Title: Subversive stereotypes: an analysis of queer representations in Japanese comics and animations 1990–1999.

Abstract:
Due to their growing popularity over the past decade, Japanese comics and animations have been increasingly analyzed from feminist and queer perspectives. Given the current relevance of queer criticism and the lack of in-depth academic work in Italian on the topic, my PhD project aims to trace the evolution of queer representations in Japanese comics and animations from the 1990s onward. By conducting a diachronic analysis of Japanese queer history and its lexicon, the research explores the impact of social and transnational factors on aesthetics and narratives that may represent the LGBTQ+ community. In this presentation, I will present my approach through the analysis of three works: Wish (Uisshu, 1995–1998) by CLAMP, Gravitation (Gurabitēshon, 1996–2002) by Murakami Maki and Double House (Daburu hausu, 1996–1997) by Haruno Nanae.

About the speaker:
Camil Valerio Ristè is currently a PhD candidate in Japanese Literature and Popular Media at the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures (Japanese literature) of the University of Bologna and, during the fall semester of 2024, a visiting researcher at the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Stockholm University.
 His research focuses on representations of queerness in the Japanese context, using comics and animations as the main reference point. In 2022, he published a related monograph with the Italian publisher Società Editrice La Torre. Throughout 2023, he contributed articles on queer manga to The Anime Herald and Anime Feminist, while in 2024, one of his articles on asexuality in Japan was featured in the international journal DIVE-IN.

To attendants from outside the Department: Please pre-register with the seminar organizer, Jaqueline Berndt (jberndt@su.se), to allow access to the venue.