8B530401 Japanese Visual Culture: From Art to Manga and Animation Illustration

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2026Year School/Graduate School Morito Institute of Global Higher Education

Lecture Code 8B530401 Subject Classification Specialized Education

Subject Name 日本の視覚文化史―美術から漫画・アニメーション・イラストレーションへ

Subject Name
（Katakana）ニホンノシカクブンカシ―ビジュツカラマンガ・アニメーション・イラストレーションヘ

Subject Name in
English Japanese Visual Culture: From Art to Manga and Animation Illustration

Instructor KUTSUNA MIWA

Instructor
(Katakana) クツナ　ミワ

Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 1st-Year, Second Semester, Intensive

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (Int) Inte

Lesson Style Lecture Lesson Style
(More Details) Face-to-face

Credits 2.0 Class Hours/Week 　 Language of Instruction J : Japanese

Course Level 1 : Undergraduate Introductory

Course Area（Area） 23 : Arts and Humanities

Course Area（Discipline） 04 : Arts

Eligible Students Students in Hiroshima University 3+1 Program

Keywords Lineage of Eccentricity, Japanese Art, Ukiyo-e, Transgression, Character-driven Expression, Line, Narrative, Manga, Animation, Illustration, Pop Culture

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status
within Educational
Program
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced
Evaluation
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)

Class Objectives
/Class Outline This course explores the development of Japanese visual culture, beginning with Japanese art and tracing its continuity through ukiyo-e, modern illustration and print culture, to manga, animation, and contemporary illustration.
In doing so, the course examines not only canonical art history, but also narrative forms found in popular and entertainment-based art, in order to consider modes of imagination characteristic of Japanese culture.
The course also draws on the perspective of Nobuo Tsuji’s Lineage of Eccentricity as a theoretical framework, using it to analyze expressions across different historical periods and to interpret contemporary media such as animation, manga, and illustration.
In addition, students will engage in practical exercises to understand and apply the structural principles of manga and illustration.
Rather than separating fine art from popular culture, this course aims to provide a cultural-historical understanding of Japanese visual expression, including contemporary manga and animation.

Class Schedule lesson1　What Is Japanese Visual Culture?
lesson2　Lineage of Eccentricity I
lesson3　Lineage of Eccentricity II
lesson4　The World of Ukiyo-e: Urban Culture, Media, and Entertainment
lesson5　Utagawa Kuniyoshi and Eccentricity: Caricature, Heroes, and Monsters
lesson6　Drawing Edo-Period Manga
lesson7　From Ukiyo-e to Manga: Illustration and Print Culture
lesson8　Japanese Art Schools
lesson9　The Birth and Development of Animation
lesson10　Otaku Culture and Japanese Imagination: Contemporary Art and Eccentricity (Takashi Murakami, Yoshitomo Nara, etc.)
lesson11　Contemporary Illustration and Design Culture
lesson12　Drawing Contemporary Illustration
lesson13　Drawing Landscape Paintings
lesson14　Student Discussion: Is Eccentricity Still Alive Today?
lesson15　Continuity and Future of Japanese Visual Culture

Text/Reference
Books,etc. ・Nobuo Tsuji, Lineage of Eccentrics: Matabei to Kuniyoshi
・Fusanosuke Natsume, The Discovery of Manga
・Nobuyuki Tsugata, The Power of Japanese Animation
・Yuji Yamashita, Opening Up Japanese Art

PC or AV used in
Class,etc. Handouts, Audio Materials, Microsoft Teams

(More Details) Equipment: PowerPoint
Materials: Colored pencils, crayons, paper, drawing paper (Kent/Bristol paper), eraser

Learning techniques to be incorporated Discussions, Quizzes/ Quiz format, Post-class Report

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review Review the works introduced in class not in terms of whether they are “skillful” or “beautiful,” but from the perspective of why they were created in this way.

Requirements

Grading Method Class participation (50%)
Reports and assignments (50%)

Practical Experience Experienced

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it This course reexamines Japanese art history beyond canonical traditions, focusing on marginal and heterodox expressions. Using Tsuji’s Lineage of Eccentrics, it explores artists such as Itō Jakuchū and Utagawa Kuniyoshi, and traces how such expressions continue through ukiyo-e, manga, animation, and contemporary illustration to understand the continuity of Japanese visual culture.

Message Japanese art, manga, and animation are grounded in a long history of art and visual culture.
Let us explore together the depth of Japanese culture through these familiar forms of expression.

