The Soul of Anime by Ian Condry is a must read for 2 niche groups

My title sounds like a slam, but I don’t mean for it that way.  The Soul of Anime:  Collaborative Creativity and Japan’s Media Success Story is a fascinating read about the culture of anime and how it came to flourish in Japan.  Thus it may come as no surprise that people who like anime or Japanese culture will love this book.

The Soul of Anime is not only for those that like anime or all things Japan.  The book is written by Ian Condry who is a cultural anthropologist.  His research and details about the anime industry soak through every page.

Through six years of research, he sits through dozens of meetings at production companies on various movies and television shows.  I knew that anime was popular in Japan, but I had no idea how popular it was on television.  Condry details the history of anime post WWII to today; and gives readers an explanation of why anime is so mass popular in Japan, but niche status elsewhere.

He also explores the culture of anime workers, giving readers a glimpse into the pressure and quick turn world they work in.  Manga, the dominance of men in anime, cosplay, fan conferences, licensing, internet forums, fansnubbing and more are all discussed in The Soul of Anime.

I’m not too much of an anime fan, but I do love all things Japan.  Even if you don’t like either category you still might enjoy the book from an anthropological or business viewpoint.  The business of animation is still business and this book details the struggles that developers and studios have in bringing and marketing anime to audiences.

At times The Soul of Anime gets a little too deep in academic speak, but it doesn’t stay there for long.  If you like reading about movie/television production or ethnography you’ll really enjoy the book.  Fan boys, anime people and any J-Pop friends need to read this book.