These weblinks take you to a variety of web pages about some well known anime productions, directors, scripts and venues to buy anime.
It is a fact that Japanese animation is a valid and entertaining way to learn Japanese language, and in some cases, history. However, it is also a fact that there is a segment of Japanese animation (commonly called hentai) that is perverse. Due to this fact, the term Japanimation which refers to the animated films of Japanese derivation, has spawned another term; Jap-pornimation. It is possible to find questionable "adult" material on any web site selling animation. Culturally, nudity is not looked upon in Japan with quite the same disdain as it is in America. Naturally, I do not have any physical control over your selection, but I strongly advise that students (and adults) should avoid the adult sections. There is so much good animation available that is viewable by all ages -(ie. Tonari no Tottoro, Hotaru no Haka, Dagger of Kamui, Wrath of the Ninja, Battleship Yamato, et al) that it is my hope you should choose wisely.
Note: Dagger of Kamui has an alternate title - Blade of Kamui - with English dialogue only, and edits that shorten the film while leaving out some information, which does the film move along faster, but it loses something in the sequence of events. There are supernatural, (ninja type "shadow" characters with apparent powers to cloud mens minds), and historical events as well as historical figures make appearances in the film. This is based on an original Novel by Tetsu Yano. I use this anime with my second year classes, after having discussed and shown films related to the Sengoku (warring states) Period, and the Edo Period which revolved around the administration of the Tokugawa Clan. Dagger of Kamui occurs towards the end of the Tokugawa Period and bridges to the Meiji restoration. There is some brief backside nudity as an Indian maiden is cornered by some outlaws of the wild west as she is bathing in the river, but it is truly brief.
[...If you are now wondering "how on earth" (ittai zettai) the wild west outlaws figure into a film which is (a) historical to the pre-Meiji Restoration Era, (b) referencing the Ainu and (c) has incidental reference to slavery and 1860's America ... nan to naku ... you will just have to see this anime. This anime is also known in the original Japanese version as Kamui no Ken.]
Note: Hotaru no Haka and Tonari no Totoro were released as a double feature with Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro. Tokuma and Shinchosha both thought that no one would want to see a movie about a monster and two children in rural Japan, so Totoro was made along with Grave as a form of "risk-sharing." (referenced from Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no Haka)Plot Synopsis out of University of Michigan. (see link below)
Note: Wrath of the Ninja (c.1987) was originally released as Yotoden, a three-volume OAV series. The OAVs were put together and edited to make this movie. It is said that that some scenes got omitted, and that the Yotoden OAVs are better than this movie version. However, when I teach a segment involving the Sengoku Period in first year classes, I cover information on Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin, Oda Nobunaga and Ieyuasu Tokugawa. Considering some of the legends surrounding Oda Nobunaga in particular, regarding his ruthless annihilation of politically active, warring monks from Mt. Hiei and the supersition that arose about his being in league with demons, this anime plays along with that supposition. Nobunaga was apparently killed in a surprize attack mounted by one of his generals. His domicile was burned, but no body was ever recovered so the legend of his being in league with demons, and being a demon himself arises out of this historical fact in as much as I have been able to determine from readings I have done into the matter. Some people confuse this with Ninja Scroll - which has no bearing in fact since Ninja Scroll was released about six years after Wrath of the Ninja. Also, Wrath of the Ninja can be comfortably shown in a high school (even perhaps middle school) classroom whereas Ninja Scroll would not even be a consideration due to extreme violence and nudity. Of course, there is some violence in Wrath of the Ninja (what self respecting Ninja could avoid it?), but it suits the plot and is relatively true to the historical significance of Bushido and Shinobi during the pre-Tokugawa Period of Japan. Understand that the Samurai and the Shinobi (Ninja) had no relationship to each other due to the fact that the Samurai pledged loyalty to a warlord and became surrogate "sons" in a manner of speaking. The Ninja were perceived by the Samurai as mercenaries and hired assassins - so the two types did not mix, although some Samurai clans had loose affiliations with Ninja for "special assignments".
Arms and Armor of the Samurai - Bottomley, Hopson
Bushido - the Way of the Warrior / new perspective on Military tradition - Newman, John, ISBN: 1-85422-030-6 Bison Books ltd. 1989
Secrets of the Samurai - Ratti, oscar & Westbrook, Adele, ISBN: 0-7858-1073-0, Castle Books Barnes & Noble, 1999
The Book of Five Rings - Musashi Miyamoto/Harris, ISBN: 73-33986, 1974
The Code of the Samurai - Sadler, A.l. , ISBN: 0-8048-1535-6, Charles E. Tuttle, 1993
The Martial Spirit - intro to origin, philosophy, psychology - Kauz, Herman, ISBN: 0-87951-327-6, The Overlook Press, 1991
The Samurai - a Military History -Turnbull, S.R., ISBN: 0-02-620540-8, Macmillan Pub. Co. 1977
The Way of the Sword - Kammer, Rheinhard, ISBN: 0-14019066X, Arkana 1986
Additional Book Sources
