| Since the 1990 s,Japanese "light novels" have developed for nearly 30 years,and are generally considered a group of novels targeted at junior and senior high school students,written in a colloquial style,with character-centered creation,and featuring manga and anime-style covers and illustrations.In recent years,the boundaries between literature and light novels have gradually blurred,leading to phenomena such as "literary crossover" and "general literature light novelization".By deeply studying the development process and creative influences of light novels,a better understanding of the connections,differences,and underlying reasons for these phenomena between literature and light novels can be achieved.Therefore,this article analyzes previous research and specific cases to reveal the unique features of light novels and,in combination with the social and cultural environment of the time,explores the relationship between juvenile fiction,anime,manga,and other otaku culture and light novels,as well as the formation process of the sociocultural environment that nurtured light novels.Chapter 1 analyzes the character and animation features of light novels,as well as the differences and connections between light novels and general literature through the analysis of Otsuka Eiji and Azuma Hiroki’s discussions on light novels.The differences between the two are due to their different "imaginary environments".Light novels exist in an "anime and manga-like realism" environment,while general literature exists in a "naturalist-style realism" environment.There are different types of fusion within each environment,and the two environments are not absolutely isolated,with "crossover" phenomena occurring from time to time.Chapter 2 analyzes the impact of anime and manga culture on light novels,as well as the role of the TRPG game genre in the early development of light novels.The character images,worldviews,and certain plot elements in light novels have many similarities with manga and anime.The character types in light novels are the accumulation of character images in the creative process of anime,manga,and light novels over the years.Worldview settings usually reference classic anime or manga works.The story creation method formed during the TRPG game playing process had a significant impact on the early creation of light novels.Chapter 3 examines the development of juvenile fiction for boys and girls and analyzes how they became the basis of post-war Japanese anime and manga culture,as well as the cultural background for light novels’ acceptance by adolescents.The analysis looks at the impact of previous adolescent literature on light novel content themes and creative environments.The "S" culture in girls’ high schools and campus romance novels for girls under coeducation provided material and a large number of readers for later campus romance-themed light novels.Girl’s manga in the 1970 s inherited the themes and ideas of girl’s novels,and the exploration of male homoerotic(BL)themes and fantasy elements laid the cultural foundation for later BL light novels and fantasy light novels.Science fiction adventure novels and alternative history novels in boy’s fiction allowed light novels to build independent fictional worlds,laying the foundation for serialized publication.The combination of manga illustrations and text in light novels also evolved from the graphic and textual integration of red books in previous boy’s fiction.In conclusion,since the 1970 s,anime and manga culture have absorbed the themes,worldviews,and character shaping methods of previous boy’s and girl’s fiction.Light novels inherited and developed boy’s and girl’s fiction through the medium of anime and manga,and although their forms of expression and types differ,their underlying spiritual core is the same. |
