Geisha and Robot

Abstract

When one attempts to summarize the literature of academic writing concerning the discourse on yōkai art within Japanese animation and manga, and in particular in the works of Mizuki Shigeru, it quickly becomes clear how limited this is. There is a substantial body of literature-the overwhelming majority of literature on the subject since the international success of Akira in the 1980s-pertaining to Japanimation. The fat sumo wrestler, the sharp ninja and samurai, the exotic geisha are all well known for their specific iconography. The 1994 exhibition of Japanese and American animation works at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney was also groundbreaking in that it contributed to the contemporary attempt to view animation as a form of visual art. Yōkai art and Japanese sequential art in the context of art historical influences are also introduced via museum displays. Keywords:animation work; geisha; Japanese animation; manga; Museum of Contemporary Art