This course will examine the history and industry of Japanese animation from the 1930s to the present, with an emphasis on the first fifty years of the animation industry (roughly mid-1950s to mid-2000s). Students will learn about the emergence of the Japanese animation industry, the history of major studios, shows, and films in the postwar decades, and the cultural and material developments that lead to the state of anime's global popularity today. Readings, lectures, and screenings will be designed to equip students with a working knowledge of theories of transnational film and TV, especially in the context of Japanese cinema, to help them develop a critical understanding of how national and cultural readings are employed in the international production and distribution of commercial moving image products. The goal of the class will be to complicate students' understanding of national film histories and industries through historical research, theoretical critique, and textual analysis.

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