Annotated  Multidisciplinary Italian References on Japanese Animation and Manga

Compiled by Giuseppe Albanese & Marco Pellitteri

The following annotated references explore the extensive production of essays and books written in Italian language on anime and manga. There are simple guides, but there are also some works giving their attention to psychological, sociological and pedagogical sides of this phenomenon in Italy. Anime have a long and vital history as popular and mass-market entertainment in this country, especially during the period 1978-1983, when Italian broadcasts aired at least 142 anime TV series (note that between 1963-1983 in Usa were broadcasted 13 anime series only). Several of the following works were written by adolescent fans of the late 1970s become adults. Manga arrived late in Italy, around early 1990s, but with a quick and large spread.

For more details about multidisciplinary Italian references on anime and manga contact:

Andrei Silvio - Kinshi. Censure giapponesi, «I libri di WOW/Libreria dell’Immagine», Milano, Immagini Diffusione in collab. con La Borsa del Fumetto, 1992.

The most complete treatise on editorial self-censorship in manga. Abounding in explicative pictures.

Barbieri Daniele - I linguaggi del fumetto (I ed. 1991), «Strumenti Bompiani», Milano, Bompiani, 1995.

One of the most authoritative essays in the world on comics language, with several pages on Manga.

Baricordi Andrea, De Giovanni Massimiliano, Pietroni Andrea, Rossi Barbara & Tunesi Sabrina  - Anime, guida al cinema di animazione giapponese. Bologna, Granata Press  - English version: Anime: A Guide To Japanese Animation 1958-1988. Translated from the Italian version by Adeline D'Opera and presented by Claude J. Pelletier. Montreal, Protoculture, 2000.

Despite the many errors, this book was and is still the most complete filmography ever published in not-Japanese language on television series, specials , OAV and movies released in Japan between 1958-1988, listing chronologically over 1200 titles. Each entry reports release-dates and further informations. A book whose many Italian readers are waiting long for a new updated and corrected edition.

Bencivenni Alessandro - Hayao Miyazaki, il dio dell'anime, Genova, Le Mani, 2003.

Hayao Miyazaki’s filmography with synopses and analyses at his major works.  

Bendazzi Giannalberto - Cartoons. Il cinema d’animazione 1888-1988, «Cinema», Venezia, Marsilio, 1988.

In this authoritative book, Bendazzi  discusses in great depth history of animation around the world between 1888-1988, with some pages dedicated to Japan. It was translated into several languages.

Bertolini Piero & Manini Milena - I figli della tv (I ed. 1976), «Didattica viva», Scandicci (FI).  La Nuova Italia, 1993.

An essay of psychology on age of development, in some pages it deals with the connection between the presence of Japanese animated series on television and remarkable changes on the kind of drawings made by children.

Bono Gianni & Castelli Alfredo - Speciale Orfani e Robot - "IF" n.5/8-Dic1983. Milano, Ed. Epierre, 1983.

Speciale Orfani e Robot (lit. Orphans and Robots Special) was the first chronological list published in western language covering a lot of movies, television series and television specials published in Japan from 1963 to 1983. It also is an introduction to the anime phenomenon in Italy, with a complete list of all titles broadcasted on Italian TV between 1976-1983 (about 142 series!).

Brancato Sergio - Fumetti. Guida ai comics nel sistema dei media, Roma, Datanews, 1994.

In this book author scrutinizes closely with synthetic and accurate method the language and the aesthetics of manga in comparison with other comics schools.

Castellazzi Davide et al. - Mangamania, 20 anni di Giappone in Italia (Lit. Mangamania, 20 years of Japan in Italy) . IF, N.8, Milano, Epierre,  1998.

An essential guide to anime and manga scene in Italy during the period 1978-1998, with an impressive iconography. Very interesting the last section devoted to image that Japan had in Italy in the early 20th century.

Detti Ermanno - Il fumetto fra cultura e scuola (I ed. 1984), «Educatori antichi e moderni», Scandicci (FI), La Nuova Italia, 1987.

Detti Ermanno - La lettura e i suoi “nemici”, «Biblioteca di italiano e oltre», Scandicci (FI), La Nuova Italia, 1998.

Author Detti in these two works sometimes mentions manga and anime in connection with history of comics and Italian culture bound to young users.

