Foreign scholars support plan to build 11.7 billion yen Manga museum
The Asahi has been coming down hard on the government’s plan to build an 11.7 billion yen (121 million USD) national media arts center (aka “Manga Museum”), but the Japan Times has interviewed several Western scholars, all of whom seem to think it’s a great idea. Here’s a sample of some of the quotes they included in its article:
“Given their mass audience, their spread globally, and their influence on Japanese culture today, the question is why shouldn’t there be a center dedicated to their study, conservation and exhibition?”
[...]
“The long-term effects of such a center would be useful. Japanese contemporary media arts are renowned for their dynamism and creativity. Having a kind of national clearinghouse, where people could learn about the latest cultural products in that area, would benefit artists and audiences. The center would not only inform audiences and be a useful avenue to promote contemporary Japanese culture, but it would also inspire new creativity in manga and anime artists for generations to come.”
[...]
“I think the kind of research on manga and anime that the center could facilitate will have a great scholarly and critical impact.”
As most of the scholars in question are pop culture experts who study anime and manga, it would be pretty hard for them to bash a plan that would likely bring greater attention to their field of research.
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