Rating: 
Summary: everything anime
Review: she does a good job in this book i believe because she hints on the major titles, not all anime is good enough to be considered anime in my opinion and besides, not all is even good enough to mention. she mentioned the ones that made landmarks its as simple as that. they made landmarks in the field because they are worthy.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Academic Book on Japanese Animation (Anime)
Review: Susan Napier presents excellent insight into some of the important issues of Japanese Animation. While some [opinions] bemoan the academic tone, such a scolarly approach is necessary for the presentation of her arguments. For anyone creating a university-level course on anime, Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke is a must-assign book, encompassing issues from technology to history to bodies. Almost all of the anime series and films used as case studies are well-known, popular, and important works in the anime canon - from Ranma 1/2 to Ghost in the Shell to Princess Mononoke to Grave of the Fireflies - which should also be included in a critical studies course on Japanese animation. The appendix focuses on Western audiences' reception of anime, which helps anime initiates to understand the appeal of anime outside Japan (specifically, in the States). This is by far one of the best books written on anime, ranking with Helen McCarthy's Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation and Frederik L. Schodt's Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics. In fact, Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke is a great compliment to these two other books in a critical studies course on Japanese animation.
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Summary: Out of the mud-flinging comes a lotus.
Review: The book is fraught with errors - to the purists out there - what can I say? Focusing on the point that she made some errors is just too bad because I honestly felt that Susan Napier did a really wonderful job. Framing the whole anime world into her own epistemic grid allowed me to follow her perspective. One can very easily intuit such things as the mechanical versus the shojo - but not very quickly picks does one pick up on Anime as the perfect medium to explore the elegiac mode. Moreover, there is something about the seamlessness of Anime that allows it to explore the real as well as the unreal all in the same space. Unlike live action film, Anime can get away without having to resort to special effects - it just simply moves into it. Napier helped me to understand that the subtle nature of Anime - and sometimes not so subtle - in that even if you try to define one movie, as under such-and-such a category you will find that it quickly moves. Anime is really the perfect place for postmodern analysis - it is a floating signifier - the meanings move with as many viewers as there are meanings. I was especially pleased by Napier's examination of Princess Mononoke - ascribing to the movie a sense of nostalgia to that elusive notion called progress. In "Princess Mononoke: Fantasy, the Feminine, and the Myth of "Progress"" Napier writes: "In another undermining of traditional conventions, Tatara is not governed by a man but by a woman, Lady Eboshi, who has constructed Tatara as a utopian refuge for outcast women and people with incurable illnesses like leprosy. Eboshi is pitted not only against the forest creature but also against another female human, a young girl names San who is the "mononokehime" or "possessed princess" of the title. Although "Mononoke" traditionally means possession by a human spirit, San is clearly possessed by the fearsome spirits of nature. Raised by a female wolf known as Moro, San detests all things human and lives only to destroy human civilization, represented by Tatara. Eboshi in turn is determined to take over the forest, a victory that would involve killing the shishigami" (Napier 179-80). It is in sections like this that Napier captures the essence of what she is examining - in this case it was Princess Mononoke. I will say this much... if a re-write is in the works, I will be the first to buy the new version. So to all her critics - your word did not go unheard. However, for the wealth of information and the vastness of the scope that Napier examines I give her 5 stars. Miguel Llora
Rating: 
Summary: Not what you think...
Review: The first thing I need to note is that the title of this book is misleading. It is definitely NOT a survey of recent anime history. It is also not explicitly aimed at an otaku audience, although every otaku out there should be interested. In fact, this is an academic work of film criticism, analyzing a variety of themes that appear in recent anime. Keep this in mind and you won't be disappointed. I did find a couple of things to be annoying. For one, Napier uses a fair amount of academic Newspeak. It wasn't difficult, just distracting, and I don't think it adds anything to the text. Also, some of her analysis appears to be clouded by the need to bow to the sacred cows of PC. Check out her analysis of gender roles in "Wicked City", where she completely ignores the fact that it is the female lead who ends up being the most powerful character. Don't let my gripes mislead you. This book's positive points far outweigh it's negatives. Most of Napier's analysis is quite insightful, and I've found myself watching a lot of these anime with her ideas in mind. The fact that she compares concepts between different anime was especially interesting; where else can you get a thorough comparison of the apocalyptic themes in "Akira" and "Evangelion"? I'm sure plenty of people will be disappointed that their favorite anime didn't rate mention (what, no "Tenchi"?!?). Take this book for what it is, and enjoy it. Then pop in those beat up old "Bubblegum Crisis" tapes and see some old favorites in a new light.
Rating: 
Summary: Spoilers galore!
