Anime and manga have to rate as the down side to art and eroticism…The art is childish and bland at best, more the art of someone on LSD and a migraine than true art. The ugliness of women with purple hair and eyes the size of trash cans does little for the imagination; this is the art of anal retentives, pure and simple..
Rating: 1 / 5

Anime has gone mainstream. Or, rather, it has gone everywhere. Ten years ago or so the number of people outside of Japan who even knew what anime was was limited to a small but devoted number of maniacal fans. From Hayao Miyazaki to Osamu Tezuka, today anime is everywhere in the US and Europe, and increasingly popular in China and Asia. But where did Japanese animation come from, and what does it all mean? Cultural commentator Patrick Drazen has written a concise, witty, and lively guide for fans, those with a general interest in Japan, and even for those who have only the vaguest idea of what this omnipresent phenomenon really means and is. Drazen leads the reader through the characters and themes, styles and conventions, in a highly readable style.

Some of the major themes include: warriors, teenage girls, hardcore, the Japanese mother, nature, reincarnation, and more. The text also includes over 100 pictures. Moreover, at the end of the book are essays on 15 classic anime. This book is useful not only as a reference to Anime, but also as an insightful guide to contemporary Japanese culture. Last, there is a brilliant essay on Hayao Miyazaki and his organization. A great read.
Rating: 4 / 5

This book contains two sections. The first section is labeled as, “Interpreting Anime,” and this includes sixteen chapters. The second section is labeled as, “Films and Directors,” and it includes thirteen chapters. There is also an afterword, a bibliography, and an index of names and titles.

In the “Interpreting Anime” section of the book, topics such as conventions of anime, Japanese folktales, gay and pseudo-gay themes in anime, the way of the warrior, the way of the teenage girl, the Japanese mother, religion in anime, idol singers in anime, nature in anime, war and anti-war themes, and birth and death and rebirth are covered. In the second section of the book, you will find chapters devoted to Windaria, The Wings of Honneamise, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Giant Robo, the films of Studio Ghibli, Sailor Moon, Escaflowne, Evangelion, Please Save My Earth, Pokemon, Plastic Little, works by Masamune Shirow, and Key the Metal Idol.

At 357 pages, Anime Explosion! was a longer book than I had anticipated. However, it does include some informative and interesting insight into anime, as well as into some of the anime series and films that have been released. The chapter on war and anti-war themes was very interesting, especially since the author admits in the text that he was writing that particular chapter in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in the United States. This fact adds a layer to that chapter that wouldn’t have existed if the attacks had not happened. Since I haven’t seen all of the films and series that are talked about in the book, I learned a bit from reading about them. By the time I finished some of those chapters, I found myself wanting to watch some of the films and series.

In some respects, Anime Explosion! does read a little like a college textbook, but it is not dry and boring reading. Also, while some of the information included in this book can be found in other anime books, Patrick Drazen tackles some of them a little differently.

Anime Explosion! is a good read, regardless of whether you are new to anime fandom or have been interested in anime for a while and consider yourself to be an otaku. Personally, I believe that Anime Explosion! would be a worthwhile addition to anyone’s anime reference library.
Rating: 3 / 5

This is the most comprehensive and insightful book on anime that I have thus far come across. Drazen’s understanding and explanation of the japanese cultural background, the conventions and traditions that make anime what it is, makes this a must read for anyone who wants to understand this medium, both the otaku and the generally curious. Drazen’s knowledge of specific texts, both (in)famous and obscure also boasts a wide breadth. In regard to anime, this is a must read text.
Rating: 5 / 5

This book is complete in itself. I can’t think of a better organization of incorporating every aspect of anime (divided into the major themes inherent in the works of all anime and a chapter devoted to each of the most prominent anime that stand apart from each other) and Patrick Drazens’s amazing knowledge on Japanese pop culture of manga and anime is clearly evident as he skillfully connects the loose threads together. Highly reccomended! It’s a great introduction for all anime fans alike ^_^
Rating: 5 / 5