Not an Anime Shrine…It is a Library now!
Even when the Japanese government discarded the idea of the Anime Shrine, there will be other ways to create a place for Manga and Anime…
In a move to promote serious study of Japanese manga, a university in Tokyo plans to open a library with two million comic books, animation drawings, video games and other cartoon industry artifacts.
Tentatively named the Tokyo International Manga Library, it would open by early 2015 on the campus of the private Meiji University, and be available to researchers and fans from Japan and abroad.
“Manga has been taken lightly in the past and there has been no solid archive for serious study,” said Susumi Shibao, a library official at the university told AFP by telephone.
“We want to help academic studies on manga as part of Japanese culture.”
To give an early taste of its collection, the university will open the Yoshihiro Yonezawa Memorial Library of Manga and Subculture this October 31, featuring the late manga critic’s collection of 140,000 comic books.
Some of the books date back to before World War II.
Japan, which grew rich on exporting cars and high-tech goods, has stepped up an official campaign to promote its cultural offerings, from Tokyo city wear to video games and award-winning animation films.
Japanese manga, ranging from classic Astro Boy and the Doraemon robot cat to the latest smash hit Naruto, a tale of a ninja boy, has charmed children and adults worldwide.
The former conservative government of Taro Aso, which was ousted in August elections, had earmarked 11.7 billion yen (128 million dollars) for a museum on Japanese cartoon art and pop culture to be built in Tokyo.
But the plan, part of wider stimulus measures, was axed by the new centre-left government, which criticised the construction as a “state-run manga cafe” that has nothing to do with boosting the economy.
Source: Google News via AFP
Mainichi also offers additional information about this…
According to Mainichi Newspaper, Meiji University will establish “Tokyo International Manga Library” specialized in manga, dojinshi, key anime arts, games, and character goods by 2014. The number of the items to be stored at the moment of its opening will be more than two million.
Preceding the full launch, Yonezawa Yoshihiro Memorial Library will be opened on October 31th. The late Yonezawa was the second representative director of Comiket Committee and his collections of 140,000 dojin related items were donated to Meiji University in conformity with his wish.
Source: Mainichi via Yahoo via MAL
2014 seems to be pretty far away for this, but lets hope it is done…We still have Akihabara and other places… 
More “animated” criticism for the Shrine!
There is some criticism for the Anime Shrine, PM Taro Aso wants to build to honor the Japanese Animation. The anime shrine or “Media Arts Center” (tentative name) is generating controversy because the animatiion industry in Japan has its own problems.
The debate over Japan’s National Media Arts Center — a proposed government institution that has been nicknamed the “anime hall of fame” and derided as the “national manga café” — has divided not only legislators, but also the animators. The Japan Animation Creators Association (JAniCA) supported the 11.7-billion-yen (about US$120 million) plan in a position paper submitted to the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on June 23. (Despite the English connotations of its name, the ruling LDP is a conservative faction in Japan.) JAniCA considers the plan as a way to train and expand the animation workforce. 33-year-old JAniCA board member Daisuke Okeda said that young animators will train at the center’s in-house studio, which would serve a second purpose by putting the actual animation process on display for tourists.
However, some individual animators have voiced opposition to the proposal. 30-year-old Gonzo producer Junichi Takagi (Red Garden, Transformers: Cybertron) noted that the number of approved productions and their allocated budgets have shrunk since last year. Whereas the studios used to receive 1.8 million yen (US$19,000) for a 30-minute television episode, now they must make do with only 1.3 million yen (US$14,000). Takagi suggested that if there is money to build the center, he woud rather it be used to reorganize the Japanese anime industry. Nobuyuki Tsugata, a 40-year-old associate professor at Kyoto Seika University, added that small and medium-sized production facilities need assistance.
A 24-year-old male animator said that he has no disposable income and he could not marry even if he had a girlfriend. One year after entering the industry, he earns an average monthly salary of 70,000 yen (US$700). Ironically, JAniCA’s own survey of animators’ salaries supports this anecdote of low wages, although animation director and translator Cindy H. Yamauchi (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Sōten Kōro, Black Lagoon) disagrees with the survey’s conclusions.
64-year-old famed character designer Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (Mobile Suit Gundam, Venus Wars) described the proposed center as “totally useless. Anime has the vitality of a weed. I want it to be left alone. And with government support, I worry about potential restrictions being placed on freedom of expression.”
Manga and game creators are similarly split over the proposal. Manga creator Kei Ishizaka (I’m Home) criticized the planned center for vainly trying to attract visitors by “using government funds to hang up original manga drawings in picture frames.” Manga creator Machiko Satonaka (Lady Ann) responded to this and other criticisms by saying that the center is “urgently needed to preserve and restore our valuable original manga drawings from continuing degradation.” 51-year-old game creator Tsunekazu Ishihara (Pokémon) came out in support of the center as well, and noted that the proposed 11.7-billion-yen bufget is roughly the cost of just one theme park attraction.
It seems some animators and mangaka seems to agree that the Shrine idea should be abandoned…and ironically, this shrine is dedicated to them. I just hope they can really sit down and think everything wisely.
Loading ...
