Research Catalog

Title

Race and the animated bodyscape : constructing and ascribing a racialized Asian identity in Avatar and Korra / Francis M. Agnoli.

Author

Agnoli, Francis M.

Publication

Jackson : University Press of Mississippi, 2023.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

ix, 204 pages; 24 cm

Summary

"Race does not exist in animation-it must instead be constructed and ascribed. Yet, over the past few years, there has been growing discourse on the intersection of these two subjects within both academic and popular circles. In Race and the Animated Bodyscape: Constructing and Ascribing a Racialized Asian Identity in "Avatar" and "Korra," author Francis M. Agnoli introduces and illustrates the concept of the animated bodyscape, looking specifically at the US television series Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel, The Legend of Korra. Rather than consider animated figures as unified wholes, Agnoli views them as complexes of signs, made up of visual, aural, and narrative components that complement, contradict, and otherwise interact with each other in the creation of meaning. Every one of these components matters, as they are each the result of a series of creative decisions made by various personnel across different production processes. This volume (re)constructs production narratives for Avatar and Korra using original and preexisting interviews with cast and crew members as well as behind-the-scenes material. Each chapter addresses how different types of components were generated, tracing their development from preliminary research to final animation. In doing so, this project identifies the interlocking sets of production communities behind the making of animation and thus behind the making of racialized identities. Due to its illusory and constructed nature, animation affords untapped opportunities to approach the topic of race in media, looking beyond the role of the actor and taking into account the various factors and processes behind the production of racialized performances. The analysis of race and animation calls for a holistic approach, one that treats both the visual and the aural as intimately connected. This volume offers a blueprint for how to approach the analysis of race and animation"--

Subject

• Avatar, the last airbender (Television program)
• Legend of Korra (Television program)
• Animation (Cinematography)
• Race on television
• Asian Americans on television
• Animated television programs
• Fantasy television programs
• Human figure in art

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (pages 173-185) and index.

Contents

Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Chapter One: The visual components of the animated bodyscape -- Chapter Two: The aural components of the animated bodyscape -- Chapter Three: The narrative components of the animated bodyscape -- Chapter Four: Visual worldbuilding and the animated bodyscape -- Chapter Five: Aural worldbuilding and the animated bodyscape -- Conclusion -- Notes -- t Bibliography -- Other sources -- Index.

Call Number

MWGT 23-4018

ISBN

• 9781496845085
• 1496845080
• 9781496845092
• 1496845099
• 9781496845108 (canceled/invalid)
• 9781496845115 (canceled/invalid)
• 9781496845122 (canceled/invalid)
• 9781496845139 (canceled/invalid)

LCCN

2022051872

OCLC

1355405553

Author

Agnoli, Francis M., author.

Title

Race and the animated bodyscape : constructing and ascribing a racialized Asian identity in Avatar and Korra / Francis M. Agnoli.

Publisher

Jackson : University Press of Mississippi, 2023.

Type of Content

text

Type of Medium

unmediated

Type of Carrier

volume

Bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 173-185) and index.

Other Form:

Online version: Agnoli, Francis M. Race and the animated bodyscape Jackson : University Press of Mississippi, 2023 9781496845108 (DLC) 2022051873

Research Call Number

MWGT 23-4018