As the buzz surrounding the manga and anime subcultures deepens, more and more books are published on the topics. Whether you want to learn more about the culture to enrich your hobby or write an academic paper or article, the abundance of books available can be constructive. However, since manga and anime come from the realm of popular culture, not all books written about them are equally valuable or informative enough to be considered constructive. As in all cases of popular media, the risk of finding yourself with a book full of fluff and lacking in useful content is high. Here are some criteria that will help you find the best academic books on anime and manga:
Check the author
The most reliable books are always those written by experts. The first step after choosing a topic and receiving a list of books is to check the history of their authors. Was the book written by a professor or lecturer? If not, does he or she have a history of working in the manga or anime industry? The importance of the author’s background should not be taken lightly. It is always preferable to learn from, and then quote, a knowledgeable person on any subject. Avoid books written by informal magazines, newsgroups, or enthusiasts. These tend to be superficial and lack relevant citations to back up their claims.
Avoid “picture books”
If possible, always flip through a book to see how the layout and written content appear. Some books about anime and manga are informative enough but have a lot of pictures. Books that are packed with pictures at the expense of text probably won’t give you enough information and can backfire.
Buy specialized encyclopedias
The only exceptions to the above rule are encyclopedias. There are encyclopedias created specifically to cater to fans of anime, manga, and otakus. They often analyze certain products/phenomena while providing images. Encyclopedias generally offer no more than a page or two on each topic, but they are great for discovering new topics and broadening the scope of your research. They are also often supplemented with rare interviews and will always have dates. They are your reference books and will point you to more detailed books on the topic you want to research. There are a surprising number of encyclopedias about Japan and Japanese culture, but it would be best to start reading the basic (but valuable) manga, anime, and otaku encyclopedias.
Read in the native language
If you have sufficient command of the Japanese language and are writing an academic paper, you may choose to add a few Japanese books to your research pile. Japanese manga and anime experts have written many books on the subject and can provide invaluable insight into how these trends operate in their native Japan. When writing about manga and anime, Japanese book citations will greatly enhance the credibility of your work and give you precedence over researchers who only include books written by Western scholars.
To conclude, in order to identify the best academic books on manga and anime, you should familiarize yourself with the names of the leading experts in the field and always check if the book in your case has enough text and a good number of citations. Specialized encyclopedias tend to offer less information but broaden your horizon, while available and accessible books in Japanese can be wonderful resources and give you an important advantage.
