Pop-diplomacy: Anime and manga as vehicles of cultural context, identity formation, and hybridity

The purpose of this thesis is to critically examine how a community, or "fandom," of American consumers is interacting with certain aspects of Japanese popular culture and to explore these interactions as sites of cultural negotiation. Specifically, the purpose is to explore the rise in popularity of Japanese manga and anime, as well as the associated subcultures, in the US within a theoretical framework of hybridization and ask: How is the community framing discussions of cultural context and identity formation and are its members engaging in the hybridization of culture? In the case studies, fieldwork conducted at anime conventions and through analysis of public discussion on community web forums highlight two sites of cultural negotiation: conventions and cosplay and fansubs.