Drawing on Tradition: Manga, Anime, and Religion in Contemporary Japan

by Jolyon Baraka Thomas

Manga and anime (illustrated serial novels and animated films) are highly influential Japanese entertainment media that boast tremendous domestic consumption as well as worldwide distribution and an international audience. Drawing on Tradition examines religious aspects of the culture of manga and anime production and consumption through a methodological synthesis of narrative and visual analysis, history, and ethnography. Rather than merely describing the incidence of religions such as Buddhism or Shinto in these media, Jolyon Baraka Thomas shows that authors and audiences create and re-create "religious frames of mind" through their imaginative and ritualized interactions with illustrated worlds. Manga and anime therefore not only contribute to familiarity with traditional religious doctrines and imagery, but also allow authors, directors, and audiences to modify and elaborate upon such traditional tropes, sometimes creating hitherto unforeseen religious ideas and practices.

Genres: Japan, Religion, Nonfiction

216 pages, Hardcover

First published August 23, 2012

About the author

Jolyon Baraka Thomas is a PhD candidate in Religion at Princeton University. His research focuses on Japanese religions in the modern period, with particular interest in religion and media and the relationships between religion, law, and the state. Thomas has published articles and book chapters on religious aspects of the culture surrounding manga and anime.

Reviews

[Luca · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. The book touches on some interesting points, but it is very specific, and the writing is very academic in diction, thus requiring a lot of definition searching and a fair amount of concentration to read. It spends a majority of the book describing various observable relationships between religions, religiosity, manga & anime, and the spectrum of secular to religious interaction with & appropriation of texts by audiences. I realized about 70% through the text that all of these examples were not really the point of the book, just mostly demonstrations of what Thomas was not ultimately getting at. The author really wanted to look at how certain manga and anime may have influenced the cult members of the Aum Shinrikyo terror attack, and review critical representations of cults in/and society in subsequent manga works.

This work is not a comprehensive look at religion in anime/manga, as the author is quick to admit, but a relatively objective look at a good chunk of observable manga/anime relationships to various forms of religiosity. I would recommend this book if the topic of religious portrayals in media is particularly of interest to you. I will say that I was happy to read some of the analyses of works that I am familiar with, so that I can consume them with a little more insight, as well as excerpts and synopses of works I was not familiar with, because I will take a few of them as reading recommendations.

[Finn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never ended up reading the final chapter of this, but... that still counts as "read," right? This was a pretty interesting text - super relevant to my interests, and also generally enlightening about media studies and religious studies! Though short, it made some pretty convincing arguments. The one mark against it is that it's pretty dense. Definitely a more academic and formal sort of writing than what would draw in most fans of anime and such.

[セージ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personally really enjoyed. Writing is a little more academic in nature so might require looking up definitions for ppl not as familiar w/ the style/vocabulary. Gives pretty detailed acct of historical development and cultural influences

[Bianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas is a good writer, but comes off pretentious. The information is good, and his argument is solid, but I was still slight put off by his attitude.