July 19, 2006
Twenty-three students in Greg Guelcher’s May Term course found out that cartoons aren’t what they used to be…at least not when it comes to Japanese anime, a style of animation characterized by stylized colorful art, futuristic settings, and adult themes.
The course included viewing of 14 different anime films. Students researched the directors for each film and provided a brief description of the plot and various themes. After each viewing, the group participated in a critical analysis of the film.
“My primary goal in offering the class was to try to change students into critical, active viewers of films,” said Guelcher, associate professor of history and political science.
Typical anime styles and themes include the martial arts, science fiction, the supernatural, and even romance, Guelcher explained. Story lines are often sophisticated and complex and provide insight into several aspects of the Japanese culture.
“There is not always a happy ending to the stories,” he said. “Through these films, students could get a sense of what is important to the Japanese culture, including themes of environmentalism, love of nature, and the absurdity of war, to name a few.”
The movies, shown in their original format, contained subtitles so that students could discern the full effect of audio cues, which give the dialogue and events deeper meaning.
“By the third film, the subtitles weren’t a roadblock,” said Guelcher. “In fact, one of the unexpected benefits was that the students actually learned a few Japanese words and their meanings based on the context of the dialogue.”
 Abby Chipman, a senior from Sioux City who is studying graphic design, took the class to inspire her own forays into animation.
“I’d become interested in anime through shows such as Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! This class stretched my awareness and made me want to further explore some of the shows and movies that were introduced,” said Chipman. “I had no idea how many different sub-styles there were in the genre of anime.”
Guelcher, who specializes in Asian history and who has traveled to Japan on several occasions, admitted that, prior to teaching the class, anime was one aspect of the culture for which he had limited knowledge. Researching the topic allowed him to learn “right alongside the students.”
|
