The Book of the Dead: Longlist for the 2017 National Translation Award in Prose

The first complete English translation of Orikuchi Shinobu’s masterwork, The Book of the Dead is a sweeping historical romance telling a gothic tale of love between a noblewoman and a ghost in eighth-century Japan. Orikuchi is often considered one of the fathers of Japanese folklore studies, and this is the most important novel of his … More The Book of the Dead: Longlist for the 2017 National Translation Award in Prose

Introducing "Verge: Studies in Global Asias"

The history of scholarship on Asian America, when juxtaposed with the fieldsof Asian Studies, reminds us how much nations, national movements, andother forms of national development continue to exert influence on the worldin which we live.Image from Shutterstock. BY TINA CHEN AND ERIC HAYOT Now, more than ever, the singularities of world history—whether imagined as … More Introducing "Verge: Studies in Global Asias"

Another long and winding road: Translating Japanese speculative fiction

This illustration was created for Hayawaka’s SF Magazine by Hidenori Watanave. Here, Takayuki Tatsumi, who wrote the introduction to Chiaki Kawamata’s Death Sentences, traces Japanese science fiction translation back to this monthly magazine, which debuted in 1959. Image source: Creative Commons. BY TAKAYUKI TATSUMIProfessor of English at Keio University In the 2010s you might consider … More Another long and winding road: Translating Japanese speculative fiction

From Character Toys to Designer Toys (Or, How I Became a Toy Collector)

Dunny from artist Tara McPherson, a concert poster designer andformer production assistant on Matt Groening’s Futurama. This is the fourth in a series of posts about author and anime scholar Marc Steinberg’s personal collection of collectibles. See all posts here. BY MARC STEINBERGAssistant professor of film studies at Concordia University In criticisms of the shift … More From Character Toys to Designer Toys (Or, How I Became a Toy Collector)

Marc Steinberg: Print Culture and Tin Toys

This is the third in a series of posts about author and anime scholar Marc Steinberg’s personal collection of collectibles. See all posts here. BY MARC STEINBERGAssistant professor of film studies at Concordia University Scholarship meets serendipity in the practice of collecting.What is there to collect?What is there to find? All this depends on a … More Marc Steinberg: Print Culture and Tin Toys

Marc Steinberg: From "the" sticker craze to my sticker craze

This sticker of Atomu, which the author owns, dates back to 1963 or 1964. This is Part 2 of a multi-part series in which Marc Steinberg, author of Anime’s Media Mix, lets us into his own world of collectibles. Curious? Read the first part here. ——-BY MARC STEINBERGAssistant professor of film studies at Concordia University … More Marc Steinberg: From "the" sticker craze to my sticker craze

Roland Bleiker: What to do about North Korea?

View of the concrete wall and barbed wire separating South Korea from North Korea. Roland Bleiker studies North Korea’s recent provocations and argues for an integrational approach to information diplomacy. Image from Creative Commons. BY ROLAND BLEIKER Professor of international relations at the University of Queensland  Dealing with North Korea has never been easy. Authoritarian and … More Roland Bleiker: What to do about North Korea?

Mulling things over: Anime collectibles from Marc Steinberg’s closet

Dear reader: This is the first in a series of blog posts in which author Marc Steinberg invites us into his own world of anime collectibles, explaining what makes each object interesting and how it has contributed to the history and transformation of Japanese media culture. —– BY MARC STEINBERGAssistant professor of film studies at … More Mulling things over: Anime collectibles from Marc Steinberg’s closet

Understanding the global nature of counterculture

Recent protests in Wisconsin are reminiscent of 1960s counterculture movements. Here, Steven Ridgely asks what, if any, form of counterculture might emerge from this highly politicized moment. Image source. BY STEVEN C. RIDGELYAssistant professor of Japanese literature at the University of Wisconsin–Madison The recent protests in Madison, Wisconsin, by a coalition of students, organized labor, … More Understanding the global nature of counterculture