• The best books on Manga and Anime - Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki
  • The best books on Manga and Anime - Manga! Manga!: The World of Japanese Comics by Frederik L. Schodt
  • The best books on Manga and Anime - The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami
  • The best books on Manga and Anime - Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture Has Invaded the U.S. by Roland Kelts
  • The best books on Manga and Anime - Miyazakiworld: A Life in Art by Susan J Napier

The best books on Manga and Anime, recommended by Susan J Napier

Many people have heard of manga and anime, but would be surprised to learn how deeply this niche is steeped in Japanese tradition and culture—or how often manga features strong, smart female leads, says Susan Napier, anime expert and Professor of the Japanese Program at Tufts University. Here, she picks five books that encapsulate manga and anime as both forms of art and cathartic re-workings of Japanese history.