Understanding the Manga Hype: Uncovering the Multimodality of Comic-Book Literacies

Abstract

The authors introduce manga to educators, inspired by the comics' explosive entry into U.S. popular culture. The word manga refers specifically to printed, Japanese-style comics found in graphic-novel format—not to be confused with anime (animated Japanese cartoons, including moving images on television, movies, video games). There are two strong reasons that warrant directing educators' attention toward manga. First, there has been a sharp rise in the comics' popularity, evident by record-setting sales of manga across the United States; second, the authors argue that manga require—if not demand—critical, multimodal reading skills. Although scholars in education have explored the role of popular culture in youths' literacy and meaning making, the popularity of manga specifically has not been addressed by educators and literacy researchers. This article is intended to raise awareness about manga, explore their semiotic features, and emphasize the multimodal demands of these texts on readers. The authors also explore how manga serve as sites for negotiating and creating alternative identities. A history and survey of the various styles of the genre are included, as well as the relationship between manga and the New Literacy Studies. Finally, the authors explore ways in which manga can aid or facilitate classroom learning as a literacy practice.

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