Anime and Manga Research Circle

Who we are

The AMRC Charter

Our goal is to build and maintain a diverse community of scholars engaged in the academic study of anime and manga, their associated (sub)cultures worldwide, and (tangentially) Japanese popular culture in general. We welcome all professionals, students, and fans who have conducted anime and manga-related research, are in the process of conducting such research, and/or would like to conduct such research in the future. Through our discourse, we hope to develop an interdisciplinary perspective on anime and manga culture, drawing upon insights from (but certainly not limited to) cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, Asian studies, journalism, and communications. We believe that a robust community will allow us to pool our resources and keep them up to date. We engage in discussion to broaden our intellectual horizons and to make more rigourous our specific lines of inquiry.

AMRC-L

The AMRC mailing list is our discussion forum and online meeting place. You can access the list (and directions on how to join) here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/amrc-l/

Introductory message for new members

Member profiles

[please send me your profiles (and any edits you wish to make)]
[will be reorganized when the list gets bigger]

Lawrence Eng (moderator and founder): I am a social scientist specializing in otaku studies. I received my PhD in Science and Technology Studies from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2006. My doctoral research examined the ways in which anime otaku and related subcultures engage and appropriate science and technology. I am currently the Community Marketing & Research Manager for Opera Software in San Diego, CA.

Personal Website: Lawmune's Netspace
Mikhail Koulikov (moderator): As of January 2007, I am a graduate student in the library science program at Indiana University, Bloomington. Professionally, my major interest is in documenting and preserving fandom artifacts such as fanfiction, series shrines, and essays. I am also extremly interested in tracking the development of anime/manga research and scholarship worldwide. Since 2000, I have been the editor and webmaster of the Anime/Manga Web Essay Archive (www.corneredangel.com/amwess), the premier online resource for research on Japanese popular culture, and hope that one of these days, I can stumble onto the funding required to put together a true dedicated anime/manga/fandom studies bibliography.

My first anime was a Russian dub of Macron 1 (Sengoku Majin Go-Shogun), back in around '90, and my favorite is still Neon Genesis Evangelion. Other things fighting for my attention include the science fiction of Cordwainer Smith, anything written by Douglas Coupland, and videogames, in particular Squaresoft RPG's.
Brian Ruh (moderator): My name's Brian Ruh and I run the far-too-infrequently-updated website AnimeResearch.com. I just finished my M.A. in Asian Cultures and Languages at the University of Texas at Austin this May, writing my thesis on the films of Oshii Mamoru ("Ghost in the Shell," "Patlabor," etc.) I'm currently a research assistant for Prof. Susan Napier, author of "Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke," and I was T.A. for her anime class here at UT last fall.

I'm kind of in limbo at the moment, working a day-job unrelated to Japan or anime, doing some translation work, researching various things for Prof. Napier, and in the other time I can find, doing some writing and working on my website. I think I'll probably be going back to school in another year, studying something related to media and/or Japan.
Brent Allison: I will start my 3rd year as doctoral student in the Social Foundations of Education program at the University of Georgia in Fall 2002. After being introduced to anime and the fan subculture surrounding it by the local UGAnime club in August 2000, I slowly yet fully came to the conclusion that this should be the focus of my dissertation, particularly the sociocultural context in which educational practices happen within the fan subculture. Fields that my research addresses include media studies, education, ethnic and gender studies, sociology, and anthropology. I count the theoretical frameworks of John Dewey, Clifford Geertz, Ann Swidler, Theodor Adorno, Antonio Gramsci, and Henry Jenkins (and by extension, Michel de Certeau) as my influences of both where to go and where not to go in research. My favorite anime genres include shoujo, cyberpunk, romantic comedy, action, mecha, sci-fi, yaoi, yuri, and films that successfully combine aspects of these.

Website: AnimeFandom.org: Brent Allison's Research Portal on Anime Fandom
Rebecca Black: I'm an assistant professor at the University of California, Irvine. My research centers on the literacy and social practices of English language learners writing in online environments. Specifically, I have been interested in anime-based fanfiction. I fell in love with anime while living in Spain after seeing my very first episode of Chicho Terremoto. I've been hooked ever since. You can find more information about me and my research at my personal website www.rebeccasresearch.com.
Anne Packrat Butler: Yo, I'm Anne Packrat Butler, currently living in Cleveland, OH USA formally of Pennsylvania USA. My job, er, well, is rather boring now, I do data entry.

