Anime: Eye On Art

Michael Curtiss, I teach Art grades Kindergarten through 8th grade at Harts Pk-8 in Lincoln county.
Anime an Eye on Art edition by Hal Marcovitz. This book is easily for grades fifth and up. It’s a short book of 94 pages of content and a total of 104 with notes. It is an information type book, telling a small history and other important facts about Anime. Comparing how it different facts from America to Japan on the subject. One key part of the book that stands out is chapter four: The role of Women in Anime. This chapter talks about how in anime it tends to make the female characters strong, intelligent and brave. Compared to some of the other shows that were on in America at the time. That women did not need to rely on a Prince charming or their jock boyfriend to save them. That they could take on evil and save the world themselves.
This book would be good for a lesson in Art History. It compares two different cultures ideas on visual imagery for television and film. How the Japanese’s look at different aspects compared to America and how that is starting to change in America. This book could be used to introduce film into the class and idea behind the use of characters in the film. Showing and giving ideas of different events and stories of the past. Where it talks about World War II in Grace of the Fireflies.
It helps explain were Anime came from and what it means. It helps explain why certain things are done, such as the importance of the rock garden in a film or the use of the noise bleed. Are even the name changes of titles when the film comes to America. For example of Tetsuan Atom has the original Japanese title to the American title of Astro Boy.
The book is more for reference information then a book for enjoyment reading. It is easy to read and understand for the grade levels with plenty of visual imagery in the book to help understand.