hmm, interesting...

Manga and Anime
taken from Free Reading: Implications for Child Development

In the assessment of popular children's entertainment forms, it is impossible to ignore the influence of manga, contemporary Japanese comics, and anime, the animated versions of manga stories. Millions of children and adults are avid consumers of comics; many manga comics are for adults only. The contemporary Pokemon series is an example of manga and anime that have been embraced by American children, with much marketing of toys and accessories. The 1970s Speed Racer cartoon was originally a Japanese anime, as were the enormously popular 1980s Transformers cartoons, animations, and toys. The major difference between Japanese and American comics is that manga portray a more complex and realistic view of life (Izawa, 1995). In manga, the death of a major character is frequently portrayed, whereas in American comics the topic is typically avoided.
Manga often portray adults at work, using high-tech computers and communication technologies, an area of life that is nearly invisible in American comics. The people—generally not superheroes—who populate manga work, go to school, and interact with their parents. Characters also have a "secret life" where friends and robots help them to defeat their foes. Foes are not necessarily depicted as the embodiment of evil; enemies of manga characters have complex motives, pursuing rational goals. Unlike American superheroes, manga characters make errors and learn from their mistakes; they grow morally and intellectually as stories develop. Izawa (1995) believes that the "everydayness" of manga may be a liberating factor in readers' identification with characters and events. Finally, unlike American superhero comics, manga stories deliberately end. They are designed to finish with a character getting married, going off to college, or even dying. Grounded in familiar reality, the adventures progress and build a kind of bridge to the fantasy world as they develop. It is possible that, as in my own experience as a new reader, comic book reading can open the door to other genres.

Desmond, Roger. "Free Reading: Implications for Child Development." Handbook of Children and the Media. Sage Publications, Inc. Thousand Oaks: 2001.

i came across this while researching for my classical argument paper and thought it was rather interesting. it's nice to see a positive spin on anime published in america (and by someone who isn't an avid fan).