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Beautiful Fighting Girl

By Saito Tamaki and Hiroki Azuma
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Beautiful Fighting Girl explores the iconic figure of the beautiful fighting girl in Japanese anime and manga, from series like Cutie Honey and Sailor Moon to NausicaΓ€ of the Valley of the Wind. Saitō Tamaki provides a nuanced interpretation of these prepubescent girls who wield deadly weaponsβ€”sometimes overtly sexual, always captivatingβ€”examining their roles as feminist symbols and objects of cultural critique. The book includes interviews with Japanese and American otaku, traces the genealogy of this archetype, and analyses the work of outsider artist Henry Darger, making it essential reading for understanding manga, anime, and otaku culture.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is ideal for readers interested in Japanese popular culture, manga and anime studies, gender studies, and those intrigued by the complexities of otaku culture and feminist interpretations within media.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

From Nausica to Sailor Moon, understanding girl heroines of manga and anime within otaku culture.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

From Cutie Honey and Sailor Moon to Nausica of the Valley of the Wind, the worlds of Japanese anime and manga teem with prepubescent girls toting deadly weapons. Sometimes overtly sexual, always intensely cute, the beautiful fighting girl has been both hailed as a feminist icon and condemned as a symptom of the objectification of young women in Japanese society.

In Beautiful Fighting Girl, Saitō Tamaki offers a far more sophisticated and convincing interpretation of this alluring and capable figure. Featuring extensive interviews with Japanese and American otaku, a comprehensive genealogy of the beautiful fighting girl, and an analysis of the American outsider artist Henry Darger, Beautiful Fighting Girl was hugely influential when first published in Japan, and it remains a key text in the study of manga, anime, and otaku culture.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Jonathan E. Abel praises Beautiful Fighting Girl as "a foundational book illuminating the phenomenon of cool Japan," highlighting its deep understanding of the cultural implications of the beautiful fighting girl trope. He notes its significance in contemporary discourse, suggesting the book could inspire new waves of feminist analysis and reshape perceptions of male desire.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780816654512

Publisher: University of Minnesota Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 March 2011

Country: United States

Imprint: University of Minnesota Press

Contributors:

  • Translated by Dawn Lawson
  • Translated by J. Keith Vincent

Audience: General / adult, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 248

Collections

Arts & Culture Education & Reference Fiction Graphic Novels Hiroki Azuma Saito Tamaki

About the Author

Saito Tamaki is a practicing psychiatrist and medical director of the Sofukai Sasaki Hospital in Chiba, Japan. He is the author of more than two dozen books. J. Keith Vincent is assistant professor of Japanese and comparative literature at Boston University.Dawn Lawson is New York University's East Asian studies librarian. Hiroki Azuma is a leading cultural critic in Japan.

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