I'm probably in this group because I am producer / director etc of Otakumentary a "Trekkies" type documentary about North American Anime fans. This would be my area of expertise, even though I know a lot about anime etc as well. Otakumentary is on the backburner until I get my life in order.

In case you're wondering I've been a part of anime fandom for 7 or so years now in many different ways. I'm also dating a piece of anime fandom history, Ryan Mathews, the first person to post anime fanfiction on the internet. (He also writes Dub Track, and Last Exit for the Anime Web Turnpike).

If you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them, or find the answer. Hell, if I don't know Ryan likely does. So what do you want to know?
Deborah Deacon: My name is Deb Deacon and I am an art historian with an interest in manga/anime. I received my Ph.D. in art history from Arizona State University in December 2005. While I was working on my dissertation (which was not about anime) I had the opportunity to teach (twice) a class titled "The History of the Art of Manga and Anime," which traced the evolution of manga and anime from its early roots to contemporary times. I had students from a number of disciplines, and it was one of the most enjoyable experiences I had as an instructor. I am currently working as part of the organizing committee for the upcoming "Otaku University: An Anime Conference" wjocj will be held in Mesa, AZ September 28-30, 2007. You can learn more by visiting www.otakuuconf.org. I hope some of you will plan to attend!
V. Elisheva
Pierre De Jaeger: My name is Pierre De Jaeger and I work with the Brussels based organisation Constant, focusing mainly on technology, gender and copyright issues (http://www.constantvzw.com) I'm particulary interested in science-fiction and manga and how they can relate to these topics. We also recently started a blog where we'll try to write about all those things (and probably others too) : http://www.constantvzw.com/blog
James Kao
Tan Bee Kee: I have a BA (Hons) in English Literature from the National University of Singapore and am currently pursuing my M.A. in Japanese Studies at my alma mater. My thesis is on Internet Yaoi Fan fiction. Fellow researchers in the same field may contact me via my university email at g0306379[at]nus[dot]edu[sg].
Carol Kim
Sheri Le: Sheri earned her MA in 2002, writing about computer technologies and identity for her thesis. She currently works in computer security.

Website: Japanimania America
Dru Pagliassotti: I'm an associate professor in the communication department of California Lutheran University. My research interest is currently in the English-language "boy's love" manga's online fan community, and I'm planning to launch a web-based survey as soon as our Institutional Review Board gives me a thumbs-up. I'm interested in co-authoring with other researchers who have similar interests, so drop me a line if you want to discuss a project! I also edit an online horror/fantasy fiction webzine, The Harrow (http://www.theharrow.com/journal). My university website is at http://public.clunet.edu/~paglia
Christophe De Ridder: My name is Christophe De Ridder and I'm a Belgian student in journalism. I'm writing a thesis on Manga Entertainment and manga. I'm particularly interested in the company's activities and structure. I'm also looking for info on distribution, censure, translations, how the company started, and so on. I'm now writing on manga as a Japanese comicstyle. I've been a mangafan for a couple of years now. Now, I'm very pleased to have found this reseach group and I'm looking forward to contact certain members already.

It's possible for people to contact me on my e-mail address: christophe_de_ridder@hotmail.com
Carol Poon: I am Carol POON Man Wai from Hong Kong! I was very much interested in Japanese pop culture, especially, comics, animation, J-POP and literature. After completing my degree in the City University of Hong Kong majoring in East Asian Studies, I continued my postgraduate study majoring in Japanese Studies in the University of Hong Kong. The title of my thesis is ¡ÈCultural Globalization? The Influence of Japanese Animation on Hong Kong Teenagers¡É During my postgraduate study, I was so lucky to be chosen by The Japan Foundation to participate in a Japanese Language Program for postgraduate students in Osaka. This opportunity had inspired and given me an excellent chance to get known and exchange ideas with many young postgraduate students/scholars from all over the world, like, France, Germany, Egypt, India, Ireland, Korea and Denmark. After that, I assisted in several academic projects and I also worked as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Japanese Studies in the Chinese University of Hong Kong in order to prepare myself for my PhD study. Now, I was pursuing my PhD studies in the Graduate School of International Cultural Studies, Tohoku University, Japan. My research is about the gender roles in Japanese animation.
Mario Rivas: I'm originally from Mexico City, and I came to Los Angeles to attend the undergraduate film production program at USC. I received my BA in 2000 and am now working as an editor and producer in Burbank, CA.

