Ohio State will host a symposium on April 4 exploring the history and future of manga [Japanese comics] as well as an exhibition exploring this unique genre. Manga has become an international phenomenon, and according to Etsuyo Yuasa, director of the East Asian Studies Center, Ohio State has the largest collections of manga in the country. Although manga is very popular, sales of the comics have slightly declined in the United States, leading many to believe that manga is at a crossroads — the subject of the symposium and a prior event held in March.

The symposium, titled "Manga at a Crossroads", is to be held Saturday, April 4 in 220 Sullivant Hall, 1813 N. High St. It focuses on the diversification and globalization of manga. Speakers are: Masami Toku, California State University, Chico; Jennifer Prough, Valparaiso University; Casey Brienza, City University of London, OSU visiting scholar; and Kerim Yasar, Ohio State. Toku and Prough will focus on girls’ manga and probe its development by looking at the relationship between producers and consumers. Brienza and Yasar address globalization of manga by looking at the social organization and transnational influence of the manga industries.

The event is free and open to the public, no RSVP required. For a full schedule of the symposium, click here.

The symposia are held in congruence with an exhibition in The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum titled World of Shojo Manga! Mirrors of Girls’ Desires, on display March 28 to July 5. The exhibit is curated by Masami Toku, one of the speakers. “Shojo manga” is known as girl’s manga and often the theme is love and overcoming obstacles. World of Shojo Manga! features 12 artists and focuses on women’s changing roles and expectations in Japan. Cosplayers are encourged to attend.

The sponsors for the symposia and exhibition are East Asian Studies Center, Institute for Japanese Studies, The Ohio State University Libraries, Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, Department of History of Art, Department of Arts Administration, Education & Policy, Division of Arts and Humanities, Association for Asian Studies, Japan Foundation New York, and US Department of Education (Title VI).