Historical Manga and Anime: Increasing Knowledge or Perpetuating Stereotypes?

Since the second half of the nineteenth century, there has been a great supply of and demand for manga and anime based on historical events. By explicitly referring to the guidelines for history education laid down by the Ministry of Education, supplying a list of references, and/or collaborating with renowned academics, the scholarly and educational value of these publications is stressed. But do manga and anime really contribute to increasing knowledge of Japan’s history or do they mostly perpetuate popular understandings?
In this research project I explore how fact and fiction intertwine in the portrayal of pre-Heian Japan. Through a comparison of works issued by different publishers and at different times I investigate which episodes from ancient Japanese history receive attention and which are suppressed.