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One Thousand Years of Genji
World's Oldest Novel Continues To Inspire
One thousand years have passed since the earliest recorded mention of The Tale of Genji, a novel written by the noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu. Various events are being held to commemorate this milestone in places that serve as the backdrop for the story.
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"Cosplayers" from Around the World Flock to Japan
Manga has become an international lingua franca. Many enthusiasts also enjoy dressing up as their favorite characters. "Cosplayers" from around the world, each dressed in a unique costume, gathered in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, this summer to take part in the World Cosplay Summit (WCS) 2008.
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Manga Masterpiece Hits The Silver Screen
20th Century Boys, a hit manga series written by the globally renowned Urasawa Naoki, has been turned into a live-action movie trilogy, with the first part scheduled to premiere in August 2008.
Lifelike Figures
Top-quality, minutely detailed anime character figurines have become highly sought-after collector’s items. Action figures with fully opposable joints attract children, while collecting figures of manga and anime characters enable fans to create a world all their own.
Opening Up The World Of Modern Art
Just as modern artwork continues to shatter existing boundaries, there is also growing experimentation in the design of art museums and exhibition spaces. Museums are displaying more hands-on artwork, moving their exhibits to outside venues, and designing their premises to be an integral part of the city outside their walls.
The New Wave Of Traditional Theater
Kabuki has a long history of skillfully incorporating contemporary trends as it developed and matured as a performing art, maintaining at all times a spirit of "anything goes." That spirit is alive and well in the twenty-first century, most recently taking the form of works staged in collaboration with writers and directors of contemporary theater.
Anime Goes Academic
There is a growing movement among Japanese universities and graduate schools to take an academic approach to anime and manga. Once seen as children's entertainment, these forms are coming to be viewed in an entirely new light.