Other

Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Academic Year	2026Year	School/Graduate School	Morito Institute of Global Higher Education
Lecture Code	8B530401	Subject Classification	Specialized Education
Subject Name	日本の視覚文化史―美術から漫画・アニメーション・イラストレーションへ
Subject Name （Katakana）	ニホンノシカクブンカシ―ビジュツカラマンガ・アニメーション・イラストレーションヘ
Subject Name in English	Japanese Visual Culture: From Art to Manga and Animation Illustration
Instructor	KUTSUNA MIWA
Instructor (Katakana)	クツナ　ミワ
Campus	Higashi-Hiroshima	Semester/Term	1st-Year, Second Semester, Intensive
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(Int) Inte
Lesson Style	Lecture	Lesson Style (More Details)	Face-to-face

Credits	2.0	Class Hours/Week		Language of Instruction	J : Japanese
Course Level	1 : Undergraduate Introductory
Course Area（Area）	23 : Arts and Humanities
Course Area（Discipline）	04 : Arts
Eligible Students	Students in Hiroshima University 3+1 Program
Keywords	Lineage of Eccentricity, Japanese Art, Ukiyo-e, Transgression, Character-driven Expression, Line, Narrative, Manga, Animation, Illustration, Pop Culture
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Educational Program (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced Evaluation (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Class Objectives /Class Outline	This course explores the development of Japanese visual culture, beginning with Japanese art and tracing its continuity through ukiyo-e, modern illustration and print culture, to manga, animation, and contemporary illustration. In doing so, the course examines not only canonical art history, but also narrative forms found in popular and entertainment-based art, in order to consider modes of imagination characteristic of Japanese culture. The course also draws on the perspective of Nobuo Tsuji’s Lineage of Eccentricity as a theoretical framework, using it to analyze expressions across different historical periods and to interpret contemporary media such as animation, manga, and illustration. In addition, students will engage in practical exercises to understand and apply the structural principles of manga and illustration. Rather than separating fine art from popular culture, this course aims to provide a cultural-historical understanding of Japanese visual expression, including contemporary manga and animation.
Class Schedule	lesson1　What Is Japanese Visual Culture? lesson2　Lineage of Eccentricity I lesson3　Lineage of Eccentricity II lesson4　The World of Ukiyo-e: Urban Culture, Media, and Entertainment lesson5　Utagawa Kuniyoshi and Eccentricity: Caricature, Heroes, and Monsters lesson6　Drawing Edo-Period Manga lesson7　From Ukiyo-e to Manga: Illustration and Print Culture lesson8　Japanese Art Schools lesson9　The Birth and Development of Animation lesson10　Otaku Culture and Japanese Imagination: Contemporary Art and Eccentricity (Takashi Murakami, Yoshitomo Nara, etc.) lesson11　Contemporary Illustration and Design Culture lesson12　Drawing Contemporary Illustration lesson13　Drawing Landscape Paintings lesson14　Student Discussion: Is Eccentricity Still Alive Today? lesson15　Continuity and Future of Japanese Visual Culture
Text/Reference Books,etc.	・Nobuo Tsuji, Lineage of Eccentrics: Matabei to Kuniyoshi ・Fusanosuke Natsume, The Discovery of Manga ・Nobuyuki Tsugata, The Power of Japanese Animation ・Yuji Yamashita, Opening Up Japanese Art
PC or AV used in Class,etc.	Handouts, Audio Materials, Microsoft Teams
(More Details)	Equipment: PowerPoint Materials: Colored pencils, crayons, paper, drawing paper (Kent/Bristol paper), eraser
Learning techniques to be incorporated	Discussions, Quizzes/ Quiz format, Post-class Report
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	Review the works introduced in class not in terms of whether they are “skillful” or “beautiful,” but from the perspective of why they were created in this way.
Requirements
Grading Method	Class participation (50%) Reports and assignments (50%)
Practical Experience	Experienced
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it	This course reexamines Japanese art history beyond canonical traditions, focusing on marginal and heterodox expressions. Using Tsuji’s Lineage of Eccentrics, it explores artists such as Itō Jakuchū and Utagawa Kuniyoshi, and traces how such expressions continue through ukiyo-e, manga, animation, and contemporary illustration to understand the continuity of Japanese visual culture.
Message	Japanese art, manga, and animation are grounded in a long history of art and visual culture. Let us explore together the depth of Japanese culture through these familiar forms of expression.
Other
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes. Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

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