Manga and anime are a very important part of Japanese culture. They have a long history in Japan and have become increasingly popular. Even today, in modern-day Japan, manga and anime have become an integral part of daily life. Although they are accepted in many homes, some people believe that manga and anime have a bad influence on people who enjoy reading and watching them. However, manga and anime offer Japanese people a huge amount of stories to explore and enjoy, as well as a wide range of genres to choose from, which makes it such a favored pastime. To begin with, the origin of manga goes way back in ancient Japan. history. In the first chapter of the book Understanding Manga and Anime, it is stated that the origin of manga arguably goes further back in history than Western comic books and graphic novels (Brenner 1). This means that the manga is even older than all superhero comics like Marvel. Although no one knows exactly when manga first appeared, many give credit to Japanese Buddhist monks who lived in the 20th century. They drew illustrations on scrolls of funny animals that dressed up and played the roles of scholars and monks. Additionally, scrolling images were drawn from right to left, just like modern manga. The term "manga" was coined by the artist Hokusai Katsuhika around 1815 (3). Anime was created much later in Japanese history. In fact, anime began to appear around the 19th century, when animated pictures exploded around the world (Macwilliams 49). So even though manga has been around for centuries, anime is only a recent development in Japanese cartoons. Cartoons started out much like Disney films, in that early cartoons were shown in small theaters as short films, and then, over time, grew into feature films... middle of paper ... are a large part of Japanese culture. Manga has a deep history in Japan and has become commonplace in this part of the world. Even today, manga and anime seem to be growing in other countries around the world. Although many people disagree with people, especially children, reading and watching Japanese anime and comics, they are still a part of Japanese culture and may even become an important part other countries around the world. One day, Western culture may even learn to fully embrace this vast and growing hobby. Quoted WordBrenner, Robin E. Understanding Manga And Anime. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2007. Electronic Book Collection (EBSCOhost). Internet. December 12, 2013. Macwilliams, Mark Wheeler. Japanese visual culture: explorations in the world of manga and anime. Armonk, NY: ME Sharpe, 2008. Electronic Book Collection (EBSCOhost). Internet. December 12. 2013.