JAPANESE ANIME WEEKEND

Anime, the Japanese word for animation, is a global industry and Japan was a major player long before the current anime boom. From the late 1960s onwards, Japan supplied animation to studios around the world, but its domestic industry also created a huge range of TV shows and feature films for the local audience. As entertainment technology has moved from the public to the private space, and communication has become simpler and cheaper, anime has become a world phenomenon, especially among teenagers and students.

Why is it so popular? One reason may be that it offers a fresh, sometimes challenging view of the world, a totally different perspective from the American-dominated entertainment industry and Judaeo-Christian assumptions we take for granted. Another is the variety, flexibility and freshness of Japanese graphic art, where imagery and meaning reinforce each other. Yet another is the strength of its writers — the best anime scriptwriters are dazzlingly original, subtle and intelligent. Meanwhile, technicians and film editors are inventing ever more complex technical effects and ways of making animation on the computer. Anime has developed from kiddie fare to big-money blockbuster status.

This event offers Irish audiences a rare chance to see four 21st-century anime movies on the big screen, where their artistry can be fully appreciated. The films are different in style, approach and content, but they represent a snapshot of the current state of this art form. Two supporting lectures provide background and context for the screenings, and opportunities to discuss and ask questions. — Helen McCarthy.