As a kid, I first got hooked on anime when I saw Robotech on TV, and I've loved the medium ever since. There's a "child" side of me that still loves mechas and space battles; and there's a "cinephile" side that I've developed over the years that's allowed me to apreciate anime as an art form. Some favorites of mine include Akira, Ghost in the Shell, and anything by Miyazaki.

I'm looking forward to the possibility of "serious" discussions about anime, manga, and other related topics with all of you.
Michelle Rogers: I love many genres in the medium, but focus most of my research energy towards the shoujo end, or towards the influence of fairy tales and psychology on anime and manga. I run an ongoing encyclopdia for literary fairy tale, theology, Jungian psychology, and visual images in anime: http://www.anime-myth.com and also a subsite focused on the mahou shoujo genre, both the titles themselves and the elements as modern day coming of age film fairy tales: http://henshin.anime-myth.com
Yaniel Román: My name is Yaniel Román, 22 years old, and I am a student at Escuela de Artes Plásticas of Puerto Rico (my first language is Spanish, so if this is the case for anyone else, feel free to contact me in Spanish).

I am currently on my last year to get my bachelor degree (B.A.) at the art school mentioned above, and as a graduate candidate I'm required to do a written investigation work (we call it 'tesina', a mini thesis if you might) that relates to the kind of art I do.

The theme for my tesina is, you guess it, Otaku subculture. And so I'm trying to evidence the existence of such subculture here in the little island where I live, Puerto Rico (located in the Caribbean between Cuba and the Virgin Islands).

I consider myself a very friendly person and would like to meet as many people as possible who share the same interest as me in anime/otaku related topics. My msn messenger is yanieloroman@hotmail.com and my myspace.com profile is kamui 85. Feel free to add me if you're up to chatting about anime, manga, otaku studies or anything related.
Bill Routt: I retired from teaching cinema studies at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia in 1998 because I really did not like the corporate university. I first got interested in anime when my family and I were on our way to Australia and I saw some Japanese mecha cartoons on L.A. television (Yusha Raideen and that kind of thing). The extreme style and the dynamics really got to me. I started buying Japanese manga at comic shops in Melbourne, and then renting videos from hobby stores. So I was a (pretty old) fanboy before I began to write about anime, manga and comics academically (in 1995). Now I am 61. My website URL is http://www.routt.net/Bill/ - where some of my interests are listed as well. The "Recent Activity" link lists most of what I have had published on these subjects, a lot of which is online.
Ardith Santiago: My interest is primarily in history and how anime and manga reflect it. I attended UCLA and focused on East Asian Studies. I currently am working in the anime industry in the US.

Website: Hanabatake Research
Lien F. Shen: I am a doctoral student in the Department of Art Education at Ohio State University. I teach computer graphic course and developed a group study course in the Dept. of Art Education: Visual and Cultural Discourse-- Beyond Japanese Anime and Manga, which is offered once a year at OSU. My research focuses on approaching postmodernity by means of Japanese anime, and hope to shift such marginalized subject matter into academia. Being a former manga artist in Taiwan, I dropped my commercial publishing due to the load of research. However, I keep working on manga art and computer animation as part of my artworks.
Christopher Sui: I'm an undergraduate student at CUNY-John Jay College of Criminal Justice, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in International Criminal Justice. I am currently conducting an ongoing investigation into the effects of Anime in regards to a Teen/Pre-Teen unit and a Parental Unit, specifically why is there such a friction between Teens and their Parents when Anime is involved? Is it because there is a lack of knowledge and information available to the Parent? Or is it because some other undefined factor? Also why do Teens like Anime so much and do they even decide to get their parents involved as well?

Who we are

The AMRC Charter

AMRC-L

Member profiles

Links