The Rough Guide to Anime: Japan's Finest from Ghibli to Gankutsuo by Simon Richmond

Anime and manga are still hot in America, and it seems as if they become more and more popular every year. But why? Where did it come from and where has it been? What are the best series in Anime, and which series or movies are the ones you absolutely must watch?

Simon Richmond uses this thick, but condensed volume to inform you about the history of Anime, series or movies that are indicative of a certain time period in the history of Anime, and shows readers the anime that are absolutely "must see" in terms of understanding that history.

Anime is not monolithic, nor is all of it good. Much like western movies and animation, there are some bright stars floating in a sea of mediocrity with occasional islands of excrement. Nor does the book stop there, for the book also covers Manga, Japan's comic books, which unlike some in the West are for all ages, from children to adult male and adult female- not necessarily adult in the sexual sense- although some are, but covering topics that younger readers would find boring or uninteresting. And just like the "public service message" comics that are sometimes published in the West, Japan has instructional and educational manga teaching everything from history to cooking techniques or the history of business and government.

This book certainly gives a good overview of the huge ocean that is manga and anime, spicing up descriptions with screen captures or images from the series or film or book being discussed. Someone looking for a more exhaustive compilation of anime series won't find this book very satisfying, as the number of series covered is comparitively small when measured against what's out there, but the list of the fifty best anime zings as they discuss the storyline and what makes them great, as well as the writer or directors behind the scenes.

For someone looking for a quick, somewhat comprehensive overview of anime, manga and the history, this book is better, though I think that other books have done a better job at this- where it excels is in looks at the writers and directors of Anime, and the listings of series and movies that they have made which give insight into that writer and director.

This is a book you can finish rather quickly, delving into a chapter here and there for a quick overview of anime, but it also lends itself well to a deeper look and to some otherwise overlooked anime and manga classics and the best of what is being produced... well, recently rather than now, given the general length of the publishing cycle. But for those interested in both Anime and Manga, this book will do well and end up in their library for a very long time. Recommended.