This interactive course will introduce you to the world of Japanese anime and manga, two storytelling art forms that have seen an explosion in popularity with Western audiences recently. Develop your illustration and design skills as you learn from skilled instructors and guest artists steeped in Japanese animation techniques. Using Tokyo as your classroom, explore the streets of Akihabara, the central district of the gaming world, or spend an afternoon at a manga café learning about the evolution of drawing styles over the last half century. Visit the Suginami Animation Museum and study iconic creations from Sailor Moon, Pokémon, and Ghost in the Shell to Princess Mononoke and the Evangelion series. Hone your own critical eye and artistic style with in-depth lessons from a professional artist. Discuss the evolution of manga—from its ancient aesthetic roots in illustrated scrolls to its contemporary incarnation that appeals to fans of all ages—and investigate how manga presents and challenges Japanese cultural norms. To cap the program, curate an artistic retrospective of a particular artist or studio, create your own storyboard, or explore “outsider” influence on this most homegrown of art forms.

There is a supplemental fee of $150 for this course.