end of the spectrum with PC games, magazines and DVDs.
The stores are incredibly crowded and narrow, plus any one store will simultaneously
be playing 10 CDs and 10 DVDs. If you think you know noise, you don't. Free admission
and an exhausting ride.
A
final admonition. Forget the old binaries of new-versus-old,
natural-versus-artificial, past-versus-future. In
Tokyo they circulate freely like carp in an ornamental
pond. The thrill in experiencing manga/anime culture lies
in its demolishing of High-versus-Low paradigms familiar
to us in the West. The images of anime/manga will
retain their effect when you return home. After Tokyo,
your own city can appear like a strangely artificial
theme park. A great place to live.
