Reframing Disability in Manga by Yoshiko Okuyama provides a rich resource that weaves together theories of disability, contextualization of disability in Japan, and case studies of manga that focus on life with a disability. Okuyama argues persuasively that manga—a visual medium with a wide reach—can be a site for challenging stereotypes and prejudice by providing a sense of what life is like for others. Moreover, through a combination of interviews with authors, artists, and activists and analysis of fifteen manga titles focusing on deafness, mobility impairments, blindness, autism, and gender identity disorder/gender dysphoria, she argues that manga can be a site for advocacy and social change. In Okuyama's words, “I intend to help open up a conversation about disability issues, cultivate a deeper understanding of human diversity, and reframe what is traditionally considered ‘disability’ in Japan as an aspect of such diversity” (p. xvi).
The book is divided into two parts: “Representations of Disability” and “Reframing Disability in Manga.” The first section explains disability theories, the broader context of disability in Japan, and the ways that disabilities are represented in the media, with a focus on stereotypes and issues particular to Japanese culture. While this is a lot to cover, Okuyama strikes a good balance between explaining key concepts in disability studies and providing specific context for the ways that disabilities have been understood through Japanese folklore and policy.
For readers who are unfamiliar with disability studies, the first chapter provides a succinct literature review of major concepts, such as the medical and social models of disabilities and the notions of neurodiversity, enfreakment, ableism, and abnormality. It ends by introducing the Japanese term kyōsei (or coexistence) as a way to move past preconceived attitudes and social norms to live together embracing inclusivity (p. 22).
Turning to media, the second chapter focuses on how disabilities have been represented, especially in film, both globally and in Japan. Tackling key stereotypes from ijin (other) and oni (demons) to supercrips, Okuyama provides a range of examples of evolving but largely problematic media representations of people with disabilities in comparative perspective.
The second section is the heart of the book, with a chapter on each of five forms of disability—blindness, deafness, mobility impairments, autism, and gender identity disorder/gender dysphoria. Each chapter intertwines analysis of three significant (popular or groundbreaking) manga on the topic at hand along with broader context on policy and social movements. The chapters on blindness, deafness, and mobility impairments all focus on manga with characters who face challenges living and working as a result of both social and physical barriers. In each of these chapters, Okuyama discusses common negative stereotypes of these disabilities in media and society and provides examples of manga that challenge pejorative representations by providing more authentic representations or slice-of-life examples. One important insight that emerges is the ways in which manga that portray people with disabilities in affirming relationships with nondisabled characters can help readers envision an inclusive society through engaging narratives.
The final two chapters on autism and gender identity disorder/gender dysphoria address largely invisible differences in which the barriers are often social rather than physical. In both cases, even defining the terms is challenging, and policy as well as social supports are in flux; Okuyama handles these nuances with care. In particular, as diagnosis and definitions of transgender individuals shift in the West, even including it in a book on disability is controversial. Okuyama writes, “Without framing anyone's gender identity as a disability, I am attempting to explore the intersectionality between transgenderism and disability in this chapter” (p. 129). This is one place where the importance of cultural categories in cross-cultural research comes into focus. Okuyama is adept at explaining the social and cultural background that informs the ways that the language of disability rights has been an important tool for transgender individuals in Japan, even as the goal of de-pathologizing is still important for a barrier-free and inclusive society.
With its focus on disability, this book adds to manga scholarship by providing a thematic approach to what can be a very broad topic. Moreover, focusing on manga that address particular social issues allows for a conversation about the ways a medium as widely read as manga can shape social norms for the better. Okuyama's focus on manga that portray realistic challenges faced by disabled characters and families makes a compelling case for the ways that this popular medium can add to broader conversations about accessibility and inclusion. However, this breadth is also a weakness at times. In order to cover a range of manga featuring five disabilities while tackling traditional views of disability in Japan, manga studies, and disability studies, the book sometimes errs on the side of breadth rather than depth. I often wanted more detailed analysis of the manga that Okuyama is analyzing. Ultimately, as Okuyama herself notes, this makes the book the start of a conversation (p. xvi) and one that is both timely and important.
Finally, because of the scope of this book, Reframing Disability in Manga is pitched perfectly for the undergraduate classroom. Okuyama provides succinct overviews of scholarship in disability studies, Japanese disability policy, and Japanese folklore to reframe fifteen manga titles that feature characters with disabilities. This makes the book accessible to undergraduates who are interested in manga and contemporary social issues in Japan. The chapters would lend themselves well to assigning alongside selected manga to enable students to engage with Okuyama's sociocultural analysis. Moreover, the thoroughly documented scholarship in both English and Japanese throughout provides an excellent starting point for further research.
In all, Reframing Disability in Manga adds to the fields of manga studies and disability studies in Japan while providing an excellent resource for teaching about both.
