Japanese anime and manga – Japanese animation and comics, respectively – have taken the world by storm over the past 20 years. Their beautiful illustrations, compelling storylines and skillful treatment of adult themes have vaulted anime and manga to the forefront of modern culture. This is in stark contrast to Western cartoons and comics, which are widely viewed as being children’s entertainment (although Disney’s recent treatment of the Marvel Universe is beginning to change these perceptions).
Japanese anime and manga had humble origins. Early releases from the 1960s, like Osama Tezuka (Astro Boy) and Mach GoGoGo (Speed Racer), often featured stripped down, bare bones animation that depended heavily on reused frames. But in spite of these tentative beginnings, the genre steadily evolved.
By the 1980s, anime and manga became something that any Japanophile would immediately recognize today. Groundbreaking animated feature films such as the cyberpunk classic Akira, the environmentalist saga Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and World War II tragedy Grave of the Fireflies were all produced during this time. Anime and manga had finally come of age as a storytelling medium.
Once Japanese creators cracked the code for great anime and manga, they began to export their product worldwide. And young people around the world quickly embraced the new creative genre with open arms. Anime and manga are now viewed, read, streamed and purchased all over the globe, from ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia to sophisticated France and everywhere in between. At this point, Japanese anime and manga are ubiquitous, with anyone under the age of 35 instantly recognizing their characteristic style.
So at this point you may very well ask the question: What does anime and manga have to do with Japanese antiques?
The answer is simple. Anime and manga have been important vectors for the 21st century export of Japanese traditions, culture and aesthetics to a global audience. While anime and manga span a multitude of different storylines, almost all of them share a common theme – they emphasize Japanese history, Japanese style and Japanese mythology. Anime and manga provide ample opportunity for the absorption of traditional Japanese culture by foreigners.
For example, the Japanese samurai is a mythical, larger than life figure in Japanese culture – the East Asian equivalent of the cowboy in the American West. And, largely due to the influence of anime and manga, samurai are also held in the same esteem abroad. There are innumerable anime and manga that use the samurai and ninja of feudal, pre-modern Japan as a backdrop, including popular titles such as Naruto, Samurai Champloo and Gintama.
There are many Japanese antiques from the time of the Tokugawa Shogunate that would appeal to these anime and manga fans. For instance, exquisitely-crafted, Edo-era Japanese samurai sword guards, or tsuba, are readily available for only a few hundred dollars or less. It is also possible to purchase genuine examples of 18th and 19th century Japanese “samurai money” for less than $100 a coin.
The subtle beauty of the Japanese tea ceremony is something that many younger people will recognize, even if they only have a passing understanding of Japanese culture. Why? Because they have absorbed it through countless slice-of-life anime and manga.
I would not be surprised if this familiarity helped to drive future demand for beautiful and durable Japanese lacquerware outside of the island nation. Vintage or antique lacquerware often figures prominently in Japanese tea culture and is surprisingly affordable.
Even traditional Japanese attitudes towards beauty are slowly seeping into global culture from the export of anime and manga. The Japanese love of clean lines and uncluttered design is almost universally reflected in modern aesthetic trends. I believe this will ultimately have a profound impact on the demand for Japanese antiques.
For instance, shin hanga was an early to mid 20th century Japanese print movement that combined traditional Japanese themes with groundbreaking Western artistic understanding of light and perspective. It was an export-oriented artistic movement that was wildly popular in the West in the period between World War I and World War II.
In many ways, Japanese shin hanga prints are precursors to today’s manga comics, displaying the same technical accomplishment and classic Japanese sensability. Not only that, but vintage reprints of these delightful Japanese antiques are readily available for relatively modest prices. As little as $100 or $200 can get you an aesthetically compelling example to hang on your wall.
I grew up in the 1980s watching the Japanese-derived animated television series Robotech and Voltron. In the 1990s, I raptly watched the anime Sailor Moon on Cartoon Network. In 2000, I stumbled upon the anime masterpiece Neon Genesis Evangelion, which forever changed my perception of what an animated television show could be.
Since that time, I have devoured anime and manga wherever I found them. And, as a result, I fell in love with Japanese culture. Not only that, but it has also spurred an interest in Japanese antiques that I almost certainly wouldn’t have had otherwise.
I don’t believe I am alone in this trend. At just over 40 years old, I am among the first generation outside of Japan to have really embraced this new form of entertainment. Most anime and manga fans are younger than I am and their interest in Japanese culture, history and design is inexorably growing. You can bet that Japanese antiques and art will be on their radar as they mature into their 30s and 40s.
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