In this thesis we take a closer look at Role Language. We compare the speech style of Hero characters in Japanese Manga to those of Villains characters in order to identify the characteristics of...Show moreIn this thesis we take a closer look at Role Language. We compare the speech style of Hero characters in Japanese Manga to those of Villains characters in order to identify the characteristics of those Villain characters. These characteristics eventually form what we will call Villain Speech 悪役語 'akuyakugo'.Show less
New Religious Movements in Japan are both inspired by and inspire the contents of Japanese works of fiction. This influence is notable in the fictional works of anime and manga in particular, which...Show moreNew Religious Movements in Japan are both inspired by and inspire the contents of Japanese works of fiction. This influence is notable in the fictional works of anime and manga in particular, which have always contained varying degrees of religious themes. Three new religions are discussed in this paper: Soka Gakkai, Aum Shinrikyo, and Kofuku no Kagaku. All of these religions have used manga as a tool for self-promotion, but have also indirectly been inspired by the medium itself. Two of the larger inspirations for the religions Aum Shinrikyo and Kofuku no Kagaku were the feature animation films Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Akira. This and other examples are used to create an image of the interconnected web that links these religious movements and anime and manga together.Show less
Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has introduced a manga-pamphlet to promote constitutional revision. The ruling coalition of Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, has secured a two- thirds majority in...Show moreJapan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has introduced a manga-pamphlet to promote constitutional revision. The ruling coalition of Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, has secured a two- thirds majority in both Houses of the Diet fulfilling one requirement for change. The public decides in a national referendum whether any revision materialises or not. On paper, the manga perfectly fits the LDP’s strategy to get the people on board of constitutional revision. However, Abe’s political manoeuvres as well as his long term plans for the constitution have been vague and not without controversy. He has also pushed a reinterpretation of the constitution through the Diet considered by many as undemocratic. This begs the question how the LDP wishes to convince the public of revision. With the help of critical discourse analysis as well as comics theory and social psychology perspectives, this paper will examine how and with what message the LDP’s manga-pamphlet attempts to convince the public of constitutional revision.Show less
In dit onderzoek wordt er gekeken naar de verschillen in genderrollen tussen animeseries uit de jaren ’80 en recente series rond 2010 op basis van vier case studies. De verwachting was dat huidige...Show moreIn dit onderzoek wordt er gekeken naar de verschillen in genderrollen tussen animeseries uit de jaren ’80 en recente series rond 2010 op basis van vier case studies. De verwachting was dat huidige animeseries sterk geseksualiseerd zijn ten opzichte van series uit de jaren ‘80. De uiteindelijke conclusie is dat genderrollen iets zijn veranderd, en dat recente animeseries inderdaad sterk geseksualiseerd zijn, maar ook dat de mannelijke identiteit problematisch is geworden.Show less
This thesis argues that the anime Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and the manga Fullmetal Alchemist -- boths mediums usually not associated with the Fantasy genre-- share many of its tropes with...Show moreThis thesis argues that the anime Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and the manga Fullmetal Alchemist -- boths mediums usually not associated with the Fantasy genre-- share many of its tropes with the Western genre of Fantasy, and that this helps to explain this anime and manga's tremendous popularity among Western audiences not necessarily drawn to the two Japanese mediums as such. The argumentation is built around an inventory of such tropes; with an in-depth look at eleven of these.Show less
