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Seeking Closure: Japanese Manga and Re-Imagining Word War II

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Date Issued:
2007
Abstract/Description:
I discuss Keiji Nakazawa's Barefoot Gen and Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira manga (Japanese comics) series in light of theoretical approaches to comics and graphic novels that were developed by Will Eisner and Scott McCloud. Chapter one summarizes the fusing of traditional Japanese scroll art and Western comics that would create manga and describe the cultural conditions after World War II that drove this fusion. The chapter also describes the principle of closure that this form relies so heavily on. Chapter two discusses how manga have directly dealt with the repercussions of World War II; it is focused primarily on Barefoot Gen. Chapter three examines how censorship and taboos have hindered discussions ofthe war in Japan, how this censorship contributed to the terrorist attacks of Aum Shinrikyo, and how manga such as Akira have used subtle codes and references to introduce to Japan further discuss the true legacy of World War II.
Title: Seeking Closure: Japanese Manga and Re-Imagining Word War II.
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Name(s): Bommarito, Concetta Marie
McGuirk, Carol, Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2007
Date Issued: 2007
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 81 p.
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: I discuss Keiji Nakazawa's Barefoot Gen and Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira manga (Japanese comics) series in light of theoretical approaches to comics and graphic novels that were developed by Will Eisner and Scott McCloud. Chapter one summarizes the fusing of traditional Japanese scroll art and Western comics that would create manga and describe the cultural conditions after World War II that drove this fusion. The chapter also describes the principle of closure that this form relies so heavily on. Chapter two discusses how manga have directly dealt with the repercussions of World War II; it is focused primarily on Barefoot Gen. Chapter three examines how censorship and taboos have hindered discussions ofthe war in Japan, how this censorship contributed to the terrorist attacks of Aum Shinrikyo, and how manga such as Akira have used subtle codes and references to introduce to Japan further discuss the true legacy of World War II.
Identifier: FA00000895 (IID)
Degree granted: Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2007.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000895
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.