In Japan, where anime and manga evolved, there is a devoted group of fans who embrace the characters found in films (anime), comics (manga) and the resulting spin off video games in a deeply personal way. This group of avid fans uses the term moe to refer to the strong sense of emotional attachment that they develop for their favorite characters. Characters like Sagisawa Moe in Dinosaur Planet and Tomoe Hotaru in Sailor Moon are young, beautiful and innocent - calling forth in readers a strong desire to protect and nurture them. Moe is a huge cultural phenomenon and one of the driving forces behind the enormous success of Japanese anime and manga throughout the world.

Moe Manifesto provides an insider’s look at this key aspect of Japanese pop culture. Author Patrick Galbraith, is the world’s leading expert on moe and for this book, he has interviewed 20 other important figures in the world of Japanese manga and anime to provide the first in-depth survey of the subject. In this book, you will learn about the very first moe characters such as Ayame by Tezuka Osamu-and how they influenced an entire generation of manga artists; what constitutes the ideal moe relationship; and why some fans are even determined to marry their fictional sweethearts.