Found: Rough Guides
Actually, I’d mentioned one of these before, but now we have covers and descriptions:
The Rough Guide to Manga
by Jason S. Yadao, Rough Guides, isbn 9781858285610, coming September 21, 2009.
From the publisher,
“The Rough Guide to Manga” is the ultimate handbook offering a comprehensive overview of one of the most fashionable genre’s in today’s popular culture. The guide features the manga story: from manga’s twelfth-century roots to the rise of English-language manga with profiles of influential creators like Leiji Matsumoto and CLAMP as well as publishers to look out for. You’ll find an overview of manga’s unique styles, techniques and genres decoded as well as a canon of fifty must-read manga, including the iconic “Astro Boy”, global hits “Fruits Basket” and “Battle Royale”, plus less well-known works like “Please Save My Earth”. “The Rough Guide to Manga” demystifies unfamiliar terms and genres for newcomers whilst offering manga fans plenty of new recommendations including listings for manga magazines and websites along with a glossary of terms. Crammed with illustrations, and including a section on the anime connection, this is must-have Manga for beginners and enthusiasts alike.
…can’t wait till September? This just came out:
[like, today even]
The Rough Guide to Anime
by Simon Richmond , Rough Guides, isbn 9781858282053
ibid.:
The Rough Guide to Anime provides a comprehensive overview of the diverse and amazing world of animation from Japan. Combining a critical approach with all the essential background information – from history and short biographies of the key people in the industry to the different genres, themes and cultural references of anime – this is the ultimate guide to Japanese animation. The book introduces the creative talents behind the major anime movies, TV series and OVA (original video animation) – from the Oscar-winning Spirited Away to classic works like Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, and the iconic shows Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion, Speed Racer and Robotech. Written by anime expert Simon Richmond, features include the Top 50 must-sees, with details on the most influential directors and creative artists. There’‘s an exploration of the art form’‘s history, plus information on the anime conventions and manga-related attractions in Japan. Newcomers will love the glossary of all the anime slang and jargon, while devoted fans will relish the fresh exploration of themes, genres and obsessions in the colourful anime universe.The Rough Guide to Anime explores the best of the prolific genre of anime in today’s popular culture.
Go forth and educate thyself.
