Culture
Anime and Manga
Anime/Manga
The short answer
Anime (Japanese animation) and manga (comics) are among Japan's biggest cultural exports, covering every genre for every age. Many learners first meet Japanese through them.
Where
Japan
Category
Pop Culture/Art
When
Ongoing
Origin
Post-WWII
What it is
Japanese-style animation (anime) and comics (manga) with a distinct visual style and a vast range of genres for all ages.
Why it matters
A cornerstone of modern Japanese pop culture and a massive global export that has influenced art and entertainment worldwide.
Fun fact
Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy (1963) set the low-budget limited animation style that still shapes anime today.
Kungfucius says: Half of all Japanese learners started because of anime. The other half are lying.
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