Anime refers specifically to animation from Japan or a Japanese-disseminated animation style that has won increasing recognition as a major art form, capable of addressing complex social issues in a compelling manner. Recent theatrical releases have attracted larger audiences than first-run Japanese and American films, and have been recognized at prestigious international film festivals. This course will explore the historical background of anime, its soft power significance in shaping perceptions of Japan, and how it both reflects and shapes aspects of Japanese society that may seem foreign from a Western perspective. This course will involve film screenings; documentaries that will highlight motifs and themes; discussion of both the anime films themselves and their suitability as primary documents to illustrate less commonly known aspects of Japanese society; and journal-writing to document the students’ increasingly sophisticated understanding of both Japanese society and the wider significance of anime in an increasingly interconnected world.