Peggy Liu

Research Proposal

Magical Girl:
A Study on the Female Characters of Shoujo Manga in Japans Dominating
Publishing Industry

Proposal:
Although gender roles are shifting in many countries today, many media are still portraying
women with stereotypes and as objects, such as television commercials, music videos, and
movies. However such of time in media, women are still appearing as sex symbols. However, in
Japans society media now, some manga and anime are functioning as a revolution that
empowers the sense of womanhood. Especially, some Shoujo manga (Japanese girls manga)
portray the idea of the female empowerment and positive self-image with the most popular story
genres magical girl. Therefore, I want to analyze 3 Japanese manga: Sailor moon by Naoko
Takeuchi, Tokyo Mew Mew byg Yoshinaga Fumi, and Magical Knight Rayearth by CLAMP, all
of which include magical girl protagonists.
This research will help answer the question, Why and how are contempory young women
drawn to the figure of the magical girl? And how do these three manga demonstrate this
characters appeal? and how does this help to empower womanhood? Its important to
acknowledge how different type of literature, such as manga and anime, which are often
considering sexist, can improve and support womens rights and girls self-image. Also, we
should be concerned about this project since we are all part of the society together.
One of the important articles I found, Womanhood In Japanese Anime: A New Cultural
Borderland To U.S. Gender Politics." by Kukhee Choo, states that the industry of Magical girl
manga emergence since 1960s. According to my knowledge and my cultural background that
Japans cultural and the ideal of woman is extremely stereotype. Therefore, if Magical girl
manga starts from 1960s, it will be important and significant to see how manga industry changes
womens role in society in Japan.

Objectives:
In topics such as media, literature, even history, I have heard many people talk about how
Japanese portray the stereotype of women such as housewives, servants, and sexual objects.
However, I see it differently; I see how Japanese women authors have tried to use the most
influential media in their country (anime, manga) to support womens rights and empower
womanhood. I want to analyze one of the most well-known manga Saliormoon, historical manga
Ooku, and science fiction manga Magical Knight Rayearth to help me gain the knowledge and
the idea of how to depict empower girls right successfully.
I am an English Literature major with a Mandarin Chinese minor in Bachelor of Art degree. I am
also interested in womens study and enjoy studying manga as well. Combining these topics with
my background together, I will provide many strong points in my project. As a student, I will
show that I can well-analyze any literature and relate many fields of studies in my project. As an
employee, I will show that I am capable of combining different ideas and looking at the different
culture, language, history, and demonstrate the knowledge.

Methods:
To answer my research questions and reach the goals of my project, I have developed 6
strategies:
Analyze and illustrate the common stereotypes of female in Japans culture from my
secondary sources.
Research and analyze the manga Saliormoon from gender and magical girls point of
view
Research and analyze the manga Tokyo Mew Mew from gender and history fictions point
of view
Research and analyze the manga Magical Knight Rayearth form gender and magic girls
point of view
Compare the result from the research with the stereotypes of female
Analyze and demonstrate Shoujo Mangas influence on ideal of women in society
My first strategy is doing some research on Japans culture based on gender. Japan is a country
with many strong and strict traditional customs and rules. Therefore, I think if we want to
understand why the Shoujo Manga is such a big step for in overcoming with gender bias in
manga. We should have a good understanding on their culture first. After that, we can see how
the stereotypes of girl appear in Japans media and literature.
Saliormoon is one of the most popular manga since 1992. By choosing one of the most familiar
manga, I think it can help my reader to get a good point from my project. Saliormoons manga
and anime series has been cited as reinvigorating the magical girl genre by adding dynamic
heroines and action-oriented plots. Therefore, this research will involve finding the elements that
form heroines and magic girl powers on Shoujo Mangas influence.
Tokyo Mew Mew is a Japanese shjo manga series written by Reiko Yoshida and illustrated by
Mia Ikumi. It was originally serialized in Nakayoshi from September 2000 to February 2003 and
was later published in seven tankbon volumes by Kodansha from February 2001 to April 2003.
It focuses on five girls infused with the DNA of rare animals that gives them special powers and
allows them to transform into "Mew Mews" to combat aliens attempting to take over the Earth.
My last manga choice will be Magical Knight Rayearth. This manga is one of most significant
Shoujo Manga and magical girl since 1994. Its also about female heroines, and trying to fight
evil. I think the research of this manga will also give me the great results of how Shoujo Manga
can be well-demonstrate womens right and power in society.
After all the researching and analyzing from those three manga, I will compare the result with
the stereotypes of female gender rule in Japan. I will demonstrate how the women author break
through the definition of women from Japans society. Shoujo manga became the most popular
genre of manga, and what is under its influence. In addition, I will explore why.
Timeline:
I will be meeting Dr. Birmingham regularly Tuesday and Thursday between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in
her office have face-to-face to go over my research and project. The following dates and chat
will demonstrate the timeline for the completion of the assignments.
Tentative schedule of completion dates:
March 13 Proposal Draft Signed by Mentor
April 8 Annotated Bibliography Draft
April 17 Progress Report, Annotated Biography
April 24 Abstract
May 1, 6, 8 Presentation
Final week Portfolios, Mentor Reports, Final Draft
Assignments March, 10-
March, 20
March, 20-
March, 30
April, 1-
April, 10
April,
10-
April, 20
April,
20-
April, 30
May, 1-
May, 10
May, 10-
Final
Proposal
Draft Signed

Annotated
Bibliography
Draft

Progress
Report,
Annotated
Biography

Abstract


Presentation


Portfolios &
Final Draft

Mentor
Reports



Reading List:
Choo, Kukhee. "Womanhood In Japanese Anime: A New Cultural Borderland To U.S. Gender Politics."
Conference Papers -- International Communication Association (2003): 1-24. Communication &
Mass Media Complete. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
Grigsby, Mary. "Sailormoon: Manga (Comics) And Anime (Cartoon) Superheroine Meets Barbie: Global
Entertainment Commodity Comes To The United States." Journal Of Popular Culture 32.1
(1998): 59-80. Historical Abstracts with Full Text. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
Hori, Hikari. "Views From Elsewhere: Female Shoguns In Yoshinaga Fumi's oku And Their Precursors
In Japanese Popular Culture." Japanese Studies 32.1 (2012): 77-95. MLA International
Bibliography. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
Ogi, Fusami. "Female Subjectivity And Shoujo (Girls)Manga (Japanese Comics):Shoujo In Ladies'
Comics And Young Ladies' Comics." Journal Of Popular Culture 36.4 (2003): 780. Historical
Abstracts with Full Text. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
Yunqi, Liu. "Superpower Empowerment: Portrayal Of The Female In Japanese Girls' Comics." Japanese
Language & Literature 45.2 (2011): 624. Education Source. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
Ueno, Junko. "Shojo" And Adult Women: A Linguistic Analysis Of Gender Identity In "Manga"
(Japanese Comics)." Women & Language 29.1 (2006): 16-25. Communication & Mass Media
Complete. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.