The Moé Manifesto: An Insider's Look at the Worlds of Manga, Anime, and Gaming

Résumé : In Japan, where anime and manga evolved, there is a devoted group of fans who embrace the characters found in films (anime), comics (manga) and the resulting spin off video games in a deeply personal way. This group of avid fans uses the term moé to refer to the strong sense of emotional attachment that they develop for their favoUrite characters. Characters like Sagisawa Moé in Dinosaur Planet and Tomoé Hotaru in Sailor Moon are young, beautiful and innocent calling forth in readers a strong desire to protect and nurture them. Moé is a huge cultural phenomenon and one of the driving forces behind the enormous success of Japanese anime and manga throughout the world. The Moé Manifesto provides an insider s look at this key aspect of Japanese pop culture. Author Patrick Galbraith is the world s leading expert on moé and for this book has interviewed 20 other important figures in the world of Japanese manga and anime to provide the first in-depth survey of the subject. In this book you will learn about the very first moé characters such as Ayame by Tezuka Osamu and how they influenced an entire generation of manga artists; what constitutes the ideal moé relationship; and why some fans are even determined to marry their fictional sweethearts. Galbraith recalls key moments in the development of moé, and describes current and future trends accompanying the spread of moé works and characters from Japan to other parts of the world. This book provides over 100 illustrations of the most famous moé characters, many of them in colour, which is sure to delight manga and anime fans of every age.