HON 240 - Anime and War

Prerequisite, acceptance to the University Honors Program, or consent of instructor. Japanese animation or anime has become much more popular in the United States over the last three decades, and today Japan State policy sees the medium as an important “cultural asset.” However anime is not new, nor is it a medium exclusive to Japan. One might even argue that many technologies of visual animation pre-date its live-action cinematic cousin. As Paul Virilio and others have argued, the history of both animated and live-action film are intimately related to the parallel histories of 20th century warfare. This course will trace the development of mid- and late-20th century Japanese animated films in terms of their relationship to war. Analyzing Japanese films on historical, narrative, diegetic, and formal levels, we will consider relations among image production and viewing, in terms of economic, cultural, social, and political parameters. Readings will include classic theoretical texts on war and cinema, as well as more recent historical and sociological readings specific to Japanese and Pacific contexts. This course will focus upon the following four sub-units; 1) “animation theory and modern Japanese visual history 2) the Pacific War and politics of memory 3) the Cold War, ideological alliances, and cultural-economic empires and lastly 4) animated projections and the War on Terror. “” ” (Offered as needed.) 3 credits