BA Film Studies and English Literature

This course will introduce students to the most influential and canonical works of Japanese animation and several related live action films that can be closely connected to the evolution of the themes of animation. Students will explore core themes developing in and through animation: nationalism, race, and the recovery of postwar identity; mutant bodies and youth under pressure; the heroic ‘shojo’ (girl), technological interface and human evolution; apocalyptic visions; and environmentalism. Each week there will be full screenings of film or animation OVA (film length versions) followed by discussion of the film in relation to readings. The course begins with the early origins of postwar animation and ‘monster film’ in the 1950s and traces its development and expansion into a major media particularly from the 1980s to the 2000s. 

Available on: 
Single and joint hons Japanese UG degree programmes, single and joint hons East Asian Studies degree programmes 

• To provide students with an understanding of the key themes and genres of film and animation. 
• To introduce the major concepts and aspects of the 21st century historical background necessary for a fuller understanding of contemporary culture in Japan. 
• To enable students to analyse cultural problems and dynamics in contemporary Japan in an informed and critical way.
• To prepare students with skills for independent source gathering in their year abroad and for more robust essay writing skills in the final year.

• Lectures and class discussion of the readings
• Discussion of animation screened in relation to readings and lectures
• Written feedback on team class presentation and mid-term essays
• Oral feedback on contributions to seminars and assessment of written work

On successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of major trends and formations of animation and contemporary culture in Japan in the context of the postwar environment;
• demonstrate critical understanding of key analytical concepts related to the study of animation and film in contemporary Japan; 
• knowledge of several key genres and cultural themes within animation and overlapping into other media and social discussion.

On successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

• engage in informed critical analysis of Japanese animation and film; 
• read and watch critically; 
• write analytically.

On successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

• construct ideas and arguments from own research and apply knowledge to finding solutions to authentic real-world problems;
• improve basic skills for academic writing, in particular reviewing academic literature;
• improve presentation skills.

On successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

• have honed their skills for reasoned presentation, discussion and argument; 
• be able to find and use critically a range of materials such as books, journals and web-based resources relevant to the topics studied in the course. Develop personal qualities of independence of mind in order to make ethical judgments.

Resit assessment:

Essay

1. Christopher Bolton (2007) Robot Ghosts and Wired Dreams
2. Igarashi Yoshikuni (2000) Bodies of Memory: Narratives of War in Postwar Japan  
3. Thomas Lamarre (2009) Anime Machine
4. Mechademia 1: Emerging Worlds of Anime and Manga, University of Minnesota Press (2006)
5. Susan Napier (2018) Miyazakiworld
6. Tatsumi Takayuki (2006) Full Metal Apache: Transactions Between Cyberpunk Japan and Avant-Pop America
7. Tanaka Motoko (2014) Apocalypse in Contemporary Japanese Science Fiction 

Students are required to visit the lecturer by appointment in office hours no later than 1 week prior to their class presentation, to have a tutorial to discuss developing specific themes and angles and suitable reading.  

Class Presentations may not be the same weekly topic as Final Essays or any Commentary on the Discussion Board. However, Final Essays may be extensions of one or more 250 word Commentaries on the Discussion Board.
 

Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2027 will be £10,050 per annum. Tuition fees for international students will be £29,200 per annum.

For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

We know that student finance can be complicated. The links below provide further information to help guide you.

Learn more about student finance options for UK students .

Learn more about f ees and finance for international students .

As an international student you may be eligible for our Global Futures Scholarships . This is open to students starting their studies in September 2026.