- ISBN13: 9781403984760
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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 a… More >>
Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture Has Invaded the U.S.
I’ve been interested in popular Japanese culture for a long time, so I was pleased to see this new exploration of the interface between Japan and America, . . . though I was somewhat put off by the use of the pejorative word “invaded” in the title. That seems to have been a marketer’s contribution, though, because the half-Japanese author, who has become something of a professional explainer of Japanese and Americans to each other, seems not to reach value judgments about the wide popularity of manga and anime in this country, nor about the much more longstanding popularity of everything American in Japan. It’s largely a generational thing, though; most Americans over the age of thirty have no idea what Gundam is, nor what “otaku” and “cosplay” mean. And while anime has become increasingly popular in the U.S., it remains deeply Japanese. There’s really no such thing as “American anime.” Though he comes to no strikingly original conclusions, Kelts does a good job of explaining things to those who are new to the subject.
Rating: 4 / 5
Despite the subtitle, there’s very little information on Japanese pop culture’s adoption by America since World War II. Most of the material covers the phenomenon from the business angle and so there’s very little about the actual genres, the major creators, or their impact on the American consciousness other than half a chapter on American fandom. While focusing on the post-Pokemon era, Kelts ignores the decades of interest in Japan stimulated by Godzilla films, the giant robot series like Ultraman and early animes such as Star Blazers. He even fails to mention the enormously popular Transformers–originally a Japanese concept. To my surprise he also ignored the way in which anime and manga have already affected American animation and cartooning–an influence so obvious and pervasive that it surely deserved some mention here. In fact, most of the book is about the anime/manga business in Japan, not the United States. Kelts interest in anime/manga appears to be less for its aesthetic or cultural qualities and more for its changing role in a twenty-first century global economy.
Rating: 2 / 5
PROS: A breezy, readable, yet informative look at how Japanese pop culture has become part of US culture, mixing theories, the big picture, and personal stories.
CONS: The book’s approach makes it more useful for getting the big picture than direct research. Some theories may seem odd or vague.
SUMMARY: An interesting and thought-provoking book that can help you get a good picture of how Japanese culture has become prominent in the US, why it may have happened, and the future.
I picked up Japanamerica after I realized that despite my interest in things Japanese, there was a lot I hadn’t understood – and I, geek that I am, hadn’t given thought to how Japanese culture was affecting the U.S. This may seem to be an odd statement, but I’m USED to the fact it’s become prominent and hadn’t given thoughts to why.
So with this book having good reviews, I picked it up.
Japanamerica is a journey – in some cases literally – through the world of Japanese Pop Culture in Japan and America, the fused world of “Japanamerica”. Mixing visiting historical places and persons, talking to individuals, and speculation, author Roland Kelts asks just why and how Japanese Culture is big in America, and what it may mean.
This is a phenomenally difficult task quite frankly, and he does a good job of it.
Kelts approaches his subject in several ways, mixing them together throughout the book:
* The development of and traits of Japanese media companies.
* The history of the U.S. interests and how those intersected with Japanese products.
* The changing relations and technologies that made this possible.
The author handles these by using a mix of history, interviews, statistics, and speculation. Much as it’s hard to break out one factor from another, Kelts doesn’t really try – the entire “Japanamerica” phenomena is studied from its facets as opposed to broken down.
Thus the book looks at everything from the way Japanese media companies have developed the ability to produce effective niche media, to the effect of Star Wars and 9/11 on American media interests, to contrasts of artistic styles between Japanese and American aesthetics. The structure of the book itself is personal, almost like a story, and thus there are no “hard answers”, so much as look at the players and their interactions.
I found the book to be very informative, mostly because of this approach – without overarching theories or simplistic answers, the book invites you to discover what’s going on through the eyes of Kelts and the people he talks to. You don’t go to this book for a list of answers – you go to it to get a feel for what’s going on.
The book succeeds quite well, its only major flaw being that when the author hints at definite theories – he believes 9/11’s impact had a big effect on American culture that primed it for certain interests – that the book seems to falter. It disrupts the nuanced approach, though thankfully these moments are few.
I can’t classify this as a must-read because of the specialized subject matter – I myself am glad I bought it and learned quite a deal. I would say it is best for:
* Those working in industries that have a heavy presence or strong relations in Japan like animation, manga, or video games. There are some wonderful cultural, historical, and practical tidbits help you get a big picture of your industry.
* People who are general Japanese pop culture enthusiasts, especially anime and manga, who have a general curiosity of how the cultural fusion of “Japanamerica” came about.
* Anyone interested in working in Japan because of their hobbies.
* Those who work with anime conventions and similar events – it’ll give you a lot of ideas for panels and so forth.
* It’s also a good gift, though be warned the author does take time to discuss some of the seedier aspects of Japanese pop culture, which could shock some, despite his approach.
I hope Kelts continues to write on these subjects. This was a useful and informative book – that now I have to lend out to a few friends . . .
Rating: 5 / 5
Mr. Kelts’ book about the popularity of Japanese culture in America is first rate. He discusses more than just anime and manga and provides the reader with an easy to understand analysis of Japanese popular culture both in Japan and as it appears in the US. It should be in the collection of any Japanophile.
Rating: 5 / 5
As an American who is fascinated with Japan, but frustrated with books about the relationship between the two countries, I found Roland Kelts’ “Japanamerica” to be a welcome breath of fresh air. Kelts focuses on the growing popularity of manga and anime among Americans, and the “mobius strip” of give and take between the two cultures, but his focus inevitably widens to address the broader mutual fascination between these two worlds. I love the fact that, as an American with a Japanese mother, Kelts avoids the two hazards of Japanophilia and Japanophobia. There is a refreshingly grounded and sensible middle ground in his analysis, a realism that seems to lighten things up and make it all more accessible and welcoming. Perhaps best of all – and this is a miracle in the world of cultural analysis – Kelts is delightfully unpretentious and his prose is as clear and comprehensible as it is filled with fascinating ideas and observations. Never for a moment do we doubt that Kelts knows what he’s talking about it – and he brings it all across with infectious enthusiasm.
Rating: 5 / 5