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The Anime Machine: A Revolutionary Theory of Animation

Aubrey Blair

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Published in The Anime Machine: A Media Theory Of Animation

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In The Anime Machine, Thomas Lamarre offers a groundbreaking new theory of animation that challenges existing conventions and opens up new avenues for understanding this vital medium. Lamarre argues that animation is not simply a form of entertainment, but a powerful machine that produces social and cultural effects.

The Anime Machine: A Media Theory of Animation

by Magunta Dayakar

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	5573 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	408 pages

Drawing on a wide range of examples from Japanese anime to American cartoons, Lamarre shows how animation can be used to critique and challenge existing power structures, create new forms of subjectivity, and imagine alternative futures. He examines how anime has been used to critique Japanese society, how American cartoons have been used to promote American values, and how animation has been used to create new forms of political and social activism.

Lamarre's theory of animation is based on the idea that animation is a "machine" that produces social and cultural effects. This machine is composed of three main components: the animator, the animation, and the audience. The animator is the person who creates the animation, the animation is the product of the animator's labor, and the audience is the group of people who consume the animation. These three components interact with each other in a dynamic way, and the resulting product is a complex and multifaceted work of art.

Lamarre argues that the anime machine is a powerful tool that can be used to produce a wide range of social and cultural effects. He shows how anime has been used to critique and challenge existing power structures, create new forms of subjectivity, and imagine alternative futures. He also examines how the anime machine can be used to promote positive social change.

The Anime Machine is a groundbreaking new theory of animation that challenges existing conventions and opens up new avenues for understanding this vital medium. Lamarre's work is a must-read for anyone interested in animation, media studies, or cultural theory.

Praise for The Anime Machine

"A groundbreaking new theory of animation that challenges existing conventions and opens up new avenues for understanding this vital medium. Lamarre's work is a must-read for anyone interested in animation, media studies, or cultural theory." - Jonathan Rosenbaum, author of Moving Places: A Life in Movies

"A brilliant and original work that will forever change the way we think about animation. Lamarre's theory of the anime machine is a major contribution to the field of media studies." - Susan Napier, author of Anime: From Akira to Princess Mononoke

"A must-read for anyone interested in animation, media studies, or cultural theory. Lamarre's work is a major contribution to the field and will surely spark a new wave of scholarship." - Frederic Jameson, author of Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism