Tools for references of “Manga” Verification of Database and its practical use

Abstract

As “manga” is one of media, there are some collection of “manga” in libraries. However, in most libraries, collection of “manga” is just put on a bookshelf and the reference and/or the useful information of “manga” are seldom provided. The main reason of such circumstance is that most librarians don’t have enough information about “manga” and there are not appropriate reference tools and databases.

Therefore, when someone wants to investigate “manga”, he/she often ask “manga” researchers of universities and/or “Japan Society for Studies in Cartoon and Comics”. I belong to the above society and I have received many inquiries through its mailing list.

March 17, 2015, “Media Art Database (Development January 26, 2016), “Mangapedia” was also released by publishers. The former contains “mangas”, animations, games, and media arts. On the database, users can search information about titles and collections in not only Japanese and also English, Chinese, and Korean. The latter was edited on the same manner of encyclopedia, that is, world’s first “manga” encyclopedia.

In this poster, I show the characteristic of both two databases and investigate how we can use them as reference services.