Review: This book feels like a term paper, very "academic". It goes into a deep analysis of each of the works (films and series analysed include Akira, Ranma 1/2, Pricess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, etc), linking it to the culture of the Japanese. It's a good read, if academic read doesn't bother you. What I find most irritating about the book is that it details the WHOLE plot of each of the films, with great detail in how they END. So, if you haven't seen the movie or series and don't want to find out how it turns out, don't read the section dedicated to it. The spoilers run through the complete section, not just one paragraph (e.g., the ending of Akira is discussed all the way). Another thing is that, in my opinion, it goes a little too deep, specially regarding sex and stereotypes. But at least it makes you think. It's not bad, but there must be better books on anime out there.
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Summary: Conversing on a subject while lacking knowledge
Review: This book was written by a professor of Japanese culture and literature. She herself admits that she was not familiar to anime and manga before being introduced to it by a student. This shows, as the author makes many comparisons between series that are not compatible in order to draw out conclusions that seem forced. When I read of "Akira" being compared to "Ranma 1/2" and see that the supposed underlying theme is the alienation of Japanese youth, something about the text seems to smell. When she begins making slapstick comedy series out to be psychological commentaries on the concept of "carnival," I find myself becoming sceptical about how much she understands the medium of anime. My overall perception of this book is not that she explains anime to the reader, but that she uses specific elements in anime to prove the preconceived points she wishes to get across. This is not the worst book about anime, but it is pretty close to it.
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Summary: May Lack, but Makes Up for it in the End
Review: This book was written from an analysis perspective --- one in which reading it felt like taking your own personal Japanese anime course. There are, however, certain qualities that the book lacks. For example, Ms. Napier chose to focus more on the modern anime films/shows, and rarely mentioned much of the old classics that brought anime to existence in the first place. But aside from what's missing from this book, it does redeem itself later on. It gives any reader a sort of "want" to continue reading each and every single page. With interesting insight and tedious research put in, Susan J. Napier did do a very good job with this book. I believe some people expected too much out of it... Just how much can a writer cram into 256 pages?
Rating:
Summary: An excellent account of the genre
Review: This is a definite must read for all fans of anime. It is especially good to novice otaku like myself who only really know of the things I grew up watching as a kid and a few releases here (Force Five, Star Blazers, Battle of the Planets, Akira, Princess Mononoke). It explores central themes around many different types of anime and warns you (indirectly) about what things to avoid. For exaple, no parent after reading this book will allow their children to go anywhere near the Hentai sections of an anime video store, though I did see Legend of the Overfiend a few shelves away from Sailor Moon at one store. BAD IDEA, Newbury Comics!!!
If I have one criticism of this book, it would be that it is written in too scholarly a manner and the author's editor should have told the author to tone it down a bit. There was also to much of a repetition of certain phrases. As a reader, I got sick of the word "privelidge" by the end of the second chapter and there was lots more to come. Still, if it wasn't for this book, I never would have discovered such delights as Ranma 1/2, Nausicaa, or Ghost In The Shell; so I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in anime.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent account of the genre
Review: This is a definite must read for all fans of anime. It is especially good to novice otaku like myself who only really know of the things I grew up watching as a kid and a few releases here (Force Five, Star Blazers, Battle of the Planets, Akira, Princess Mononoke). It explores central themes around many different types of anime and warns you (indirectly) about what things to avoid. For exaple, no parent after reading this book will allow their children to go anywhere near the Hentai sections of an anime video store, though I did see Legend of the Overfiend a few shelves away from Sailor Moon at one store. BAD IDEA, Newbury Comics!!!
If I have one criticism of this book, it would be that it is written in too scholarly a manner and the author's editor should have told the author to tone it down a bit. There was also to much of a repetition of certain phrases. As a reader, I got sick of the word "privelidge" by the end of the second chapter and there was lots more to come. Still, if it wasn't for this book, I never would have discovered such delights as Ranma 1/2, Nausicaa, or Ghost In The Shell; so I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in anime.
Rating:
Summary: One of the most interesting books on the medium I've read
Review: Well, I found this book to be a blast of fresh air. While nearly all english-language books about Anime that I've encountered before have simply been descriptive/critical accounts of various anime (Such as the excellent Anime Encyclopedia) or collections of facts about an anime/author/anime in general (Hayao Miyazaki : Master of Japanese Animation, Anime Essentials: Every Thing a Fan Needs to Know), this is a book which gives an interesting insight into the possible reasons behind anime's development, and in particular the development behind certain landmark titles - for someone like me, who's as interested in the "why" as they are the "how" behind manga, this book really engages. While there are some slight mistakes in the book (as mentioned in at least one of the above critiques), the general ideas brought forward are thought-provoking, and often (to my mind at least) ring true.
I would, however, NOT recommend this to those who don't have a deep-seated interest in anime, or to those who haven't seen at least half of the anime discussed in the book - as (again) mentioned in one of the above critiques, there ARE some serious spoilers, plus you simply won't be engaged as many of the suggestions made unless you've seen the series/film yourself, and have been able to form your own opinions.
In short, an excellent book for those who are truly interested in anime and the influences behind it, but not really recommendable to anyone else.
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