The Tokyo subway at rush hour: strangers' bodies press against one another. A psychological border envelopes each person. High school students and thirtysomething salarymen pore over the same pulpy publications - the ubiquitous manga.
Manga, Japanese comics printed on low-grade recycled paper, cover all aspects of culture, from historical samurai stories to social satire. In many respects, Western comics and manga have about as much in common as Dave Barry and Thomas Pynchon. And like the work of Pynchon, manga aren't typically a direct representation of reality, but rather a rich, streamlined pictorial language.
Frederik Schodt's book opens the door to this reality for otaku (fans) and novices alike. Combining an insider's knowledge of Japanese culture with an objective gaijin (outsider) perspective, Dreamland Japan is a comprehensive guide to understanding the nuances of Japan's dominant pulp pop form.
The book's breadth is panoramic. Led by his fascination with the medium, Schodt discovers and introduces us to some of Japan's greatest manga creators. In one section, for example, we read of Shingo Iguchi's Z-Chan, an artful but enigmatic comic featuring a boy in a dunce cap. After Schodt meets Iguchi, he is finally able to unlock the internal logic of its universe.Dozens of other artists are profiled, including Osamu Tezuka, whose groundbreaking "cinematic techniques" (close-ups, extreme perspectives, and progressive frames) influenced generations of subsequent artists. Thanks to Dreamland Japan, we can enter the inner space of the Japanese psyche - without the subway crush.
Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga, by Frederik L. Schodt: US$16.95. Stone Bridge Press: +1 (510) 524 8732, on the Web at www.stonebridge.com/dreamland.html.
STREET CRED
Mmmm, DigiliciousSee Hear
Japan's Dreaming
