An Analysis of Contemporary Manga Culture in Japan and Sweden - A Master’s Thesis Studying Naoki Urasawa

Aug 27, 2026

An analysis of contemporary manga culture in Japan and Sweden examines the opportunities and challenges manga culture faces in the international market. The study evaluates manga’s potential to gain academic status through a transition-focused and feature-based analysis tied to Japanese cultural context. It applies literature analysis, interviews with manga artists, and the author’s own observation, using Urasawa Naoki’s works as a case study from feminist and postmodernist perspectives.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages59

Reading Time2 h 29 min

AccessFree to download

INTRODUCTION

Subject

Problem Diagnosis

Relevance of the Work

Research Objects

Research Questions

Hypothesis

Method & Theory

Earlier Research

Source & Literature

Outline of the Study

Chapter 1 General Theory of Manga

Visual Cultural Aspect of Comic Books

Historical Overview of Manga

Cultural Aspect of Japan

Chapter 2 Manga of Naoki Urasawa

Introduction of Naoki Urasawa

Visual Description of Urasawa Manga

Discourse Analysis of Urasawa Manga

An analysis of Contemporary Manga Culture in Japan and Sweden with a study of the works of Naoki Urasawa A Master’s Thesis for the Degree “ Master of Arts (Two Years) in Visual Culture By Erika Fujiwara Master thesis: May, 2010 Grader: Anders Michelsen Author: Erika Fujiwara Supervisor: Måns Holst-Ekström Page: 50 Illustrations: 7 This thesis is an analysis of contemporary Manga Culture in Japan and Sweden. The objective of the study was to identify the potential and problems for Manga culture and its future in the international market. Also I try to examine the potential of Manga to establish its academic status. This research will be based on the analysis of the transition and features of Manga related with Japanese culture, and a case study of Urasawa Naoki’s works from a feminist and postmodernist points of view. The research method is basically the analysis of literatures, interviews with Manga artists and my own observation. The first chapter starts with the analysis of comic book features from visual cultural point of view, a historical overview of Manga and Japanese cultural introduction in a relation to Manga. The second chapter will analyze Naoki Urasawa who is said to be one of the best contemporary Manga artists in Japan, or the reincarnation of Osamu Tezuka, well-known as the father of Manga. The third chapter focuses on the comparative study of Manga in Japan and Sweden in order to evaluate Manga’s potential and to identify the problems using the interviews of those who work in Manga industry, and finally the last chapter contains the feminist perspectives on Manga. After the systematic comparative research, I try to indentify the dominant features of Manga and Urasawa Manga as well as reactions and expectations from international market and consumers of Manga culture. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 0.1 SUBJECT .................................................................................................................... 1 0.2 PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS ........................................................................................... 1 0.3 RELEVANCE OF THE WORK .................................................................................2 0.4 RESEARCH OBJECTS .............................................................................................. 3 0.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS......................................................................................... 3 0.6 HYPOTHESIS ............................................................................................................4 0.7 METHOD & THEORY ..............................................................................................4 0.7-1 Method ..................................................................................................................4 0.7-2 Theory ................................................................................................................... 5 0.7-3 Discourse Analysis ............................................................................................... 5 0.7-4 Interview ............................................................................................................... 5 0.8 EARLIER RESEARCH .............................................................................................. 6 0.9 SOURCE & LITERATURE ....................................................................................... 6 0.9-1 Empirical Material & Primary Source ................................................................6 0.9-2 Secondary Source ................................................................................................. 6 0.10 OUTLINE OF THE STUDY ....................................................................................7 Chapter 1 General Theory of Manga 1.1 VISUAL CULTURAL ASPECT OF COMIC BOOKS .............................................7 1.1-1 The Features of Comic books ......................

FAQs

What is the main objective of the thesis?

To identify the potential and problems of manga culture and its future in the international market, including manga’s potential academic status.

Which research methods does the thesis use?

Literature analysis, interviews with manga artists, and the author’s own observation.

How does the thesis treat the case study of Naoki Urasawa?

It analyzes Urasawa Naoki’s works using feminist and postmodernist viewpoints, including visual description and discourse analysis.

Aug 27, 2026

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