Reading Comic Books Critically: How Japanese Comic Books Influence Taiwanese Students

This study explores the appeal and educational value of Japanese comic books (manga) among Taiwanese teenagers. It finds that manga contain complex and sometimes contradictory ideologies of ethnicity, gender, class, and violence, with people of color and non-Japanese Asians being caricatures or non-existent. Manga aficionados are oblivious to class distinctions, but some notice that ancient caste precepts flourish. Despite the focus on violent combat, their youthful consumers seem unaffected by excessive gore.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 148 pages
Publication date: 25 November 2021
Publisher: Peter Lang Publishing Inc

Education knows no boundaries, but 'hot button issues' like their students' love for comic books, highlight school, teacher, and parent bias. Japanese comic books (manga) play an important role in the lives of most Taiwanese teenagers. This study includes surveys, a textual analysis of five student-selected manga series, and multiple interviews with students and educators about comics appeal and educational value. Japanese manga contain complex and sometimes contradictory ideologies of ethnicity, gender, class, and violence. From an ethnic perspective, although students may glean cultural content from manga heroes and their retinues, people of color and non-Japanese Asians are either caricatures or non-existent. Taiwanese consumers seem largely unaware of this. Depictions of social and economic class distinctions are subtle, although the dominant ideology of manga creators is middle-class. Manga aficionados are, for the most part, oblivious to class distinctions, but some notice that ancient caste precepts flourish. Although most manga focus on violent combat, their youthful consumers seem unaffected by excessive gore. Bloody battles with enemy legions are seen as a necessary element for the hero's journey. From a post-colonialist perspective, manga's exaltation of Japanese cultural archetypes may preempt their readers' allegiance to and pride in being Taiwanese.

Education knows no boundaries, but 'hot button issues' like their students' love for comic books, highlight school, teacher, and parent bias. Japanese comic books (manga) play an important role in the lives of most Taiwanese teenagers. This study includes surveys, a textual analysis of five student-selected manga series, and multiple interviews with students and educators about comics appeal and educational value. Japanese manga contain complex and sometimes contradictory ideologies of ethnicity, gender, class, and violence. From an ethnic perspective, although students may glean cultural content from manga heroes and their retinues, people of color and non-Japanese Asians are either caricatures or non-existent. Taiwanese consumers seem largely unaware of this. Depictions of social and economic class distinctions are subtle, although the dominant ideology of manga creators is middle-class. Manga aficionados are, for the most part, oblivious to class distinctions, but some notice that ancient caste precepts flourish. Although most manga focus on violent combat, their youthful consumers seem unaffected by excessive gore. Bloody battles with enemy legions are seen as a necessary element for the hero's journey. From a post-colonialist perspective, manga's exaltation of Japanese cultural archetypes may preempt their readers' allegiance to and pride in being Taiwanese.

Weight: 231g
Dimension: 225 x 150 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781433188473
Edition number: New ed