Arts & Entertainment
 

Anime pioneer to speak on Saturday

Gundam creator to explain art's importance

by Dusti Rhodes
The Daily Cougar

The Consulate-General of Japan at Houston will sponsor a lecture by Yoshiyuki Tomino, the creator of the anime series Gundum, on Saturday at the University Hilton.

"Since anime is representative of modern Japanese culture and has become enormously popular throughout the world, anime directors have a large impact on how the outside world perceives Japan and Japanese culture," said Lauren Sethney, a spokeswoman for the consulate. 

Anime, a style of Japanese animation known for its futuristic themes and graphic portrayals of sex and violence, is appreciated in Japan by old and young alike. This wide audience allows for a variety of themes and plots. Sethney said that's a difference from America, where anime is mostly marketed specifically to children.

Gundum debuted on Japanese television in 1979, and since then it has spawned movies, video series and novels. The popularity of Gundum in Japan has been compared to that of Star Trek in America.

Tomino's lecture, "Japan's Anime Phenomenon -- A Cultural Perspective," will coincide with a two-day event sponsored by the UH organization Anime No Kai and KamiKazeCon.

Tomino's lecture will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Hilton's Waldorf-Astoria Room. 

The event begins at 2 p.m. today in the University Center.
 
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