Ferruccio Giromini - Gulp! 100 anni a fumetti. Un secolo di disegni, avventure, fantasia, Milano, Electa, 1996. Catalogo dell’omonima mostra sul centenario del fumetto (Ferrara, Castello Estense, 1996).

Authoritative historiographic catalogue on history of comics around the world, with essential pages on Manga.

Filippi Francesco & Di Tullio Maria Grazia - Vite Animate. I manga e gli anime come esperienza di vita, «Quaderni di Mazinga», Roma, King|Saggi, 2002.

The only serious ethnographic research about the world of anime and manga Italian fans: their thoughts, their feelings, the way and the values in which they grew up.

Francato Fabrizio - Fenomeno Anime 1-2, OAV e Film dal 1983 al 1995 - Pavia, Rock'n'comics,  1997.

The second volume presents a chronological list of OAV and movie released in Japan between 1983-1994 (OAV 1983-1992).

Francato Fabrizio - Fenomeno Anime 3, Pavia, Rock'n'comics, 1998.

Chronological guide to erotic OAV released in Japan between 1984-1992.

Francato Fabrizio - Fenomeno Anime 4 - 5, Enciclopedia dei robot - Pavia, Rock'n'comics,  1999-2000

Chronological guide to anime about the Giant Robots.

Francato Fabrizio et al. - Fenomeno Anime  6 - 7. Pavia,Rock'n'comics,  2000-2001

Chronological guide about science fiction and Warriors anime. 

Giusti Marco - Dizionario dei cartoni animali. Gli straordinari personaggi del mondo dell’animazione, «Scacchi», Milano, Vallardi, 1993.

Encyclopedia on animals into the animated cartoons, with some pages Japanese characters.

Gomarasca Alessandro & Valtorta Luca - Sol Mutante. Mode, giovani e umori nel Giappone contemporaneo, Genova, Costa &Nolan, 1996.

An interesting anthological book about Japanese popular culture, including anime and manga

Griner Massimiliano & Fùrnari Rosa Isabella - Otaku. I giovani perduti del Sol Levante, «Contatti», Roma, Castelvecchi, 1999.

This book criticizes in depth the world of Japanese otaku and mentions to Italian ones with informed and  clear look.

Lipperini Loredana - Generazione Pokémon, «Contatti», Roma, Castelvecchi, 2000.

The most accretited journalistic analysis on the Pokemon phenomenon. Compare with reference:  "Pellitteri Marco, Anatomia di Pokémon"

Materia Andrea & Pollicelli Giuseppe - Comicswood! Il Dizionario del Cinefumetto (Lit: Comicswood - Encyclopedia Of The Live Action Comic Books) , Roma, King Saggi, 2003.

3 vols., 128 pages each, King Saggi. The trilogy exhaustively analyzes the history and economics of the passionate marriage between Comic Book Literature & live action Cinema, from the 1930s and 1940s cliffhanger serials to the scores of Mexican, Japanese, Turkish, Indian, French and Italian low-budget cult classics of the 60's and '70s up to the post-Superman, post-Burton, post-Singer Hollywood blockbuster adaptations. Also includes an A-to-Z annotated filmography of 580 full-length movies.

Mognato Arianna - Super robot anime, Milano, Yamato Video, 1999.

This book traces the heroes and robots development in japanese animation, from the classic Nagai's robot to Evangelion. At first a graduation thesis, later published by Yamato Video.

Mulinacci Cristina - Storia del fumetto giapponese Vol. 2, Venezia, Musa Edizioni, 1998.

This book outlines the history of the Manga, from 70s to latest trends. See also: Orsi Maria Teresa - Storia del fumetto giapponese Vol. 1.

Murakami Saburo - Anime in TV. Storia dei cartoni animati giapponesi prodotti per la televisione, Milano, Yamato, 1998.

The most complete guide ever printed in not Japanese language about Japanese TV animated series (aired between 1963-1998), with airing-dates and further informations (Director, number of episodes, etc.).

Orsi Maria Teresa - Storia del fumetto giapponese Vol. 1, Venezia, Musa Edizioni, 1998.

A reliable history of the Manga, from Meiji era to 70s. See also: Cristina Mulinacci - Storia del fumetto giapponese Vol. 2.

Pellitteri Marco - Anatomia di Pokémon. Cultura di massa ed estetica dell’effimero fra pedagogia e globalizzazione, «Immagine e Parola», Roma, Seam, 2001.

