Animation overload

If you’re a manga or anime fan you’re in for a delight. Or probably rather an emotion more akin to complete indulgence, you get the idea.

Manga Impact! The World of Japanese Animation is an all-in-one, illustrated guide to the very vast world of Japanese animation. Published by Phaidon and edited by Carlo Chatrian and Grazia Paganelli, Manga Impact! comprises some 300 directory-style entries. The book covers aspects of anime and manga ranging from the cuteness of Hello Kitty to the epic science fiction of Neon Genesis Evangelion to the adventures of hunters and thieves in Cowboy Bebop and Lupin III.

A team of international experts compiled the book which also features celebrated illustrators, acclaimed directors and more than a little information on anime and manga films, TV series, studios and artists. There’s also a very useful glossary of terms and an index of directors and creators, with the book ultimately feeling a bit like a textbook/resource for both those newly interested in anime and magna and die-hard fans.