CULTURE Sunday, 02.11.

2022

SBS NEWS
No. 1542 SANTA BARBARA, SUNDAY, MAY 22.2022 Sunday Chronicles

Anime and manga are influencing

North America

The popularity of manga and anime has recently

influenced the bringing of Japanese pop culture to
North America. Jeffrey Klaehn, a doctorate
graduate for communication (University of
Amsterdam) and sociology (University of
Strathclyde) conducts three interviews in the mid
2000s between editors in various manga
distribution and licensing companies. Most
notably, “Viz Media” and “TOKYOPOP”. Two
incredibly notable manga licensing companies in
North America.

What is Japanese pop culture?

So what exactly is Japanese pop culture? To put it simply, Japanese pop culture is the form of
Japanese culture and art that is not limited to just anime, manga, and cosplay but also music,
cinema, and video games. This is not restricted to entertainment.
“If you’re new to comic books and manga, the first
thing I have to tell you is that manga and light novels
are so much more than quick-and-dirty, pulp fiction”
TOKYOPOP has expanded its influence around the West and changed teen’s perception of
culture. Additionally, the company has recently included a UK branch as well as opening offices
in Germany, Australia, and China.

The very first interview was with Kara Allison Stambach, the fiction editor for TOKYOPOP. Her
inspiration to work in such an industry originated from her mother teaching writing at the
college level. Additionally, Stambach explains that her grandmother taking her to the library
further influenced her love for reading and writing. She decided to apply to TOKYOPOP after
her friend recommended the novel positions.

“If you’re new to comic books and manga, the first thing I have to tell you is that manga and
light novels are so much more than quick-and- dirty, pulp fiction,” said Kara.

Her take on the growing influence of

Japanese pop culture

Stambach emphasized how animation,

whether it’s Western or Japanese has a
prolonged effective means of storytelling. She
believes that the growing influence of Japanese
pop culture is through people acknowl- edging
and recognizing good things when they
experience it.
Anime grew in popularity in the West during
the era when the anime, Sailor Moon, was being
broadcast. In Stam- bach's views, anime at the
time such as Sailor Moon burst the bubble and
reached out to many foreign people.

TOKYOPOP
Their medias often overlap
one and another. Just as most
movies are created after the
books, mangas are serialized
after the growing popularity
of a particular light novel.
In regards to manga, the
westernization of manga, and
it’s reader demographics,
Stambach emphasizes that
TOKYOPOP is for all ages.
Stambach believes that
manga has reached out to
many females in the West.
American comics and graphic
novels are usually read by the
male audiences. So the
influence of Japanese pop
culture through manga has
reached out to the female
readers. Manga culture in
Stambach’s views are recur-
rent in North America. Japan-
ese manga artists take
inspirations from the West.
Notable writers such as
Osamu Tezuka (Astroboy)
were influenced by Disney’s
Fantasia..
In contrast, Quentin Taran-
tino’s Kill Bill was influen- ced
by Japanese media, anime,
and cinema.
“If you’re one of those people
who loves the smell of a new
book…. who puffs up with pride
at being called a comic geek or
mangaphile….You’re part of
the comic book culture.”
- Kara Stambach
“I, personally, believe that the popularity of manga in
North America is both fuelling and fuelled by several
simultaneous cultural occurrences.”
The second interview was conducted with Marc Weidenbaum, the chief of editor for Viz Media in
the LA office branch. During his interview, Weidenbaum believes that manga licensed and
distributed through Viz Media helped increasingly due to some of the most popular mangas being
distributed their. Shonen Jump mangas in Viz Media such as Naruto, Dragon Ball, Yu-Gi-Oh, etc.
are incredibly popular with many people who do not have an interest in Japanese pop culture
knowing or at least heard of one of them. Shonen Jump’s list of popular mangas have an incredible
impact to their audiences. It’s through these mangas that introduced Japanese pop culture through
many members in the audiences.

“I, personally, believe that the popularity of

manga in North America is both fuelling and
fuelled by several simultaneous cultural
occurrences.” said Marc.

Weidenbaum believes that there are 4 aspects

as to why these form of Japanese pop culture
media has a lasting effect to the Western
audiences. First, the rising popularity of all
things considered or labeled as “Japanese”
including food, culture, and entertainment.
Secondly, the increasing popularity of visual
Shounen Jump Weekly culture as a form of storytelling. Thirdly, the

diminishing popularity of characters. Naruto Uzumaki ●

Western comics. Lastly, the
golden-age of television
drama has created a unique
form of storytelling.
Weidenbaum also believes that
a manga’s popular char- acter
also plays a significant role to
the influence of Japanese pop
culture. Char- acters such as
Naruto Uzumaki from Naruto
and Naruto Shippuden are fan
favorites. This in his belief is
due to the audience connection
with the
grew up living a lonely life
without having much friends.
That core “feeling” can be
shared mutually through some
readers.
Additionally,Weidenbaum
believes the storytelling in
Shonen Jump is a fresh,
creative, and fun drama.
Naruto characters such as
Sasuke Uchiha, Orochimaru,
and the mentor Kakashi are
both creative in design and as
individual characters.
Naruto Shippuden: Final
Episode (2017)
“Manga, like anime, offered American readers a chance to grow up
with their childhood passion. As we all know, manga is ingrained in
the Japanese mainstream. Kids read it, adults read it. Good golly,
even women read it (someone alert the media!)

The last interview was with
Eric Searleman, an editor for
Viz Media. Searleman des-
cribes Viz Media as a flood-
gate of various popular
mangas. Series such as
Pokemon and Sailor Moon are
perhaps the biggest
contributors for introducing
the anime and manga culture
to the West. From the editor
perspective of shounen
mangas (mangas that are
generally targeted to the
teenagers and young adults)
such as Inuyasha and Naruto,
Searleman views Viz
Media as a one of the major
catalyst for expanding Ja-
panese pop culture.
“Manga, like anime, offered
American readers a chance to
grow up with their childhood
passion. As we all know,
manga is ingrained in the
Japanese mainstream. Kids
read it, adults read it. Good
golly, even women read it
(someone alert the media!),”
says Eric.
Searleman like Stambach and
Weidenbaum views the diver-
sity of manga and anime as a
great job for opening a new
door/window into another
world. Japanese pop culture is
both very much alike to
Western-style, yet itw is also
incredibly different.

Why is this important? piration on each other. Manga and anime

Understanding how Japanese pop culture
influence their audience is important. The 3
interviews from editors in their respectable
companies showed that manga and anime
have lasting impacts to our media cultural
understanding. Thanks to Japanese pop
culture and Western influence, both sides have
equally balanced each other out. Drawing ins-
distribution companies introduces the “otaku
culture” or “weeb culture” that is completely
different from the “comic book culture”
Americans are familiar with. By better
understanding why and how Japanese pop
culture through anime and manga influence
the West, it gives us a stronger perception as
to why it’s popularity is increasing.

Yes, the diversity is amazing. But manga and

anime also do a good job of opening a window
into another world. Japanese pop culture is
both different and the same from ours.