East Asia Library hosts "Religion in Manga and Anime" poster exhibition

From March 10 - 31, 2022, the East Asia Library will display an exhibition of posters on the topic of "Religion in Manga and Anime" created by students in IntroSems RELIGST 6N, taught by Prof. Michaela Mross of the Dept. of Religious Studies.  An opening reception will be held at the East Asia Library on Thursday, March 10. 

The poster display is located in the exhibition cases on the East Asia Library's third floor landing.  Each poster highlights religious themes within a specific anime or manga title.  As Prof. Mross writes in her introduction:

In contemporary Japan, manga and anime are very popular and members of all age groups read or watch these works for their entertainment.  Many works have been translated into Western languages.  As a result, manga and anime have become well-known in North America and Europe.

Japan is often characterized as a highly secularized society with most Japanese describing themselves as non-religious.  Nonetheless, we find many religious images and themes in manga and anime, attesting to the continuing influence of Buddhism and Shintō, the two main religions in Japan.  Manga and anime are replete with images of buddhas and gods, engaging tales of miracle-working monks and mischievous spirits, as well as visions of transcendence.

The exhibition will be on display until March 31. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, March 10 from 3:00 - 4:00 PM in the East Asia Library, room 224.

This poster exhibition is sponsored by the Introductory Seminars Program, the Dept. of Religious Studies, and the East Asia Library.

Click here to view the Stanford Libraries manga collection.

Click here to view some of Stanford Libraries' available anime titles.