An academic textbook which examines in-depth and with strong multidisciplinary slant the Pokemon phenomenon and the complex dynamics of evolution concerning the multimedia displays destined to worldwide young people, from Mickey Mouse to Harry Potter.  

Pellitteri Marco - Conoscere l'animazione. Forme, linguaggi e pedagogie del cinema animato per ragazzi (Lit. Introducing the Animation. Forms, Languages and Pedagogies of Animated Cinema for Kids)., Roma, Valore Scuola, 2004.

What is animated film? Why do kids like it so much? Can animated cartoons be dangerous? How is it possible to introduce animation at school in a smart way? Introducing the Animation, a book without preceding publications in this field, answers these and many other questions. Thanks to a historical outlook and many critic argumentations, Marco Pellitteri moves on two levels of reflection. On the one hand, on animation as a rich artistic expression of contemporaneity and as powerful medium; on the other hand, on animated film as vehicle of diversified and educational contents suitable for a wide multi-generational audience. Histories, formats, techniques, styles and works of animated film are explained through a clear language that does not renounce to an analytical outlook, thanks to accurated forays into the fields of pedagogy, media sociology, film critics. Cartoon cinema is an amazing form of communication and expression, loved by very young people. It is valid in itself, and besides, it lends itself to being introducted in school laboratory activities. Introducing the Animation explaines how this connection can occur, and in this sense it is reccomended not only to the followers of animation but also contains a chapter that specifically refers to the teachers.

Pellitteri Marco - Mazinga Nostalgia. Storia, valori e linguaggi della Goldrake-generation (Lit: Mazinger Nostalgia. History, Values and Languages of the Grendizer-Generation), «Contatti Manuali», Roma, Castelvecchi, 1999 (2nd revised and expanded edition published with the same title in the series «Quaderni di Mazinga», Roma, King|Saggi, 2002).

The most complete essay on mass communications about the history of Japanese imaginary imported through anime in Italy. It have had no corresponding works in Europe and Usa yet. This academic textbook written with multidisciplinary formulation is not a simple anime guide, but a proper critical conversation on the heroic imagery of three generations of European and Italian multimedia users, ranging far and wide from literature to comics, from cinema to television, in a time between end of XIX century and nowadays.

Pellitteri Marco - Sense of Comics. La grafica dei cinque sensi nel fumetto, «Contatti», Roma, Castelvecchi, 1998.

This academic textbook is an essay of figurative semiotics applied to comics. A work imbued with a originality on the sinaesthetic power of comics. Several samples about mangas and their graphic and expressive language

Piovan Monica - Osamu Tezuka. L'arte del fumetto giapponese, Venezia, Musa Edizioni, 1996.

An essay on Osamu Tezuka's life and major works.  

Prandoni Francesco - Anime al cinema. Storia del cinema d’animazione giapponese 1917-1995, Milano, Yamato Video, 1999.

A comprehensive history of Japanese animation. A book full of brief and acute critical comments

Raffaelli Luca - Il fumetto, «Due punti», Milano, Il Saggiatore/Flammarion, 1997.

A propaedeutic booklet to comics with clear and impartial pages on manga.

Raffaelli Luca -  Le anime disegnate. Il pensiero nei cartoon da Disney ai giapponesi (I ed. 1994), «Contatti», Roma, Castelvecchi, 1998.

The most well-known Italian essay devoted to anime. A critical and unbiased contribution on stylistic and thematic differences among the three main world schools of «commercial» animation: Disney, the US majors like MGM and Warner Bros. and the Japanese style. It paves the way for a lot of  Italian essays over the ground. It was translated into several languages.

Rondolino Fabrizio - Storia del cinema d’animazione, Milano, Garzanti, 1972.

An eurocentric history of worldwide animation written with considerable critical insight. Unfortunately it stops to 70s, with limited and not very enthusiastic pages on Japanese animation.

Sabucco Veruska -  Shonen Ai. Il nuovo immaginario erotico femminile tra oriente e occidente, «Contatti», Roma, Castelvecchi, 2000.

In this book authoress Sabucco analyses some new popular genres, perhaps still niche phenomenon: Shonen ai (lit. male loves. In Japan, stories focused on male homosexual relationship, usually for women and written by women) and Fandom Slash (in Western countries, a genre of fan fiction based on male homosexual relationship between media characters). The most complete Italian essay on the matter, written with a neat and witty language.