Fukunaga 2006 FL literacy development using Anime ... - Oncourse

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“Those anime students”: Foreign language literacy development through Japanese popular culture Figure 1 JFL students’ perspectives of anime and its subcultures Manga: comics, Dojinshi Anime products: stationery, toys, T-shirts Anime (Japanese animation) To JFL students, anime includes TV programs, animated films, DVDs, and videos. One anime subculture, manga, includes comics and dojinshi or zines, small hand-made booklets written by anime fans that parody manga or anime. Many Japanese and English dojinshi are available on the Internet. The “fanfics” in Chandler-Olcott and Mahar’s study (2003a, 2003b) can be considered a type of dojinshi. Sean and Ted entered the world of anime through playing video games from Japan, in particular, role-playing games, which have many characteristics of anime. Sean describes the connection between anime and video games this way: “Japanese video games like Nintendo games and Japanese anime are closely connected. Often video games are based upon on anime, and anime is based upon video games.” In the interview and in his written responses, Ted tried to form a theory about the relationships among anime fans, video game fans, and computer enthusiasts. TV programs, animated films, DVDs, videos Anime activity: Anime Club, online bulletin board services, the Internet, amime conventions, cos-play Anime music: soundtrack, Seiyu (cast) Games: video games, computer games J-pop, J-rock First, Ted showed me a photograph of his computer and audio equipment (see Figure 2) and explained how important technology is for him. Ted described his theory as follows: “People who are interested in anime also enjoy playing video games, and people who like computers often enjoy anime and video games.” Emily and Sean talked about similar situations involving anime fans, video game fans, and computer enthusiasts. In fact, all three participants fit this theory because they enjoy activities with anime, video games, and computers. Anime fans in the United States get most of their information from the Internet, which presupposes a certain level of computer skill. Emily did not talk much about video games, although she did mention that her boyfriend plays Japanese video games. Anime-related activities are important for Emily and Ted. Anime clubs and anime conventions, in particular, help to create communities. JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENT & ADULT LITERACY 50:3 NOVEMBER 2006 211
Anime conventions provide a means to see how anime consists of subcultures such as manga, anime products, music, costumes, video games, and animation itself. For Emily, anime products such as stationery, toys, cards, and posters were part of the subculture. All the participants talked about the strong connection between watching anime and listening to anime theme songs. Emily shared some CDs of music that was used as opening and ending theme songs of anime. This is consistent with previous interviews I conducted in which participants noted that anime fans began listening to Japanese pop or rock music once they learned some Japanese songs from anime. Uniqueness of anime All the participants pointed out that the uniqueness of anime, which differs from U.S. animation, attracts anime fans in the United States. Table 2 presents an outline of the differences between 212 “Those anime students”: Foreign language literacy development through Japanese popular culture Figure 2 Ted’s computer and audio equipment anime and U.S. animation from the three U.S. college students’ perspectives. Emily, Ted, and Sean expressed that the distinctive art style of anime, exemplified in drawings of characters with “big eyes,” is one of the unique qualities of anime. The participants also noted that the humor in anime differed from what they were used to with U.S. animation. When Sean first read Ranma 1/2 in translated Japanese manga comics (see Figure 3), he found himself loving it. Just because, it was...it was funny, but it wasn’t just funny. It had this really quirky sense of humor. I don’t even know how to describe it, but it was just this almost oddball sensibility that you just don’t find...in American comics. (Sean’s interview transcript) Soon after Sean read the first manga in English, he began watching anime. JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENT & ADULT LITERACY 50:3 NOVEMBER 2006
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